Publications

protein expression, crystallization and preliminary x-ray crystallographic studies of lida from legionella pneumophila.	lida, a translocated substrate of the legionella pneumophila dot/icm type iv secretion system, is associated with maintenance of bacterial integrity and interferes with the early secretory pathway. however, the precise mechanism of lida in these processes remains elusive. to further investigate the structure and function of lida, the full-length protein was successfully expressed in escherichia coli and purified. lida was crystallized using sitting-drop vapour diffusion and diffracted to a resol ...	2011	21543880
deletion of the murine scavenger receptor cd68.	scavenger receptors (scrs) are a structurally unrelated family of receptors with the ability to bind modified low density lipoproteins (ldls), as well as a broad range of polyanionic ligands. cd68, whose expression is restricted to mononuclear phagocytes, is a unique scr family member, owing to its lamp-like domain and predominant endosomal distribution. knockout mice were generated to directly evaluate the role murine cd68 may play in oxidized ldl (ox-ldl) uptake. however, cd68[-/-] macrophages ...	2011	21572087
legionella jordanis in hematopoietic sct patients radiographically mimicking invasive mold infection.	opportunistic pulmonary infections are a major cause of post-transplant morbidity and mortality. among these infections, aspergillus is a common cause of fatal pneumonia. owing to the precarious clinical condition of many patients who acquire invasive mold infections, clinicians often treat them on the basis of radiographic findings, such as the halo sign. however, in patients who do not respond to treatment or who have uncommon presentations, bronchoscopy or lung biopsy looking for other pathog ...	2011	21572462
in the case of transmission of mycobacterium ulcerans in buruli ulcer disease acanthamoeba species stand accused.	buruli ulcer disease caused by mycobacterium ulcerans results in extensive destruction of skin and soft tissue and long-term functional disabilities that ultimately require surgery and rehabilitation. the disease is associated with aquatic and swampy environments with the mycobacterium occurring in biofilms, soil, aquatic insects, fish and wildlife however, the mode of transmission to humans remains an enigma. current transmission ideas including bites from predatory water bugs and mosquitoes, d ...	2011	21572823
recovery of legionella species from water samples using an internal method based on iso 11731: suggestions for revision and implementation.	the study aim was to determine retrospectively whether the parallel use of 2 media [buffered charcoal yeast extract (bcye) and medium of wadowsky and yee (mwy)] to isolate legionella spp. from water samples taken from hospital water supply systems increased the sensitivity of the culture method as compared with methods/protocols in which only seeding on a selective medium is used. we analyzed the results obtained from 931 positive water samples. in 484 of the 931 positive water samples, legionel ...	2011	21596223
activity of finafloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone with increased activity at acid ph, towards extracellular and intracellular staphylococcus aureus, listeria monocytogenes and legionella pneumophila.	finafloxacin, an 8-cyano-substituted fluoroquinolone, expresses enhanced activity at acidic ph and is less susceptible to several fluoroquinolone resistance determinants. in this study, we compared finafloxacin and ciprofloxacin for (i) activity against ciprofloxacin-susceptible and -resistant staphylococcus aureus as well as wild-type and lde efflux-positive (lde+) listeria monocytogenes, (ii) accumulation in thp-1 macrophages and (iii) intracellular activity towards phagocytised s. aureus, l. ...	2011	21596526
[contamination of health care institutions environmental objects by legionella pneumophila].	aim. the extent of environmental objects contamination by legionella pneumophila in nizhny novgorod and nizhny novgorod region hospitals evaluation, and detection of potentially hazardous objects.	2011	21598621
sensitive sequence-specific molecular identification system comprising an aluminum micro-nanofluidic chip and associated real-time confocal detector.	we developed a micro-nanofluidic bioreactor-detector system for isothermal dna amplification and sensitive real-time detection of the amplified products for sequence-specific molecular identification. aluminum (al) chips with a range of volumes from 7.07μl to 39nl and an associated real-time confocal optical detector are described. the detector provided highly sensitive fluorescence detection and low background noise. one of the important aspects of the system was the development of a surface pr ...	2011	21601025
