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Legionella
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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgrey
| name = ''Legionella''
| image = Legionella_Plate_01.png
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Legionella sp.'' under UV illumination.
| regnum =
Bacterium Bacteria
| phylum =
Proteobacteria
| classis =
Gamma Proteobacteria
| ordo =
Legionellales
| familia =
Legionellaceae
| genus = '''''Legionella'''''
| genus_authority = Brenner ''et al.'' 1979
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''
Legionella adelaidensis''
''
Legionella anisa''
''
Legionella beliardensis''
''
Legionella birminghamensis''
''
Legionella bozemanii
''
Legionella brunensis''
''
Legionella busanensis''
''
Legionella cherrii''
''
Legionella cincinnatiensis''
''
Legionella donaldsonii''
''
Legionella drancourtii''
''
Legionella drozanskii''
''
Legionella erythra''
''
Legionella fairfieldensis''
''
Legionella fallonii''
''
Legionella feeleii''
''
Legionella geestiana''
''
Legionella gratiana''
''
Legionella gresilensis''
''
Legionella hackeliae''
''
Legionella israelensis''
''
Legionella jamestowniensis''
''
Legionella jordanis''
''
Legionella lansingensis''
''
Legionella londiniensis''
''
Legionella longbeachae''
''
Legionella lytica''
''
Legionella monrovica''
''
Legionella moravica''
''
Legionella nautarum''
''
Legionella oakridgensis''
''
Legionella parisiensis''
''
Legionella pneumophila''
''
Legionella quateirensis''
''
Legionella quinlivanii''
''
Legionella rowbothamii''
''
Legionella rubrilucens''
''
Legionella sainthelensi''
''
Legionella santicrucis''
''
Legionella shakespearei''
''
Legionella spiritensis''
''
Legionella steigerwaltii''
''
Legionella taurinensis''
''
Legionella tucsonensis''
''
Legionella wadsworthii''
''
Legionella waltersii''
''
Legionella worsleiensis''
}}
'''''Legionella''''' is a
Gram negative bacterium, including species that cause
legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease, most notably ''L. pneumophilia''
[{{cite book | author = Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) | title = Sherris Medical Microbiology | edition = 4th ed. | publisher = McGraw Hill | year = 2004 | id = ISBN 0838585299 }}]. ''Legionella'' are common in many environments, with at least 48
species and 70
serogroups identified. On the
side-chains of the
cell wall are carried the bases for the somatic antigen specifity of these organisms. The chemical composition of these side chains both with respect to components as well as arrangement of the different sugars determines the nature of the somatic or O antigen determinants, which are such important means of serologically classifying many Gram-negative bacteria.
Pathogenesis
''Legionella'' species are the causative agent of the human ''Legionnaires' disease'' and the lesser form Legionnaires', Pontiac fever. ''Legionella'' transmission is via aersols—the inhalation of mist droplets containing the bacteria. Common sources may include cooling towers, domestic hot water systems, fountains, and similar diseminators that tap into a public water supply. Natural sources of ''Legionella'' include freshwater ponds and creeks. Person-to-person transmission of ''Legionella'' has not been demonstrated.
[{{cite book | author = Winn WC Jr | title = Legionella. ''In:'' Baron's Medical Microbiology ''(Barron S ''et al'', eds.)| edition = 4th ed. | publisher = Univ of Texas Medical Branch | year = 1996 | id = [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mmed.section.2229 (via NCBI Bookshelf)] ISBN 0-9631172-1-1 }}]
Once inside a host, the bacteria incubation may take up to 2 weeks. Initial symptoms are flu-like, including fevers, chills, and dry coughs. Advanced stages of the disease causes problems with the
gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system and lead to diarrhea and nausea. Other advanced symptoms of pneumonia may also present.
However, the disease is generally not a threat to most healthy individuals, and only tend to lead to harmful symptoms in those with a compromised immune system and the elderly. Due to this nature, it is actively checked for in the water systems of hospitals and nursing homes. In the United States, the disease affects between 8,000 to 18,000 individuals a year.
References
Category:Proteobacteria
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{{Proteobacteria-stub}}
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