Argentina’s mystery pneumonia outbreak finally identified as Legionellosis disease

Source: The post is based on the article “Argentina’s mystery pneumonia outbreak finally identified as Legionellosis disease” published in Down To Earth on 6th September 2022

What is the News?

A mysterious pneumonia outbreak in Argentina has been identified as Legionellosis disease.

What is Legionellosis disease?

Legionellosis is a pneumonia-like illness that varies in severity from mild febrile illness to a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia.

Caused by: The causative agents are Legionella bacteria from water or potting mix.

Symptoms: It includes fever, muscle and abdominal pain and shortness of breath. 

Transmission: The disease typically spreads via inhalation of contaminated aerosols from contaminated water, which could come from — air conditioning cooling towers, evaporative condensers associated with air conditioning and industrial cooling, hot and cold-water systems, humidifiers and whirlpool spas.

Vulnerable Group: People who have comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, respiratory problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or those who follow poor habits like smoking are more prone to the condition.

Treatment: Treatments exist, but there is no vaccine currently available for Legionnaires’ disease. Patients with this disease always require antibiotic treatment following diagnosis.

Prevention: The public health threat posed by legionellosis can be addressed by implementing water safety plans by authorities responsible for building safety or water system safety.