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GeorgeGee's avatar

What ever happened to Legionaire's disease?

Asked by GeorgeGee (4935points) August 19th, 2010

In the 1970’s it was a terror that people were afraid of getting from breathing near supermarket vegetable sprayers and such. Some people died from it, and then nothing. Did it go away? Or was it really just a media non-event?

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4 Answers

rooeytoo's avatar

It still crops up occasionally, at least here in Australia. Seems as if there was at least one occurrence last summer from an old air conditioning unit.

marinelife's avatar

From the CDC:

“Legionnaires’ disease (LEE-juh-nares) is caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria got its name in 1976, when many people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion suffered from an outbreak of this disease, a type of pneumonia (lung infection). Although this type of bacteria was around before1976, more illness from Legionnaires’ disease is being detected now. This is because we are now looking for this disease whenever a patient has pneumonia.

Each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease in the U.S. However, many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be higher. More illness is usually found in the summer and early fall, but it can happen any time of year.”

Jellybean9's avatar

They know what they are looking for“bacteria strain“now.

Lightlyseared's avatar

Still around. Still killing people.

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