Identification of Legionella from clinically diagnosed pneumonia patients and environmental samples

Legionnaires ’ disease is a multisystem disease with life-threatening acute and severe form of pneumonia which is responsible for 2-9% pneumonia with high mortality. Eighty six respiratory tract samples and urine were collected from clinically diagnosed pneumonia patients and 12 water samples were collected fr om different environment. Identification ofLegionella was done by culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of respiratory tract samples and environmental samples andLegionellaAntigen (Ag) in urine was detected by Immunochromatographic test (ICT).Legionella was identified from 4 (4.65%) clinically diagnosed pneumonia patients   of which 1 (1.16%) case was culture positive, 1 (1.16%) case was urine ICT positive and PCR was positive in all four cases. Of the 12 water samples tested, 4 (33.33%) samples wereLegionella positive by PCR but culture results of these samples were negative. Identification ofLegionella should be done by PCR in parallel with culture and urine ICT. Detection ofLegionella in environmental samples is also needed to explore possible links between the water sources and disease transmission in population.
Source: Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: research