NEUMONÍA BY LEGIONELLA

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	NEUMONÍA BY LEGIONELLA
	*NEUMONÍA BY LEGIONELLA*

NEUMONÍA BY LEGIONELLA

Neumonía by legionella

It is an infection of the lung caused by a called bacterium Legionela Pneumófila.

It was denominated thus in 1976 after an epidemic that affected 182 people who attended a convention of the American Legion.

It constitutes between a 1 and a 8% of the total of all pneumonías.

Prognosis

Normally curable with immediate diagnosis and treatment.

In case of not being treated, it is fatal in a 15% of the cases.

Complications

Shock or delirium.

Congestivo cardiac failure.

Nefrítico failure.

Alterations in the heart rate.

Uncontrollable infection and death.

Diagnosis and treatment

The diagnosis tests will include:

Analysis of blood,

x-rayses,

cultures of esputo and

broncoscopia (introduction of a flexible tube by the mouth until the lungs, for the visualization and taking of samples).

The treatment requires well-taken care of antibiotics and of support.

In the cases of gravity, one requires the hospitalization for intensive cares and oxygen administration.

The following directives will be of application for the slight cases or the cares after the hospitalization:

General Measures

Use a ultrasonic humidificador of cold steam to increase the air humidity and to facilitate the expulsion of pulmonary secretions by means of the cough.

Clean the humidificador daily.

Use hot compresas or an electrical blanket for the chest with the purpose of alleviating the pain.

It will be able to take aspirin or paracetamol to lower the fever.

Medication

Antibiotics during a period of three weeks.

Asegúrese to complete all the prescribed medication.

If to toser he is to him painful and he does not produce esputo, his doctor will recommend the medicine use to him to eliminate it.

In main lines, it does not use supresivos of the cough when this one produces esputo.

Activity

Make exercises of deep breathing with as much frequency as their forces allow it.

Diet

Take many líqudos, will help to the production and expulsion of esputo.

Prevention

Maintain the systems of heating and regular conditioned air clean and make inspection.

It does not smoke.

It does not take more than 1 or 2 spirits at the most to the day.

Factors of risk

Age outpost.

Debilitadoras chronic diseases including

diabetes,

chronic nefrítico failure or

enfisema.

Tabaquismo.

Excessive alcohol consumption.

Inmuno-supresivos medicine use, including

cortisone and

the medication anti-cancer.

Diseases that produce inmunosupresión, like

the S.I.D.A.,

leucemias and

linfomas.

Signs and symptoms

General malaise.

Headache.

Chills and fever of until 40°C.

Muscular pain.

Progressive cough with esputo of grayish color getting to be even sanguinolento.

Nauseas, vomits, diarrea, loss of the appetite.

Alteration of the mental state with confusion and lethargy or delirium.

Loss of weight.

Causes

Bacterial infection between contaminated people and sources.

The Legionella pneumófila reproduces in very high humidity circumstances and is resistant to common disinfectants to the normal doses, for that reason a habitual center of infection constitutes the cooling towers of great buildings.

The germ is transmitted through the air and the period of incubation is of 2 to 10 days after the exhibition stage.

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