Legionella: Molecular Microbiology
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Edited by: Klaus Heuner and Michele Swanson
Publication date: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-904455-26-4
"an excellent reference book for scientists interested in the molecular biology of Legionella and its quality is attributed to the topical and interesting content, presentation and editorial style." from Aus. J. Med. Sci. (2009) 30: 106. read more ...

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: book review, legionella

An early Legionnaires' disease epidemic affected residents of a large psychiatric hospital (St. Elizabeth's) in Washington, DC, USA. The hospital housed about 6000 patients in multiple buildings on a 350 acre (1.4 km2) campus.

In July to August 1965, at least 81 hospital patients developed pneumonia, 14 (17%) of whom died. Cephalosporin therapy was ineffective, but tetracycline plus streptomycin treatment appeared to have to some beneficial effect. Sleeping near open windows and having permission to walk on the hospital grounds were found to be the most significant risk factors for acquiring pneumonia. Soil excavation work for a lawn sprinkling system was causing very dusty conditions. A strong wind storm and summer rains occurred concurrent with the outbreak, which ended spontaneously, and contemporaneously with the cessation of the excavation work. A soil or dust borne pathogen was thought to be most likely. Extensive microbiological testing of lungs from dead patients and of the hospital environment, failed to reveal an aetiology for the epidemic.

However, analysis of stored serum specimens in 1977 showed that 19 of 26 patients tested seroconverted to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. Subsequent Legionnaires' disease epidemics have rarely implicated soil excavation, although disruptions of potable water systems and contamination of building plumbing systems during construction have been alternative explanations.

An interesting historical note is that the attempted assassin of US President Ronald Reagan is currently confined to this institution.

from Legionnaires Disease: History and Clinical Findings

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: legionella, legionellosis, Legionnaires disease

"The book is up to date and extensively referenced. The editors have sought contributions from renowned researchers in this field and the book would be a valuable source of information for scientists entering this field." from Heather Aird, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust writting in the "ACM News" (2008) Issue 2: p17.

Legionella: Molecular Microbiology
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Edited by: Klaus Heuner and Michele Swanson
Publication date: March 2008
ISBN: 978-1-904455-26-4

Further reading: Legionella

Labels: book review, legionella

Writing in a recent issue of "Microbiology Today", Norman Fry of the Health Protection Agency, UK reviews a book on Legionella published by Caister Academic Press:

"The first three chapters of this book provide general introductions to the field. The excellent opening chapter on history and clinical findings provides comprehensive and fascinating insights into LD ... (other chapters) describe in detail the unique nature of legionella as intracellular parasite, its ability to infect macrophages and its extracellular lifestyle. There are also comprehensive reviews on the flagellar system, genomics, secretion, export, survival mechanisms including Dot/Icm, nutrient acquisition and assimilation strategies and the use of L. pneumophila as a model organism. Overall the book is good series of expert reviews ... providing a useful state-of-the-art reference"

Legionella: Molecular Microbiology
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Edited by: Klaus Heuner and Michele Swanson
Publication date: March 2008
ISBN: 978-1-904455-26-4
Price: GB £150 or US $300 (hardback).
Pages: x + 249 + colour plate

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: book review, legionella

Writing in a recent issue of "Legionella Enews", Matt Freije reviews a book on Legionella published by Caister Academic Press:

"This book is a must for microbiologists involved with Legionella ... it will make a nice addition to the library of anyone professionally involved with Legionnaires' disease and Legionella bacteria."

Legionella: Molecular Microbiology
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Edited by: Klaus Heuner and Michele Swanson
Publication date: March 2008
ISBN: 978-1-904455-26-4
Price: GB £150 or US $300 (hardback).
Pages: x + 249 + colour plate

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: book review, legionella

Legionella: Perspectives and Practice Workshop
October 16 - 17, 2008.
Hetzel Lecture Theatre, State Library of South Australia Further information
A 2-day workshop covering both technical and practical aspects of the environmental control of Legionella and Legionnaires' disease.

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: conference, legionella, microbiology conference

The methods currently available to diagnose Legionnaires' disase are culture, urinary antigen detection, direct fluorescent antibody testing, detection of nucleic acid and detection of specific antibodies in serum samples. Presently, none of the diagnostic tests available offers the desired quality with respect to sensitivity and specificity. Culture should be obligatory, especially when hospitalized patients with underlying diseases are investigated. A positive culture is the prerequisite of molecular epidemiological investigations. Urinary antigen detection is a valuable tool in the majority of community-acquired cases when L. pneumophila serogroup 1 is the causative agent. In cases of nosocomial disease, when Legionella pneumophila serogroups other than sg 1 are frequent, this assay has limitations. The detection of nucleic acid is very useful method of diagnosis but requires further validation. The detection of antibodies in a patient's serum is of little use in the acute phase of the illness. Several molecular subtyping techniques are in use to subtype L. pneumophila strains in epidemiological investigations. Legionella pneumophila is genetically very heterogeneous thus allowing an individual fingerprint of each strain. However, the majority of clinical cases are caused by a limited number of clones that cause disease worldwide. The therapy for Legionnaires' disease requires drugs that can access and are active intracellularly. Currently, fluorochinolones and macrolides are the most active agents.

Further reading: Paul C. Lück in Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: bacteriology, bacterium, legionella

from Paul H. Edelstein in Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

The history of Legionnaires' disease began at least 33 years before the 1976 Philadelphia epidemic, when Legionella micdadei was isolated from human blood. Multiple isolations of several different Legionella spp. were made prior to 1976, and it was known by 1968 that tetracycline therapy prevented deaths in L. pneumophila-infected chicken embryos. The 1976 epidemic provided the scientific focus and resources necessary to determine that L. pneumophila caused epidemic pneumonia and to show that epidemics of Legionnaires' disease had occurred worldwide many years before 1976. Despite a surfeit of available resources and expertise, the effort to isolate the etiologic agent succeeded solely on the basis of one person's determination to solve a scientific problem and his willingness to reexamine his assumptions about prior laboratory results. Pontiac fever, a disease of unknown etiology, is a self-limiting and short duration febrile illness that has been associated with exposure to L. pneumophila. Because of non-specific clinical findings that overlap with other diseases, accurate diagnosis of Pontiac fever in non-outbreak settings is impossible. Legionnaires' disease can be diagnosed specifically through specialized laboratory tests, but not by clinical findings alone. This is because the clinical findings of Legionnaires' disease overlap with those of other more common causes of community acquired pneumonia. Antimicrobial therapy of Legionnaires' disease requires the use of drugs that are active against intracellular Legionellaspp., such as tetracyclines, macrolides, azalides and antibacterial quinolones.

Further reading: Legionella: Molecular Microbiology

Labels: bacteriology, bacterium, legionella