title: Application of TaqMan fluorescent probe-based quantitative real-time PCR assay for the environmental survey of Legionella spp. and Legionella pneumophila in drinking water reservoirs in Taiwan.
abstract: In this study, TaqMan fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR was performed to quantify Legionella species in reservoirs. Water samples were collected from 19 main reservoirs in Taiwan, and 12 (63.2%) were found to contain Legionella spp. The identified species included uncultured Legionella spp., L. pneumophila, L. jordanis, and L. drancourtii. The concentrations of Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila in the water samples were in the range of 1.8×10(2)-2.6×10(3) and 1.6×10(2)-2.4×10(2) cells/L, respectively. The presence and absence of Legionella spp. in the reservoir differed significantly in pH values. These results highlight the importance that L. pneumophila, L. jordanis, and L. drancourtii are potential pathogens in the reservoirs. The presence of L. pneumophila in reservoirs may be a potential public health concern that must be further examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Po-Min
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: bmhsu@eq.ccu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Bing-Mu
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tsui-Kang
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wen-Tsai
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Po-Hsiang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chih-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.affiliation: Research and Diagnostic Center, Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chuen-Sheue
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Center for General Education, Cheng-Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yu-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes
keywords: Legionella pneumophila; Legionella spp.; PCR; Reservoir; TaqMan fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR