What is Legionellosis (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever) and How to Use the Legionella Rapid Test Kit?
Legionellosis is a collective term for two distinct illnesses caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila: Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever. These conditions are respiratory infections that can affect individuals who are exposed to the bacteria in specific environments. Both Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever can occur as isolated cases or in outbreaks, especially in settings with complex water systems or places where large numbers of people congregate, such as hospitals, hotels, or cruise ships. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, usually with antibiotics, are crucial for managing Legionellosis. Therefore, to effectively combat Legionellosis, early detection and diagnosis play a pivotal role. This is where the Legionella Rapid Test Kit emerges as a valuable tool. Read along to learn more about Legionellosis, its symptoms, and how it is detected with the Legionella Rapid Test Kit.
What is Legionellosis (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever)?
Legionellosis, encompassing Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever, is a group of respiratory illnesses caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumonia. These conditions pose a significant health risk to individuals exposed to the bacteria in specific environments.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacterium. It can be potentially life-threatening, especially for individuals with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions. Legionnaires’ disease is typically contracted by inhaling small droplets of water contaminated with Legionella bacteria, which can be found in sources such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, and large plumbing systems. Symptoms include high fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, and in severe cases, pneumonia, and organ failure.
Pontiac fever is a milder form of legionellosis. It is also caused by the Legionella bacteria but does not lead to pneumonia. Pontiac fever is characterized by flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Unlike Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever is typically self-limiting and resolves within a few days without specific treatment.
What are the Symptoms of Legionellosis?
People who get sick with Legionella develop two different illnesses, collectively known as legionellosis: Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever.
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to lung infection, and their symptoms include:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Confusion
Pontiac fever is a milter infection than Legionnaires’ disease. The main symptoms are fever and muscular pains. After being exposed to the bacterium, symptoms might appear anywhere from a few hours to three days later and typically persist for less than a week. In addition, because Pontiac fever sufferers do not have pneumonia, it differs from Legionnaires’ disease.
How to Diagnose Legionellosis?
Generally, laboratory tests are used for the diagnosis. For this, the Legionella bacteria must be cultured. Therefore, a sample from the patient is cultured, and if growth is observed, it is understood that the patient is carrying the Legionella bacteria.
Another and the most common diagnostic method is the urinary antigen test (UAT). This method detects Legionella bacteria in the urine. If a patient has pneumonia and this test is positive, the patient is considered to have Legionnaires’ disease.
There are also diagnostic methods such as PCR, Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) Stain, and Paired serology. Each test has different sensitivity and specificity.
A rapid test kit that detects Legionella bacteria in humans with all these methods is not commercially available.
What is Legionella Rapid Test Kit?
Legionella rapid test kit detects Legionella bacteria in water treatment. This test kit is ideal for water treatment engineers and improves Legionella risk management procedures. Legionella rapid test kit gives results in 30-35 minutes.
How to Treat Legionellosis?
The majority of macrolides, tetracyclines, ketolides, and quinolones are effective antibiotics. Any successful therapy must have great intracellular penetration because Legionella proliferates within the cell. Quinolones for the respiratory tract ((levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin) or more recent macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin) are the preferred therapies at the moment. The most often utilized antibiotics have been azithromycin, doxycycline, and levofloxacin.
While tetracyclines (doxycycline) are given for children over the age of 12 and quinolones (levofloxacin) are prescribed for patients over the age of 18, macrolides (azithromycin) are utilized in all age groups. Rifampicin may be used with a macrolide or quinolone. Rifampicin may or may not be a useful antibiotic to use in therapy. Rifampicin is not advised for use with other regimens, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America. When compared to other medicines, tetracyclines, and erythromycin produced better results in the initial American Legion epidemic. These antibiotics work well within Legionella-infected cells because of their strong intracellular penetration. Levofloxacin or azithromycin for 5–10 days is the recommended course of therapy, although, in persons with immunosuppression, severe illness, or other underlying medical issues, extended antibiotic administration may be required. Prophylactic antibiotics have been used during outbreaks to protect high-risk people who may have been exposed to Legionnaires’ disease.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/signs-symptoms.html
Stout, J. E., & Yu, V. L. (1997). Legionellosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 337(10), 682-687.
Cunha BA, Burillo A, Bouza E (23 January 2016). “Legionnaires’ disease”. Lancet. 387 (10016): 376–385.
Winn WC (1988). “Legionnaires disease: Historical perspective”. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 1 (1): 60–81.
Figure 1: https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/legionnaires-disease-causes-symptoms-and-treatment
Figure 2: https://dph.georgia.gov/what-legionella-how-does-it-spread
Figure 4: Pedro-Botet, M. L., & Yu, V. L. (2009). Treatment strategies for Legionella infection. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy, 10(7), 1109-1121.
