Legionellosis at Hadassah University Hospital: a 1-year survey.
During 1985 in the Hadassah University Hospital we studied all hospitalized patients whose serum had been submitted for Legionella antibodies. Of 133 patients, 12 (9%) had legionellosis as diagnosed by serology, direct fluorescence, or culture. All Legionella cases appeared to be sporadic, nonseasonal, community-acquired pneumonia. There were no specific environmental co-factors or clustering. A significant predilection of the disease for immunosuppressed individuals was observed; the in-hospital mortality was high (5/12), especially if erythromycin therapy was delayed. L. pneumophila and L. bozemanii were the dominant etiological species. In Jerusalem, Legionella is not infrequently the etiological agent in community-acquired pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients.
Maayan
S
S
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Morali
G
G
Engelhard
D
D
Akerman
Z
Z
Gez
E
E
Shapiro
M
M
Bercovier
H
H
Sacks
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology