Legionnaires' disease

Legionnaires' disease
Legionnaires' disease also Legionnaire's disease n pneumonia that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Legionella (L. pneumophila), that is characterized initially by symptoms resembling influenza (as malaise, headache, and muscular aches) followed by high fever, cough, diarrhea, lobar pneumonia, and mental confusion, and that may be fatal esp. in elderly and immunocompromised individuals see PONTIAC FEVER

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an infection of the lungs caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, named after an outbreak at the American Legion convention in Pennsylvania in 1976. Legionella organisms are widely found in water; outbreaks of the disease have been associated with defective central heating, air conditioning, and other ventilating systems. Symptoms appear after an incubation period of 2-10 days: malaise and muscle pain are succeeded by a fever, dry cough, chest pain, and breathlessness. X-ray of the lungs shows patchy consolidation. Erythromycin provides the most effective therapy.

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an acute, sometimes fatal, bacterial disease caused by infection with Legionella pneumophila, not spread by person-to-person contact; it is characterized by pneumonia, high fever, gastrointestinal pain, headache, and sometimes involvement of the kidneys, liver, or nervous system.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • legionnaires' disease — legionnaires ′ disease n. pat a form of pneumonia caused by bacteria of the genus Legionella, esp. L. pneumophila, typically acquired by inhaling airborne droplets from a contaminated water supply • Etymology: so called from its first reported… …   From formal English to slang

  • legionnaires' disease — ► NOUN ▪ a form of bacterial pneumonia spread chiefly in water droplets through air conditioning and similar systems. ORIGIN so named because identified after an outbreak at an American Legion meeting (1976) …   English terms dictionary

  • Legionnaires' disease — ☆ Legionnaires disease n. [after an outbreak of the illness at an American Legion convention in July, 1976] Informal an acute respiratory infection, often with pneumonia, caused by bacteria ( Legionella pneumophila) that may contaminate water or… …   English World dictionary

  • Legionnaires' disease — noun acute (sometimes fatal) lobar pneumonia caused by bacteria of a kind first recognized after an outbreak of the disease at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976; characterized by fever and muscle and chest pain and headache… …   Useful english dictionary

  • legionnaires disease — le·gion·naires disease (le jən ārzґ) [legionnaires, members of the American Legion, whose convention in Philadelphia in 1976 was the scene of a highly publicized epidemic] see under disease …   Medical dictionary

  • Legionnaires'disease — Le·gion·naires disease (lē jə nârzʹ) n. An acute, sometimes fatal respiratory disease caused by a bacterium of the genus Legionella, especially L. pneumophila, and characterized by severe pneumonia, headache, and a dry cough.   [So called because …   Universalium

  • Legionnaires' disease — also Legionnaire s disease noun Etymology: from its first recognized occurrence at an American Legion convention in 1976 Date: 1976 a lobar pneumonia caused by a bacterium (Legionella pneumophila) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • legionnaires' disease — an infection of the lungs caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, named after an outbreak at the American Legion convention in Pennsylvania in 1976. Legionella organisms are widely found in water; outbreaks of the disease have been… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • Legionnaires' disease — (legionellosis) A pulmonary form of legionellosis, resulting from infection with Legionella pneumophila …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • legionnaires' disease — Pathol. a type of acute pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila bacterium and characterized by fever, chest pain, cough, and muscle aches. [so called from its first reported occurrence, at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976] …   Universalium

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