Legionella species are frequently detected in aquatic environments, but their occurrence in extreme, acidic, geothermal habitats has not been explored with cultivation-independent methods. We investigated a predominately eukaryotic algal mat community in a pH 2.7 geothermal stream in Yellowstone National Park for the presence of Legionella and potential host amoebae. Our analyses, using PCR amp...

We investigated Legionella and Pseudomonas contamination of hot water in a cross-sectional multicentric survey in Italy. Chemical parameters (hardness, free chlorine, and trace elements) were determined. Legionella spp. were detected in 33 (22.6%) and Pseudomonas spp. in 56 (38.4%) of 146 samples. Some factors associated with Legionella contamination were heater type, tank distance and capacity...

In addition to Legionella pneumophila, 19 Legionella species have been documented as human pathogens on the basis of their isolation from clinical material. Like L. pneumophila, other Legionella species are inhabitants of natural and man-made aqueous environments. The major clinical manifestation of infection due to Legionella species is pneumonia, although nonpneumonic legionellosis (Pontiac f...

Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia, with worldwide relevance, caused by Legionella spp. Approximately 90% of all cases of legionellosis are caused by Legionella pneumophila, but other species can also be responsible for this infection. These bacteria are transmitted by inhalation of aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. In Spain, environmental studies have demonstrated ...

Legionella organisms are prevalent in manmade water systems and cause legionellosis in humans. A rapid detection method for viable Legionella cells combining ethidium monoazide (EMA) and PCR/real-time PCR was assessed. EMA could specifically intercalate and cleave the genomic DNA of heat- and chlorine-treated dead Legionella cells. The EMA-PCR assay clearly showed an amplified fragment specific...

The dynamics of Legionella spp. and of dominant bacteria were investigated in water from a cooling tower plant over a 9-month period which included several weeks when Legionella pneumophila proliferated. The structural diversity of both the bacteria and the Legionella spp. was monitored by a fingerprint technique, single-strand conformation polymorphism, and Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila w...

We developed a rapid thermocycling, real-time detection (also known as real-time PCR) method for the detection of Legionella species directly from clinical specimens. This method uses the LightCycler (Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Indianapolis, Ind.) and requires approximately 1 to 2 h to perform. Both a Legionella genus PCR assay and Legionella pneumophila species-specific PCR assay were desig...

<i>Legionella </i>spp<i>.</i> are the etiological agent of legionnaire’s disease, a severe respiratory which affects mostly vulnerable groups population. In present study, we investigated presence <i>Legionella</i> according to ISO 11731:2017 in water samples, collected from five regions Northern Greece. The results showed that 64 (8.9%) out 595 samples were ...

The survival times of Caenorhabditis elegans worms infected with Legionella pneumophila from day 7.5 or later after hatching were shorter than those of uninfected worms. However, nematodes fed bifidobacteria prior to Legionella infection were resistant to Legionella. These nematodes may act as a unique alternative host for Legionella research.

Cross-reactivity between Legionella spp. and Capnocytophaga ochracea was noted by latex agglutination tests (Serobact Legionella; Disposable Products, Adelaide, Australia). Four of 11 (36%) C. ochracea isolates agglutinated with latex reagents designed to identify Legionella pneumophila serogroups. C. ochracea isolated on buffered charcoal yeast extract media may give false-positive results in ...