Evaluation of the Binax and Biotest urinary antigen kits for detection of Legionnaires' disease due to multiple serogroups and species of Legionella

The Binax and the Biotest urinary antigen kits for the detection of Legionnaires' disease caused by organisms other than Legionella pneumophila were compared by testing 45 urine samples from non-Legionella pneumophila serogroup I patients previously positive in a broad-spectrum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Eighteen were positive with the Binax kit, and 13 were positive with the Biotest, Although neither kit is as sensitive as ELISA these results extend the number of serogroups and species of Legionella that can be diagnosed with the Binax or Biotest kit.