Legionella indianapolisensis sp. nov., isolated from a patient with pulmonary abscess

• Published in: International journal of infectious diseases Vol. 69; pp. 26 - 28
• Main Authors: Relich, R.F., Schmitt, B.H., Raposo, H., Barker, L., Blosser, S.J., May, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Bronchoalveolar Lavage; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - microbiology; Co-infection; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Humans; Indiana; Influenza; Legionella; Legionella - classification; Legionella - isolation & purification; Legionella indianapolisensis; Legionellae; Legionellosis - microbiology; Levofloxacin - therapeutic use; Lobar pneumonia; Lung Abscess - microbiology; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Phylogeny; Pulmonary abscess; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Treatment Outcome; Legionellae; Co-infection; Influenza; Lobar pneumonia; Legionella; Legionella indianapolisensis; Pulmonary abscess
• ISSN: 1201-9712; 1878-3511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2018.01.024

•The article entitled “Legionella indianapolisensis sp. nov., isolated from a patient with pulmonary abscess” describes the detection and identification of a novel human-pathogenic Legionella species isolated from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimen from a patient with pulmonary abscess and a recent history of influenza.•This manuscript reviews the methods used for characterization of this novel organism, as well as its phylogenetic comparison based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
To date, at least 50 species of Legionella have been described. These organisms are ubiquitous in nature and have been isolated from diverse ecological environments, including man-made structures such as cooling towers and spas. Legionellae have also been isolated from human and veterinary clinical specimens, and their roles in disease are well-established. This report describes the isolation of a novel Legionella species from a respiratory specimen from a patient with influenza and suspected pulmonary embolus.
A 68-year-old male presented to an Indianapolis-area hospital with pulmonary disease; upon workup, he was found to have influenza A. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was also submitted for conventional bacterial culture and Legionella culture. The patient was prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic and recovered.
A Legionella-like bacterium was isolated on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar, and mass spectrometry and comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing inconclusively identified the isolate as a Legionella sp. Further analysis of the 16S rRNA gene confirmed the strain to be a new species, related to Legionella hackeliae. Physiochemical and morphological testing were used to confirm the discovery of a novel species, Legionella indianapolisensis sp. nov., type strain SMNF-IS.