| Title |
Prevalence of Antibodies in Response to Legionella Species, Analysis of a Healthy Population from Jeollanam-do Province, Korea |
| Author |
Hae Kyung Lee1, Mi Kyeong Woo1, Yong In Ju1, Soo Jin Baek1, Hyeon Je Song2, Jin Su Choi3, Sun Seog Kweon4, Doo Young Jeon5, and Yeon Ho Kang1* |
| Address |
1Division of Bacterial Respiratory Infections, Center for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul 122-701, Republic of Korea, 2Department of Clinical Pathology, Gwangju Health College, Gwangju 506-701, Republic of Korea, 3Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam University Medical School, Gwangju 506-746, Republic of Korea, 4Jeonnam Regional Cancer Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun 519-809, Republic of Korea, 5Division of Microbiology, Jeollanam-do Institute of Health and Environment, Gwangju 502-810, Republic of Korea |
| Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 46(2),160-164, 2008,
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| DOI |
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| Key Words |
antibody, Legionella species, healthy population, Korea |
| Abstract |
Seroepidemological investigation of antibodies to Legionella species in 500 healthy individuals from a single geographical location in Korea was conducted by indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA). Considering an antibody titer of ≥1:128 as positive reaction, 15.2% of total sera were positive. In males and females older than 40 years old, levels of IgM and IgG were 1.2% and 14%, respectively. The sera with antibody titers of ≥1:128 to Legionella species accounted for 85 sera, and 9 sera of these were reacted to more than one Legionella species. Reactivity to L. bozemanii, L. micdadei, L. longbeachae, L. pneumophila sg 6, and L. gormanii were 32.9%, 20%, 15%, 10.6%, and 8%, respectively. However, L. pneumophila sg 1, sg 2, and sg 3 did
not react to any sera. Serological analysis revealed that the level of antibody in response to L. bozemanii was more prevalent than L. pneumophila. Our results suggest that the antibodies of non-L. pneumophila species, such as L. bozemanii, may be highly prevalent in healthy population within Korea. Although conclusions
based on the findings of this study must be cautiously considered given that the population sampled were sourced from a single province, we have added to the knowledge base of serodiagnosis of infections due to non-L. pneumophila species in Korea. |
