[ARDS in a severe case of primary pulmonary infection caused by Legionella pneumophila].

The authors report a case of ARDS following pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila, in a thirty year old young man. Mechanical ventilation was maintained for twenty days. The gravity of ARDS and pneumonia, perhaps was caused because infective agent and the efficacious antibiotic were identified too late: twelve days after the comparison of symptoms. In fact, early laboratory diagnosis of Legionella pneumonia, is currently very difficult. A primitive extranocosomial pneumonia with rapid development to ARDS, in a good health young man, is an uncommon event. The exclusion of particular causes of ARDS, such as narcotic over-dose, AIDS, lung cancer, lymphatic carcinomatosis, and the clinical suspicion of Legionella pneumonia presence, can be useful: waiting for the right diagnosis from the laboratory, it will be possible to begin antibiotic therapy with Erythromycin (often used for slight respiratory infections), and to prevent the evolution of illness.