title: Close genetic relationship between Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates from sputum specimens and puddles on roads, as determined by sequence-based typing.
abstract: We investigated the prevalence of Legionella species isolated from puddles on asphalt roads. In addition, we carried out sequence-based typing (SBT) analysis on the genetic relationship between L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (SG 1) isolates from puddles and from stock strains previously obtained from sputum specimens and public baths. Sixty-nine water samples were collected from puddles on roads at 6 fixed locations. Legionella species were detected in 33 samples (47.8%) regardless of season. Among the 325 isolates from puddles, strains of L. pneumophila SG 1, a major causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, were the most frequently isolated (n = 62, 19.1%). Sixty-two isolates of L. pneumophila SG 1 from puddles were classified into 36 sequence types (STs) by SBT. ST120 and ST48 were identified as major STs. Environmental ST120 strains from puddles were found for the first time in this study. Among the 14 STs of the clinical isolates (n = 19), 4 STs (n = 6, 31.6%), including ST120, were also detected in isolates from puddles on roads, and the sources of infection in these cases remained unclear. The lag-1 gene, a tentative marker for clinical isolates, was prevalent in puddle isolates (61.3%). Our findings suggest that puddles on asphalt roads serve as potential reservoirs for L. pneumophila in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Toyama Institute of Health, Nakataikoyama, Imizu-shi, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kanatani
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimata
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Miwako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kura
authors.forename: Tetsutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sata
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watahiki
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D001494:Baths; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D007564:Japan; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014186:Transportation; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D006838:Hydrocarbons; C006647:asphalt; C120065:lag-1 protein, Legionella; D000123:Acetyltransferases