Legionellosis in Poland: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said that a total of 166 cases of legionellosis, including 23 deaths, have been reported from Poland.
Legionellosis, also known as Legionnaires’ disease, is a pneumonia-like illness, caused by a bacterium. According to WHO, the disease varies in severity from mild to severe illness and is sometimes a fatal form of pneumonia.
The Global Health Agency, this is an unusual increase, considering that the number of cases is higher than the annual number reported in Poland since 2016.
WHO also revealed that the infection source has not yet been identified and an investigation is still underway to find the source of the outbreak.
“Polish health authorities are coordinating cluster investigation activities, active case finding to identify additional cases, and public health activities to prevent transmission and limit the emergence of new cases, through preventive control measures. Since 7 September, no new cases have been reported,” it stated.
According to WHO, most people develop Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. It is noteworthy that there has been no reported direct human-to-human transmission so far.
What is Legionellosis?
According to Mayo Clinic, Legionellosis is a severe form of pneumonia and it is caused by a bacterium known as legionella.
Although, most adults develop Legionellosis by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil, older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to this disease.
Although prompt treatment with antibiotics usually cures Legionnaires’ disease, some people continue to have problems after treatment, as per Mayo Clinic.
What are the symptoms of Legionellosis?
According to Mayo Clinic, Legionellosis usually develops two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria. It frequently begins with the following signs and symptoms:
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher
By the second or third day, you’ll develop other signs and symptoms that can include:
- Cough, which might bring up mucus and sometimes blood
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
- Confusion or other mental changes
“Although Legionnaires’ disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart. A mild form of Legionnaires’ disease — known as Pontiac fever — can produce fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect your lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days,” Mayo Clinic states.
According to WHO, Mortality from Legionnaires’ disease depends on the severity of the disease, the use of antibiotic treatment, the setting where Legionella was acquired, and whether the patient has underlying conditions, including immunosuppression.
“The death rate may be as high as 40–80% in untreated immunosuppressed patients and can be reduced to 5–30% through appropriate case management, depending on the severity of the clinical signs and symptoms. Overall, the death rate is usually between 5–10%,” it states.
How Legionellosis is treated?
According to Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics. Meanwhile, Pontiac fever goes away on its own without treatment and causes no lingering problems.
