Legionellosis must be kept in mind in case of pneumonia with lung abscesses in children receiving therapeutic steroids

Abstract  A 10-year-old boy, who had received recurrent short-course treatments with steroids to control severe autoimmune thrombocytopaenia, developed Legionnaires’ disease as community-acquired pneumonia. Legionella pneumophila pneumonia was complicated by an extended abscess of the right inferior lobe, leading to residual lung cavities. Legionellosis must be kept in mind as the differential diagnosis in the case of severe pneumonia and with lung abscesses in children receiving therapeutic steroids. Legionella-specific diagnostic tests (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] in respiratory samples or urine antigen assay) and, also, specific empirical antibiotic combination therapy are required for the early detection and treatment of L. pneumophila pneumonia in childhood. C...

View the original article here

Legionellosis prevention in France.

Authors: Hartemann P, Hautemaniere A Since 1997, both the prevention of legionellosis and the control of Legionella in water networks and cooling towers have greatly improved in France. The epidemiological surveillance of Legionnaires' disease showed an increase, which was followed by a decrease in the incidence after a maximum was reached in 2005 (incidence rate of 2.5 per 10(5)). A steady decrease in the incidence rate has been observed since 2006, mainly due to the efficacy of control measures both for cooling towers and hospital water networks. In hospitals, a proactive approach was proposed in 1998 and quantitative limit values with systematic survey were put into force in 2002. The percentage of nosocomial cases has decreased dramatically and is now around 6-7% of all cases recor...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the DoctorsInChains.org campaign for the health workers in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

View the original article here