Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on Legionella testing and infection rates in Ontario

Bibliographic Data

ID15365205
AuthorsAdriana Peci (0000-0002-8624-5775, Public Health Ontario, corresponding author), P Zhang (0000-0002-9177-6108, Public Health Agency of Canada), Ashleigh Sullivan (0000-0002-7040-2414, Public Health Ontario), Ye Li (0000-0002-5043-9797, University of Toronto), Yingli Bi (Public Health Ontario), Allana Murphy (Public Health Ontario), Keren Leibson (Public Health Ontario), Jonathan B Gubbay (0000-0003-0026-3786, University of British Columbia), Anna Majury (0000-0001-7975-8401, Queen's University)
Year2025
Volume25
Issue1
Pages3603-3603
Publication date2025-10-24
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMC Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1471-2458 • E-ISSN: 1471-2458
PublisherBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s12889-025-24620-0
PMID41136997
OpenAlexW4415516998
LanguageEN
References cited21

Legionella testing rates decreased by 8% in 2020 and 8% in 2021 and increased by 14% in 2022, which was associated with a decrease in positivity rate only in 2020, at 13%, but not in the other two years. Maintaining vigilance for Legionella testing in future pandemics may support timely diagnosis and treatment, leading to improved patient outcomes. Co-detection of Legionella with SARS-CoV-2 or seasonal respiratory viruses was rare but present during the pandemic. Accordingly, Legionella testing remains essential among high-risk groups, such as the elderly with co-morbidities, critically ill patients, or those with severe or unresponsive pneumonia. Such an approach can aid in differential diagnosis, prompt appropriate treatment, and improve patient outcomes

Biostatistics · Diagnostic test · Legionella · Pandemic · Pneumonia · Public health · Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research · Legionella and Acanthamoeba research · Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research · Epidemiology

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