Legionellosis history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Symptoms
Symptoms tend to get worse during the first 4 - 6 days. They typically improve in another 4 - 5 days. Symptoms may include:
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Fever
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
- General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Lack of coordination (ataxia)
- Loss of energy
- Muscle aches and stiffness
- Nonproductive cough
- Shaking chills
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms usually begin 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
A milder infection caused by the same type of Legionella bacteria is called Pontiac Fever. The symptoms of Pontiac Fever usually last for 2 to 5 days and may also include fever, headaches, and muscle aches; however, there is no pneumonia. Symptoms go away on their own without treatment and without causing further problems.
The time between the patient’s exposure to the bacterium and the onset of illness for Legionnaires' disease is 2 to 10 days; for Pontiac fever, it is shorter, generally a few hours to 2 days.