What is Legionnaires' disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia.
It’s not common and affects around 1 in 100,000 people a year in the UK.
Legionnaires’ disease is more common between July and September each year.
What causes Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by breathing in droplets of water that have a type of bacteria called legionella in them. You can get Legionnaires’ disease from water sources like:
- air conditioning systems
- spa pools and hot tubs
- showers and taps that are not used often
- humidifiers.
You can read more about potential sources of Legionnaires’ disease on the Health and Safety Executive website.
Because the bacteria spreads more in warmer and stagnant water, you’re unlikely to catch Legionnaires’ disease from drinking water or natural water sources like ponds, lakes and rivers. It’s rare to catch Legionnaires’ disease from other people.
What are the signs and symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease symptoms include:
- a cough
- shortness of breath
- chest pain or discomfort, especially when you’re breathing or coughing
- a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more (also called a fever)
- flu-like symptoms.
Book an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if:
- you have a cough that has lasted three weeks or more
- you’re coughing up blood
- you have chest pain that comes and goes, or that happens when breathing or coughing
- you’re feeling short of breath.
Tell your healthcare professional where you've been in the last 10 days, such as if you stayed in a hotel, spa or hospital, or if you’ve been abroad.
Who is at risk of Legionnaires' disease?
Anyone can get Legionnaires’ disease, but you’re more at risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease if you:
- smoke
- are over 45 years old
- have a long-term lung condition, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- have a long-term health condition like kidney disease, diabetes or heart disease
- have a weakened immune system
- drink a lot of alcohol.
How is Legionnaires’ disease treated?
Most people with Legionnaires’ disease make a full recovery after a few weeks.
At first, treatment for Legionnaires’ disease usually happens in hospital. You might be given:
- antibiotics directly into your vein
- oxygen through a face mask or tube
- a machine to help you breathe.
When you start to feel better, healthcare professionals may give you antibiotic tablets to take at home. You usually need to take these for 1 to 3 weeks.
It’s important to always finish your course of antibiotics as prescribed to treat your infection properly.
What’s the outlook of Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease can be very serious and can be life-threatening. This is why it’s important to get medical treatment as soon as possible if you have any symptoms. Around 7 in 10 people that get Legionnaires’ disease survive.
If you have Legionnaires’ disease
Legionnaires’ disease is a notifiable condition. This means the healthcare professionals that treat you must report it on the government website. This will help local authorities to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.
If you catch Legionnaires’ disease abroad, in the workplace, in rented accommodation, or somewhere else in the UK, you may be entitled to legal aid and support. Give our Helpline a call to discuss your options.
How can Legionnaires' disease be prevented?
At home
If you have water systems in your home like a spa pool or air conditioning, you should look after them properly to prevent legionella bacteria growing. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive has more information about testing and monitoring water systems.
If you rent your home, your landlord has a legal duty to make sure any water systems are properly maintained. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive has more detailed information about landlords’ responsibilities around preventing Legionnaires’ disease. You can also contact Shelter or Citizens Advice for more advice and support about landlords.
At work
Your employer has a legal duty to make sure all water systems in their premises are properly maintained. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive has more information about your employers duty to prevent Legionnaires' disease.
If you have concerns about air conditioning or water systems at work, you can speak to Citizens Advice for support.
While travelling
If you’re going somewhere in Europe, you can check if there have been any recent cases of Legionnaires’ disease on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website.
The UK Health Security Agency also has an outbreak checker tool, where you can see if there have been Legionnaires’ outbreaks around the world.
Get support
Call our helpline for support with your condition. Get advice on your medicines, symptoms or travelling with a lung condition, or just call us to say hello.
