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We evaluated two commercial enzyme immunoassay kits, Binax EIA (for detection of soluble antigen of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1) and Biotest EIA (for detection of antigens of Legionella pneumophila serogroups and other Legionella spp.) in order to introduce this test routinely for the diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease (LD) in our Laboratory. Frozen non-concentrated urine samples belonging to 45 patients with and without LD were tested. The sensitivity of Binax EIA and Biotest EIA was 47.4% and 42.1% respectively, the specificity was 95% by both tests. Biotest did not detect antigen from a patient with culture-proven infection of L. pneumophila serogroup 6. The detection of urinary antigen by both EIA tests is a useful tool for rapid diagnosis of LD, especially when samples are unavailable for culture; the sensitivity may be increased if the assay is performed on unfrozen and concentrated samples.

The prevalence of anti-Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antibodies in 777 blood donors of the Turin area was determined by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and by the microagglutination test (MA). Low titers (IFA of 1/16 and MA of 1/8) were found in 0.3% of the subjects. A statistically significant difference was not observed by sex and by age for IFA titers, but was noted by sex for MA titers of > or = 1/4 (p < 0.05). The upper limit of normal titer was < 1/8 by IFA and < 1/4 by MA at 15% cutoff level and 1/8 by IFA and 1/4 by MA at 1% cutoff level. In conclusion, the prevalence of antibodies in the Turin area was very low; IFA titers of > or = 1/64 and MA titers of > 1/16 can be considered as presumptive of infection in a single serum specimen of a patient with pneumonia; no change in the epidemiology of the disease was observed in the recent years.

Agglutinins titers against Y. enterocolitica 0:3, 0:5, 0:9 and Y. pseudotuberculosis I were determined by the microagglutination method in 777 blood donor sera. Titers of < or = 1/10 were observed in 93.5% of the subjects for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 87.8% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9 and in 95.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5 and for Y. pseudotuberculosis I. Low level titers (1/10 - 1/20) were found in 11.4% to 23.1%. Titers of > or = 1/40 were observed in 1.7% for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 1.4% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5, in 5.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9 and in 1.2% for Y. pseudotuberculosis I. Titers of > or = 1/80 were seen in 0.2% for Y. enterocolitica 0:3, in 0.1% for Y. enterocolitica 0:5 and in 1.3% for Y. enterocolitica 0:9. Only in one donor's serum was a titer of 1/160 against Y. enterocolitica 0:9 found. The upper limit of normal titer at 15% cutoff level against Yersinia antigens, found in blood donor sera by the microagglutination test, was 1/10.

Fungal opportunistic infections are a danger for immunocompromised hosts, such as patients with malignancies, especially in a hospital environment. We studied a group of patients with solid tumors of the respiratory tract on admission and after twenty days of hospitalization. Colonization by moulds and/or yeasts was frequently found. Preventive measures should be applied to avoid colonization inside the hospital. The importance of overcrowding, sanitation and diet is pointed out.

One-hundred-eight stool samples, collected in a fishing village of Senegal from 72 apparently healthy subjects and from 36 patients with gastrointestinal disorders, were examined for the presence of Y. enterocolitica. After 1, 2, 3 weeks of cold enrichment with PBS 1/15M, pH 7.6, plating was performed on MacConkey Agar after use of the alkali method. No Yersinia strains were isolated.

The important problem of the staphylococcal enterotoxins identification from cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and from foods is discussed in this work. The usefulness and reliability both of the media and methods for the enterotoxins production and of the techniques of identification are examined. For practical purposes is very important to use simple, sensitive, reliable and rapid methods for the identification of staphylococcal enterotoxins.

Fecal samples and intestinal mucosal biopsies of 16 patients in paediatric age, with protracted diarrhoea with blood and mucus, were examined for intestinal pathogens including Yersinia. Yersinia enterocolitica 1/5/XZ and Yersinia intermedia 1/18/XZ were isolated from fecal samples of two patients. In another child, Yersinia enterocolitica, 1/5/XZ was isolated from fecal sample, while Yersinia enterocolitica 1/self-agglutinable/XZ from colon biopsy. The other intestinal pathogens were absent; Aeromonas hydrophila however was isolated from two fecal samples. The Yersinia strains isolated are not frequently found in human infections.

A microbiological and epidemiological investigation at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Turin, Italy, demonstrated Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3 at 10(2) to greater than 4 X 10(3) cfu l-1 from 24 of 32 hot water samples collected from hand-basins in six separate buildings. A sample taken from the public water supply, and a hot water sample (80 degrees C) collected from hot water tanks, did not yield legionellas. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3 was found in samples taken at the first point of mixed hot and cold water (50 degrees C) at 3 X 10(2) cfu l-1. 12 of 26 samples from the shower-heads yielded 10(3) to 2.5 X 10(5) cfu l-1 and one of 12 water samples from oxygen bubble humidifiers tested yielded 1.6 X 10(4) cfu l-1. No other legionellas species or serogroups of Legionella pneumophila were isolated during the study. No cases of nosocomial pneumonia were detected among 3653 patients' records, nor was there serological evidence of Legionella infection in the 180 patients tested.