Legionella is a genus of pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria that includes the species L. pneumophila, causing legionellosis including a pneumonia-type illness called Legionnaires' disease and a mild flu-like illness called Pontiac fever.
Legionella longbeachae is one species of the family Legionellaceae. It was first isolated from a patient in Long Beach, California. It is found predominantly in potting soil and compost. In humans, the infection is sometimes called Pontiac fever. Human infection from L. longbeachae is particularly common in Australia, but cases have been documented in other countries including the United States, Japan, Greece and the UK.
The 1976 Legionnaires disease outbreak, occurring in the late summer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States was the first occasion in which a cluster of a particular type of pneumonia cases were determined to be caused by the Legionella pneumophila bacteria.
Legionella anisa is a Gram-negative bacterium, one of more than 40 species in the family Legionellaceae. After Legionella pneumophila, this species has been isolated most frequently from water samples. This species is also one of the several pathogenic forms of Legionella having been associated with rare clinical cases of illness including Pontiac fever and Legionnaires' disease.
Legionella brunensis is a Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, aerobic bacterium from the genus Legionella, which was isolated from cooling tower water in Czechoslovakia.
Legionella cherrii is an aerobic, flagellated, Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella. It was isolated from a heated water sample in Minnesota. L. cherrii is similar to another Legionella species, L. pneumophila, and is believed to cause major respiratory problems.
Legionella dumoffii is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella with a monopolar flagellum which was isolated from lung tissue of a patient who suffered from fatal pneumonia. L. dumoffii occurs in soil and freshwater environments and can cause human pneumonia and accidentally induce other diseases such as prosthetic valve endocarditis and septic arthritis.
Legionella feeleii is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from an automobile plant and which was held responsible for causing Pontiac fever in 317 workers. The organism did not grow on blood agar, required L-cysteine, and showed significant quantities of branched-chain fatty acids. More recently, an unusual, extrapulmonary case was described in a 66-year-old woman admitted to Hopital Nord, Marseille, France because of a complicated cellulitis and an abscess on her right leg following a suspected insect or spider bite.
Legionella gormanii is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from soil samples from a creek bank in Atlanta and from the bronchial brush specimen of a patient who suffered from pneumonia. L. gormanii can cause atypical pneumonia together with L. pneumophila.
Legionella jordanis is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from the Jordan River in Bloomington, Indiana and from the sewage in DeKalb County, Georgia. L. jordanis is a rare human pathogen and can cause respiratory tract infections.
Legionella lansingensis is a Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive bacterium from the genus Legionella with a single polar flagellum which was isolated from a patient with pneumonia through bronchoscopy.
Legionella londiniensis is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from hot spring water in Shizuoka in Japan.
Legionella maceachernii is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from a potable water cistern. L. maceachernii can cause pneumonia.
Legionella moravica is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from cooling-tower water samples in Czechoslovakia.
Legionella nagasakiensis is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from a sample of hot spring water in Aomori in Japan and from human lung tissue. It is catalase-positive and rod-shaped, with a single polar flagellum.
Legionella rubrilucens is a Gram-negative bacterium from the genus Legionella which was isolated from tap water in Los Angeles, hot spring water in Niigata in Japan, and a patient who suffered from pneumonia.
Legionella shakespearei is a Gram-negative, weakly oxidase-positive, catalase-positive bacterium with a single polar flagellum from the genus Legionella which was isolated from a cooling tower in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. L. shakespearei is named after William Shakespeare because it was isolated in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Legionella wadsworthii is a bacterium from the genus Legionella isolated from sputum from a patient in Los Angeles. It can cause pneumonia in humans.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of atypical pneumonia caused by any species of Legionella bacteria, quite often Legionella pneumophila. Signs and symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle pains, and headaches. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. This often begins 2–10 days after exposure.
Legionella clemsonensis was isolated in 2006, but was described in 2016 by Clemson University researchers. It is a Gram-negative bacterium.
