No evidence of Legionella infection in general practice patients presenting with acute respiratory infections in The Netherlands |
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| Authors: | B. M. W. Diederen C. M. A. de Jong I. Aarts M. F. Peeters A. B. van Gageldonk-Lafeber B. Wilbrink A. van der Zee |
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| Affiliation: | Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands. b.diederen@elisabeth.nl |
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| 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. |
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| Keywords: | Acute respiratory infections general practice Legionella spp. real-time PCR respiratory tract infection |
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