关键环境因子对嗜肺军团菌(Legionella pneumophila)在嗜热四膜虫(Tetrahymena thermophila)细胞内增殖的影响

嗜肺军团菌是一种生活在人工水环境中的条件性致病菌,环境条件对该菌的存活和胞内增殖具有重要的影响.本文用作者建立的军团菌-四膜虫模型,研究了空调水池水、Fe3+和感染温度3种关键性环境因子对嗜肺军团菌在嗜热四膜虫宿主细胞内增殖的影响.结果发现,尽管空调水中Fe3+浓度大大低于培养基中的Fe3+浓度,但适合嗜肺军团菌在嗜热四膜虫宿主胞内的存活和增殖;感染缓冲液中的Fe3+能够被嗜热四膜虫富集,并被胞内的军团菌加以利用,缓冲液中浓度0.05×10-6的Fe3+即可显著促进胞内军团菌的增殖,但0.1×10-6和0.5×10-6的Fe3+促进军团菌胞内增殖的效果差异不显著;较高的温度对军团菌的胞内增殖也有明显促进作用,35℃时,即使感染复数等于10,军团菌也可进行胞内复制扩增,并最终裂解宿主细胞.

Pneumocystis jirovecii and Legionella pneumophila coinfection in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL)is a common non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.R-CHOP is a protocol for long-term chemotherapy for DLBCL patients.Longterm chemotherapy can lead to low immunity and increase the risk of opportunistic pathogen infections in immunocompromised patients.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of coinfection with Pneumocystis jirovecii(P.jirovecii)and Legionella pneumophila(L.pneumophila)in a patient with DLBCL.The patient was a 40-year-old female who was diagnosed with DLBCL and was admitted due to pulmonary infection.P.jirovecii and L.pneumophila were detected in her bronchoalveolar lavage fluid by hexamine silver staining,isothermal amplification and metagenomic sequencing.CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge,this is the first case of P.jirovecii and L.pneumophila coinfection found in a DLBCL patient.Clinicians should be aware of the risk of complicated infection in patients undergoing long-term chemotherapy.

A Case of Comorbidity of Complicated Infective Endocarditis and Severe Pneumonia Due to Legionella Pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila infection can cause Legionnaires’disease,a severe form of pneumonia.Extrapulmonary manifestations of Legionella infections include myocarditis,pericarditis,and endocarditis.We present a rare case of pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila with a possible etiologic link to a recently recovered culture-negative infective endocarditis.

Isolation,identification,characterization and antibiotic sensitivity profile of pathogenic Legionella pneumophila isolates from different water sources

Objective:To investigate the prevalence,isolation,identification,characterization,antibiotic profile and pathogenicity of Legionellae isolated from various set of waters.Methods:A total of 400 water samples were collected from different water sources.Water samples were pretreated using acid treatment followed by concentration and culture on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar.Parameters like ability of Legionella isolates to grow in various p H range,effect of different concentrations of chlorine and effect of different temperature optima were set up.Biochemical tests were performed to separate Legionellae into species.Antibiotic sensitivity tests and test for pathogenicity were also conducted on isolated strains.Results:The rates of isolation of Legionella pneumophila(L.pneumophila) in different water sources were found to be 20%(lakes),10%(ponds),8%(water-tanks) and 1%(rivers).Most of the isolates could grow in variable p H 6–8 and it could also survive the normal level of chlorination and even at temperature of 42 C.Isolated species of Legionellae resulted in identification of 5 different species,L.pneumophila being the dominant one.Strains of L.pneumophila were resistant to many antibiotics.Inoculation of Legionellae into intracerebral route of suckling mice revealed that L.pneumophila was the most virulent.Conclusions:Serious and fatal L.pneumophila infections may be transmitted through water.Legionella can survive under various conditions in various water sources.L.pneumophila is the important pathogen causing human disease.Great challenge prevails to health care professionals because these Legionellae acquired antibiotic resistance to many routinely prescribed antibiotics.

