Legionnaires' disease in liver transplant recipients

Philip Seu, Drew J. Winston, Kim M. Olthoff, David A. Bruckner, Ronald W. Busuttil

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Legionella pneumonia occurred in five liver transplant recipients at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center during a nosocomial outbreak. Patients presented with fever, nonspecific constitutional symptoms, and either unilateral or bilateral infiltrates developing 3-12 weeks after transplantation. Treatment with either erythromycin (four cases) or ciprofloxacin (one case) was successful in three of five patients. Boluses of corticosteroids and prolonged postoperative intubation were significant risk factors for pneumonia. Contamination of the hospital water distribution system with Legionella species (>5 x 105 organisms per liter) was the likely source of infection. Hyperchlorination and superheating of the hospital water and preventing transplant recipients from consuming hospital water or showering have successfully eliminated legionella infection from additional patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)109-113
Number of pages5
JournalInfectious Diseases in Clinical Practice
Volume2
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1993

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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