Legionnaires' disease: case report with special emphasis on electron microscopy and potential risk of infection at autopsy.
A case of Legionnaires' disease (LD) is presented in which the diagnosis was made initially by EM and later confirmed by specific immunofluorescence of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung tissue. The possibility of an infection with Legionella pneumophila during autopsy is suggested by the fact that the pathologist who performed the post-mortem examination developed signs and symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection 2 weeks afterwards. Approximately 4 weeks after the onset of his illness a significant antibody titre against L. pneumophila was found in his serum, whereas 6 months later the antibody titre was insignificant.
D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000635:transmission; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial