Objective: To describe the health resources used in patients hospitalized with Legionella pneumonia during an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in Alcoy (Spain), and to compare them with those used in other forms of pneumonia.
Methods and results: Using a clinical protocol, 177 Legionella pneumonia patients were compared with 180 patients hospitalized for other types of pneumonia. Data on therapy and the resources used were collected. The most common antibiotic treatment in both groups was clarithromycin, but intensive care and mechanical ventilation requirements were greater in Legionella pneumonia. Home-based hospital care was successfully used in 15.6% of patients with Legionella pneumonia and in 11.3% of those with other types of pneumonia. Home oxygen therapy after discharge was less frequent in the Legionella pneumonia group (7.8%) than in the group with non-Legionella pneumonia (16.7%).
Conclusions: Notable results were the greater requirement for mechanical ventilation in Legionella pneumonia and the good results obtained by home-based hospital care within current health care management.