Legionella Infection Questions & Answers

1. [Guideline] American Academy of Pediatrics. Legionella pneumophila infections. Pickering LK, Baker CJ, Kimberlin DW, Long SS. Red Book: 2012 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 29th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2012. 461-62.

2. Cunha BA, Burillo A, Bouza E. Legionnaires' disease. Lancet. 2016 Jan 23. 387 (10016):376-85. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. Gonzalez AG, Martin JM. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 pneumonia recurrence postbone marrow transplantation. Pediatr Infect Dis J. October 2007. 26:961-963.

4. Greenberg D, Chiou CC, Famigilleti R, Lee TC, Yu VL. Problem pathogens: paediatric legionellosis--implications for improved diagnosis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2006 Aug. 6(8):529-35. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

5. Luttichau HR, Vinther C, Uldum SA, et al. An outbreak of Pontiac fever among children following use of a whirlpool. Clin Infect Dis. 1998 Jun. 26(6):1374-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

6. Campins M, Ferrer A, Callis L, et al. Nosocomial Legionnaire's disease in a children's hospital. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000 Mar. 19(3):228-34. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

7. Johansson PJ, Andersson K, Wiebe T, Schalen C, Bernander S. Nosocomial transmission of Legionella pneumophila to a child from a hospital's cold-water supply. Scand J Infect Dis. 2006. 38(11-12):1023-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

8. Franzin L, Scolfaro C, Cabodi D, et al. Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in a newborn after water birth: a new mode of transmission [case report]. Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Nov 1. 33(9):e103-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Thoni A, Zech N, Moroder L, Ploner F. [Water contamination and infection rate after water births]. Gynakol Geburtshilfliche Rundsch. 2007. 47(1):33-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

10. Stone BJ, Abu Kwaik Y. Expression of multiple pili by Legionella pneumophila: identification and characterization of a type IV pilin gene and its role in adherence to mammalian and protozoan cells. Infect Immun. 1998 Apr. 66(4):1768-75. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

11. Rubin LG. Legionella species. Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone; 2012. 922-925.

12. Myers C, Corbelli R, Schrenzel J, Gervaix A. Multiple pulmonary abscesses caused by Legionella pneumophila infection in an infant with croup. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2006 Aug. 25(8):753-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

13. Heine S, Fuchs A, von Muller L, Krenn T, Nemat S, Graf N. Legionellosis must be kept in mind in case of pneumonia with lung abscesses in children receiving therapeutic steroids. Infection. 2011 Oct. 39(5):481-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

14. Monforte R, Marco F, Estruch R, Campo E. Multiple organ involvement by Legionella pneumophila in a fatal case of Legionnaires' disease. J Infect Dis. 1989 Apr. 159(4):809. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. American Thoracic Society. Guidelines for the management of adults with hospital-acquired, ventilator-associated, and healthcare-associated pneumonia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005. 171:388-416.

16. Scola BL, Maltezou H. Legionella and Q fever community acquired pneumonia in children. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2004. 5 Suppl A:S171-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. Wolf J, Daley AJ. Microbiological aspects of bacterial lower respiratory tract illness in children: atypical pathogens. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2007 Sep. 8(3):212-9, quiz 219-20. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

18. Carlson NC, Kuskie MR, Dobyns EL, et al. Legionellosis in children: an expanding spectrum. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1990 Feb. 9(2):133-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

19. Soda EA, Barskey AE, Shah PP, Schrag S, Whitney CG, Arduino MJ, et al. Vital Signs: Health Care-Associated Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Data from 20 States and a Large Metropolitan Area - United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Jun 9. 66 (22):584-589. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Farnham A, Alleyne L, Cimini D, Balter S. Legionnaires' disease incidence and risk factors, New York, New York, USA, 2002-2011. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Nov. 20(11):1795-1802. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

21. Swift D. Occupation, Socioeconomic Status Tied to Legionellosis Risk. Medscape Medical News. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/833883. Accessed: May 7, 2015.

22. Dooling KL, Toews KA, Hicks LA, Garrison LE, Bachaus B, Zansky S, et al. Active Bacterial Core Surveillance for Legionellosis - United States, 2011-2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015 Oct 30. 64 (42):1190-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

23. Barclay L. Legionellosis Incidence Increases; Better Diagnostics Needed. Medscape Medical News. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/853488. October 30, 2015; Accessed: March 29, 2016.

