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[Legionnaires' disease with digestive tract lesions. One case]
La Nouvelle Presse Medicale
|September 18, 1982
Summary
Pulmonary Legionella infection was diagnosed via sputum cultures despite negative immunofluorescence. This case highlights Legionella
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Legionella pneumophila is a bacterium primarily known for causing pneumonia.
- Extrapulmonary manifestations of Legionella infection are uncommon but documented.
- Autoimmune phenomena, such as positive Coomb's test, can occur during severe infections.
Observation:
- A patient with pulmonary Legionella infection presented with a negative immunofluorescence test but positive sputum cultures.
- The patient developed a positive Coomb's test, indicating auto-antibodies, which resolved post-recovery.
- A severe complication of cecal perforation occurred, necessitating colon excision and ileostomy.
Findings:
- Pathological examination revealed inflammatory colitis with the presence of Legionella pneumophila in the digestive tract lesions.
- This represents the first documented instance of a digestive lesion directly caused by Legionella.
- The identified pathogen, Legionella pneumophila, appeared to be the cause of the gastrointestinal complication.
Implications:
- This case expands the spectrum of known extrapulmonary visceral involvement in Legionella infections.
- It suggests that Legionella bacteria can disseminate systemically, affecting organs beyond the lungs.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering Legionella in severe colitis cases, especially when pulmonary symptoms are present.