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Fatal Pneumonia Caused by Legionella pneumophila, Serogroup 3: Demonstration of the Bacilli in Extrathoracic Organs
- JOHN C. WATTS, M.D.;
- MARTIN D. HICKLIN, M.D.;
- BERENICE M. THOMASON, B.S.;
- CAREY S. CALLAWAY, B.S.; and
- ALLAN J. LEVINE, M.D.
Abstract
An immunosuppressed patient with malignant lymphoma died of acute pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila. Bacilli of serogroup 3 were detected in areas of pneumonia, in a mediastinal lymph node, and in the liver and spleen by direct immunofluorescence done on tissue obtained at autopsy. That the extrathoracic fluorescent material represented intact bacteria rather than antigenic fragments or antigen-antibody complexes was confirmed by finding intracellular bacilli in the liver by electron microscopy. To our knowledge, this case represents the first example of fatal disease attributed to serogroup 3 L. pneumophila and the first case in which L. pneumophila has been demonstrated in extrathoracic organs.
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Department of Anatomic Pathology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan; and the Bureau of Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to John C. Watts, M.D.; Department of Anatomic Pathology, William Beaumont Hospital, 3601 West Thirteen Mile Road; Royal Oak, MI 48072.
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- Received October 8, 1979.
- Accepted November 21, 1979.
