title: The use of heteroduplex analysis of polymerase chain reaction products to support the possible transmission of Legionella pneumophila from a malfunctioning automobile air conditioner.
abstract: Air conditioner condensates have not been previously associated with cases of Legionnaires' disease. We report the possible transmission of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 from a malfunctioning automobile air conditioning system's leaking water onto the floorboard of a car driven for a long distance by the patient. Heteroduplex analysis of polymerase chain reaction products was used to help establish an epidemiologic link between the water specimen and the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinar
authors.forename: Julio A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Summersgill
mesh_terms: D000389:Air Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D001336:Automobiles; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes