“Legionnaires’ disease often presents with initial flu-like symptoms such as headache,fever,chills,muscle aches and pains,and coughs that may progress to an atypical chest infection,also known as atypical pneumonia,” Sutton said.
“Other symptoms may include confusion and diarrhoea. Some people with Legionnaires’ disease may also develop kidney impairment.”
Those particularly at risk of catching Legionnaires’ disease are smokers aged over 65,people with chronic lung disease and those who drink a lot of alcohol or have other conditions that have weakened their immune system.
Last year,a Sydney woman in her 60s died from Legionnaires’ disease and five other people were hospitalised after a cluster of cases linked to potting mix.
Senanayake said Legionnaires’ disease was similar to COVID-19 in that some people who catch it might have a very mild illness or no symptoms.
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The disease was first discovered in the 1970s when dozens of people died following a convention in Philadelphia with war veterans,although it later became apparent there were earlier cases that weren’t recognised.
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