Diagnosis of Legionella micdadei pneumonia from cytologic specimens

Legionella micdadei is a recently described opportunistic pulmonary pathogen that produces an acute, suppurative pneumonia in patients receiving steroid therapy. Most prospective diagnoses have been made by open lung biopsy. We present a case in which the diagnosis was made from cytologic material. The clinicopathologic features of L. micdadei pneumonia are discussed, and criteria for diagnosis from cytologic specimens are presented.