Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog

1 mL aliquot of serum; minimum 0.2 mL. If submitting this frozen a separate frozen aliquot for this test is needed. It may not be combined with any other test requiring a frozen aliquot.

Avoid repeated freeze/thaw cycles.

Refrigerated.

Room temperature: 7 days. Refrigerated: 14 days. Frozen: 30 days.

Stability limits exceeded.

<1:256 titer

IgM antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 and 6 additional L. pneumophila serogroups (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) are measured using an IgM specific conjugate. We recommend that the IgM test always be performed in conjunction with the polyvalent antibody test. The IgM response to Legionella tends to develop concurrently with the IgG response and may remain elevated as long as the IgG response remains elevated. Cross reactions have been described with several species of bacteria and mycoplasma.

Legionella pneumophila antibody IgM.

Legionella pneumophila IgM, LGNGM, Quest test code 30268

Legionella infection is associated with 2 clinically and epidemiologically distinct illnesses, Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever. Legionnaires' disease is characterized by fever, cough, myalgia, and pneumonia, whereas, Pontiac fever is a milder illness without pneumonia. Inhaling aerosols of water contaminated with Legionella species is believed to be the primary mode of infection; the incubation period is generally 2-10 days. The assays performed detect antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1-7. An IgM titer >1:256 provides presumptive evidence of infection at an undetermined time. A 4-fold rise in IgG titer to =1:256 between acute and convalescent sera may be used in the laboratory confirmation of Legionella infection with these serogroups of L. pneumophila.