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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffNot everyone exposed to legionella bacteria becomes sick. You're more likely to develop the infection if you:
- Smoke. Smoking damages the lungs, making you more susceptible to all types of lung infections.
- Have a weakened immune system as a result of HIV/AIDS or certain medications, especially corticosteroids and drugs taken to prevent organ rejection after a transplant.
- Have a chronic lung disease such as emphysema or another serious condition such as diabetes, kidney disease or cancer.
- Are 65 years of age or older.
- Have a job maintaining the cooling towers in air conditioning systems.
Legionnaires' disease is a sporadic and local problem in hospitals and nursing homes, where germs may spread easily and people are vulnerable to infection.
References
- Pedro-Botet LM, et al. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of legionella infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2008.
- Patient facts: Learn more about Legionnaires' disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/patient_facts.htm. Accessed Nov. 21, 2008.
- Tossa P, et al. Pontiac fever: An operational definition for epidemiological studies. BMC Public Health. 2006;6:112.
- Pedro-Botet LM, et al. Treatment and prevention of legionella infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2008.
- Top 10 things every clinician needs to know about legionellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/top10.htm. Accessed Nov. 21, 2008.
- Pedro-Botet LM, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of legionella infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 5, 2008.
- Neil K, et al. Increasing incidence of legionellosis in the United States, 1990-2005: Changing epidemiologic trends. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008;47:591.
- Nhu Nguyen TM, et al. A community-wide outbreak of Legionnaires disease linked to industrial cooling towers - How far can contaminated aerosols spread? Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2006;193:102.
- Legionnaires' disease associated with potting soil - California, Oregon, and Washington. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4934a1.htm. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Legionellosis. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs285/en/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
