Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: A little about Legionnaire’s and the NYC outbreak

Legionnaire’s disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. Unlike other bacterial pneumonia and viral pneumonia, which primarily spreads from person to person, Legionnaire’s spreads through mist in the air. Symptoms are flu-like—cough, fever, chills, achiness, headaches and shortness of breath—and can develop up to two weeks after exposure. You can become infected by breathing in tiny water droplets that contain the Legionella bacteria. Outbreaks have been linked to hot tubs and swimming pools, fountains, hot water tanks and cooling towers that use fans and water to cool down buildings—the suspected culprit in the recent NYC outbreak. Learn more about Legionnaire’s disease.