Legionella pneumophila was first recognized as a disease entity from a pneumonia outbreak at a 1976 Convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. This species accounts for up to 90% of legionellosis cases, which includes both legionnaires’ disease (LD) and Pontiac fever. Legionnaires’ disease presents as a pneumonia with severe multisystem involvement.
Additional non-specific symptoms include fever, non-productive cough, myalgias, dyspnea and diarrhea, and neurological findings such as headache and lethargy. Pontiac fever is also characterized by malaise, myalgia, and fever; but it is a milder non-pneumonic infection.
The new VIASURE Legionella pneumphila Real Time PCR Detection kit has been designed for specific identification of Legionella pneumophila in clinical samples from patients with symptoms of legionellosis.
This test is intended for use as an aid in the diagnosis of Legionella pneumophila in humans in combination with clinical and epidemiological risk factors.
