Macau recorded this year’s first case of Legionnaires’ disease yesterday, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement last night.
According to the statement, the patient is an 89-year-old local man with a history of chronic illness, smoking, and a long-standing cough. During the incubation period, the statement said, he had a history of living in both Macau and neighbouring Guangdong Province’s Zhongshan City.
While in Zhongshan, the statement said, the man came down with hoarseness and a worsening of his cough on February 13, but did not run a fever. He did not seek medical treatment at that time.
As his symptoms persisted after returning to Macau on Friday, the statement said, the man sought treatment at the private Kiang Wu Hospital the next day, where a chest X-ray indicated his pulmonary infection and he was hospitalised. He was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease on Sunday after testing positive for Legionella pneumophila, the statement said.
Kiang Wu Hospital reported the man’s case to the Health Bureau yesterday.
The man was undergoing inpatient treatment at Kiang Wu Hospital at the time of last night’s statement, which said that he requires oxygen treatment.
The statement noted that people can be infected with Legionnaires’ disease after inhaling mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria released by artificial water systems such as central air-conditioning systems’ cooling towers, jacuzzis, fountains, and household respiratory medical devices.
The statement underlined that people normally will not be infected with the disease after drinking water contaminated with the bacteria.
The statement noted that while anyone may develop Legionnaires’ disease, certain groups of individuals are more susceptible to the disease, including males, senior citizens, smokers, alcoholics, and those with weakened immune systems, particularly those with chronic illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, chronic lung or kidney diseases, and those taking steroids or drugs that suppress body immunity.
The statement noted that antibiotics are effective in treating Legionnaires’ disease provided that they are taken early after the onset of the illness.
Image courtesy of US Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic
