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Legionnaire's Disease is known as a fetal, serious disease with myalgia, dry cough, pneumonia and infrequently gastrointestinal symptoms. It can sometimes occur sporadically or in epidemics. The estimation is that over 12,000 patients are infected each year.

Many of the symptoms of legionnaire's disease are the same as most pneumonias. They include dry or productive cough, anorexia, fever, diarrhea. There is an incubation period of two to ten days. A mild form of the infection is called L. pneumophila it is seen with the muscle aches and fever and it usually requires no treatment.

The medication of choice for treatment is erythromycin for extended periods of time. Some newer medications that may help are called azithromycin, clarithromycin, rifampin, and flouroquinolones. The patient may also need respiratory therapy as well as antipyretics for fever.

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