[The clinical picture of legionnaires' disease]

The results of the clinico-laboratory study of 12 cases of acute pneumonia of Legionella etiology are presented. The laboratory diagnosis of Legionella infection was carried out by the study of paired sera in the passive hemagglutination test with the use of Legionella pneumophila (serotype 1) erythrocyte diagnosticum. The clinical picture of pneumonia was characterized by a severe and moderate course of the disease. Characteristic symptoms indicating the presence of indurations and infiltrations in the lung tissue were registered. Roentgenological examination revealed that the foci of pulmonary tissue infiltration appeared in the segments of the lower lobes of both lungs. In 6 patients neutrophil leukopenia, in 4 patients relative lymphocytopenia, in 5 patients monocytopenia, in 11 patients the increase of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and in 4 patients normochromic anemia were registered. More seldom changes in the levels of residual nitrogen, urea, fibrinogen and transaminases were observed. In most cases the resolution of pneumonia was observed on weeks 2-3 of treatment. In this treatment erythromycin, rifampicin and oleandomycin, used in combination, used in combination with detoxication and infusion therapy, vitamins, vascular and other symptomatic remedies, proved to be most effective. The cases of Legionella infection under study were sporadic and epidemiologically unrelated. The severity of the course of the disease depended mainly on the general state of the patient prior to infection, age and concomitant diseases.