Molecular evidence of <em>Legionella pneumophila</em> associated lower respiratory tract infection in a COVID-19 suspected patient in Sri Lanka - A Case Report

Abstract

Legionella pneumophila is commonly found in aquatic environments. L. pneumophila is a causative agent of severe community acquired pneumonia and the infection is acquired through inhalation of aerosols containing the bacteria. In Sri Lanka, serologically confirmed cases of L. pneumophila infection in patients have been reported. However, there are no published reports on legionellosis in humans with evidence of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based molecular confirmation in Sri Lanka. We report a PCR confirmed case of L. pneumophila associated lower respiratory tract infection in a 16-year-old monk who presented to a District General Hospital in the Central Province of Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

• legionella pneumophila, lower respiratory tract infection, covid-19, real time pcr, sri lanka