LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization
LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization
LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization
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Table . Compar son of methods for laboratory d agnos s of Leg onna res’ d sease<br />
Method<br />
Sens t v ty<br />
(%)<br />
Spec f c ty<br />
(%) Comments References<br />
Culture • “Gold standard”<br />
Sputum 5–70 100 • Requires 2–4 days,<br />
sometimes<br />
BAL or<br />
transtracheal<br />
aspirate<br />
30–90 100<br />
(rarely) up to<br />
14 days<br />
• Highest specificity<br />
Lung biopsy 90–99 100<br />
Blood 10–30 100<br />
Serology • Seroconversion<br />
Seroconversion 70–90 95–99 may require<br />
3–9 weeks<br />
Single<br />
specimen<br />
Ur nary<br />
ant gen<br />
(unknown) 50–70<br />
75–99 99–100 • Only for L.p.sg1,<br />
limited data for<br />
other serogroups<br />
or species<br />
• Very rapid<br />
(15 min–3 h),<br />
frequently earliest<br />
positive finding,<br />
may remain positive<br />
for several<br />
weeks/months<br />
DFA test ng • Very rapid (2–4 h)<br />
Sputum 25–75 95–99 • Limited sensitivity<br />
or BAL<br />
• Experience needed<br />
Lung biopsy 80–90 99<br />
• No validated<br />
reagents for nonpneumophila<br />
species<br />
Edelstein & Meyer, 1994;<br />
Stout & Yu 1997; Harrison<br />
et al., 1998; Maiwald,<br />
Helbig & Lück, 1998;<br />
Fields, Benson & Besser,<br />
2002; Lück, Helbig &<br />
Schuppler, 2002<br />
Edelstein & Meyer, 1994;<br />
Plouffe et al., 1995; Stout<br />
& Yu, 1997; Harrison et al.,<br />
1998; Fields, Benson &<br />
Besser, 2002; Lück, Helbig<br />
& Schuppler, 2002;<br />
Edelstein & Meyer, 1994;<br />
Stout & Yu, 1997; Harrison<br />
et al., 1998; Fields, Benson<br />
& Besser, 2002; Lück,<br />
Helbig & Schuppler, 2002;<br />
Uldum & Molbak, 2002<br />
Edelstein & Meyer,<br />
1994; Stout and Yu, 1997;<br />
Harrison et al., 1998; Fields,<br />
Benson & Besser, 2002<br />
<strong>LEGIONELLA</strong> AND THE PREVENTION OF LEGIONELLOSIS