environmental surveillance and molecular characterization of legionella in tropical singapore.	legionnaires' disease is often acquired by inhalation of legionellae from a contaminated environmental source. in recent years, singapore has seen an increase in the use of aerosol-generating fixtures such as mist fans and spa pools. poorly maintained and designed water fixtures could pose a public health threat to the community. in this study, we provided an update on the prevalence of legionella in mist fans (n=28), household water heaters with storage tanks (n=19) and instantaneous heaters (n ...	2011	21602781
[sequence-based typing of enviromental legionella pneumophila isolates in guangzhou].	to characterize the genes of legionella pneumophila isolated from different water source in guangzhou from 2006 to 2009. to genotype the strains by using sequence-based typing (sbt) scheme.	2011	21604546
automated immunomagnetic processing and separation of legionella pneumophila with manual detection by sandwich elisa and pcr amplification of the omps gene.	the culture-independent and automated detection of bacteria in the environment is a scientific and technological challenge. for detection alone, a number of sensitive methods are known (e.g., pcr, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [elisa], fluorescent in situ hybridization) but a major problem remaining is the enrichment and separation of the bacteria that usually occur at low concentrations. here, we present an automated capturing and separation system, which can easily be combined with one of ...	2011	21609698
[acting in pulmonary infections in ambulatory practice at adult].	the clinical manifestations (both symptoms and signs) of infections of respiratory tract disease are limited and not specific to the cause. however, there is no universal approach, and good clinical judgment is often essential. most people have approximately three colds per year, of which 70% result from viral origin. it should be stressed that a confident diagnosis of pneumonia is difficult outside the hospital. very often the most important clinical questions are whether an antibiotic should b ...	2010	21612048
dispersion of legionella-containing aerosols from a biological treatment plant,norway.	legionella was detected in aeration ponds (biological treatment plant) at borregaard ind. ltd., norway, and in air samples harvested directly above these ponds. since 2005, three outbreaks of legionellosis occurred within a 10 km radius from this plant. this work addresses the dispersion patterns of legionella-containing particles by characterizing the aerosol plume emitted from these ponds (outbreak source) less than 500 meters using wind-tunnel measurements, cfd simulations, and real-life meas ...	2011	21622136
investigation of the legionella pneumophila population structure by analysis of tandem repeat copy number and internal sequence variation.	the population structure of the legionella pneumophila species was investigated by multilocus variable number of tandem repeats (vntr) analysis (mlva) and sequencing of three vntrs (lpms01, lpms04, and lpms13) in selected strains. one hundred and thirty-six out of 150 (86 %) isolates from diverse origins were distributed into seven large mlva clonal complexes (vaccs) and the rest were either unique or formed small clusters of up to three mlva genotypes. in spite of the lower degree of genome wid ...	2011	21622529
profile of bacterial pneumonia during hajj.	background & objectives : the congregation of a large number of people during hajj seasons from different parts of the world in overcrowded conditions within a confined area for a long period of time presents many public health challenges and health risks. one of the main health problems of the crowding is ease transmission of pneumonia by air droplets. this study was aimed to determine the most common causes of bacterial pneumonia during the 2005 hajj season and to relate the findings with clin ...	2011	21623036
high ferritin and myoglobin level in legionella pneumonia: a case report and review of literature.	legionella pneumophila is a cause of both community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia and might cause high morbidity and mortality. therefore, early diagnosis and treatment with appropriate antibiotics is crucial. many clinical and laboratory abnormalities can be observed in the course of legionella pneumonia. in this study, we aimed to present simultaneously increased serum ferritin and myoglobin level in a legionella case with reference to the relevant literature.	2011	21623098
