N Boilattabi1,2, L Barrassi2, A Bouanane-Darenfed1, B La Scola2. 1. Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM), Equipe de Microbiologie, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene (USTHB), El Alia, Alger, Algérie. 2. Unité de Recherche Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), Aix-Marseille Université, AP-HM, IRD, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
Abstract
AIMS: Due to infectious risk associated with the presence of Legionella in warm water, we determined the prevalence of living Legionella spp. in hot spring water in Algeria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Detection of Legionella by culture was done by using two methods, direct culture on agar plates and co-culture with amoeba. Fifty samples were taken from different hot springs in northern Algeria, including swimming pools, showers and thermal sources. Legionella pneumophila serotypes were predominant, accounting for 60% of positive samples. Direct method allowed the isolation of 13 L. pneumophila only of 50 samples (26%), whereas co-culture using a panel of three free living amoeba allowed the isolation of 119 Legionella species from the same samples (80%) CONCLUSIONS: Amoeba co-culture allowed the isolation of several Legionella sp., while direct culture allowed the isolation of L. pneumophila only. Remarkably, Legionella longbeachae, usually isolated from soil and compost, was isolated for the first time in thermal water in three samples using Vermamoeba vermiformis co-culture. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of Legionella in the water of hot springs in Algeria, which are mainly frequented by individuals at risk of Legionellosis, requires urgent control measures.
AIMS: Due to infectious risk associated with the presence of Legionella in warm water, we determined the prevalence of living Legionella spp. in hot spring water in Algeria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Detection of Legionella by culture was done by using two methods, direct culture on agar plates and co-culture with amoeba. Fifty samples were taken from different hot springs in northern Algeria, including swimming pools, showers and thermal sources. Legionella pneumophila serotypes were predominant, accounting for 60% of positive samples. Direct method allowed the isolation of 13 L. pneumophila only of 50 samples (26%), whereas co-culture using a panel of three free living amoeba allowed the isolation of 119 Legionella species from the same samples (80%) CONCLUSIONS: Amoeba co-culture allowed the isolation of several Legionella sp., while direct culture allowed the isolation of L. pneumophila only. Remarkably, Legionella longbeachae, usually isolated from soil and compost, was isolated for the first time in thermal water in three samples using Vermamoeba vermiformis co-culture. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of Legionella in the water of hot springs in Algeria, which are mainly frequented by individuals at risk of Legionellosis, requires urgent control measures.
Authors: Allison E James; Kurt Kesteloot; J Terry Paul; Richard L McMullen; Shirley Louie; Catherine Waters; Jennifer Dillaha; Joel Tumlison; Dirk T Haselow; Jessica C Smith; Sooji Lee; Troy Ritter; Claressa Lucas; Jasen Kunz; Laura A Miller; Maria Said Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2022-01 Impact factor: 6.883