title: No evidence of Legionella infection in general practice patients presenting with acute respiratory infections in The Netherlands.
abstract: The role of Legionella spp. in the aetiology of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) is largely unknown. In this case-control study, conducted in a general practitioner setting during 2000 and 2001, nose and throat samples from patients presenting with ARIs (n = 230) and controls (n = 200) were analysed for the presence of Legionella spp. by real-time PCR. Legionella DNA was not detected in any of the cases or controls. Thus, Legionella spp. do not seem to play a role in patients presenting with ARIs, nor were they present in patients who visited their general practitioner for complaints other than ARIs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands. b.diederen@elisabeth.nl
authors.forename: B M W
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Diederen
authors.forename: C M A
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aarts
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: van Gageldonk-Lafeber
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilbrink
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Zee
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007875:Legionella; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D009426:Netherlands; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial