Ecological distribution of Legionella pneumophila
- Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC
Bacteria were concentrated 500-fold from 20-liter water samples collected from 67 different lakes and rivers in the United States. The data suggest the Legionella pneumophila is part of the natural aquatic environment and that the bacterium is capable of surviving extreme ranges of environmental conditions. The data further demonstrate the effectiveness of the direct fluorescent-antibody technique for detecting L. pneumophila in natural aquatic systems. Smears of the concentrated samples were screened microscopically for serogroups of L. pneumophila by the direct fluorescent-antibody technique. Virtually all of the 793 samples were found to be positive by this method. The 318 samples containing the largest numbers of positive bacteria which were morphologically consistent with L. pneumophila were injected into guinea pigs for attempted isolations. Isolates were obtained from habitats with a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Samples collected monthly from a thermally altered lake and injected into guinea pigs demonstrated a seasonality of infection, with the highest frequency of infection occurring during the summer months.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-76SR00001
- OSTI ID:
- 6638494
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 41:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BACTERIA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
INFECTIVITY
GUINEA PIGS
SENSITIVITY
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
DATA
INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION
LAKES
METABOLISM
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGY
MORTALITY
POPULATION DENSITY
QUANTITY RATIO
RIVERS
SAMPLING
ANIMALS
ECOSYSTEMS
INFORMATION
INJECTION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MICROORGANISMS
RODENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
550700* - Microbiology