Cross-reactivity and sensitivity of two Legionella urinary antigen kits, Biotest EIA and Binax NOW, to extracted antigens from various serogroups of L-pneumophila and other Legionella species

摘要

Legionella antigen detection kits for diagnosing legionellosis from urine have become widely used, but basic information about reactivity of the kits to non-serogroup (SG) 1 L. pneumophila and other Legionella species remains incomplete. We evaluated Biotest EIA and the most recently developed Binax NOW by using in-vitro extracted antigens of 22 L. pneumophila SG 1 to 15 strains and of 27 other Legionella species. Both kits showed excellent sensitivity to L. pneumophila SG 1 antigens, but reacted to different sets of non-SG 1 L. pneumophila with different sensitivity. No cross-reactivity was observed to Legionella species other than L. pneumophila.