Presence of Legionellaceae in warm water supplies and typing of strains by polymerase chain reaction

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2001-02, Vol.126 (1), p.147-152
• Main Authors: ZIETZ, B., WIESE, J., BRENGELMANN, F., DUNKELBERG, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Colony Count, Microbial; Disease Outbreaks; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Educational buildings; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Germany; Germany - epidemiology; Homes; Hospital buildings; Legionella; Legionella pneumophila; Legionellaceae; Legionellaceae - classification; Legionellaceae - genetics; Legionellaceae - isolation & purification; Legionnaire's disease; Legionnaires' disease; Legionnaires' Disease - epidemiology; Legionnaires' Disease - prevention & control; Microbiology; Molecular immunology; Monoclonal antibodies; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Public buildings; Public health; Residential buildings; Serotyping; Short Paper; Short Papers; Suburbs; Supplies; Techniques; Temperature; Thermal cycling; Water analysis; Water Microbiology; Water samples; Water sampling; Water supply; Water Supply - analysis
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268801005015

Outbreaks of Legionnaire's disease present a public health challenge especially because fatal outcomes still remain frequent. The aim of this study was to describe the abundance and epidemiology of Legionellaceae in the human-made environment. Water was sampled from hot- water taps in private and public buildings across the area of Göttingen, Germany, including distant suburbs. Following isolation, we used polymerase chain reaction in order to generate strain specific banding profiles of legionella isolates. In total, 70 buildings were examined. Of these 18 (26%) had the bacterium in at least one water sample. Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1, 4, 5 and 6 could be identified in the water samples. Most of the buildings were colonized solely by one distinct strain, as proven by PCR. In three cases equal patterns were found in separate buildings. There were two buildings in this study where isolates with different serogroups were found at the same time.