Nichol K L, Parenti C M, Johnson J E
Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, Minneapolis.
Chest. 1991 Sep;100(3):663-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.100.3.663.
A serologic survey of antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 through 6 was performed to assess the prevalence of positive antibody titers among outpatients and to evaluate the association between elevated antibody titers and previously identified risk factors for legionellosis. Subjects were recruited from outpatient clinics at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire which asked about their general health and any recent symptoms of illness. Medical records were also audited for all participants to provide additional information on medical history and known risk factors for Legionella infection. Single samples of serum were obtained from each subject, and antibody titers to L pneumophila serogroups 1 through 6 were assayed. Three hundred ninety-six subjects were enrolled in the study. They had a mean age of 67 years, and 98 percent were male subjects. Overall, 36 percent of the subjects had positive antibody titers (greater than or equal to 1:128) to L pneumophila. There were no differences between those with and without elevated titers with respect to recent systemic symptoms or other previously established risk factors for legionellosis. We conclude that positive anti-Legionella antibodies are a frequent occurrence among these outpatients. This has important implications for the interpretation of single or static antibody titers from patients who are acutely ill.
进行了一项针对嗜肺军团菌血清群1至6抗体的血清学调查，以评估门诊患者中抗体滴度呈阳性的患病率，并评估抗体滴度升高与先前确定的军团菌病危险因素之间的关联。研究对象从明尼阿波利斯退伍军人事务医疗中心的门诊诊所招募。每位参与者都完成了一份自我填写的问卷，询问他们的总体健康状况和近期的任何疾病症状。还对所有参与者的病历进行了审核，以提供有关病史和已知军团菌感染危险因素的更多信息。从每位受试者采集一份血清样本，检测其针对嗜肺军团菌血清群1至6的抗体滴度。共有396名受试者参与了该研究。他们的平均年龄为67岁，98%为男性。总体而言，36%的受试者针对嗜肺军团菌的抗体滴度呈阳性（大于或等于1:128）。在近期全身症状或其他先前确定的军团菌病危险因素方面，抗体滴度升高者与未升高者之间没有差异。我们得出结论，这些门诊患者中抗军团菌抗体呈阳性的情况很常见。这对于解释急性病患者的单次或静态抗体滴度具有重要意义。
