Evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic assay for the detection and identification of Legionella spp. strains isolated from cultures

The Legionnaires’ disease is a major issue in the healthcare because it ranks among the emerging infectious diseases in our country, particularly those caused by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. The severity of the infection is related to several factors including the virulence of the bacterium and the immune status of patient. Since the clinical diagnosis of Legionella infections or pneumonia with different etiology is extremely difficult, the use of new diagnostic techniques in rapid identification plays a key role. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of a new immunochromatographic assay can detect and identify strains of Legionella spp. from the cultures.