Legionnaires’ disease: cause, diagnosis and treatment
Listen to the interview with Dr. Janet Stout, who was a guest WRVO’s health and wellness program, Take Care, hosted by Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen. The interview aired December 6. Following is an excerpt about the interview:
Legionnaires’ disease is a kind of pneumonia spread through the legionella bacteria. Unlike other some other kinds of bacteria that sickens humans, this one is spread through water, not by person-to-person contact. The bacteria usually live in manmade water systems, like in buildings.
People contract the disease by breathing in mist with the bacteria or they drink the water, but it has to get into the lungs, says Stout.
But it can be difficult to figure out where Legionnaires’ is coming from, says Stout. For one reason, the time of exposure to legionella bacteria to a patient showing signs of Legionnaires’, like fever and cough, can be anywhere from two to 10 days.
Click here to listen to interview with Dr. Janet Stout on WRVO’s website.