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Revision as of 09:05, 16 February 2003 by Zoe (talk | contribs) (Deleting copyrighted material)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among persons attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. Later, the bacterium causing the illness was named Legionella.
On January 18, 1977 scientists identified a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious "Legionnaire's disease."
Legionellosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila.
The disease has two distinct forms:
- Legionnaires' disease is the name for the more severe form of infection which includes pneumonia, and
- Pontiac fever is a milder illness caused by the same bacterium
An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people get Legionnaires' disease in the United States each year. Some people can be infected with the Legionella bacterium and have mild symptoms or no illness at all.
Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease receive significant media attention. However, this disease usually occurs as a single, isolated case not associated with any recognized outbreak. When outbreaks do occur, they are are usually recognized in the summer and early fall, but cases may occur year-round. About 5% to 30% of people who have Legionnaires' disease die.