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Query: UMLS:C0023241 (Legionella)
 6,990 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia in mass gathering situations is a medical challenge, requiring prompt decision making and knowledge of the aetiology. We studied cases of pneumonia admitted to two hospitals during the 1994 pilgrimage (Hajj) season to Makkah. Sixty-four patients were enrolled in the study, of which 47 (75%) were men with a mean age of 63 years (range 21-91). Nearly all were from developing countries. Diagnosis was established in 46 patients (72%) with Mycobacterium tuberculosis being the commonest causative organism (20%), followed by gram-negative bacilli (18.8%). Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for only 10%, with Legionella pneumophilia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and viruses accounting each for 6%. The main finding of this study is that M. tuberculosis is a common cause of pneumonia under these unusual "extreme circumstances". Its presentation was acute and indistinguishable from pyogenic pneumonia. Thirty-one per cent of tuberculous cases had upper lobe involvement, 54% lower lobe, and 15% multi-lobar. This was similar to the radiographic features in non-tuberculous pneumonia cases. All but one patient with tuberculosis recovered following the administration of first-line anti-tuberculous drugs. The total mortality was 17%. The preponderance of M. tuberculosis and Gram-negative bacteria over S. pneumoniae may reflect the prior use of amoxycillin and the effect of exhaustion, malnutrition, and old age.
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PMID:Tuberculosis is the commonest cause of pneumonia requiring hospitalization during Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah). 966 41

Legionella pneumophila has been recognized as an important cause of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. This study evaluates the interrelationship between that patients group with Legionnaires disease (LD) and the possible factors that may predispose hosts to acquire this infection. Likewise, we search for preliminary biochemical and immunologic evidences that could help physicians to differentiate between LD and other pneumonias. We analyzed biochemical parameters and immunoglobulin levels in 61 LD patients and a control group (n = 30) who were non-Legionella pneumonia diagnosed. We observed statistically significant differences in LD patients versus control group in serum sodium, albumin, gamma-band, IgG levels, (P < .01) and for total proteins, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P < .05). Our study shows a trend between the presence of LD and immunoglobulin deficiencies in the group studied. Deficit in IgG or IgG plus IgM, during the exposure period, may predispose individuals to suffer legionellosis (P < .05). Overall, hypoalbuminemia, hyponatremia, and high AST and LDH levels can represent a useful prognostic marker in patients with severe pulmonary infection suspected to be legionellosis.
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PMID:Biochemical and immunologic features of an outbreak of Legionnaires disease: comparative study between community-acquired pneumonias. 1665 Sep 55