title: Legionella antibodies in a Danish hospital staff with known occupational exposure.
abstract: Although legionnaires' disease frequently is acquired in health care institutions, little is known about the occupational risk of Legionella infection among health care workers. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to analyse antibody levels among exposed hospital workers and to determine the correlation between antibodies to Legionella and self-reported symptoms. The study included 258 hospital employees and a reference group of 708 healthy blood donors. Hospital workers had a higher prevalence of Legionella antibody titres (>/=1 : 128) than blood donors (odds ratio 3.4; 95% CI 2.4-4.8). Antibody levels were not higher among staff members at risk of frequent aerosol exposure than among less exposed employees. There was no consistent association between a history of influenza-like symptom complex and the presence of antibodies. The results indicate that hospital workers have a higher risk of Legionella infections than the general population. However, since no excess morbidity was associated with seropositivity, most Legionella infections may be asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Mycology, and Parasitology, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark. rudbeck@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudbeck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viskum
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mølbak
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Uldum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007875:Legionella / Q000276:immunology*; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014871:Water Microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D014867:Water