Legionnaire's Disease is an acute, sometimes fatal respiratory disease caused by a bacterium called L. pneumophila. It is characterized by pneumonia, headache, and a dry cough.The disease got its name in 1976, when a group of men from the American Legion caught the disease from the air conditioning system at a convention hotel.

Legionnaire's Disease can range from being a mild respiratory infection to a severe pneumonia that can cause death. Symptoms can be similar to the flu, with muscle aches, tiredness, headache and a fever from 102 to 105. The infection may also cause chills and sometimes diarrhea. Studies show that between 10 and 40 percent of all adults have been infected with the Legionnaire bacteria, but only a few people have had serious symptoms.

Legionnaire's Disease is spread through the air, from the soil or from a contaminated water source. The bacteria that causes the illness is found throughout the environment in streams, ponds and the soil. It is also found in hot water tanks, water taps, drinking fountains, evaporative cooler and air conditioning systems. The disease does not appear to be spread from person to person.

The time from exposure to the first symptoms can be from two to ten days. Fortunately, Legionnaire's Disease can be treated with antibiotics such as erythromycin. People who have suppressed immune systems, such as people with cancer, HIV or who are on immune suppressive drugs, are at the highest risk for catching the disease. It is estimated that up to 25,000 people a year get Legionnaire's infections in the U.S. The infection is often difficult to diagnose because it is similar to other types of pneumonia and the symptoms are usually mild.

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