PIXE and the mysteries of Legionnaires' disease

Conference · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5404750

Chen, J R

The authors describe the use of proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) to analyse the nickel concentrations of the autopsy specimens from victims of Legionnaires' disease. They show that the high nickel concentrations in the lung specimens from the first recognized Legionnaires' cases in Philadelphia in 1976 were due to contamination during the autopsies. Recently the authors have used PIXE to show that the selenium concentrations in the sera of the acutely ill Legionnaires' patients are significantly lower than in their matching convalescent-phase sera. This finding may be related to the patient's response to the disease or to the specific characteristics of the Legionella pneumophila itself. Studies show that the disease is not a rare illness but a worldwide one. General criteria concerning specimen collection are described.

• Research Organization: State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454
• OSTI ID: 5404750
• Report Number(s): CONF-801111-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States) Journal Volume: NS-28:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400103 -- Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures-- (-1987)
550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AUTOPSY
BACTERIA
BODY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSTIC USES
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA
LUNGS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NICKEL
NICKEL CARBONATES
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PIXE ANALYSIS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USES
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS