Abstract
We evaluated the ability of a new antigen test (TRU Legionella® assay, Meridian Bioscience, Cincinnati, OH, USA) to detect Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine. The results were compared with those obtained with the Binax NOW® urinary antigen test (Binax, Portland, ME, USA). The sensitivities and specificities were 73 % [95 % confidence interval (CI), 65 to 81 %] and 100 %, respectively, for the Meridian TRU Legionella test and 77 % (95 % CI, 68 to 84 %) and 100 %, respectively, for the Binax NOW urinary antigen test. The sensitivity of the Meridian TRU Legionella test increased to 81 % if tests were re-examined after 60 min of incubation. Prolonged incubation did not affect the specificity. We conclude that both assays evaluated have similar performance characteristics and are suitable for the rapid diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fraser DW, Tsai TR, Orenstein W, Parkin WE, Beecham HJ, Sharrar RG, Harris J, Mallison GF, Martin SM, McDade JE, Shepard CC, Brachman PS (1977) Legionnaires’ disease: description of an epidemic of pneumonia. N Engl J Med 297:1189–1197
Diederen BMW (2008) Legionella spp. and Legionnaires’ disease. J Infect 56:1–12
Fields BS, Benson RF, Besser RE (2002) Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease: 25 years of investigation. Clin Microbiol Rev 15:506–526
Diederen BM, Peeters MF (2006) Evaluation of two new immunochromatographic assays (Rapid U Legionella antigen test and SD Bioline Legionella antigen test) for detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine. J Clin Microbiol 44:2991–2993
Diederen BM, Bruin JP, Scopes E, Peeters MF, IJzerman EP (2009) Evaluation of the Oxoid Xpect Legionella test kit for detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine. J Clin Microbiol 47:2272–2274
Berdal BP, Farshy CE, Feeley JC (1979) Detection of Legionella pneumophila antigen in urine by enzyme-linked immunospecific assay. J Clin Microbiol 9:575–578
Yzerman EP, DEN Boer JW, Lettinga KD, Schellekens J, Dankert J, Peeters M (2002) Sensitivity of three urinary antigen tests associated with clinical severity in a large outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in The Netherlands. J Clin Microbiol 40:3232–3236
Wiersinga WJ, Bonten MJ, Boersma WG, Jonkers RE, Aleva RM, Kullberg BJ, Schouten JA, Degener JE, Janknegt R, Verheij TJ, Sachs AP, Prins JM; Dutch Working Party on Antibiotic Policy; Dutch Association of Chest Physicians (2012) SWAB/NVALT (Dutch Working Party on Antibiotic Policy and Dutch Association of Chest Physicians) guidelines on the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Neth J Med 70:90–101
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bruin, J.P., Diederen, B.M.W. Evaluation of Meridian TRU Legionella®, a new rapid test for detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine samples. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 32, 333–334 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1745-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1745-0