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Article in Japanese
Abstract
Original Article
Report on a mail survey of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the eastern area of Hiroshima Prefecture
Hideto Oshitaa Shoko Isoyamaa Ayaka Yoshidaa Takaya Kodamaa Keiko Osakia Kohei Kawasakia Ken Okusakia Ken-ichi Aritab
aDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mihara Medical Associations Hospital
bDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Mihara Hospital
ABSTRACT
From March to April 2017, an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease occurred in the eastern area of Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. We administered a mail survey in May 2017 and obtained clinical information from 39 patients with Legionella pneumonia (5 probable and 34 confirmed cases, including 1 mortality) from 12 hospitals. Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed via urinary antigen test, which requires less time for diagnosis than other tests, such as antibody titer, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and culture. Because of the widespread use of the urinary antigen test, the proportion of confirmed cases was markedly increased relative to the proportion in past outbreaks. Corticosteroids were used mainly in patients with hypoxia.
KEYWORDS
Legionella pneumonia Outbreak Mail survey Urinary antigen test
Received 15 Sep 2017 ／ Accepted 22 Nov 2017
AJRS, 7(2): 85-89, 2018
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