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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2003, p. 2540-2547, Vol. 69, No. 5
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.5.2540-2547.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Factors Influencing Survival of Legionella pneumophila Serotype 1 in Hot Spring Water and Tap Water

Akira Ohno,1* Naoyuki Kato,2 Koji Yamada,3 and Keizo Yamaguchi1

Departments of Microbiology,1 Chemistry, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo,2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Chiba, Japan3

Received 10 October 2002/ Accepted 13 February 2003

The factors involved in the survival of Legionella pneumophila in the microcosms of both hot spring water and tap water were studied by examining cultivability and metabolic activity. L. pneumophila could survive by maintaining metabolic activity but was noncultivable in all microcosms at 42°C, except for one microcosm with a pH of <2.0. Lower temperatures supported survival without loss of cultivability. The cultivability declined with increasing temperature, although metabolic activity was observed at temperatures of up to 45°C. The optimal range of pH for survival was between 6.0 and 8. The metabolic activity could be maintained for long periods even in microcosms with high concentrations of salt. The cultivability of organisms in the post-exponential phase in a tap water microcosm with a low inoculum size was more rapidly reduced than that of organisms in the exponential phase. In contrast, the loss of cultivability in microcosms of a high inoculum size was significant in the exponential phase. Random(ly) amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of microcosms where cultivability was lost but metabolic activity was retained showed no change compared to cells grown freshly, although an effect on the amplified DNA band pattern by production of stress proteins was expected. Resuscitation by the addition of Acanthamoeba castellanii to the microcosm in which cultivability was completely lost but metabolic activity was maintained was observed only in part of the cell population. Our results suggest that L. pneumophila cell populations can potentially survive as free organisms for long periods by maintaining metabolic activity but temporarily losing cultivability under strict environments and requiring resuscitation by ingestion by amoebas.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, Toho University School of Medicine, 5-21-16 Omori-Nishi, Ota-Ku, Tokyo 143-8540, Japan. Phone: 81-3-3762-4151, ext. 2396-7. Fax: 81-3-5493-5415. E-mail: akira{at}med.toho-u.ac.jp.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2003, p. 2540-2547, Vol. 69, No. 5
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.5.2540-2547.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ohno, A., Kato, N., Sakamoto, R., Kimura, S., Yamaguchi, K. (2008). Temperature-Dependent Parasitic Relationship between Legionella pneumophila and a Free-Living Amoeba (Acanthamoeba castellanii). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 4585-4588 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Piao, Z., Sze, C. C., Barysheva, O., Iida, K.-i., Yoshida, S.-i. (2006). Temperature-Regulated Formation of Mycelial Mat-Like Biofilms by Legionella pneumophila. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 1613-1622 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sheehan, K. B., Henson, J. M., Ferris, M. J. (2005). Legionella Species Diversity in an Acidic Biofilm Community in Yellowstone National Park. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 507-511 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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