Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1991 Jul;57(7):1950–1955. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.7.1950-1955.1991

Multiplication of Legionella spp. in tap water containing Hartmannella vermiformis.

R M Wadowsky 1, T M Wilson 1, N J Kapp 1, A J West 1, J M Kuchta 1, S J States 1, J N Dowling 1, R B Yee 1
PMCID: PMC183504  PMID: 1892386

Abstract

A model was developed to study the multiplication of various Legionella spp. in tap water containing Hartmannella vermiformis. Tap water cultures prepared with the following components were suitable for the multiplication studies: Legionella spp., 10(3) CFU/ml; H. vermiformis, 10(4.4) cysts per ml; and killed Pseudomonas paucimobilis, 10(9) cells per ml. Cocultures were incubated at 37 degrees C for at least 1 week. The following legionellae multiplied in tap water cocultures in each replicate experiment: L. bozemanii (WIGA strain), L. dumoffii (NY-23 and TX-KL strains), L. micdadei (two environmental strains), and L. pneumophila (six environmental strains and one clinical isolate). Growth yield values for these strains were 0.6 to 3.5 log CFU/ml. Legionellae which did not multiply in replicate cocultures included L. anisa (one strain), L. bozemanii (MI-15 strain), L. micdadei (a clinical isolate), L. longbeachae, (one strain), and L. pneumophila (Philadelphia 1 strain). L. gormanii and an environmental isolate of L. pneumophila multiplied in only one of three experiments. None of the legionellae multiplied in tap water containing only killed P. paucimobilis. The mean growth yield (+/- standard deviation) of H. vermiformis in the cocultures was 1.2 +/- 0.1 log units/ml. H. vermiformis supports multiplication of only particular strains of legionellae, some of which are from diverse origins.

Full text

PDF
1950

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anand C. M., Skinner A. R., Malic A., Kurtz J. B. Interaction of L. pneumophilia and a free living amoeba (Acanthamoeba palestinensis). J Hyg (Lond) 1983 Oct;91(2):167–178. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400060174. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Breiman R. F., Fields B. S., Sanden G. N., Volmer L., Meier A., Spika J. S. Association of shower use with Legionnaires' disease. Possible role of amoebae. JAMA. 1990 Jun 6;263(21):2924–2926. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cherry W. B., Pittman B., Harris P. P., Hebert G. A., Thomason B. M., Thacker L., Weaver R. E. Detection of Legionnaires disease bacteria by direct immunofluorescent staining. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Sep;8(3):329–338. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.3.329-338.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Donowitz G. R., Reardon I., Dowling J., Rubin L., Focht D. Ingestion of Legionella micdadei inhibits human neutrophil function. Infect Immun. 1990 Oct;58(10):3307–3311. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.10.3307-3311.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Edelstein P. H. Comparative study of selective media for isolation of Legionella pneumophila from potable water. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Oct;16(4):697–699. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.4.697-699.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Henke M., Seidel K. M. Association between Legionella pneumophila and amoebae in water. Isr J Med Sci. 1986 Sep;22(9):690–695. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Holden E. P., Winkler H. H., Wood D. O., Leinbach E. D. Intracellular growth of Legionella pneumophila within Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff. Infect Immun. 1984 Jul;45(1):18–24. doi: 10.1128/iai.45.1.18-24.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Horwitz M. A., Maxfield F. R. Legionella pneumophila inhibits acidification of its phagosome in human monocytes. J Cell Biol. 1984 Dec;99(6):1936–1943. doi: 10.1083/jcb.99.6.1936. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Horwitz M. A., Silverstein S. C. Interaction of the Legionnaires' disease bacterium (Legionella pneumophila) with human phagocytes. I. L. pneumophila resists killing by polymorphonuclear leukocytes, antibody, and complement. J Exp Med. 1981 Feb 1;153(2):386–397. doi: 10.1084/jem.153.2.386. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Horwitz M. A., Silverstein S. C. Legionnaires' disease bacterium (Legionella pneumophila) multiples intracellularly in human monocytes. J Clin Invest. 1980 Sep;66(3):441–450. doi: 10.1172/JCI109874. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Horwitz M. A. The Legionnaires' disease bacterium (Legionella pneumophila) inhibits phagosome-lysosome fusion in human monocytes. J Exp Med. 1983 Dec 1;158(6):2108–2126. doi: 10.1084/jem.158.6.2108. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kuchta J. M., States S. J., McGlaughlin J. E., Overmeyer J. H., Wadowsky R. M., McNamara A. M., Wolford R. S., Yee R. B. Enhanced chlorine resistance of tap water-adapted Legionella pneumophila as compared with agar medium-passaged strains. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Jul;50(1):21–26. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.1.21-26.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Morrill W. E., Barbaree J. M., Fields B. S., Sanden G. N., Martin W. T. Increased recovery of Legionella micdadei and Legionella bozemanii on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar supplemented with albumin. J Clin Microbiol. 1990 Mar;28(3):616–618. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.3.616-618.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pasculle A. W., Feeley J. C., Gibson R. J., Cordes L. G., Myerowitz R. L., Patton C. M., Gorman G. W., Carmack C. L., Ezzell J. W., Dowling J. N. Pittsburgh pneumonia agent: direct isolation from human lung tissue. J Infect Dis. 1980 Jun;141(6):727–732. doi: 10.1093/infdis/141.6.727. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Rowbotham T. J. Current views on the relationships between amoebae, legionellae and man. Isr J Med Sci. 1986 Sep;22(9):678–689. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rowbotham T. J. Preliminary report on the pathogenicity of Legionella pneumophila for freshwater and soil amoebae. J Clin Pathol. 1980 Dec;33(12):1179–1183. doi: 10.1136/jcp.33.12.1179. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. States S. J., Conley L. F., Kuchta J. M., Oleck B. M., Lipovich M. J., Wolford R. S., Wadowsky R. M., McNamara A. M., Sykora J. L., Keleti G. Survival and multiplication of Legionella pneumophila in municipal drinking water systems. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 May;53(5):979–986. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.5.979-986.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wadowsky R. M., Butler L. J., Cook M. K., Verma S. M., Paul M. A., Fields B. S., Keleti G., Sykora J. L., Yee R. B. Growth-supporting activity for Legionella pneumophila in tap water cultures and implication of hartmannellid amoebae as growth factors. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Nov;54(11):2677–2682. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.11.2677-2682.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wadowsky R. M., Wolford R., McNamara A. M., Yee R. B. Effect of temperature, pH, and oxygen level on the multiplication of naturally occurring Legionella pneumophila in potable water. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 May;49(5):1197–1205. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.5.1197-1205.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wadowsky R. M., Yee R. B. Glycine-containing selective medium for isolation of Legionellaceae from environmental specimens. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Nov;42(5):768–772. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.5.768-772.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Wadowsky R. M., Yee R. B., Mezmar L., Wing E. J., Dowling J. N. Hot water systems as sources of Legionella pneumophila in hospital and nonhospital plumbing fixtures. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 May;43(5):1104–1110. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.5.1104-1110.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Yee R. B., Wadowsky R. M. Multiplication of Legionella pneumophila in unsterilized tap water. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Jun;43(6):1330–1334. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.6.1330-1334.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES