Constructive pattern. Credit score: Griffith College
There’s a widespread false impression that legionella is barely present in air conditioners and water towers, nevertheless, Griffith College analysis has discovered individuals are probably uncovered to the micro organism by way of different sources, together with by way of soil.
Affiliate Professor Lara Herrero from Griffith’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics examined blood donor serum from Queensland donors to see in the event that they have been uncovered to legionella micro organism which ends up in Legionnaire’s illness, a severe type of pneumonia.
“We tested 1,000 samples of blood, 500 from 2016 and 500 from 2023, to see if donors had antibodies against the bacteria,” Affiliate Professor Herrero mentioned.
“These two home windows of time have been crucial as Queensland noticed a rise in Legionnaire’s illness circumstances in 2021–2022.
“The research assessed seroprevalence, or the level of pathogen in a population, as 2016 and 2023 represented before and after the higher incidence rate.”
The paper “Seroprevalence of antibodies against legionella species in North Eastern Australian blood donors, 2016 and 2023” has been printed in The Journal of Infectious Illness.
The analysis discovered whereas Legionella prevalence remained secure, L.pneumophila, generally present in air con vents had decreased, whereas L. longbeachae (extra generally present in soil) had elevated.
That is per public well being case numbers which present Legionellosis brought on by L. longbeachae has dominated circumstances up to now 5 years.
“We know that L. longbeachae is prevalent in soil, so we should be aware of the possible exposure risk, especially when it comes to potting soils,” she mentioned.
“We will all take measures to attenuate our publicity when gardening or utilizing potting soil, resembling carrying a masks.
“It is especially important for vulnerable individuals such as the elderly, immunosuppressed, or those with co-morbidities to take particular care.”
Legionnaire’s illness is an pressing notifiable situation which presents as a febrile sickness or pneumonia, which can be extreme.
Signs embody fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath.
People contract the an infection by way of inhalation and it’s not unfold from individual to individual.
Though comparatively unusual, Legionnaire’s illness could also be life-threatening and is regarded as accountable for roughly 5% to fifteen% of all community-acquired pneumonias.
Extra data:
Juniper Lethbridge et al, Seroprevalence of Antibodies In opposition to Legionella Species in Northeastern Australian Blood Donors, 2016 and 2023, The Journal of Infectious Illnesses (2025). DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf407
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De-mystifying widespread false impression in regards to the prevalence of legionella micro organism (2025, September 5)
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