Mikrobiyoloji Bulteni, cilt.32, sa.3, ss.209-217, 1998 (Scopus)
In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of the community acquired Legionella pneumophila, and the efficacy of macrolide antibiotics in its treatment. With this regard, a total of 53 out- and in-patients admitted to Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Diseases Departments were investigated, and 30 healthy subjects were incorporated to the study as the control group. Blood samples were obtained before therapy, and then one of the macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxitromycin, azitromycin) was started to the patients randomly. Total specific IgA+IgM+IgG antibodies against L.pneumophila serogroup 1-6 were investigated in patients' acute and convelescence phase serum samples, and in single sample collected from the control group, by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) test. Six of the 53 (11.3%) samples obtained from the patients were found positive, but no positive result was obtained in control sera. All patients that had positive antibody with IFA, recovered by macrolide group antibiotic therapy. The results of this study suggested that L.pneumophila should be taken into consideration as a causative agent in patients with community acquired atypical pneumonia.