Palusińska-Szysz Marta, Cendrowska-Pinkosz Monika
Zakład Genetyki i Mikrobiologii, Instytutu Mikrobiologii i Biotechnologii Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie.
Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2008 Jul 10;62:337-53.
Legionella are widespread in natural aquatic environments and are able to exist in water of different temperatures, pH level, and nutrient and oxygen content. Their occurrence in nature can be attributed to their relationships with other microorganisms. When Legionella co-exist with algae and other bacteria, especially in biofilms, the availability of nutrients increases. They also are able to infect protozoa and subsequently reproduce within these organisms. As a result of these relationships, Legionella are protected against adverse conditions, including standard water disinfection techniques. Consequently, they are also prevalent in anthropogenic water such as drinking water, whirlpools, and cooling tower reservoirs. Aerosol-generating systems aid in the transmission of Legionella from water to the air. Human inhalation of contaminated aerosols leads to Legionella infection and disease outbreaks. Legionellosis in humans has typically been characterized as either a potentially fatal pneumonic condition, known as Legionnaires' disease, or an acute, self-limiting, non-pneumonic condition known as Pontiac fever. In addition, Legionella spp. cause extrapulmonary infection, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Timely treatment of Legionnaires' disease is extremely important for the patient's recovery. Although erythromycin has historically been used to treat patients with Legionnaires' disease, newer macrolides and fluoroquinolones are gaining acceptance as the first choice for treatment. Although 52 species of Legionella are known, Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 is responsible for more than 80% of hospital- and community-acquired cases of Legionnaires' disease.
军团菌广泛存在于天然水生环境中，能够在不同温度、pH值、营养成分和含氧量的水中生存。它们在自然界中的存在可归因于与其他微生物的关系。当军团菌与藻类及其他细菌共存时，尤其是在生物膜中，营养物质的可利用性会增加。它们还能够感染原生动物并随后在这些生物体内繁殖。由于这些关系，军团菌能够抵御包括标准水消毒技术在内的不利条件。因此，它们在诸如饮用水、漩涡浴缸和冷却塔蓄水池等人为水体中也很常见。产生气溶胶的系统有助于军团菌从水传播到空气中。人类吸入受污染的气溶胶会导致军团菌感染和疾病暴发。人类的军团菌病通常表现为两种情况，一种是可能致命的肺炎病症，即军团病；另一种是急性、自限性的非肺炎病症，即庞蒂亚克热。此外，军团菌属会引起肺外感染，尤其是在免疫抑制患者中。及时治疗军团病对患者康复极为重要。虽然过去一直使用红霉素治疗军团病患者，但新型大环内酯类药物和氟喹诺酮类药物正逐渐被接受为首选治疗药物。虽然已知有52种军团菌，但嗜肺军团菌血清1型导致了超过80%的医院获得性和社区获得性军团病病例。
