Legionella pneumophilia Flashcards
Characteristics of Legionella pneumophilia?
- Gram (-)
- Coccobacillus
- Aerobic
- Motile
What media do you grow L. pneumophilia on?
BCYE (buffered charcoal yeast extract) with cysteine and Iron
What stain do you use for cytology of L. pneumophilia?
Dietrile Silver Stain
What is the most significant reservoir for Legionella pneumophilia?
WATER
Outbreaks of L. pneumophilia occur when?
in summer or autumn
What are the 3 conditions for transmission of L. pneumophilia?
- Heat
- Stasis
- Aerosolization
What does Legionella VF OMP bind with?
C3 and induces phagocytosis (C3b opsonization HELPS the bacteria!!!)
What does Legionella VF DOT do?
its a Type 4 Secretion System (T4SS) that prevents phagosome-lysosome fusion and modifies Legionella containing vacuole membrane
Legionella is detected clinically how?
by presence of antigen in the urine
What are Legionella Secretion systems?
needle like structure that directly injects effector proteins into host cytosol.
Legionella results in what kind of lungs on histological presentation?
“Moth-Eaten” Lungs
How is Legionella pneumophilia transmitted?
- Showers
- Spas
- contaminated WATER
- NO person to person spread
What disease does Legionella cause which leads to severe pneumonia, fever, GI and CNS symptoms?
Legionnaire’s Disease
X-ray of a patient with Legionnaire’s disease shows what?
diffuse iniltrates “popcorn”
Legionella als cuases a mild flu like syndrome which is self resolving after 4-7 days called what?
Pontiac fever