differential growth of legionella pneumophila strains within a range of amoebae at various temperatures associated with in-premise plumbing.	aims: the potential effect of in-premise plumbing temperatures (24, 32, 37 and 41 °c) on the growth of five different l. pneumophila strains within free-living amoebae (acanthamoeba polyphaga, hartmannella vermiformis and naegleria fowleri) was examined. methods and results: compared to controls that actively fed on e. coli prey, when l. pneumophila was used as prey, strains lp02 and bloomington-2 increased in growth at 30, 32 and 37 °c while strains philadelphia-1 and chicago 2 did not grow a ...	2011	21623847
usefulness of real-time pcr as a complementary tool to the monitoring of legionella spp. and l. pneumophila by culture in industrial cooling systems.	aims: this study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of quantification by real-time pcr as a management tool to monitor concentrations of legionella spp. and legionella pneumophila in industrial cooling systems and its ability to anticipate culture trends by the french standard method (afnor t90-431). methods and results: quantifications of legionella bacteria were achieved by both methods on samples from nine cooling systems with different water qualities. proportion of positive samples f ...	2011	21624019
pcr methods for the rapid detection and identification of four pathogenic legionella spp. and two legionella pneumophila subspecies based on the gene amplification of gyrb.	a total of 25 gyrb gene sequences from 20 legionella pneumophila subsp. pneumophila strains and five l. pneumophila subsp. fraseri strains were obtained and analyzed, and a multiplex pcr for the simultaneous detection of legionella bozemanae, legionella longbeachae, legionella micdadei and legioenella pneumophila, and two single pcrs for the differentiation of l. pneumophila subsp. pneumophila and l. pneumophila subsp. fraseri were established. the multiplex pcr method was shown to be highly spe ...	2011	21626022
[legionella : how well is the problem understood, how well is it controlled, and how good are the regulations?]		2011	21626369
[legionella in drinking water : outcomes of an exchange of ideas on the prevention of waterborne legionellosis.]	although much is known about legionella and the illness they cause, the relationship between their concentration in water and the risk of infection remains unclear. a comprehensive body of experience shows that the growth of legionella in heated water distribution systems can be effectively controlled by following the preventive measures described in the generally acknowledged codes of practice. as orientation to trigger action, a technical action level of 100 colony-forming units in 100 ml wate ...	2011	21626370
[epidemiology of legionnaires' disease in germany.]	legionnaires' disease (ld) is a severe form of pneumonia which is caused by bacteria of the genus legionella. they are widespread in fresh water and can also colonize technical water systems where they might present an infection risk. since 2001, notification of laboratory-confirmed ld is mandatory in germany. from 2001-2009, a total of 3672 cases of ld were registered. during the first 7 years, case numbers increased (2001: 127; 2007: 536 cases) but have remained stable during the past 2 years ...	2011	21626371
[community-acquired legionella pneumonia : data from the capnetz study.]	legionella are present in the environment as well as in biofilms of water installation systems. most legionella live in amoebae. more than 51 different species of legionella have been identified; however, most pneumonias are caused by legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. legionnaire's disease has an incidence of about 4% in germany. most cases of legionnaire's disease are sporadic. microbiological identification of legionella can be achieved by cultivation of legionella spp. on specific media, pe ...	2011	21626372
[legionella pneumophila : genetic diversity of patients and environmental isolates.]	legionellae are environmental bacteria that can be frequently isolated from technical water supply systems. the most prevalent species is legionella pneumophila, especially serogroup 1. in the environment, legionellae multiply in amoebae. since legionella pneumonias cannot be distinguished from pneumonias caused by other microbial pathogens, special microbiological tests, e.g., urinary antigen assays, are essential to detect legionella infections. all water supply systems to which the patient is ...	2011	21626373
[experience with prevention and control of legionellosis in germany : plea for proactive risk management.]	legionellosis is meanwhile the most important specific water-associated infectious disease in developed countries, which is completely preventable, if water distribution systems are correctly planned and operated. this assumes clear criteria for risk regulation and for verification, including microbiological monitoring for legionella. there are different reactive and proactive strategies in the usa and in europe. the common premises for prevention and control of legionellosis in germany, relevan ...	2011	21626374
