Process for the detection of legionella antigens in body fluids and the like, as well as a test kit for performing the process

摘要

A process is described for the rapid detection of legionella antigens in body fluids, tissue homogenates or other legionella antigen-contain­ing liquids with specific antibodies for the same, accompanied by the formation of a labelled antigen-antibody complex and the detection thereof by means of conventional immunoassays. It is characterized in that the immunoassay is mainly directed at the detection of an in vivo or in vitro processed antigen fraction with an apparent mole­cular weight of approximately 68 and/or approximately 25 kDa, deter­mined by the SDS-PAGE method. It also describes a test kit for perfor­ming the process, which a) contains an antibody conjugate and b) a capture antibody. This permits a rapid, genus-wide detection of legi­onella antigens in liquids of the aforementioned type, particularly in the urine, with a high specificity, high sensitivity, whilst the process can be performed in a simple and rapid manner using readily accessible starting materials.