Legionella Pneumophila Antibody Investigation in Patients Serum with Pneumonia

Objective To investigate the infection of legionella pneumophila in patients with pneumonia in three districts of China.

Methods Seventy hospitalized patients with pneumonia from seven general hospitals in Beijing, Jiangsu and Shenzhen were surveyed in Jun 2012 to Jun 2013. The general information of patients were inquired by questionnaire and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the combined detection of serum IgG/IgA/IgM antibody for legionella pneumophila serotype 1-6. Blood samples of pneumonia patients were collected on the first day of admission and after two weeks of admission.

Results The positive rate of serum legionella pneumophila antibody in pneumonia patients was 20% (7/35) on the first day of admission, and was 20% (7/35) after two weeks of admission. Positive serum legionella pneumophila antibody in both serum samples was detected only in 5 cases.

Conclusions There was an infection of legionella pneumophila in pneumonia patients in China. False negative rate could be reduced effectively by the detection of serum legionella pneumophila antibodies with ELISA in pneumonia patients both on the day of admission and two weeks after admission.