Infectious Disease · Public Health · 3 h ago
Lazio study links legionellosis rates to age, sex, comorbidity and rainfall
A regional observational study analyzed 1,932 reported Legionnaires’ disease cases in Lazio, Italy, from 2015 to 2023. Rates were strongly associated with older age, male sex and reported comorbidity; rainfall and residence in the Rome metropolitan area were also associated with higher rates.
- 1,932 cases were reported in Lazio from 2015 to 2023.
- Older age, male sex and comorbidity had strong associations.
- Rainfall and Rome metropolitan residence were also associated with incidence.
- Aggregated analysis limits individual-level interpretation.
Researchers assessed Legionnaires’ disease incidence in Lazio from 2015 to 2023 and modeled associations with individual, geographic and meteorological factors for 2017–2023. They used regional surveillance data, including smoking or alcohol consumption and comorbidities, alongside meteorological records. A negative binomial regression model examined eight predictors and two-way interactions, using aggregated strata rather than individual-level exposure values for the analysis.
The region recorded 1,932 cases. Incidence rose from 2017 to 2019, fell during the COVID-19 period and increased afterward. In the final model, incidence was higher among people aged 70 years or older (IRR 17.1, 95% CI 11.0–27.2), those aged 50–69 years (IRR 4.68, 95% CI 3.03–7.43), men (IRR 5.22, 95% CI 3.61–7.80) and people with comorbidities (IRR 4.61, 95% CI 3.41–6.18). Smoking or alcohol consumption, residence in the Rome metropolitan area and higher average monthly precipitation were also associated with higher incidence.
The findings may help inform regional surveillance and prevention planning, but do not establish causation. In particular, the use of aggregated strata limits individual-level interpretation of associations, and the COVID-19-period decline should not be interpreted as evidence of a specific protective effect.
In practice
For public health teams in Lazio, the reported associations identify older adults, men and people with comorbidities as groups in which Legionnaires’ disease incidence was higher; regional residence and rainfall were also associated with rates. These findings may help focus surveillance and prevention planning, but they do not establish individual risk or causation. The analysis used aggregated strata for predictors, so it does not support individual clinical decisions or changes to patient management.
AI-generated clinical interpretation · Not editor-reviewed
Is this summary clinically accurate?
Help fellow clinicians: your rating sends inaccurate summaries straight to our editors.
Sign in to rate this summary →Source
BMC Public Health: Unraveling legionellosis dynamics in the Lazio Region: effects of individual, geographical and meteorological determinants ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.