title: Coexistence ofLegionella pneumophilaBacteria and Free-Living Amoebae in Lakes Serving as a Cooling System of a Power Plant.
abstract: The study was aimed at determining whether potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) andLegionella pneumophilacan be found in lakes serving as a natural cooling system of a power plant. Water samples were collected from five lakes forming the cooling system of the power plants Pątnów and Konin (Poland). The numbers of investigated organisms were determined with the use of a very sensitive molecular method-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The result of the present study shows that thermally altered aquatic environments provide perfect conditions for the growth ofL. pneumophilaand amoebae. The bacteria were identified in the biofilm throughout the entire research period and in the subsurface water layer in July and August.Hartmanellasp. and/orNaegleria fowleriwere identified in the biofilm throughout the entire research period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zbikowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kletkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkowska
keywords: Biofilm; Cooling system; Environment and public health; FLA; Hartmanella sp.; Legionella pneumophila; Naegleria fowleri