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175 Healthcare: Biological Hazards
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Pontiac Fever

Pontiac fever symptoms are primarily fever and muscle aches; it is a milder infection than Legionnaires' disease and resembles the flu. Symptoms begin between a few hours to 3 days after being exposed to the bacteria and usually last less than a week. Pontiac fever is different from Legionnaires' disease because someone with Pontiac fever does not develop pneumonia.

Pontiac fever symptoms are primarily fever and muscle aches.

Symptoms

Pontiac fever can produce the following symptoms:

  • fever
  • chills
  • headache
  • muscle aches

Medical providers can use a urine or blood test to see if someone has Pontiac fever. However, a negative test doesn't completely rule out that someone does not have the illness. Clinicians most often diagnose Pontiac fever when there are other known laboratory-confirmed legionellosis cases (either Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever) who may have been exposed to legionella at the same time or place. Pontiac fever goes away without specific treatment.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

1-4. When do symptoms of Pontiac Fever usually begin?