Occurrence of Legionella pneumophila in Hot Potable Water in Latvia

Legionellae are found in freshwater environments or wet soil, but the major reservoirs are man-made aquatic environments, particularly warm water systems. Our aim was to study the occurrence of Legionella contamination in hot potable water supply systems in apartment and public buildings. Correlations between Legionella spp. positive cases and water source, sampling point and temperature of hot water at the point of consumption were studied. A total of 149 hot water samples were collected in 16 cities and districts of Latvia. Only Legionella pneumophila was isolated. L. pneumophila was found in 63 out of 149 （42%） hot water samples. From all Legionella spp. positive samples, 17% represented L. pneumophila serogroup 1 and 78% L. pneumophila serogroups 2-14 （15）. In 5% of Legionella spp. positive samples, both serogroups 1 and 2-14（15） were isolated. Statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 in samples from various water sources. L. pneumophila was found in 45% of samples from private apartments and in 27% of samples from public buildings. Data analysis confirmed that the temperature of hot water significantly affects the frequency of L. pneumophila positive cases （p 〈 0.05）. Data showed that 85% of consumers received hot water at a temperature below 50°C.

Fatal Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 pleural empyema:A case report

BACKGROUND Legionella pneumophila(L.pneumophila)is a gram-negative intracellular bacillus composed of sixteen different serogroups.It is mostly known to cause pneumonia in individuals with known risk factors as immunocompromised status,tobacco use,chronic organ failure or age older than 50 years.Although parapneumonic pleural effusion is frequent in legionellosis,pleural empyema is very uncommon.In this study,we report a case of fatal pleural empyema caused by L.pneumophila serogroup 1 in an 81-year-old man with multiple risk factors.CASE SUMMARY An 81-year-old man presented to the emergency with a 3 wk dyspnea,fever and left chest pain.His previous medical conditions were chronic lymphocytic leukemia,diabetes mellitus,chronic kidney failure,hypertension and hyperlipidemia,without tobacco use.Chest X-ray and comouted tomographyscan confirmed a large left pleural effusion,which puncture showed a citrine exudate with negative standard bacterial cultures.Despite intravenous cefotaxime antibiotherapy,patient’s worsening condition after 10 d led to thoracocentesis and evacuation of 2 liters of pus.The patient progressively developed severe hypoxemia and multiorgan failure occurred.The patient was treated by antibiotherapy with cefepime and amikacin and with adequate symptomatic shock treatment,but died of uncontrolled sepsis.The next day,cultures of the surgical pleural liquid samples yielded L.pneumophila serogroup 1,consistent with the diagnosis of pleural legionellosis.CONCLUSION L.pneumophila should be considered in patients with multiple risk factors and undiagnosed pleural empyema unresponsive to conventional antibiotherapy.

Legionella pneumophila-mediated host posttranslational modifications

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative bacterium ubiquitously present in freshwater environments and causes a serious type of pneumonia called Legionnaires’disease.During infections,L.pneumophila releases over 300 effector proteins into host cells through an Icm/Dot type IV secretion system to manipulate the host defense system for survival within the host.Notably,certain effector proteins mediate posttranslational modifications(PTMs),serving as useful approaches exploited by L.pneumophila to modify host proteins.Some effectors catalyze the addition of host protein PTMs,while others mediate the removal of PTMs from host proteins.In this review,we summarize L.pneumophila effector-mediated PTMs of host proteins,including phosphorylation,ubiquitination,glycosylation,AMPylation,phosphocholination,methylation,and ADP-ribosylation,as well as dephosphorylation,deubiquitination,deAMPylation,deADP-ribosylation,dephosphocholination,and delipidation.We describe their molecular mechanisms and biological functions in the regulation of bacterial growth and Legionella-containing vacuole biosynthesis and in the disruption of host immune and defense machinery.

