How can you get infected with legionellosis and is this disease curable? What are the symptoms of legionellosis and what medications are used?

Infection with legionella bacteria occurs primarily by inhalation through inhalation of aerosols (staying in a shower cabin, near a city fountain or sprinkler). The smaller the water droplets, the more the chance of bacteria entering the lower respiratory tract increases. Legionella can also be infected by inhalation of water, which occurs relatively rarely. Legionella lives in water bodies, both marine and inland (ponds, rivers or lakes), because high humidity and high concentration of carbon dioxide are needed for bacteria to grow. They can also enter municipal water supply networks, cooling towers, thermal pools, domestic plumbing, solar installations, fire protection systems or humidifiers. Most often it multiplies in stagnant water (e.g. in water supply networks), where impurities appear (limestone, rust, algae), which are a nutrient medium for legionella. It is not possible to transmit this disease from person to person, as is the case, for example, with viral diseases such as influenza or COVID-19. You can not get infected by food, i.e. by drinking tap water. Legionellosis is most often diagnosed in two forms: Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever. With Legionnaires' disease, the symptoms of Legionella occur suddenly and begin with malaise, muscle pain, fever 39-40 ° C. Common symptoms are also diarrhea, severe headaches, cough, difficulty breathing, chest pain, chills and disturbances of consciousness. The first symptoms can be observed after 2-10 days after infection. Pontiac fever, on the other hand, resembles the flu - headache, fever, muscle aches, chills, a feeling of being broken. Less often there is vomiting, diarrhea, nausea. Most often, the symptoms disappear spontaneously after 2-5 days. Legionnaires' disease requires the use of antibiotics, which begin to be taken at the time of the identified risk of its development without confirmed results of diagnostic tests to prevent complications. These drugs are available on prescription. The vast majority of infected people recover completely. For some of them, hospitalization is required, which mainly affects the elderly and patients with comorbidities. In Pontiac fever, symptomatic treatment is used, the disease resolves spontaneously. Antipyretic and antidiarrheal drugs and electrolytes can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. Here you can compare the prices of sample medicines and supplements and make an order with home delivery or collection at the pharmacy: for fever: https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/89706/ibum-express-kapsulki/apteki https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/65496/pyralgina-tabletki/apteki diarrhea: https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/72098/smecta-proszek-do-wytworzenia-zawiesiny/apteki https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/15632/carbo-medicinalis-vp-tabletki/apteki https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/42441/laremid-tabletki/apteki electrolytes: https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/85164/zdrovit-litorsal-tabletki-musujace/apteki https://www.gdziepolek.pl/produkty/97747/oryal-max-tabletki-musujace/apteki