Slowly or Nonresolving Legionnaires' Disease: Case Series and Literature Review.
Legionella
Legionnaires’ disease
lung abscess
nonresolving pneumonia
slowly resolving pneumonia
Journal
Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
ISSN: 1537-6591
Titre abrégé: Clin Infect Dis
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9203213
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
15 04 2020
15 04 2020
Historique:
received:
23
02
2019
accepted:
21
06
2019
pubmed:
27
6
2019
medline:
7
1
2021
entrez:
27
6
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Rarely, Legionnaires' disease (LD) can progress into a slowly or nonresolving form. A nationwide retrospective study was conducted by the French National Reference Center for Legionella (2013-2017) including cases of slowly or nonresolving LD defined as persistent clinical symptoms, computed tomography (CT) scan abnormalities, and Legionella detection in lower respiratory tract specimens by culture and/or real-time (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) >30 days after symptom onset. Twelve cases of community-acquired slowly or nonresolving LD were identified among 1686 cases of culture-positive LD. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 63 (29-82) years. Ten (83.3%) patients had ≥1 immunosuppressive factor. Clinically, 9 patients transiently recovered before further deterioration (median [IQR] symptom-free interval, 30 [18-55] days), 3 patients had uniformly persistent symptoms (median [IQR] time, 48 [41.5-54] days). Two patients had >2 recurrences. CT scan imagery found lung abscess in 5 (41.6%) cases. Slowly or nonresolving LD was diagnosed on positive Legionella cultures (n = 10, 83.3%) at 49.5 (IQR, 33.7-79) days. Two cases were documented through positive Legionella RT PCR at 52 and 53 days (cycle threshold detection of 21.5 and 33.7, respectively). No genomic microevolution and no Legionella resistance to antibiotics were detected. The median (IQR) duration of treatment was 46.5 (21-92.5) days. Two empyema cases required thoracic surgery. At a median (IQR) follow-up of 26 (14-41.5) months, LD-attributable mortality was 16.6% (n = 2). Slowly or nonresolving LD may occur in immunocompromised patients, possibly leading to lung abscess and empyema.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Rarely, Legionnaires' disease (LD) can progress into a slowly or nonresolving form.
METHODS
A nationwide retrospective study was conducted by the French National Reference Center for Legionella (2013-2017) including cases of slowly or nonresolving LD defined as persistent clinical symptoms, computed tomography (CT) scan abnormalities, and Legionella detection in lower respiratory tract specimens by culture and/or real-time (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) >30 days after symptom onset.
RESULTS
Twelve cases of community-acquired slowly or nonresolving LD were identified among 1686 cases of culture-positive LD. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 63 (29-82) years. Ten (83.3%) patients had ≥1 immunosuppressive factor. Clinically, 9 patients transiently recovered before further deterioration (median [IQR] symptom-free interval, 30 [18-55] days), 3 patients had uniformly persistent symptoms (median [IQR] time, 48 [41.5-54] days). Two patients had >2 recurrences. CT scan imagery found lung abscess in 5 (41.6%) cases. Slowly or nonresolving LD was diagnosed on positive Legionella cultures (n = 10, 83.3%) at 49.5 (IQR, 33.7-79) days. Two cases were documented through positive Legionella RT PCR at 52 and 53 days (cycle threshold detection of 21.5 and 33.7, respectively). No genomic microevolution and no Legionella resistance to antibiotics were detected. The median (IQR) duration of treatment was 46.5 (21-92.5) days. Two empyema cases required thoracic surgery. At a median (IQR) follow-up of 26 (14-41.5) months, LD-attributable mortality was 16.6% (n = 2).
CONCLUSIONS
Slowly or nonresolving LD may occur in immunocompromised patients, possibly leading to lung abscess and empyema.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31242293
pii: 5523664
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciz538
doi:
Substances chimiques
Anti-Bacterial Agents
0
Types de publication
Case Reports
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1933-1940Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.