J Bacteriol Virol.  2013 Jun;43(2):140-144. 10.4167/jbv.2013.43.2.140.

An Epidemiological Survey on Serological Diagnosis of Legionnella Infection in Seoul, Korea

• Yoon YT
• Han CH
• Choi SS
• Lee JM
• Kim CK
• Choi SM

• KMID: 2168683
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4167/jbv.2013.43.2.140

Abstract

Serological investigation of antibodies to Legionella species in 1,802 sera collected in seoul was conducted with indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA). With an antibody titer of > or =1:128 to be positive, 17 (0.9%) of these sera were positive and 6 (35.3%) of positive sera showed cross-reactions between Legionella species. The number of sera with antibody titers of > or =1:128 to L. pneumophila serogroup 1, L. pneumophila serogroup 4, L. pneumophila serogroup 5, L. bozemanii, L. micdadei, L. anisa were 6 (35.3%), 3 (17.6%), 3 (17.6%), 2 (11.8%), 1 (5.9%), 2 (11.8%) respectively. Among 17 positive sera, 10 (58.8%) sera were from male and 7 (41.2%) from female. An average age of them was 68.9 (+/-15.3; 27~89). Except for one serum, 16 (94.1%) of positive sera were from those older than 50 years old. The result suggests that the aged over 50 years old should be more careful of Legionella infection.

Keyword

Legionella species; Indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA)

MeSH Terms

Aged
Antibodies
Female
Humans
Korea
Legionella
Male
Antibodies

Figure

• 

  Figure 1. Number of indirect fluorescent antibody assay positive sera by month.

Reference

1). Simmons G, Jury S, Thornley C, Harte D, Mohiuddin J, Taylor M. A legionnaires' disease outbreak: A water blaster and roof-collected rainwater systems. Water Res. 2008; 42:1449–58.

2). Ricci ML, Fontana S, Bella A, Gaggioli A, Cascella R, Cassone A, et al. a preliminary assessment of the occupational risk of acquiring legionnaire's disease for people working in telephone manholes, a new workplace environment for Legionella growth. Am J Infect Control. 2010; 38:540–5.

3). Abu Kwaik Y, Gao LY, Stone BJ, Harb OS. Stone invasion of mammalian and protozoan cells by Legionella pneumphila. Bull Inst Pasteur. 1998; 96:237–47.

4). Diederen BM. Legionella spp. and Legionnaires' disease. J Infect. 2008; 56:1–12.

5). Ozerol IH, Bayraktar M, Cizmeci Z, Durmaz R, Akbas E, Yildirim Z, et al. Legionnaire's disease: a nosocomial outbreak in turkey. J Hosp Infect. 2006; 62:50–7.

6). Declerck P, Behets J, Margineanu A, van Hoef V, De Keersmaecker B, Ollevier F. Replication of Legionella pneumophila in biofilms of water distribution pipes. Microbiol Res. 2009; 164:593–603.

7). Lee HK, Woo MK, Ju YI, Baek SJ, Song HJ, Choi JS, et al. Prevalence of antibodies in response to Legionella species, analysis of a healthy population from Jeollanam-do province, Korea. J Microbiol. 2008; 46:160–4.

8). Song HS, Suh JH, Ahn JH, Yoon BI, Lee SJ, Lee MG, et al. The etiological role of Legionella pneumphila in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Korea. Tuberc Respir Dis. 2001; 50:409–14.

9). Lyu JW, Song JW, Choi CM, Oh YM, Lee SD, Kim WS, et al. Comparative study of pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pnuemoniae and Legionella pneumophila. Tuberc Respir Dis. 2010; 68:74–9.

10). Verdon J, Berjeaud JM, Lacombe C, Héchard Y. Characterization of anti-Legionella activity of warnericin RK and delta-lysin I from Staphylococcus warneri. Peptides. 2008; 29:978–84.

11). Triassi M, Di Popolo A, Ribera D'Alcalà G, Albanese Z, Cuccurullo S, Montegrosso S, et al. Clinical and environmental distribution of Legionella pneumophila in a university hospital in Italy: efficacy of ultraviolet disinfection. J Hosp Infect. 2006; 62:494–501.

12). Lück PC, Freier T, Steudel C, Knirel YA, Lüneberg E, Zähringer U, et al. A point mutation in the active site of Legionella pneumophila O-acetyltransferase results in modified lipopolysaccharide but does not influence virulence. Int J Med Microbiol. 2001; 291:345–52.

13). Jeon SJ, Jung JH, Jin YH, Lee JK, Oh YH, Choi SM. Molecular epidemiology of Legionella pneumophila isolated from bath facilities of public establishments in Seoul. J Bacteriol Virol. 2011; 41:295–300.

14). Morozova I, Qu X, Shi S, Asamani G, Greenberg JE, Shuman HA, et al. Comparative sequence analysis of the icm/dot genes in Legionella. Plasmid. 2004; 51:127–47.

15). Cianciotto NP. Pathogenicity of Legionella pneumophila. Int J Med Microbiol. 2001; 291:331–43.

16). Di Stefano F, Verna N, Di Gioacchino M. Cavirary Legionella pneumonia in a patient with immunodeficiency due to hyper-IgE syndrome. J Infect. 2007; 54:121–3.

17). Remen T, Mathieu L, Hautemaniere A, Deloge-Abarkan M, Hartemann P, Zmirou-Navier D. Pontiac fever among retirement home nurses associated with airborne Legionella. J Hosp Infect. 2011; 78:269–73.

18). Schoen ME, Ashbolt NJ. An in-premise model for Legionella exposure during showering events. Water Res. 2011; 45:5826–36.

19). Maiwald M, Helbig JH, Luck PC. Laboratory methods for the diagnosis of Legionella infections. J Microbiol Methods. 1998; 33:59–79.

20). Welti M, Jaton K, Altwegg M, Sahli R, Wenger A, Bille J. Development of a multiplex real-time quantitative PCR assay to detect Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in respiratory tract secretions. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2003; 45:85–95.

21). Ngeow YF, Suwanjutha S, Chantarojanasriri T, Wang F, Saniel M, Alejandria M, et al. An asian study on the prevalence of atypical respiratory pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia. Int J Infect Dis. 2005; 9:144–53.

22). Korea Ministry of Health & Wellfare. Case Definitions for National Notifiable Infectious Diseases. Seoul: KMW;Notification No. 2010-136. 2010.

23). Fields BS, Benson RF, Besser RE. Legionella and legionnaires' disease: 25 years of investigation. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2002; 15:506–26.

24). Ditommaso S, Giacomuzzi M, Gentile M, Zotti CM. Antibody detection and cross-reactivity among species and serogroups of Legionella by indirect immunofluorescence test. J Microbiol Methods. 2008; 75:350–3.