[practical and legal aspects on the presence of legionella in drinking water installations.]	a drinking water installation is often only a small component of building engineering systems and in general practice it is rarely the focus of the work of local personnel. there are not only the specifications of manufacturers, but also numerous "generally accepted rules of technology" must be complied with when operating these building engineering systems. the foremost ones pertinent to this topic are discussed in this article. however, noncompliance with the "generally accepted rules of techn ...	2011	21626375
[generally accepted engineering standards and legionella in drinking water : findings from frankfurt am main.]	to investigate the association between the engineering standards of drinking water systems and the extent of the legionella colonization, we subjected our 2006 published data of the drinking water monitoring of the city's public health services for frankfurt on main, germany, to closer analysis. a total of 413 records were available, with both technical data and results of the legionella colonization. when comparing the classes of technical deficiencies of the drinking water installations with t ...	2011	21626376
legionellosis prevention in france.	since 1997, both the prevention of legionellosis and the control of legionella in water networks and cooling towers have greatly improved in france. the epidemiological surveillance of legionnaires' disease showed an increase, which was followed by a decrease in the incidence after a maximum was reached in 2005 (incidence rate of 2.5 per 10(5)). a steady decrease in the incidence rate has been observed since 2006, mainly due to the efficacy of control measures both for cooling towers and hospita ...	2011	21626377
retraction: molecular characterization of legionella pneumophila-induced interleukin-8 expression in t cells.	abstract: retraction after lengthy investigation by the editors, the original article [1] has been retracted because of inappropriate duplication of images from previously published articles. the last author, naoki mori takes full responsibility and apologizes for any inconvenience caused. references 1. takamatsu r, teruya h, takeshima e, ishikawa c, matsumoto k, mukaida n, li j-d, heuner k, higa f, fujita j, mori n: molecular characterization of legionella pneumophila-induced interleukin-8 expr ...	2011	21635756
host-pathogen o-methyltransferase similarity and its specific presence in highly virulent strains of francisella tularensis suggests molecular mimicry.	whole genome comparative studies of many bacterial pathogens have shown an overall high similarity of gene content (>95%) between phylogenetically distinct subspecies. in highly clonal species that share the bulk of their genomes subtle changes in gene content and small-scale polymorphisms, especially those that may alter gene expression and protein-protein interactions, are more likely to have a significant effect on the pathogen's biology. in order to better understand molecular attributes tha ...	2011	21637805
the coxiella burnetii dot/icm system delivers a unique repertoire of type iv effectors into host cells and is required for intracellular replication.	coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human q fever, is an intracellular pathogen that replicates in an acidified vacuole derived from the host lysosomal network. this pathogen encodes a dot/icm type iv secretion system that delivers bacterial proteins called effectors to the host cytosol. to identify new effector proteins, the functionally analogous legionella pneumophila dot/icm system was used in a genetic screen to identify fragments of c. burnetii genomic dna that when fused to an adeny ...	2011	21637816
rifampicin-macrolide synergy against legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in human macrophages using a quantitative real-time pcr assay.		2011	21641188
first case of legionella pneumophila native valve endocarditis.	we report the first case in the english language literature, to our knowledge, of native valve endocarditis due to legionella pneumophila. the patient had no prior history of cardiothoracic intervention or congenital valvular process. a transesophageal echocardiogram showed a vegetation on the aortic valve. blood culture and bronchoalveolar lavage returned positive for l. pneumophila. the patient was treated with levofloxacin for 6 weeks total after a second set of blood cultures were negative. ...	2011	21641261
legionella pneumophila infection is enhanced in a rach-null mutant of dictyostelium.	recently we reported that dictyostelium cells ingest legionella pneumophila by macropinocytosis, whereas other bacteria, such as escherichia coli, mycobacterium avium, neisseria meningitidis or salmonella typhimurium, are taken up by phagocytosis.1 in contrast to phagocytosis, macropinocytosis is partially inhibited by pi3k or pten inactivation, whereas both processes are sensitive to plc inhibition. independently from reduced uptake, l. pneumophila proliferates more efficiently in pi3k-null tha ...	2011	21655438
