Early diagnosis greatly increases the chances of a successful recovery. Due to the complexities in detecting the bacteria (it is not a simple test), it also has to be assumed that there is a certain number of undetected cases. In addition, many cases of Legionellosis may simply not be tested for the Legionella bacterium, due to the symptom’s resemblance of pneumonia.
| Cough | 75% |
| Fever (>39 centigrade) | 70% |
| Sputum production | 45% |
| Confusion | 45% |
| Myalgia, muscle pain | 38% |
| Diarrhoea | 33% |
| Headache | 32% |
Legionnaires is a highly fatal disease. Around 1 in 10 people who contract Legionnaires will die from complications related to the illness.
Death occurs through progressive pneumonia with respiratory failure and/or shock and multi-organ failure, particularly kidney failure.
A certain part of the general population are vulnerable to Legionella. Vulnerability is increased if there are factors that reduce the response immune systems such as, for example, a cold.
Recovery always requires extensive antibiotic treatment, and is usually complete after several weeks or months. In rare occasions, severe progressive pneumonia or ineffective treatment for pneumonia can result in brain sequelae.
This is why, when it comes to Legionnaires disease, the most effective way of dealing with the affliction is prevention.
