Legionnaires' disease: case report with special emphasis on electron microscopy and potential risk of infection at autopsy

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Abstract
A case of Legionnaires' disease (LD) is presented in which the diagnosis was made initially by EM and later confirmed by specific immunofluorescence of formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded lung tissue. The possibility of an infection with Legionella pneumophila during autopsy is suggested by the fact that the pathologist who performed the post‐mortem examination developed signs and symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection 2 weeks afterwards. Approximately 4 weeks after the onset of his illness a significant antibody titre against L. pneumophila was found in his serum, whereas 6 months later the antibody titre was insignificant.