About the Disease
Legionnaires' disease is a severe, often lethal, form of
pneumonia. It's caused by the bacterium Legionella
pneumophila found in both potable and nonpotable water
systems. Each year, an estimated 10,000 to 18,000 people are
infected with the Legionella bacteria in the United
States.
It is not uncommon for patients with Legionnaires' disease to be
admitted to the intensive care unit. Some will suffer long-term
impaired health-related quality of life. A study of outbreak survivors showed persistence of
fatigue (75%), neurologic symptoms (66%) and neuromuscular symptoms
(63%) in months after an outbreak. See Share Your Story for a
first-hand account of the severity of this disease.