Legionella species
Legionella species is a topic covered in the Johns Hopkins ABX Guide.
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MICROBIOLOGY
- Gram-negative aerobe, cause of legionellosis or Legionnaires’ disease.
- Common environmental organism, found in warm water sources (e.g., 32°- 45°C temperature range as in warm ponds, air chillers, industrial air conditioning systems, water systems include storage and hot water).
- Commonly infect free-living amoeoba and other ciliated protozoa as natural hosts for this bacteria.
- Legionella spp. include >60 species and 70 serotypes.
- Most are capable of causing human disease.
- L. pneumophila serogroup 1: most common, accounting for 80-90% of cases of Legionnaires’ disease.
- The appellation is based on the first recognition of the disease in an epidemic of pneumonia at the American Legion Convention in Philadelphia in 1976.
- Others: less frequent, occasional causes of legionellosis
- L. pneumophila serogroups 2-15
- L. micdadei
- Sometimes referred to as the "Pittsburgh pneumonia agent"
- Alternatively, organism has been called Tatlockia micdadei
- L. dumoffi
- L. longbeachae
- L. bozemanii
- Legionella do not grow on most commonly used microbiologic media; buffered charcoal yeast extract (BCYE) agar is preferred.
- Legionella are poorly visualized with Gram stain. Silver stains such as Warthin-Starry or Dieterle stains are preferred.
- May weakly stain acid-fast, but loses this characteristic when grown in culture.
- An intracellular pathogen, effective drugs in animal models include fluoroquinolones, macrolides, TMP/SMX, rifampin and doxycycline.
-- To view the remaining sections of this topic, please log in or purchase a subscription --
MICROBIOLOGY
- Gram-negative aerobe, cause of legionellosis or Legionnaires’ disease.
- Common environmental organism, found in warm water sources (e.g., 32°- 45°C temperature range as in warm ponds, air chillers, industrial air conditioning systems, water systems include storage and hot water).
- Commonly infect free-living amoeoba and other ciliated protozoa as natural hosts for this bacteria.
- Legionella spp. include >60 species and 70 serotypes.
- Most are capable of causing human disease.
- L. pneumophila serogroup 1: most common, accounting for 80-90% of cases of Legionnaires’ disease.
- The appellation is based on the first recognition of the disease in an epidemic of pneumonia at the American Legion Convention in Philadelphia in 1976.
- Others: less frequent, occasional causes of legionellosis
- L. pneumophila serogroups 2-15
- L. micdadei
- Sometimes referred to as the "Pittsburgh pneumonia agent"
- Alternatively, organism has been called Tatlockia micdadei
- L. dumoffi
- L. longbeachae
- L. bozemanii
- Legionella do not grow on most commonly used microbiologic media; buffered charcoal yeast extract (BCYE) agar is preferred.
- Legionella are poorly visualized with Gram stain. Silver stains such as Warthin-Starry or Dieterle stains are preferred.
- May weakly stain acid-fast, but loses this characteristic when grown in culture.
- An intracellular pathogen, effective drugs in animal models include fluoroquinolones, macrolides, TMP/SMX, rifampin and doxycycline.
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Last updated: January 1, 2019
Citation
Auwaerter, Paul G. "Legionella Species." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2019. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540308/all/Legionella_species__See_also:_Legionnaires_disease_.
Auwaerter PG. Legionella species. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2019. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540308/all/Legionella_species__See_also:_Legionnaires_disease_. Accessed March 30, 2023.
Auwaerter, P. G. (2019). Legionella species. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540308/all/Legionella_species__See_also:_Legionnaires_disease_
Auwaerter PG. Legionella Species [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2019. [cited 2023 March 30]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540308/all/Legionella_species__See_also:_Legionnaires_disease_.
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