Detection of IgM antibodies against Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in Malaysian blood donors and patients with respiratory illnesses: evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay.

摘要

Legionellosis is classically presented as Legionnaires' disease, a common form of severe pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a self-limited flulike illness (1,2). It is difficult to distinguish patients with Legionnaires' disease from patients with other types of pneumonia clinically. In addition, the laboratory diagnosis of this disease is also hampered by the lack of accurate diagnostic tests and the difficulty in culturing the organism (2,3).