Legionella pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila
Colorized scanning electron micrograph image of L. pneumophila
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Pseudomonadota
Class: Gammaproteobacteria
Order: Legionellales
Family: Legionellaceae
Genus: Legionella
Species:
L. pneumophila
Binomial name
Legionella pneumophila
Brenner DJ, Steigerwalt AG, McDade JE 1979

Legionella pneumophila is an aerobic, pleomorphic, flagellated, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative bacterium.[1][2] L. pneumophila is a intracellular parasite that preferentially infects soil amoebae and freshwater amoeboflagellates for replication.[3][4] This pathogen is thus found commonly in freshwater environments and invades the unicellular life, using them to carry out metabolic functions.[5][6] Due to L. pneumophila’s ability to thrive in water, it can grow in water filtration systems, leading to faucets, showers, and other fixtures. Aerosolized water droplets containing L. pneumophila originating from these fixtures may be inhaled by humans.[5] Upon entry to the human respiratory tract, L. pneumophila is able to infect and reproduce within human alveolar macrophages.[4] This causes the onset of Legionnaires' disease, also known as legionellosis.[4] Infected humans may display symptoms such as fever, delirium, diarrhea, and decreased liver and kidney function.[7] L. pneumophila infections can be diagnosed by a urine antigen test.[8][9] The infections caused by the bacteria can be treated with fluoroquinolones and azithromycin antibiotics.[8]

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  2. ^ Heuner K, Swanson M, eds. (2008). Legionella: Molecular Microbiology. Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-26-4.
  3. ^ Rowbotham TJ (December 1980). "Preliminary report on the pathogenicity of Legionella pneumophila for freshwater and soil amoebae". Journal of Clinical Pathology. 33 (12): 1179–1183. doi:10.1136/jcp.33.12.1179. PMC 1146371. PMID 7451664.
  4. ^ a b c Winn Jr WC (1996). "Legionella". In Baron S (ed.). Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). University of Texas: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. ISBN 0-9631172-1-1. PMID 21413250.
  5. ^ a b Abdel-Nour M, Duncan C, Low DE, Guyard C (October 2013). "Biofilms: the stronghold of Legionella pneumophila". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 14 (11): 21660–21675. doi:10.3390/ijms141121660. PMC 3856027. PMID 24185913.
  6. ^ Uzel A, Hames-Kocabas EE (2010). Legionella Pneumophila: From Environment to Disease. NOVA Science Publishers. pp. 5–8. hdl:11454/19520. ISBN 978-1-60876-947-6.
  7. ^ Djordjevic Z, Folic M, Petrovic I, Zornic S, Stojkovic A, Miljanovic A, et al. (May 2022). "An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in newborns in Serbia". Paediatrics and International Child Health. 42 (2): 59–66. doi:10.1080/20469047.2022.2108672. PMID 35944175. S2CID 251468797.
  8. ^ a b Viasus D, Gaia V, Manzur-Barbur C, Carratalà J (June 2022). "Legionnaires' Disease: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment". Infectious Diseases and Therapy. 11 (3): 973–986. doi:10.1007/s40121-022-00635-7. PMC 9124264. PMID 35505000.
  9. ^ Conway de Macario E, Macario AJ, Wolin MJ (January 1982). "Specific antisera and immunological procedures for characterization of methanogenic bacteria". Journal of Bacteriology. 149 (1): 320–328. doi:10.1128/jb.149.1.320-328.1982. PMC 216625. PMID 6172417.