Identification and Typing from Pure Cultures

Identification and typing of Legionella pneumophila by Sequence-based typing (SBT) for Serogroups 1-14. 

• Legionnaires' disease
• Pontiac fever

Pure culture.

BCYE plates, slants, or charcoal transport swabs are acceptable (slants and charcoal transport swabs are preferred). Samples can be submitted under frozen conditions in appropriate freezer media. 

Store samples between room temperature and 37oC until shipped for testing. Ship actively growing cultures at room temperature. Frozen cultures should be shipped on dry ice.

Shipping of specimens shall be done by a TDG certified individual in accordance with TDG regulations. For additional information regarding classification of specimens for the purposes of shipping, consult either Part 2 Appendix 3 of the TDG Regulations or section 3.6.2 of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations as applicable.

Suspected Legionnaires' Disease or Pontiac Fever.

Completed Special Bacteriology requisition form (most recent version of requisition is required), detailing all patient information and relevant clinical information.  If possible, attach lab results that have already been done at local or provincial laboratories.

All patient and strain history must be included. 

Legionella pneumophila is identified and typed using SBT. Seven genes are sequenced and assigned an allele number by the SBT database. The 7-digit allelic profile obtained represents a sequence type (ST). In addition to SBT, the serogroup is determined by latex agglutination using ProLab Diagnostics Serogroups 1-14 antibodies.

20 calendar days.  In cases where staff or resources are limited final report may be delayed and status of request will be forwarded in a preliminary report.  Final report is sent once all results are complete.

1. Farhat, C., M. Mentasti, E. Jacobs, N. K. Fry, and C. Lück. 2011. Dec. The N-Acylneuraminate Cytidyltransferase Gene, neuA, Is Heterogenous in Legionella pneumophila Strains but Can Be Used as a Marker for Epidemiological Typing in the Consensus Sequence-Based Typing Scheme. J. Clin. Microbiol. 49:4052-4058
2. Gaia, V., N. K. Fry, B. Afshar, P. C. Luck, H. Meugnier, J. Etienne, R. Peduzzi, and T. G. Harrison. 2005. May. Consensus sequence-based scheme for epidemiological typing of clinical and environmental isolates of Legionella pneumophila. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43:2047-2052
3. Gilmour, M. W., K. Bernard, D. M. Tracz, A. B. Olson, C. R. Corbett, T. Burdz, B. Ng, D. Wiebe, G. Broukhanski, P. Boleszczuk, P. Tang, F. Jamieson, G. Van Domselaar, F. A. Plummer, and J. D. Berry. 2007. Mar. Molecular typing of a Legionella pneumophila outbreak in Ontario, Canada. J. Med. Microbiol. 56:336-341
4. Legionella pneumophila Sequence-Based Typing Database developed by The European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) – now referred to as the “European Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI).
5. Ratzow, S., V. Gaia, J. H. Helbig, N. K. Fry, and P. C. Luck. 2007. Jun. Addition of neuA, the gene encoding N-acylneuraminate cytidylyl transferase, increases the discriminatory ability of the consensus sequence-based scheme for typing Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strains. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45:1965-1968
6. Wilkinson, H. W. 1987. Hospital-Laboratory Diagnosis of Legionella infections. Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA.

Pathogen Safety Data Sheets: Infectious Substances – Legionella pneumophila

National case definition: Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever (Legionellosis)

Legionella