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. 1986 Feb;51(2):422–424. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.2.422-424.1986

Isolation of protozoa from water associated with a legionellosis outbreak and demonstration of intracellular multiplication of Legionella pneumophila.

J M Barbaree, B S Fields, J C Feeley, G W Gorman, W T Martin
PMCID: PMC238884  PMID: 3954351

Abstract

At the site of a legionellosis outbreak, amoebae and two ciliates, Tetrahymena sp. and Cyclidium sp., were isolated from cooling-tower water containing Legionella pneumophila. The Tetrahymena sp. and the amoebae repeatedly showed the ability to support intracellular multiplication of L. pneumophila. Both were isolated from cooling towers specifically implicated as the source for the spread of legionellosis. These protozoa may be reservoirs supporting the survival and multiplication of virulent legionellae in cooling-tower water.

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Selected References

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

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