[Legionellosis and its diagnosis]

Area of Science:

• Clinical microbiology
• Infectious diseases
• Medical diagnostics

Background:

• Legionellosis, particularly Legionnaires' disease, presents diagnostic challenges due to atypical symptoms and severe septic courses.
• Multiorgan failure is common in severe cases, complicating clinical presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current diagnostic methods for legionellosis.
• To highlight advancements in Legionella detection and typing.

Main Methods:

• Urine antigen detection for acute phase diagnosis.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR for Legionella DNA detection in various samples.
• Legionella cultivation on specific media (gold standard).
• Serological testing for later-stage diagnosis.
• Advanced typing methods (RFLP, PFGE, sequencing-based) and rapid identification (MALDI-TOF).

Main Results:

• Acute diagnosis is feasible via urine antigen and PCR methods.
• Cultivation remains the gold standard but is labor-intensive.
• Serology is useful for later diagnosis, but antibody response varies.
• Typing and rapid identification methods show significant progress.

Conclusions:

• Despite challenges, effective diagnostic tools exist for Legionnaires' disease.
• Molecular and rapid identification methods are improving diagnostic speed and accuracy.
• Continued development in diagnostic techniques is crucial for timely intervention.