[Legionnaires' disease in the Paris area: epidemiology and mortality. Apropos of a series of 81 culture-positive cases].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate etiological circumstances and prognosis in Legionnaires' disease.


METHODS
A series of 81 culture-proven cases of Legionnaires' disease was collected in the Paris area between 1989 and 1994.


RESULTS
Direct immunofluorescence assay was positive for Legionella pneumophilia in 48% of the cases. Serogroup 1 was isolated in 88% of the cases. The median age of the patients was 51 years and 74% were males. Infection was nosocomial in 28% of the cases. Immunosuppression was present in 45% of the patients (transplantation, cancer, leukemia). Among the immunosuppressed patients, 7 were HIV-infected. Mortality due to legionellosis reached 27%. This high mortality was probably related to patient selection criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
Mortality from Legionnaires' disease remains high as confirmed in this series.
Nauciel
C
C
Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches.
Guilhin
P
P
Matsiota-Bernard
P
P
Ronco
E
E
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010297:Paris / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors