Legionella pneumonia: increased risk after COVID-19 lockdown? Italy, May to June 2020

Euro Surveill. 2020 Jul;25(30):2001372. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.30.2001372.

Abstract

We report a case of Legionella pneumonia in a dishwasher of a restaurant in Rome, Italy, just after the end of the lockdown that was in place to control the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. The case highlights the importance of strict monitoring of water and air systems immediately before reopening business or public sector buildings, and the need to consider Legionella infections among the differential diagnosis of respiratory infections after lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Legionella pneumonia, COVID-19 epidemic; SARS-CoV-2; acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravenous
  • Adult
  • Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary / therapeutic use
  • Antigens, Bacterial / urine*
  • Cough / etiology
  • Fever / etiology
  • Headache / etiology
  • Humans
  • Legionella / isolation & purification*
  • Legionella pneumophila / isolation & purification*
  • Legionnaires' Disease / diagnosis*
  • Legionnaires' Disease / drug therapy
  • Legionnaires' Disease / urine
  • Levofloxacin / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Pneumonia / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia / urine
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Levofloxacin