
Legionnaires disease is a severe and potentially fatal form of pneumonia. Although often associated with extrapulmonary signs and symptoms such as diarrhea, myalgia and impaired renal function, the clinical syndrome of the disease is generally non-specific1. Empirical antibiotic treatment of pneumonia is often primarily directed against Streptococcus pneumonia and does not always cover Legionellapneumonia, which should be treated with fluoroquinolones, macrolides or rifampicin2. Diagnostic testing for Legionella species for all patients admitted to the hospital for community-acquired pneumonia is therefore highly recommended3.
Our BIONEXIA® Legionella test detects the presence of Legionella pneumophila and its serogroup 1, the most commonly identified pathogens in Legionnaires’ disease4, directly from urine samples. It is ideal as a first-line test to enable early initiation of targeted therapy for improved patient outcomes3.