24. Rubin R. Why Are Legionnaires Disease Diagnoses Becoming More Common in the United States?. JAMA. 2018 May 1. 319 (17):1753-1754. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

25. Yackley JK, Sweat D, Fill MA, Garman K, Dunn JR. Notes from the Field: Legionellosis Outbreak Associated with a Hotel Aquatics Facility - Tennessee, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Jan 19. 67 (2):77-78. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

26. Perez Ortiz A, Hahn C, Schaible T, Rafat N, Lange B. Severe pneumonia in neonates associated with Legionella pneumophila: case report and review of the literature. Pathogens. 2021 Aug 15. 10 (8):[QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

27. Beauté J, Plachouras D, Sandin S, Giesecke J, Sparén P. Healthcare-associated Legionnaires' disease, Europe, 2008-2017. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Oct. 26 (10):2309-18. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

28. Sopena N, Sabria-Leal M, Pedro-Botet ML, et al. Comparative study of the clinical presentation of Legionella pneumonia and other community-acquired pneumonias. Chest. 1998 May. 113(5):1195-200. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

29. Qin X, Abe PM, Weissman SJ, Manning SC. Extrapulmonary legionella micdadei infection in a previously healthy child. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2002 Dec. 21(12):1174-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

30. Holmberg RE Jr, Pavia AT, Montgomery D, et al. Nosocomial Legionella pneumonia in the neonate. Pediatrics. 1993 Sep. 92(3):450-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

31. Shachor-Meyouhas Y, Kassis I, Bamberger E, et al. Fatal hospital-acquired Legionella pneumonia in a neonate. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 Mar. 29(3):280-1. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

32. Tan MJ, Tan JS, Hamor RH, File TM Jr, Breiman RF. The radiologic manifestations of Legionnaire's disease. The Ohio Community-Based Pneumonia Incidence Study Group. Chest. 2000 Feb. 117(2):398-403. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

33. Hodina M, Hanquinet S, Cotting J, et al. Imaging of cavitary necrosis in complicated childhood pneumonia. Eur Radiol. 2002 Feb. 12(2):391-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

34. Miller ML, Hayden R, Gaur A. Legionella bozemanii pulmonary abscess in a pediatric allogeneic stem cell transplant recipient. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2007 Aug. 26(8):760-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

35. Famiglietti RF, Bakerman PR, Saubolle MA, Rudinsky M. Cavitary legionellosis in two immunocompetent infants. Pediatrics. 1997 Jun. 99(6):899-903. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

36. Gervaix A, Beghetti M, Rimensberger P, et al. Bullous emphysema after Legionella pneumonia in a two-year-old child. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000 Jan. 19(1):86-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

37. Sasaki T, Matsumoto N, Nakao H, et al. An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease associated with a circulating bathwater system at a public bathhouse. I: a clinical analysis. J Infect Chemother. 2008 Apr. 14(2):117-22. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

38. Stout JE, Sens K, Mietzner S, et al. Comparative activity of quinolones, macrolides and ketolides against Legionella species using in vitro broth dilution and intracellular susceptibility testing. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2005 Apr. 25(4):302-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

39. Blazquez Garrido RM, Espinosa Parra FJ, Alemany Frances L, et al. Antimicrobial chemotherapy for Legionnaires disease: levofloxacin versus macrolides. Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Mar 15. 40(6):800-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

40. Watson AM, Boyce TG, Wylam ME. Legionella pneumonia: infection during immunosuppressive therapy for idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2004 Jan. 23(1):82-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

41. Tablan OC, Anderson LJ, Besser R, et al. Guidelines for preventing health-care--associated pneumonia, 2003: Recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2004 Mar 26. 53(RR-3):1-36. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

42. Yu VL, Lee TC. Neonatal legionellosis: the tip of the iceberg for pediatric hospital-acquired pneumonia?. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 Mar. 29(3):282-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

43. Singh N, Stout JE, Yu VL. Prevention of Legionnaires' disease in transplant recipients: recommendations for a standardized approach. Transpl Infect Dis. 2004 Jun. 6(2):58-62. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

Mobeen H Rathore, MD, CPE, FAAP, FIDSA Chief of Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Immunology, Associate Chairman of Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine at Jacksonville; Hospital Epidemiologist and Section Chief of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Wolfson Children's Hospital; Director of University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service (UF CARES)

Mobeen H Rathore, MD, CPE, FAAP, FIDSA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Florida Medical Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Society for Pediatric Research, Southern Medical Association, Southern Society for Pediatric Research, Florida Chapter of The American Academy of Pediatrics, Florida Pediatric Society, European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Leigh Bragg, MD Fellow, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Florida College of Medicine at Jacksonville

Leigh Bragg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Larry I Lutwick, MD, FACP Editor-in-Chief, ID Cases; Moderator, Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine

Larry I Lutwick, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Infectious Diseases Society of New York, International Society for Infectious Diseases, New York Academy of Sciences, Veterans Affairs Society of Practitioners in Infectious Diseases

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Russell W Steele, MD Clinical Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine; Staff Physician, Ochsner Clinic Foundation

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Glenn Fennelly, MD, MPH Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Lewis M Fraad Department of Pediatrics, Jacobi Medical Center; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Glenn Fennelly, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article