Detection, Relatedness and Environmental Sources of Emerging Legionella longbeachae Infections in Finland, 1989–2024

Detection, Relatedness and Environmental Sources of Emerging Legionella longbeachae Infections in Finland, 1989–2024

Key Points:

• The ImmuView Legionella Urinary Antigen Test is a valuable tool for detecting Legionella longbeachae, an increasingly recognized cause of Legionnaires’ disease in Europe, especially among gardeners and people exposed to soil and compost.
• ImmuView UAT stands out by detecting both Legionella longbeachae and Legionella pneumophila in a single test, unlike most other rapid tests which detect only L. pneumophila or L. longbeachae

How can you use this article? This article demonstrates that ImmuView enables rapid and accurate identification of L. longbeachae infections, which are often missed by standard tests. The described study spans from 1989 to 2024 and reveals a significant increase in L. longbeachae infections after 2019 in Finland. These infections predominantly affected older adults and showed higher fatality (15%) and more extrapulmonary infections (12%) compared with other Legionella species. The dual detection capability is especially important because L. longbeachae is linked to soil and compost exposure and presents with atypical symptoms such as hand wounds. By using ImmuView, clinicians can improve diagnosis, treatment, and outbreak control for both L. pneumophila and L. longbeachae, which provides an added benefit for patient care and public health. So, while Legionella pneumophila remains the primary focus, ImmuView also provides the added advantage of detecting Legionella longbeachae.