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LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA; FOUR CASE REPORTS
Author(s) -
Gilligan John,
Thomas Peter,
Pounder Derrick,
Worthley Lindsay,
McCleave David,
Hagley Steven
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1980.tb134926.x
Subject(s) - legionnaires' disease , medicine , respiratory distress , pneumonia , disease , respiratory failure , pathological , intensive care medicine , erythromycin , respiratory system , antibiotics , pediatrics , surgery , legionella pneumophila , genetics , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Four severe cases of Legionnaires' disease are described. In addition to multilobar pneumonia with respiratory failure, involvement of the central nervous, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic and coagulation systems had occurred. Adult respiratory distress syndrome complicated respiratory management. Early development of acute renal failure was associated with a poor prognosis. Erythromycin was the most commonly used antibiotic. Review of stored pathological material from patients who died from unidentified pneumonias enabled confirmation of the existence of Legionnaires' disease in Australia in 1974.