Detection of Legionella pneumophila from domestic water and their antibiotic resistance profiles

Objective:To investigate the presence of Legionella pneumophila(L.pneumophila)in domestic water in Bitlis province and to determine the in vitro susceptibility of the isolates against several antibiotics.Methods:A total of 320 tap water samples were collected from the urban areas and villages of Bitlis province during the period from May to December 2010.All samples were cultured on plates of buffered charcoal yeast extract agar.L.pneumophila strains were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by the disk diffusion method.Results:L.pneumophila strains were isolated from six(1.9%)domestic water samples.All isolates were typed as L.pneumophila serogroup 1 by latex agglutination test.Four of strains were isolated in July and two of them were detected in August.Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out on six L.pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates.Of the six strains,two was resistant to erythromycin and streptomycin,four were resistant to ampicillin and gentamicin,but all were sensitive to chloramphenicol and doxycycline.Conclusions:Our results indicate that L.pneumophila serogroup 1 is the most common type in the domestic water samples and threats public health.This is the first report of L.pneumophila in domestic water samples from Bitlis province.

Detection of <i>Legionellae pneumophila</i>in Waters by Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction

Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is the most common causative agents for all outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. Prevention and control of Legionellosis requires surveying and monitoring of Legionella in the environment using conventional and modern technologies. The present study aims to compare detection of L. pneumophila in water samples using both culture and PCR techniques. A pre-enriched contaminated water sample was split into 13 subsamples. Culture and PCR tests were done from the subsamples after different intervals. The results showed a positive PCR result for L. pneumophila after 8 h of incubation. Also, L. pneumophila was detected by culture on non-selective BCYNE agar and selective GPVC agar after 5 and 6 days of incubation respectively. There was no significant difference between the non-selective BCYE- and the selective GVPC method. The PCR procedure was found more sensitive and differed significantly from the conventional selective GVPC method in isolation of L. pneumophila from water samples. It was concluded that pre-enrichment incubation allows the detection of L. pneumophila by PCR within a maximum of 12 h from the collection of water samples.

脂多糖生物探针法与传统培养法检测水中嗜肺军团菌的比较

目的比较脂多糖生物探针法和传统培养法(包括ISO 11731-2017法即“ISO法”、GB/T 18204.5-2013法即“国标法”)对水中嗜肺军团菌(Legionella pneumophila)的检测能力。方法分别采用脂多糖生物探针法和传统培养法对58份加标水样(其中50份为实际水样加标用于以上两类方法比对测试,8份为纯水加标用于脂多糖生物探针法的方法学性能测试)和50份实际水样进行检测,确定脂多糖生物探针法的检出限、准确度、精密度、特异性和灵敏度,并比较两类方法对50份实际水样加标前的定性结果和50份实际水样加标前后的定量结果。结果脂多糖生物探针法检出限为1.55 CFU/L,准确度为102.10%~139.29%,精密度为0.14%~1.78%,特异性为95.12%,灵敏度为88.89%。50份实际水样加标前脂多糖生物探针法和国标法两种方法(检出或未检出)的定性结果无统计学差异(P>0.05);50份实际水样加标前后脂多糖生物探针法定量结果的中位数(M)高于ISO法测定结果,差异具有统计学差异(P<0.001),两类方法测定结果存在相关(r=0.981)。脂多糖生物探针法检出限(1.55 CFU/L)低于ISO法的(15.74 CFU/L),检测时间(2 d)短于ISO法(10 d)。结论与传统培养法相比,脂多糖生物探针法耗时短,检测性能更优。

