Comparative evaluation of two commercially available antigen enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for the detection of Legionella pneumophila urinary antigen infrozen non-concentrated urine samples

Franzin, L Cabodi, D

L. Franzin et D. Cabodi, Comparative evaluation of two commercially available antigen enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for the detection of Legionella pneumophila urinary antigen infrozen non-concentrated urine samples, MICROBIOLO, 23(4), 2000, pp. 383-389

23

INGLESE

Article

Microbiology

MICROBIOLOGICA

1121-7138 → ACNP

23

4

2000

383 - 389

ISI

1121-7138(200010)23:4<383:CEOTCA>2.0.ZU;2-N

We evaluated two commercial enzyme immunoassay kits, Binax EIA (for detecti on of soluble antigen of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1) and Biotest EI A (for detection of antigens of Legionella pneumophila serogroups and other Legionella spp.) in order to introduce this test routinely for the diagnos is of Legionnaires' disease (LD) in our Laboratory. Frozen non-concentrated urine samples belonging to 45 patients with and without LD were tested. Th e sensitivity of Binax EIA and Biotest EIA was 47.4% and 42.1% respectively , the specificity was 95% by both tests. Biotest did not detect antigen fro m a patient with culture-proven infection of L. pneumophila serogroup 6. Th e detection of urinary antigen by both EIA tests is a useful tool for rapid diagnosis of LD, especially when samples are unavailable for culture; the sensitivity may be increased if the assay is performed on unfrozen and conc entrated samples.