Creative Biolabs is one of the leading custom antibody generation and development providers. We specialize in the generation of antibodies against a wide range of targets for R&D, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Currently, we have launched a series of biomarker-specific in vitro diagnostic (IVD) antibody development services targeting numerous diagnostic biomarkers of human diseases. Here, we focus on IVD antibody development for Legionella.
Introduction of Legionella
A genus Legionella is a pathogenic group of Gram-negative bacteria. In the natural environment, amoebae are the reservoir for Legionella. The Legionellosis is a collection of infection caused by Legionella pneumophila and related bacteria. First recognized in 1976 after an outbreak of pneumonia at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia, there are two forms of legionellosis: Legionnaires' disease, the more severe illness that is potentially fatal, and Pontiac fever, the less severe form that is the mild febrile illness. The transmission of Legionella is achieved by the inhalation of water droplets from a contaminated source. Till now, person-to-person transmission has not been demonstrated but is possible in rare cases. Once inside a host, the incubation period might be up to two weeks and subsequently, lead to severe symptoms in immunocompromised hosts and the elderly.
Fig.1 Legionella pneumophila.
Symptoms of Pontiac Fever
Pontiac fever has a variety of symptoms, including high fever and chills, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, influenza-like illness, loss of strength, tiredness, diarrhoea, difficult breathing, and dry cough.
Symptoms of Legionnaire's Disease
Legionnaire's disease also has a number of symptoms which are always non-specific, including high fever; headache; chills; muscle pain; renal failure; asthenia; nonproductive, dry cough; diarrhoea; vomiting, nausea; hyponatraemia; sometimes expectoration blood-streaked; difficulty in breathing, chest pain; central nervous system manifestations; failure to respond to aminoglycosides or beta-lactam antibiotics; gram stain of respiratory specimens with numerous neutrophils and no visible organisms; lactate dehydrogenase levels > 700 units/mL.
Table 1. Characteristics of Pontiac Fever and Legionnaires' Disease.
| Characteristic | Pontiac Fever | Legionnaire's Disease |
|---|---|---|
| Incubation period | Commonly 24-48 hrs | 2-10 days |
| Duration | 2-5 days | Weeks |
| The fatality rate | No deaths | Depend on various factors but can reach to 40-80% in hospital patients. |
| Attack rate | Up to 95% |
0.1-5% of the general population 0.4-14% in hospitals |
The Systems Linked to Legionella Transmission
Fig.2 Life-cycle of Legionella pneumophila in protozoa and human macrophages.
IVD antibodies have become a critical component of different diagnostic assays. Based on our years of experience and advanced IVD antibody development platform, now Creative Biolabs offers high-quality anti-Legionella antibody development services to enable you to free up your time for core work and project. Moreover, we are capable of meeting the specific needs of each customer with the best project design.
If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us for more details. We would try our best to provide a customized proposal to meet your project requirements in the quality, timeline, and budget.
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