2023年中南某市夏季公共场所嗜肺军团菌污染状况

目的了解2023年中南某市三类公共场所嗜肺军团菌污染状况,分析健康风险。方法于2023年7月采取非随机抽样方法在在中南某市三类公共场所采集集中空调水样、室内空气样本,以及公共设施物体表面样本进行检测和分析。采用培养法对集中空调冷却水和冷凝水嗜肺军团菌进行检测;采用荧光定量PCR对室内空气以及物体表面嗜肺军团菌进行检测。利用Fisher确切概率法用于评估水样类型、场所类型与健康风险等级的相关性。结果调查中共采集集中空调水样24份、室内空气样本213份以及公共设施物体表面样本282份。培养法检测结果显示,集中空调水样的总体阳性率为37.5%,其中冷却水的阳性率为55.6%(5/9),冷凝水的阳性率为26.7%(4/15)。其中,地铁站的集中空调水样阳性率为27.3%(3/11),宾馆的阳性率为66.7%(6/9),火车站水样中未检测出嗜肺军团菌(0/4)。风险分析发现,冷却水的高风险率为55.6%(5/9),冷凝水的高风险率为20.0%(3/15);地铁和宾馆水样的高风险率分别为27.3%(3/11)和55.6%(5/9)。荧光定量PCR结果显示,公共场所的室内空气和物体表面的检测结果均为阴性,中高风险率为0%。结论三类公共场所中,地铁和宾馆嗜肺军团菌阳性率较高,冷却水和冷凝水中均有较高检出率。

Rapid Identification of Legionella Pathogenicity by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Objective To establish Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy（SERS） can be used as a rapid and reliable method to distinguish virulent strain and mild strain of L. pneumophila. Methods We isolated and characterized of bacterial strains from ATCC and water samples strains, while we analyzed data from SERS technology using gold nanoparticles as a base and cell infections were employed to rapidly detect L. pneumophila strains. Origin 8.0 was used to collect Raman spectra, smooth and homogenize data, and to contrast spectra. Principal component analysis（PCA） was conducted to discriminate differences between groups using the multivariate analysis package Py Chem 3.0.5. Results Our results indicated that the peaks of high virulence strains reached ≥4000. This criterion was verified by subsequent cell experiments. In addition, we also conducted SERS rapid identification on the virulence of several collected clinical strains and obtained accurate results. Conclusion The present study indicates that the established SERS protocol can be used as a rapid and reliable method to distinguish virulent and mildly virulent strains of L. pneumophila, which can be further used in clinical samples.

嗜肺军团菌效应蛋白Lpg1972与CNOT7相互作用研究

嗜肺军团菌是一种寄生在真核细胞内的革兰氏阴性致病菌,其致病性主要是依靠IVB型分泌系统分泌的330多种效应蛋白,效应蛋白之间彼此协作共同干扰真核宿主细胞的各种细胞活动.嗜肺军团菌效应蛋白Lpg1972与真核细胞Ccr4-Not复合物中的CNOT7亚基存在相互作用,而Ccr4-Not复合物是真核细胞中调控mRNA降解的关键蛋白。基于此通过分子生物学的手段验证了它们之间的相互作用,设计共表达载体纯化了复合物蛋白,并利用AlphaFold2对复合物的结构和相互作用进行了预测分析,为后续研究奠定了基础。

城市污水处理厂病原菌多样性及健康风险评价

污水中普遍存在大量病原菌,污水处理厂作为接收和处理污水的主要场所,在控制病原菌污染和保障再生水安全中发挥重要作用。研究利用16S r RNA测序技术和实时荧光定量PCR技术对中国北方一座污水处理厂夏、冬两季的细菌群落结构和病原细菌存在情况进行分析。研究结果表明,共检出27个病原菌菌属,其中假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)、不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter)是主要病原菌属。经过一系列工艺处理,出水中含有病原菌属数目和含量明显降低,但发现常规出水检测指标大肠杆菌不能指示其他病原菌的存在情况和风险水平,提示仍需引入新的检测指标减少再生水回用的病原菌风险。

Legionella from Environmental and Clinical Homes for the Mentally Disabled and Comparison of Their Sequence Types

