Good Bug, Bad Bug Legionella Pneumophila Alternative names: Walking pneumonia, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Communityacquired pneumonia ______________________________________________________

Description: Legionella Pneumophila is a gram of negative, nonsporulating bacterium. This microbe has a rod-like appearance, without a capsule surrounding. It is a large aquatic bacterium that lives in water that consists of high iron and algal contents. Legionella pneumophila has an aerobic metabolism; this allows it to survive for short period of time outside of the water. The life cycle of this microorganism has two distinct phases the relicative phase, and an infectious phase. The relicative phase is not extremely mobile and does not contain a high level of toxin. Meanwhile the infectious phase consists of shorter rod-like features, with a flagellum. This stage is completely mobile and highly infectious to its host. This change in phase is provided by the human or amoeba host and the nutrient that it supplies. The bacteria Legionella pneumophila is responsible for the majority of cases of Legionnaries diseases. When the bacteria live outside it survives in soil and water and rarely causes infections. Then when the bacteria are inside, they can rapidly multiply in all types of water systems. This is when it is most infectious. These bacteria can travel four miles being airborne. Legionella pneumophila spreads when people inhale microscopic water droplets. The infection can take place in the human body as soon as few minutes to 14 days after exposure. The symptoms that can occur: Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood Shortness of breath Chest pain Fatigue Loss of appetite Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Confusion or other mental changes Headache Muscle pain Chills Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher

The Legionnarie disease is extremely rare form of pneumonia. It is an infection that is taken in from your bronchi which are large tubes found in your lungs. They are part of your air pathway. When you breathe in the air passes through the trachea and the bronchi to the lungs when you breathe. The bronchi branches into narrow tubes called bronchioles. The smaller tubes are attached to tiny air sacs called alveoli. In healthy lungs, the bronchi and alveoli expand and relax allowing oxygen to be taken into the body. But this infection is an infection of the lung tissue. This causes the alveoli, or air sacs, and smaller airways to become inflamed and filled with fluid. It makes it very difficult to breathe so you may breathe faster or feel breathless. The medicines like antibiotics are usually given to treat the infection. They are meant to reduce the inflammation and fluid in the lungs so that the individual can breathe.