Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from patients of respiratory tract disease & environmental samples.

In this preliminary study 45 patients suffering from pneumonia were screened for L. pneumophila. Also 17 random environmental samples viz., water from cooling system used for air-conditioning units and samples from respirator-humidifier were screened. Four of 45 (9%) clinical specimens and 13 of 17 (76%) environmental samples showed presence of L. pneumophila. This is the first report from India of the isolation on L. pneumophila.