Prospective evaluation of RT-PCR on sputum versus culture, urinary antigens and serology for Legionnaire's disease diagnosis.

Objectives: Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a severe disease associated with community and hospital-acquired pneumonia, frequently under diagnosed. The main aim of our study was to determine the value of PCR for the diagnosis of LD in routine clinical practice.

Methods: In a prospective study, from March 2007 to April 2010, the value of PCR on non-invasive respiratory specimens (NIRS) was compared to those of the other available tools for LD diagnosis in patients hospitalized for pneumonia.