Signs & Symptoms
Español: Signos y síntomas
Legionnaires' disease can have symptoms like many other forms of pneumonia, so it can be hard to diagnose at first. Signs of Legionnaires' disease can include:
- Shortness of breath
- High fever
- Muscle aches
These symptoms usually begin 2 to 10 days after being exposed to the bacteria, but people should watch for symptoms for about 2 weeks after exposure.
A milder infection, also caused by Legionella bacteria, is called Pontiac fever. The symptoms of Pontiac fever are similar to those of Legionnaires’ disease and usually last for 2 to 5 days. Pontiac fever is different from Legionnaires' disease because the patient does not have pneumonia.
Symptoms go away on their own without treatment.
- Page last reviewed: February 5, 2013
- Page last updated: August 11, 2015
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