development and validation of elisa for detection of antibodies to legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, 3 and 6 in human sera.	the aim of this study was to determine whether separate measurement of immunoglobulin (ig) m and g antibodies to legionella (l.) pneumophila serogroups (sg) 1, 3 and 6 as single antigens can facilitate an early diagnosis of legionnaires' disease. the developed elisa was evaluated and compared with an in-house indirect legionella immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat) measuring total ig. a total of 193 sera from 128 patients with confirmed l. pneumophila infections were used to assess the sensit ...	2011	21664386
prevention of hospital-acquired legionellosis.	the incidence of hospital-acquired legionellosis appears to be increasing. presence of legionella in the hospital drinking water is the only risk factor known with certainty to be predictive of risk for contracting legionnaires' disease.	2011	21666459
an unusual case of legionellosis.	legionella species is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. however disease due to l. pneumophila serogroup 13 is rare and has not previously been reported in ireland. it may not be detected by routine legionella antigen and antibody kits. due to these limitations, early culture should be considered when legionellosis is suspected. the potential therapeutic benefit of quinolones in the management of this disease is also illustrated.	2011	21667615
the legionella htra homologue degq is a self-compartmentizing protease that forms large 12-meric assemblies.	proteases of the htra family are key factors dealing with folding stress in the periplasmatic compartment of prokaryotes. in escherichia coli, the well-characterized htra family members degs and degp counteract the accumulation of unfolded outer-membrane proteins under stress conditions. whereas degs serves as a folding-stress sensor, degp is a chaperone-protease facilitating refolding or degradation of defective outer-membrane proteins. here, we report the 2.15-ôä½-resolution crystal structure ...	2011	21670246
[contemporary clinical diagnostics of respiratory tract infections].	the patient population at risk pulmonary infections has increased during the last decade. the spectrum of organisms causing infections has also grown, most of them are viruses baseline diagnostic assessment include history, clinical examination, radiography and measurements of procalcitonin (pct), highly sensitive c-reactive protein (hscrp) and leukocyte count. pct represents a good biological marker for difficult diagnoses in critically ill patients and is superior to crp. chest x-rays seldom g ...	2011	21675131
[atypical pneumonia with "atypical traits". analysis of a legionella outbreak.]		2011	21676390
de-ampylation of the small gtpase rab1 by the pathogen legionella pneumophila.	the bacterial pathogen legionella pneumophila exploits host cell vesicle transport by transiently manipulating the activity of the small guanosine triphosphatase (gtpase) rab1. the effector protein sidm recruits rab1 to the legionella-containing vacuole (lcv), where it activates rab1 and then ampylates it by covalently adding adenosine monophosphate (amp). l. pneumophila gtpase-activating protein lepb inactivates rab1 before its removal from lcvs. because lepb cannot bind ampylated rab1, the mol ...	2011	21680813
detection of legionella species in potting mixes using fluorescent in situ hybridisation (fish).	this study used fluorescent in situ hybridisation (fish) with rrna targeted oligonucleotide probes combined with scanning confocal laser microscopy to successfully detect legionella spp. in commercially available potting mix. a range of techniques were explored to optimise the fish method by reducing background fluorescence and preventing non-specific binding of probes. these techniques included the use of a blocking agent, uv light treatment, image subtraction of a nonsense probe and spectral u ...	2011	21683098
clinical and economic burden of community-acquired pneumonia amongst adults in the asia-pacific region.	community-acquired pneumonia (cap) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity amongst adults in the asia-pacific region. literature published between 1990 and may 2010 on the clinical and economic burden of cap amongst adults in this region was reviewed. cap is a significant health burden with significant economic impact in this region. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and advanced age were risk factors for cap. aetiological agents included s ...	2011	21683553
