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Legionnaires' disease: concentrations of selenium and other elements
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 21, 1979
Summary
Serum selenium levels were significantly lower in patients with Legionnaires' disease during acute illness compared to recovery. This difference was not seen in pneumonia patients or for other trace elements, suggesting selenium
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Clinical Medicine
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia with potential links to environmental factors.
- Trace element levels in serum can indicate physiological status during illness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum concentrations of selenium and other trace elements in patients with Legionnaires' disease.
- To compare these levels between acute and convalescent phases and with pneumonia controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples were collected from 17 patients with acute Legionnaires' disease and their convalescent-phase samples.
- Serum samples from 10 pneumonia patients served as controls.
- Concentrations of selenium, nickel, copper, bromine, rubidium, lead, barium, and titanium were measured.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower serum selenium concentrations were found in acutely ill Legionnaires' disease patients compared to their convalescent samples.
- No significant difference in serum selenium was observed between acute Legionnaires' disease patients and pneumonia controls.
- No significant differences were found for nickel, copper, bromine, rubidium, lead, barium, or titanium in any comparison.
Conclusions:
- Acutely low serum selenium may be a characteristic of Legionnaires' disease.
- Selenium deficiency might play a role in the pathogenesis or severity of Legionnaires' disease.
- Other measured trace elements do not appear to be associated with Legionnaires' disease in this study.