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Legionnaires disease (Legionellosis) fact sheet

Summary

Legionnaires’ disease (Legionellosis) fact sheet
Legionnaires’ disease (Legionellosis) is a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella. Although not all cases of Legionnaires’ disease are severe, up to ten per cent of cases can be fatal. There are over forty strains of Legionella bacteria but only a few cause disease in humans. The strains that are most commonly associated with human disease are pneumophila and longbeachae.

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Owner:
Epidemiology and Surveillance,
Communicable Disease - Prevention and Control,
Chief Health Officer and Health Protection,
Wellbeing, Integrated Care and Ageing,
Department of Health
50 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Telephone: (61 3) 9096 9000