In this study the authors compared the sequence types （STs） designed by sequence based typing （SBT） of 4 clinical and 12 environmental strains of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 （LP1） which were isolated from hospital facilities for the mentally disabled. The strains were selected after a retrospective surveillance of 565 clinical records （2002-2009） and investigations of water circuit. It was possible to correlate two clinical strains with the corresponding environment, which were collected from showers that had exposed the patients （ST685, ST16） and two clinical strains present in the same structure （STI）. The other environmental strains were isolated from water in the department with confirmed or suspected clinical cases. All the strains （seven） from the first structure had ST188; two from the second structure had ST34; and the last from the third structure, gave an ST694. The results were compared with the European Working Group for Legionella Infections （EWGLI） database： the ST 1, 16, 34 and 188 were already known in literature, among clinical and nosocomial cases, especially for ST 1, the most distributed worldwide. Two STs were new to the database. ST685 was isolated both from a patient and from the water; ST694, which was found exclusively in the environmental compartment of a control structure （no cases of legionellosis and low number of nosocomial pneumonia）, was unknown in the literature and the authors could only speculate on its possible minor virulence and/or distribution. The implementation of SBT and international comparisons may be useful to gain genotypic knowledge of circulating environmental strains, also verifying their presence in the clinical setting.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus superinfection of legionella pneumonia during infliximab therapy

We present the case of a 42-year-old man affected by psoriasis with Staphylococcus Haemolyticus superin-fection of Legionella pneumonia during infliximab therapy. The introduction of compounds that block TNF-α has yielded great benefits for patients affected by selected autoimmune diseases that fail to respond to classic anti-inflammatory agents, but, on the other hand, has led to an increased susceptibility to infec-tions, in particular of those caused by intracellular pathogens, such as L. Pneumophila. Emerging evi-dence suggests that legionellosis can be complicated by superinfection with other agents, including sap-rophytic microorganisms, among which coagulase- negative staphylococci. To our knowledge, this is the first report of systemic legionellosis with superinfec-tion by S. Haemolyticus, an emerging nosocomial multi-resistant pathogen that commonly causes sep-ticemia, osteomyelitis or endocarditis, but has not so far been associated with necrotizing pneumonia. De-spite the optimal antimicrobial therapy for Staphylo-coccus spp. pneumonia is still controversial, evidence suggests that in patients with confirmed positivity for methicillin resistant strains, particularly if sensitivity to vancomycin is suboptimal, linezolid should be the first choice therapy, being superior to vancomycin and teicoplanin.

酶底物定量法检测水中嗜肺军团菌

目的建立水中嗜肺军团菌定量检测法—酶底物定量法。方法通过加标比对试验确定酶底物定量法的样品保存条件以及试验条件;通过酶底物定量法与传统培养法对采集的水样加标前后测定结果的比对,获得该方法的准确度、精密度、特异性和灵敏度等技术指标,确定该方法的检测性能。结果酶底物定量法的样品应在含硫代硫酸钠的无菌采样容器中,常温条件下送往实验室完成检测;试验最适培养条件为36℃下培养7 d;准确度(回收率)范围在109%~113%;精密度RSD为0.37%~2.46%;方法特异性为94.59%,灵敏度为92.31%;50份实际样品测定时,酶底物定量法结果与真值的一致性为94%,准确度和灵敏度均高于传统培养法。结论酶底物定量法具有较好的准确度、精密度、特异性和灵敏度,适用于批量样品筛查以及较低水平嗜肺军团菌污染时的测定,是水中嗜肺军团菌标准检验方法的有益补充,同时为国标方法修订提供技术储备。

乙酰化修饰在嗜肺军团菌致病过程中的作用

乙酰化修饰是由乙酰基转移酶、去乙酰化酶介导的可逆的蛋白质翻译后修饰。其中,乙酰基转移酶将乙酰辅酶A的乙酰基团转移至底物蛋白的氨基酸残基,而乙酰基团的去除由去乙酰化酶完成。乙酰化修饰参与许多基本生物学过程的调节作用,越来越多的研究表明,蛋白质乙酰化修饰在病原菌的致病过程中具有重要作用。病原菌,如引起非典型性肺炎的嗜肺军团菌,可以通过分泌具有乙酰基转移酶活性的效应蛋白靶向宿主细胞信号通路的关键蛋白质因子,干扰宿主细胞信号通路及免疫反应。本文主要从嗜肺军团菌的致病机制、乙酰化修饰及乙酰化修饰在病原体致病过程中的调控作用进行综述,突出已知的乙酰化毒力蛋白的例子,并讨论它们如何影响与宿主的相互作用,为理解乙酰化修饰在嗜肺军团菌致病过程中的作用机制提供参考。

