It begins with flu-like symptoms but, within days, a victim of Legionnaires' disease may experience severe chest pain, bloody coughing, and even death. The illness, a severe type of pneumonia, affects only a small percentage of the population, but up to 30% of hospitalized cases can be fatal, and survivors often take a long time to recover. University of Georgia, Athens, researcher Vincent Starai-an assistant professor who holds a joint appointment with the Departments of Microbiology in the College of Arts and Sciences and Infectious Diseases in the College of Veterinary Medicine-is investigating how the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which causes the disease, overcomes the body's defenses.
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