1-14 军 团 病

Legionnaires' Disease1

Legionnaires' disease is a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia 12. Legionnaires' disease is caused by infection with Legionella bacteria which are found naturally in the environment and thrive in warm water and warm damp places. Man-made water systems sometimes provide environments that let Legionella bacteria increase to large numbers. These man made systems include showers, spa pools3, fountains, and air conditioning cooling towers. People usually get Legionnaires' disease by breathing in mists that come from a water source contaminated4 with Legionella bacteria.

An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people get Legionnaires' disease in the United States each year. Some people can be infected with Legionella bacteria and have mild5 symptoms or no illness at all. Patients with Legionnaires' disease usually have fever, chills, and a cough, which may be dry or may produce sputum6. Some patients also have muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, and, occasionally, diarrhea7. From the time of infection with Legionella bacteria, it takes 2～ 10 days for symptoms to appear. In most cases, symptoms begin after 5～ 6 days. Legionnaires' disease is treated with antibiotics8, such as erythromycin9. The earlier that treatment is begun, the better the outcome.

The first known outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was in Philadelphia, USA, in 1976. A total of 221 people contracted10 the disease and 34 died. Most of those that died were Legionnaires and that's how the disease got its name. The second largest outbreak was at the Stafford hospital in England in 1985; a total of 101 people contracted the disease and 28 died.

注释：

1.legionnaire [li:dVi5neE(r)] n. 军团士兵；Legionnaires' disease [医]军团病（一种大叶性肺炎） [因于1976年美国退伍军人大会(American Legion convention)期间首次得到确诊，故名]

2.pneumonia [nju(:)5mEunjE] n. [医]肺炎

3.spa [spB:] n. 矿泉；矿泉疗养地；～pool〈美〉矿泉疗养浴场（或浴池）

4.contaminate [kEn5tAmineit] vt. 污染；弄脏；玷污

5.mild [maild] adj. （疾病、惩罚等）轻微的，不严重的

6.sputum [5spju:tEm] n. 痰

7.diarrhea [7daiE5riE] n.〈主美〉=diarrhea [医]腹泻

8.antibiotic 2 [7Antibai5Ctik] n. [微]抗菌素，抗生素

9.erythromycin [i7riWrEu5maisin] n. [微]红霉素

10.contract [5kCntrAkt] vt. 感染（疾病）；招致（某种不想要的结果）

军 团 病

　　军团病是一种非常严重的、有时可以致命的肺炎，由军团杆菌感染引起，这种细菌生活在自然环境中，活跃于温水里及潮热的地方。人工供水系统有时为军团杆菌的大量繁殖提供了环境。这些系统包括淋浴器、矿泉池、喷泉以及空调设备的冷却水塔。人们通常由于吸入被军团杆菌污染的水源散发的水雾而感染上军团病。

　　据估计，美国每年有8000～18000人感染上军团病。有些军团病感染者表现出来的症状比较轻微，甚至根本就没有得病的迹象。军团病患者通常有发烧、畏寒及干咳或咳痰等症状，部分患者还有肌肉疼痛、头痛、疲劳、食欲不振及偶尔腹泻等症状。这种病的潜伏期约为2～10天。多数病例表明，出现症状需要5～6天的时间。军团病可以用红霉素等抗生素进行治疗，越早治疗效果越好。

　　军团病已知的首次爆发是1976年在美国费城，当时共有221人感染此病，其中死亡34人。由于大多数死者都是军团成员，因此称为军团病。该病的第二次大爆发是1985年在英国的斯塔福德医院。这次101个感染者中有28人死亡。