الفهرس 
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Abstract
Pneumonia is a common illness in all parts of the world. It is a major cause of death among all age groups. Atypical pneumonia is an acute febrile respiratory infection confined to alveolar septa and pulmonary interstitial which is radiologically characterized by patchy inflammatory changes in the lungs. The most common bacterial agents of atypical pneumonia are Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila.
Pathogens of atypical pneumonia are not responding to treatment with beta-lactams and not diagnosed by conventional microbiological techniques as Gram stain and standard culture methods, therefore molecular techniques such as multiplex PCR (polymerase chain reaction) has a great importance for the diagnosis of these three organisms.
Bacterial pathogens causing atypical pneumonia to have a major cause of community acquired pneumonia affecting 10–40% of children and young adults with clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic infection to fatal pneumonia or extra pulmonary diseases.
In this study, multiplex PCR was conducted to detect Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila in ninety- five respiratory specimens collected from atypical pneumonia patients. Atypical pneumonia patients were diagnosed and included according to clinical picture and chest X-ray findings. Respiratory specimens were cultured on blood, chocolate and MacConkey agar plated to detect accompanied potential pathogens.
Legionella pneumophila were detected by multiplex PCR in 14% of respiratory specimens whereas no Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or Chlamydophila pneumoniae were detected. Bacterial pathogens were isolated by culture methods like: S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, E.coli and S. pyogens.
Correlating the demographic data, clinical presentation, comorbidities, laboratory findings and radiological data of included patients with Legionella pneumophila positive cases, determined the possible risk factors for infection with Legionella pneumophila. Legionella pneumophila infection is more common in middle aged men. Smoking, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma and COPD are risk factors for infection. Legionella pneumophila positive cases show bilateral pulmonary infiltrate in chest X-ray and show high levels of C-RP.
We concluded that L. pneumophila prevalence is not low in our geographical region in patients with atypical pneumonia. Considering L.