TITLE:
Detection of Legionellae pneumophila in Waters by Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction
AUTHORS:
Omar Bashir Ahmed
KEYWORDS:
Legionella pneumophila, PCR, BCYNE Agar, GPVC Agar, Water Samples
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.10 No.9,
September
24,
2020
ABSTRACT: 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.