infections
Legionella Infections
Symptoms ofLegionellaInfections
Symptoms of legionnaires’ disease resemble the flu. People have fever, chills, a general feeling of illness, muscle aches, headache, and confusion. Other symptoms include nausea, loose stools or watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, cough, and joint pain. People may have difficulty breathing, and breathing may be painful. They may cough up blood. With treatment, most otherwise healthy people recover. However, certain characteristics increase the risk of death: Acquiring the infection in a hospital (up to half of infected people die) Being older Having a weakened immune system Without treatment, about 5% of people with legionnaires' disease die, but this rate is higher (up to 40%) in people who are older, have a weakened immune system, or have acquired the infection in a hospital. People with Pontiac fever have fever, headache, and muscle aches but no cough or other respiratory symptoms. Symptoms resolve on their own in about a week. 