Legionnaires’ disease acquired its name in July 1976, when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. The fatality rate of Legionnaires’ disease has ranged from 5–30% during various outbreaks and approaches 50% for nosocomial infections, especially when treatment with antibiotics is delayed. During outbreaks, prophylactic antibiotics have been used to prevent Legionnaires’ disease in high-risk individuals who have possibly been exposed. Sources where temperatures allow the bacteria to thrive include hot water tanks, cooling towers, and evaporative condensers of large air conditioning systems, such as those commonly found in hotels and large office buildings.
{A sputum (mucus) culture can be very important from a public health perspective because it allows for the health department to test and match it with an environmental sample to help determine the bacteria’s potential source. People with underlying conditions can be at higher risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease. The disease is not contagious and can’t be spread from person-to-person contact. Sources can include whirlpools, jacuzzis, fountains, and cooling towers that are part of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that are not properly cleaned or disinfected.}
