Treatment strategies for Legionella infection

Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2009 May;10(7):1109-21. doi: 10.1517/14656560902900820.

Abstract

Given the nonspecific clinical manifestations of Legionnaires' disease and the high mortality of untreated Legionnaires' disease, we recommend routine use of Legionella testing, especially the Legionella urinary antigen test, for all patients with community-acquired pneumonia. This includes patients with ambulatory pneumonia and hospitalized children. Legionella cultures should be more widely available, especially in hospitals where the drinking water is colonized with Legionella. Azithromycin or levofloxacin can be considered as first-line therapy. Other antibiotics including tetracyclines, tigecycline, other fluoroquinolones and other macrolides (especially clarithromycin) are also effective. The clinical response of quinolones may be somewhat more favorable compared to macrolides, but the outcome is similar. If the Legionnaires' disease is hospital-acquired, culturing of the hospital drinking water for Legionella is indicated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Legionella pneumophila / drug effects
  • Legionnaires' Disease / drug therapy*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents