Legionella pneumophila | |
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Colorized scanning electron micrograph image of L. pneumophila | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Pseudomonadota |
Class: | Gammaproteobacteria |
Order: | Legionellales |
Family: | Legionellaceae |
Genus: | Legionella |
Species: | L. pneumophila
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Binomial name | |
Legionella pneumophila Brenner DJ, Steigerwalt AG, McDade JE 1979
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Legionella pneumophila is an aerobic, pleomorphic, flagellated, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative bacterium.[1][2] There are fourteen serogroups of L. pneumophila. L. pneumophila is a facultative intracellular parasite that infects soil amoebae and freshwater amoeboflagellates for replication.[3][4] This pathogen is thus found commonly near freshwater environments[5] and invades the unicellular life, using them to carry out metabolic functions.[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 and then spread through aerosolized water droplets.[6]
L. pneumophila is also the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, also known as legionellosis.[4] Due to the nature of replication of the bacteria, it is able to reproduce freely in human macrophages.[4] Once infected, this bacterium can cause pneumonia with 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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