Legionella pneumophila: An Emergent Pathogen in Zulia State, Venezuela? Mini-review

Abstract

Legionnaire's disease, clinically characterized as an atypical pneumonia, It was first described in 1976. Al Next year its etiologic agent was discovered, Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila), responsible for 1 to 15% of cases of community acquired pneumonia (NAC), 5 to 10% of adult pneumonias and 1% in children under 15 years (1-2). The members of this family are aerobic bacilli intracellular gram-negative growths slowly and they are in fresh waters. Its mode of transmission is through the aerosol inhalation or liquid aspiration contaminated They are associated with the appearance of sporadic and epidemic outbreaks in the community, and in nosocomial infections (one). The objective of this mini-review was to describe the manifestations and presentations clinics of the infection caused by L. pneumophila, as well as track the work carried out in surveillance and seropositivity for Legionella pneumophila, in virtue that it is considered a pathogen emerging and because there is no previous evidence of circulation in the state of Zulia, Venezuela, primary reason to alert and update knowledge about.

Keywords

• Legionella