IS IT TIME FOR INDIA TO FOCUS ON LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE?

SNEHA MAVIS M, MDCCC-134

V Pharm.D, C L Baid Metha College of Pharmacy, Affiliated to “The Tamilnadu Dr. MGR Medical University”, Thoraipakkam, Chennai – 97, Tamilnadu, India.

Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe form of pneumonia that is caused by environmental gram-negative bacteria termed Legionella species. It is a significant cause of both community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. LD outbreaks continue to significantly impact public health. LD outbreaks are reported in the UK, Spain, Australia, and Japan. LD is a notifiable disease in the US, with 10,000-20,000 cases reported each year.

Infected aerosols are the main mode of transmission. Microaspiration of contaminated water and close contact with Legionella in open wounds are other routes. In still water or moist sludge, the organisms breed. People who are immunocompromised and smokers are at high risk. 

Initially, patients have fever, moderate cough, lack of appetite, headache, malaise, and fatigue, with some additionally reporting muscle pain, diarrhea, and confusion. LD can range from a minor cough to deadly pneumonia.

In India despite the large percentage of vulnerable and at-risk population, there are few statistics on the prevalence of LD. The actual incidence of LD in India is unknown due to lack of knowledge, testing methods, and case reporting. It is critical to create surveillance systems and steps to avoid outbreaks because numerous studies have shown that Legionella is spreading in Indian water systems. According to a study, 15.2% of the water systems of an Indian tertiary healthcare facility had L. pneumophila in them. Another study found L. pneumophila to be prevalent in India (11%), and effective detection requires a mix of laboratory methods such as PCR, culture, and serology.