a patient with legionnaires' disease transferred after a traffic accident.	legionnaires' disease (ld) ranks among the three most common causes of severe pneumonia, but is often not specifically diagnosed. among patients with ld, 40% to 50% of the patients develop neuromuscular signs and symptoms. a patient with ld transferred to our department after a traffic accident. when the patient arrived at our hospital, his respiratory rate was 27 breaths per min. his pulse was 148 beats per min and blood pressure was 116/57 mm hg. temperature was 39.6-¦c. he had copious watery ...	2009	21686578
molecular characterization of exploitation of the polyubiquitination and farnesylation machineries of dictyostelium discoideum by the ankb f-box effector of legionella pneumophila.	the dot/icm-translocated ankyrin b (ankb) f-box effector of legionella pneumophila is essential for intra-vacuolar proliferation and functions as a platform for the docking of polyubiquitinated proteins to the legionella-containing vacuole (lcv) within macrophages and ameba. here we show that ectopically expressed ankb in dictyostelium discoideum is targeted to the plasma membrane where it recruits polyubiquitinated proteins and it trans-rescues the intracellular growth defect of the ankb null m ...	2011	21687415
targeting one of its own: expanding roles of substrates of the legionella pneumophila dot/icm type iv secretion system.		2011	21687422
the nlrc4 inflammasome contributes to restriction of pulmonary infection by flagellated legionella spp. that trigger pyroptosis.	the nlrc4 inflammasome is triggered in response to contamination of the host cell cytoplasm with bacterial flagellin, which induces pyroptosis, a form of cell death that accounts for restriction of bacterial infections. although induction of pyroptosis has been extensively investigated in response to salmonella typhimurium and legionella pneumophila, little is known regarding the role of the inflammasome for restriction of non-pneumophila legionella species. here, we used five species of the leg ...	2011	21687424
striking a balance: modulation of host cell death pathways by legionella pneumophila.	programmed cell death is considered the ultimate solution for the host to eliminate infected cells, leading to the abolishment of the niche for microbial replication and the ablation of infection. thus, it is not surprising that successful pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to reprogram the cell death pathways for their proliferation. using effector proteins translocated by the dot/icm type iv secretion system, the facultative intracellular pathogen legionella pneumophila manipulates mult ...	2011	21687427
immune control of legionella infection: an in vivo perspective.	legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen that replicates within alveolar macrophages. through its ability to activate multiple host innate immune components, l. pneumophila has emerged as a useful tool to dissect inflammatory signaling pathways in macrophages. however the resolution of l. pneumophila infection in the lung requires multiple cell types and abundant cross talk between immune cells. few studies have examined the coordination of events that lead to effective immune control ...	2011	21687433
host-mediated post-translational prenylation of novel dot/icm-translocated effectors of legionella pneumophila.	the dot/icm type iv translocated ankyrin b (ankb) effector of legionella pneumophila is modified by the host prenylation machinery that anchors it into the outer leaflet of the legionella-containing vacuole (lcv), which is essential for biological function of the effector in vitro and in vivo. prenylation involves the covalent linkage of an isoprenoid lipid moiety to a c-terminal caax motif in eukaryotic proteins enabling their anchoring into membranes. we show here that the lcv harboring an ank ...	2010	21687755
circadian clock proteins in prokaryotes: hidden rhythms?	circadian clock genes are vital features of eukaryotes that have evolved such that organisms can adapt to our planet's rotation in order to anticipate the coming day or night as well as unfavorable seasons. this circadian clock uses oscillation as a timekeeping element. however, circadian clock mechanisms exist also in prokaryotes. the circadian clock of cyanobacteria is well studied. it is regulated by a cluster of three genes: kaia, kaib, and kaic. in this review, we will discuss the circadian ...	2010	21687756
exploitation of host polyubiquitination machinery through molecular mimicry by eukaryotic-like bacterial f-box effectors.	microbial pathogens have evolved exquisite mechanisms to interfere and intercept host biological processes, often through molecular mimicry of specific host proteins. ubiquitination is a highly conserved eukaryotic post-translational modification essential in determining protein fate, and is often hijacked by pathogenic bacteria. the conserved skp1/cul1/f-box (scf) e3 ubiquitin ligase complex plays a key role in ubiquitination of proteins in eukaryotic cells. the f-box protein component of the s ...	2010	21687758
