This occurs when liquids accidentally enter your lungs, usually because you cough or choke while drinking. Cooling towers in air conditioning systemsīesides by breathing in water droplets, the infection can be transmitted in other ways, including:.This might be from the spray from a shower, faucet or whirlpool, or water from the ventilation system in a large building. Most people become infected when they inhale microscopic water droplets containing legionella bacteria. Also, home and car air conditioning units don't use water for cooling. However, legionella bacteria can multiply in water systems made by humans, such as air conditioners.Īlthough it's possible to get Legionnaires' disease from home plumbing, most outbreaks have occurred in large buildings, perhaps because complex systems allow the bacteria to grow and spread more easily. Outdoors, legionella bacteria survive in soil and water, but rarely cause infections. The bacterium Legionella pneumophila is responsible for most cases of Legionnaires' disease. For people at high risk, such as smokers or older adults, prompt treatment is critical. Diagnosing and treating Legionnaires' disease as soon as possible can help shorten the recovery period and prevent serious complications. See your doctor if you think you've been exposed to legionella bacteria. Pontiac fever doesn't infect your lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrheaĪlthough Legionnaires' disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart.Ī mild form of Legionnaires' disease - known as Pontiac fever - can produce fever, chills, headache and muscle aches.Cough, which might bring up mucus and sometimes blood.

Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higherīy the second or third day, you'll develop other signs and symptoms that can include:.It frequently begins with the following signs and symptoms: Legionnaires' disease usually develops two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria.

Bacterial phenomena symptoms