Melinda Cramer's Disease: A Case Study: Legionnaires Diseases
Legionnaires Disease: A Case Study
Melinda Cramer
Am J Crit Care 2003;12:234-238
© 2003 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Published online http://www.ajcconline.org Personal use only. For copyright permission information: http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/cgi/external_ref?link_type=PERMISSIONDIRECT
Subscription Information http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/subscriptions/ Information for authors http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/misc/ifora.xhtml Submit a manuscript http://www.editorialmanager.com/ajcc Email alerts http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/subscriptions/etoc.xhtml
AJCC, the American Journal of Critical Care, is the official peer-reviewed research journal of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), published bimonthly …show more content…
From School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. egionella pneumophila, an aerobic, gram-negative bacillus, is 1 of the top 3 causes of communityacquired pneumonia,1 accounting for 3% to 15% of all cases.2 According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although 18 000 to 25 000 cases of pneumonia due to this organism occur each year, the diagnosis is reported in only 1200 to 1500 cases because of the nonspecific signs and symptoms of the disease and inadequate testing for Legionella.3 High mortality is associated with pneumonia caused by L pneumophila, especially in patients who are immunocompromised. This case study presents information about the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, and treatment of legionnaires disease and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis.
L
Case …show more content…
Multiple systems can be affected. Liver dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and hematologic disturbances have been associated with progression of legionnaires disease. Examination of the lungs may initially reveal focal rales that will eventually become diffuse. Findings on an initial radiograph of the chest may be normal, but eventually a pulmonary infiltrate will develop.11 Diarrhea is common in legionnaires disease, and usually hyponatremia occurs because of the loss of sodium and water. Other abnormalities include elevated serum levels of liver enzymes, hypophosphatemia, thrombocytopenia, hematuria, and moderate elevation of serum levels of creatine
Melinda Cramer
Am J Crit Care 2003;12:234-238
© 2003 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Published online http://www.ajcconline.org Personal use only. For copyright permission information: http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/cgi/external_ref?link_type=PERMISSIONDIRECT
Subscription Information http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/subscriptions/ Information for authors http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/misc/ifora.xhtml Submit a manuscript http://www.editorialmanager.com/ajcc Email alerts http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/subscriptions/etoc.xhtml
AJCC, the American Journal of Critical Care, is the official peer-reviewed research journal of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), published bimonthly …show more content…
From School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. egionella pneumophila, an aerobic, gram-negative bacillus, is 1 of the top 3 causes of communityacquired pneumonia,1 accounting for 3% to 15% of all cases.2 According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although 18 000 to 25 000 cases of pneumonia due to this organism occur each year, the diagnosis is reported in only 1200 to 1500 cases because of the nonspecific signs and symptoms of the disease and inadequate testing for Legionella.3 High mortality is associated with pneumonia caused by L pneumophila, especially in patients who are immunocompromised. This case study presents information about the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, and treatment of legionnaires disease and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis.
L
Case …show more content…
Multiple systems can be affected. Liver dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and hematologic disturbances have been associated with progression of legionnaires disease. Examination of the lungs may initially reveal focal rales that will eventually become diffuse. Findings on an initial radiograph of the chest may be normal, but eventually a pulmonary infiltrate will develop.11 Diarrhea is common in legionnaires disease, and usually hyponatremia occurs because of the loss of sodium and water. Other abnormalities include elevated serum levels of liver enzymes, hypophosphatemia, thrombocytopenia, hematuria, and moderate elevation of serum levels of creatine