After becoming employed as a hospital greeter, a woman with a fraught medical history developed Legionella and severe kidney complications. Prior to her employment, she was diagnosed with a medical history of Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, polysubstance abuse, Stage IV chronic kidney disease, and nephrotic range proteinuria. Shortly after beginning her job at the hospital, she and multiple other employees began to have excessive difficulty breathing regularly and exhibited signs of hypoxia, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The woman became hospitalized at her prior place of employment, requiring endotracheal intubation, antibiotics, and a tracheostomy after doctors discovered that her underlying kidney issues had simultaneously grown worse. The woman was transferred to a specialist hospital, and a final diagnosis was given as Legionella with acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. At the time of her lawsuit against the first hospital, she required kidney dialysis three times weekly. Expertise in Legionella, renal conditions, and chronic disease was needed to comment on the causation and accentuation of the woman’s Legionella and kidney issues.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Could the Legionella infection have worsened the patient's renal condition?
2. Is the patient at risk for the development of any chronic diseases, conditions, or long-term symptoms as a consequence of contracting Legionella?
Expert Witness Response E-008706
Yes, the Legionella infection could have worsened the patient's renal condition. More likely than not, this acute illness prompted an earlier onset of End Stage Renal Disease. No doubt this illness will leave her with some disability even after extensive rehab; she may also have residual lung injury which will further complicate recovery and rehab.
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