Legionnaires’ Disease at Fifty Years: Linking Water System Microbial Ecology, Diagnosis, and Prevention

Fifty years after Legionnaires’ disease was identified, outbreaks continue because environmental science, clinical practice, and building management remain poorly integrated. This review connects biofilms, protozoan hosts, water-system dynamics, diagnostic technologies, and public health responses, highlighting how coordinated monitoring, rapid attribution, and performance-based prevention can reduce disease risk.


Read full article for free (open access):

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666517426001288


Conceptual pathway showing how Legionella survives within protozoa and biofilms in building water systems, influenced by stagnation, temperature, and pipe chemistry, leading to human exposure, clinical diagnosis, genomic source attribution, outbreak investigation, and integrated water safety management.


Popular posts from this blog

Salivary microbiome diversity is associated with oral health and disease

Image
The oral microbiome is a complex community of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that inhabit the oral cavity. Microbes of the oral microbiome are implicated in health and disease. We collected 220 unstimulated saliva samples from patients with periodontal disease and varying degrees of dental caries, as well as from subjects with no signs of oral disease. Metagenomic analysis of saliva revealed significantly higher abundance of periodontal pathogens in people with gum disease, and significantly higher abundance of cariogenic species in people with dental caries. We also found that salivary microbiome diversity was significantly higher in people with periodontal disease, but not in those with only caries. Furthermore, oral microbiome diversity is affected by oral hygiene habits such as flossing frequency, but not brushing frequency. Clustering and differential analysis allowed us to identify specific commensal species, such as  Prevotella pallens and Veillonella atypica , which are signi...
Read more

Pacific has one of most successful years for grants in school history

Image
University of the Pacific secured 62 grants from federal, state and county agencies totaling more than $36 million—one of the best years for government grants in school history. The dramatic increase in fiscal year 2023—double the amount awarded to Pacific in 2022—was largely driven by three of the university’s largest grants, which include $6 million for the School of Health Sciences to  expand the social work program , $5.6 million for Benerd College to  support mental health services in K-12 schools  and $5 million to McGeorge School of Law to  improve mental health services in California . This was the best year for grants at Pacific in 15 years. “This is a reflection of the exceptional work our faculty are doing to address pressing issues,” said David Ojcius, assistant provost for research and scholarship. “These grants will have a significant impact on the community.”   Read full article at: https://www.pacific.edu/pacific-newsroom/pacific-has-on...
Read more