Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1985 Nov;50(5):1149–1154. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.5.1149-1154.1985

Effects of metals on Legionella pneumophila growth in drinking water plumbing systems.

S J States, L F Conley, M Ceraso, T E Stephenson, R S Wolford, R M Wadowsky, A M McNamara, R B Yee
PMCID: PMC238715  PMID: 4091551

Abstract

An investigation of the chemical environment and growth of Legionella pneumophila in plumbing systems was conducted to gain a better understanding of its ecology in this habitat. Water samples were collected from hospital and institutional hot-water tanks known to have supported L. pneumophila and were analyzed for 23 chemical parameters. The chemical environment of these tanks was found to vary extensively, with the concentrations of certain metals reaching relatively high levels due to corrosion. The effect of various chemical conditions on L. pneumophila growth was then examined by observing its multiplication in the chemically analyzed hot-water tank samples after sterilization and reinoculation with L. pneumophila. L. pneumophila and associated microbiota used in these experiments were obtained from a hot-water tank. These stains were maintained in tap water and had never been passaged on agar. The results of the growth studies indicate that although elevated concentrations of a number of metals are toxic, lower levels of certain metals such as iron, zinc, and potassium enhance growth of naturally occurring L. pneumophila. Parallel observations on accompanying non-Legionellaceae bacteria failed to show the same relationship. These findings suggest that metal plumbing components and associated corrosion products are important factors in the survival and growth of L. pneumophila in plumbing systems and may also be important in related habitats such as cooling towers and air-conditioning systems.

Full text

PDF
1149

Selected References

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

  1. Babich H., Stotzky G. Nickel toxicity to microbes: effect of pH and implications for acid rain. Environ Res. 1982 Dec;29(2):335–350. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(82)90035-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barnhart C. L., Vestal J. R. Effects of environmental toxicants on metabolic activity of natural microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Nov;46(5):970–977. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.5.970-977.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bopp L. H., Chakrabarty A. M., Ehrlich H. L. Chromate resistance plasmid in Pseudomonas fluorescens. J Bacteriol. 1983 Sep;155(3):1105–1109. doi: 10.1128/jb.155.3.1105-1109.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carson L. A., Favero M. S., Bond W. W., Petersen N. J. Factors affecting comparative resistance of naturally occurring and subcultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa to disinfectants. Appl Microbiol. 1972 May;23(5):863–869. doi: 10.1128/am.23.5.863-869.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cordes L. G., Wiesenthal A. M., Gorman G. W., Phair J. P., Sommers H. M., Brown A., Yu V. L., Magnussen M. H., Meyer R. D., Wolf J. S. Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from hospital shower heads. Ann Intern Med. 1981 Feb;94(2):195–197. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-94-2-195. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dennis P. J., Taylor J. A., Fitzgeorge R. B., Bartlett C. L., Barrow G. I. Legionella pneumophila in water plumbing systems. Lancet. 1982 Apr 24;1(8278):949–951. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(82)91944-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Favero M. S., Carson L. A., Bond W. W., Petersen N. J. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: growth in distilled water from hospitals. Science. 1971 Aug 27;173(3999):836–838. doi: 10.1126/science.173.3999.836. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Feeley J. C., Gorman G. W., Weaver R. E., Mackel D. C., Smith H. W. Primary isolation media for Legionnaires disease bacterium. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Sep;8(3):320–325. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.3.320-325.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hutner S. H. Inorganic nutrition. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1972;26:313–346. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.26.100172.001525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. 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]
  11. Kuchta J. M., States S. J., McNamara A. M., Wadowsky R. M., Yee R. B. Susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to chlorine in tap water. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Nov;46(5):1134–1139. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.5.1134-1139.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. LESTER G. Requirement for potassium by bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1958 Apr;75(4):426–428. doi: 10.1128/jb.75.4.426-428.1958. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ormsbee R. A., Peacock M. G., Bickel W. D., Fiset P. A comparison of some biologic characteristics of isolates of the Legionnaires' disease bacterium. Ann Clin Lab Sci. 1981 Jan-Feb;11(1):53–62. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PERRY J. J., EVANS J. B. Role of potassium in the oxidative metabolism of Micrococcus sodonensis. J Bacteriol. 1961 Oct;82:551–555. doi: 10.1128/jb.82.4.551-555.1961. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. 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]
  16. Reeves M. W., Pine L., Hutner S. H., George J. R., Harrell W. K. Metal requirements of Legionella pneumophila. J Clin Microbiol. 1981 Apr;13(4):688–695. doi: 10.1128/jcm.13.4.688-695.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. 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]
  18. Stout J., Yu V. L., Vickers R. M., Zuravleff J., Best M., Brown A., Yee R. B., Wadowsky R. Ubiquitousness of Legionella pneumophila in the water supply of a hospital with endemic Legionnaires' disease. N Engl J Med. 1982 Feb 25;306(8):466–468. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198202253060807. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tesh M. J., Miller R. D. Growth of Legionella pneumophila in defined media: requirement for magnesium and potassium. Can J Microbiol. 1982 Sep;28(9):1055–1058. doi: 10.1139/m82-158. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tison D. L., Pope D. H., Cherry W. B., Fliermans C. B. Growth of Legionella pneumophila in association with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Feb;39(2):456–459. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.2.456-459.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tobin J. O., Beare J., Dunnill M. S., Fisher-Hoch S., French M., Mitchell R. G., Morris P. J., Muers M. F. Legionnaires' disease in a transplant unit: isolation of the causative agent from shower baths. Lancet. 1980 Jul 19;2(8186):118–121. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)90005-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tyndall R. L., Domingue E. L. Cocultivation of Legionella pneumophila and free-living amoebae. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Oct;44(4):954–959. doi: 10.1128/aem.44.4.954-959.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wadowsky R. M., Yee R. B. Effect of non-Legionellaceae bacteria on the multiplication of Legionella pneumophila in potable water. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 May;49(5):1206–1210. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.5.1206-1210.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. 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]
  25. 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]
  26. Wadowsky R. M., Yee R. B. Satellite growth of Legionella pneumophila with an environmental isolate of Flavobacterium breve. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Dec;46(6):1447–1449. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.6.1447-1449.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. 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