组蛋白去乙酰化酶6调控鞭毛重组蛋白A干扰巨噬细胞自噬

目的观察组蛋白去乙酰化酶6(HDAC6)调控嗜肺军团菌鞭毛重组蛋白A(rflaA)对小鼠巨噬细胞自噬相关因子表达的影响,分析其可能的作用机制。方法采用支气管肺泡灌洗法提取C57BL/6J与HDAC6-/-C57BL/6J两种小鼠巨噬细胞,用小鼠巨噬细胞表面标记物F4/80鉴定;纯化rflaA,CCK-8法检测其对小鼠巨噬细胞半数抑制浓度(IC50),筛选最佳作用浓度用于后续实验;rflaA分别干预C57BL/6J及HDAC6-/-C57BL/6J小鼠巨噬细胞6、12和24 h,RT-qPCR、Western blot及免疫荧光检测各组自噬相关因子自噬效应蛋白1(Beclin1)、自噬相关蛋白5(ATG5)、自噬微管相关蛋白轻链3(LC3)、SQSTM1蛋白(P62)的表达水平。结果根据CCK-8结果计算,IC50为0.41μg·μL^(-1),最佳作用浓度为0.041μg·μL^(-1)用于后续实验;RT-qPCR、Western blot、免疫荧光结果显示,rflaA干预C57BL/6J小鼠巨噬细胞后,与0 h相比,6、12、24 h HDAC6的表达水平升高,LC3、ATG5表达水平均降低,P62的表达水平升高,Beclin1的表达水平先降低后升高(P均<0.05);rflaA干预HDAC6-/-C57BL/6J小鼠巨噬细胞后,与0 h相比,6、12、24 h LC3、ATG5、Beclin1表达水平均升高,P62的表达水平降低(P均<0.05);在相同的时间点,与C57BL/6J小鼠巨噬细胞各组相比,HDAC6敲除后各组细胞ATG5、LC3表达水平升高,Beclin1先升高后降低,P62降低(P均<0.05)。结论HDAC6促进rflaA抑制小鼠巨噬细胞自噬,HDAC6可能通过影响微管蛋白乙酰化干扰巨噬细胞自噬。

2019年北京市海淀区家庭空调及淋浴水健康危险因素调查

目的了解北京市海淀区家庭空调及淋浴水卫生状况,为改善室内空气质量提供参考。方法在海淀区选取5个社区,入户采集家庭淋浴水水样检测嗜肺军团菌,采集空调过滤网涂抹样品检测细菌总数和真菌总数,并完成家庭空调及淋浴水健康危险因素问卷调查。结果116件家庭淋浴水水样嗜肺军团菌检出率为2.59%,热水器定期清洗率为14.66%,清洗消毒率为0,社区居民对淋浴水可引起军团菌病的知晓率为42.24%。116件空调过滤网涂抹样品细菌总数合格60件,合格率51.72%(95%CI:42.49%~60.95%)。真菌总数合格61件,合格率52.58%(95%CI:43.36%~61.81%)。空调清洗率为63.79%(95%CI:54.92%~72.67%),清洗消毒率为24.32%(95%CI:14.32%~34.33%)。空调过滤网不洁会引起鼻炎相关症状或疾病的知晓率为60.24%(95%CI:51.31%~69.38%)。结论海淀区家庭空调及淋浴水卫生状况值得关注,建议加强社区健康宣教工作,减少居民在家庭生活中对嗜肺军团菌以及空调致病微生物的暴露。