Which pathogen is associated with Legionnaires' disease when inhaled?

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Legionnaires' disease is caused by inhaling aerosolized water that contains Legionella pneumophila. The infection happens when tiny droplets from affected water sources—like cooling towers, showers, or hot tubs—are inhaled, not by swallowing or person-to-person spread. This makes Legionella pneumophila the correct pathogen for this scenario. Other organisms listed cause different diseases or transmission routes (for example, Giardia lamblia causes giardiasis through ingestion of contaminated water; Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus can cause pneumonia in certain settings but are not the agents classically linked to Legionnaires' disease).