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Published on: November 22, 2013

Legionella pneumonia presenting with rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure: a case report

Joshua McConkey1, Marcus Obeius, John Valentini

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Summa Health System, Akron, Ohio 44304, USA.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|June 3, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Legionella pneumophila infection can rarely cause rhabdomyolysis. This case highlights Legionella pneumonia presenting with altered mental status, fever, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Legionella pneumophila is a known, albeit uncommon, cause of rhabdomyolysis.
  • The exact mechanism linking Legionella infection to muscle breakdown remains unclear, with hypotheses including direct bacterial invasion or endotoxin-induced injury.

Observation:

  • This report details a patient with Legionella pneumonia exhibiting altered mental status, high fever, and severe rhabdomyolysis.
  • The patient also developed acute renal failure secondary to the muscle breakdown.

Findings:

  • The case underscores the potential for Legionella to manifest with severe systemic complications beyond typical pneumonia.
  • Rhabdomyolysis and subsequent acute kidney injury can be presenting features of Legionella infection.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider Legionella infection in patients presenting with unexplained rhabdomyolysis, especially with concurrent fever and neurological changes.
  • Early recognition and treatment of Legionella are crucial to prevent severe complications like acute kidney injury.

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