My husband is 31 and has a fever ranging from 38 °-40 ° C, severe pain, sore throat, chills, sweats, muscle aches, headaches, cramps, diarrhea, and nausea. It has been a hard two days at home. We gave him pills for his fever which were effective for 3 hours. He was hospitalized after 3 days and the symptoms persist for 3 more days. After 5 days the fever wasn’t controlled by pills or neo-melubrine. He was given an antibiotic for strep throat (clindamycin).
On the fifth day, we consulted infectious diseases, and he suggested it was Legionnaires’ disease. We performed blood studies and the lymphocytes were 8 with the reference range of 20 – 40. The doctor changed to oral antibiotics (Klaricid OD klaritromicin 500 mg) taken every 12 hrs for 10 days and Avelox – Moxifloxacin 400 mg tablets for 5 days. These antibiotics cured all the symptoms. The doctor said the tests to determine if it was Legionnaires’ are done in the U.S. and the results will take 15 days. For this reason, these antibiotics were prescribed because we couldn’t wait on results. No tests were done to determine if it was Legionnaires’.
My question is: How to know if my husband has the Legionella bacteria after receiving this treatment? He was released and began to work, but he went to the doctor and there are still spots in the lungs. I am very upset because I hope he does not have a relapse.
Klaritromicin and Moxifloxacin are effective against legionnaires’ disease and many other types of pneumonia. If his fever has resolved and he is well, his pneumonia may have been cured. If he contracted Legionnaires’ disease, he may have gained some immunity since recurrent cases of Legionnaires’ disease is unusual. The chest x-ray may still show spots in the lung, but they will resolve over time. The important prognostic sign is resolution of fever and return of appetite. Your husband is likely cured with the antibiotics.