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The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila, Legionella pneumophila Sg1 and Mycobacterium avium occurrence within residences and office buildings across 36 states in the United States
Citation:
Donohue, M., D. King, S. Pfaller, AND J. Mistry. The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila, Legionella pneumophila Sg1 and Mycobacterium avium occurrence within residences and office buildings across 36 states in the United States. JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 126(5):1568-1579, (2019). https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14196
Impact/Purpose:
A building’s internal water system can play an important role in the spread of Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium, the causative agents for legionellosis and pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) disease, respectively. In the United States, the annual incidence and prevalence for each of these diseases is 1.6 and 12.8 (avg) cases per 100,000 persons, respectively. This study investigated the molecular occurrence and persistence of L. pneumophila, L. pneumophila Serogroup (Sg) 1 and M. avium at 108 taps within residences (n=42) and office buildings (n=66). L. pneumophila, L. pneumophila Sg1 and M. avium were detected 41%, 25% and 45% of all structures, respectively. L. pneumophila was detected more often within home, 43% (18/42), and M. avium was detected more frequently within office buildings 48% (32/66). The L. pneumophila Sg1 detection frequency was about equal between residences, 21% (9/42), and office buildings, 24% (16/66). The measured concentrations ranged from 101 to 104 genomic targets (cell equivalence) per liter. The concentration of sporadic (detection in one out of three samples) verses colonized concentrations measured at taps showed little difference between the two event patterns. Neither structure age nor square footage were a reliable predictor of the likelihood that premise plumbing could harbor these disease-associated microorganisms and the increase risk for infection.
Description:
Aim Premise plumbing may disseminate the bacteria Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium, the causative agents for legionellosis and pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterium disease respectively. Methods and Results Using quantitative PCR, the occurrence and persistence of L. pneumophila, L. pneumophila serogroup (Sg)1 and M. avium were evaluated in drinking water samples from 108 cold water taps (residences: n = 43) and (office buildings: n = 65). Mycobacterium avium, L. pneumophila and L. pneumophila Sg1 were detected 45, 41 and 25% of all structures respectively. Two occurrence patterns were evaluated: sporadic (a single detection from the three samplings) and persistent (detections in two or more of the three samples). Conclusions The micro‐organism's occurrence was largely sporadic. Office buildings were prone to microbial persistence independent of building age and square footage. Microbial persistence at residences was observed in those older than 40 years for L. pneumophila and was rarely observed for M. avium. The microbial occurrence was evenly distributed between structure types but there were differences in density and persistence. Significance of and Impact of the Study The study is important because residences are often suspected to be the source when a case of disease is reported. These data demonstrate that this may not be the case for a sporadic incidence.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila, Legionella pneumophila Sg1 and Mycobacterium avium occurrence within residences and office buildings across 36 states in the United States