molecular detection of legionella: moving on from mip.	the detection of legionella pneumophila in environmental and clinical samples is frequently performed by pcr amplification of the mip and/or 16s rrna genes. combined with dna sequencing, these two genetic loci can be used to distinguish different species of legionella and identify l. pneumophila. however, the recent legionella genome sequences have opened up hundreds of possibilities for the development of new molecular targets for detection and diagnosis. ongoing comparative genomics has the po ...	2010	21687766
replication of legionella pneumophila in human cells: why are we susceptible?	legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of legionnaires' disease, a serious and often fatal form of pneumonia. the susceptibility to l. pneumophila arises from the ability of this intracellular pathogen to multiply in human alveolar macrophages and monocytes. l. pneumophila also replicates in several professional and non-professional phagocytic human-derived cell lines. with the exception of the a/j mouse strain, most mice strains are restrictive, thus they do not support l. pneumophila re ...	2010	21687775
potential role of tigecycline in the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.	tigecycline is a member of the glycylcycline class of antimicrobials, which is structurally similar to the tetracycline class. it demonstrates potent in vitro activity against causative pathogens that are most frequently isolated in patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (cabp), including (but not limited to) streptococcus pneumoniae (both penicillin-sensitive and -resistant strains), haemophilus influenzae and moraxella catarrhalis (including +¦-lactamase-producing strains), klebs ...	2011	21694911
biofilms in drinking water and their role as reservoir for pathogens.	most microorganisms on earth live in various aggregates which are generally termed "biofilms". they are ubiquitous and represent the most successful form of life. they are the active agent in biofiltration and the carriers of the self-cleaning potential in soils, sediments and water. they are also common on surfaces in technical systems where they sometimes cause biofouling. in recent years it has become evident that biofilms in drinking water distribution networks can become transient or long-t ...	2011	21697011
epidemiology of respiratory infections caused by atypical bacteria in two kenyan refugee camps.	chlamydia pneumoniae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, and legionella spp. are common causes of atypical pneumonia; however, data about these atypical pathogens are limited in the refugee setting. paired nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens were collected from patients with respiratory illness presenting to healthcare centers in two refugee camps in kenya. the specimens were tested for c. pneumoniae, m. pneumoniae, and legionella spp. as well as eight respiratory viruses. atypical pathogens were det ...	2011	21701900
[a case of repeated upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to legionella pneumonia].	a 70-year-old woman admitted for nausea and diarrhea was diagnosed with legionella pneumonia based on chest x-ray and urinary antigen testing. despite severe complications, she recovered thanks to ciprofloxacin administration. on hospital day 8, she went into hypovolemic shock necessitating emergency gastrointestinal (gi) fiberscopy, which showed active lower gastric bleeding. the exposed artery was clipped endoscopically and proton pump inhibitor was started. at hospital day 16, the woman's act ...	2011	21706851
the neisseria meningitidis macrophage infectivity potentiator protein induces cross-strain serum bactericidal activity and is a potential serogroup b vaccine candidate.	a gene encoding a 29-kda protein from neisseria meningitidis serogroup b strain mc58 with homology to the macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) protein of legionella pneumophila was cloned and expressed in escherichia coli, and the purified soluble recombinant protein (rmip) was used for immunization studies. analysis of the predicted amino acid sequences of mip from 13 well-characterized meningococcal strains, isolated from carriers or patients and differing in serogroup, serotype, and subty ...	2011	21708989
the legionella pneumophila chaperonin - an unusual multifunctional protein in unusual locations.	the legionella pneumophila chaperonin, high temperature protein b (htpb), was discovered as a highly immunogenic antigen, only a few years after the identification of l. pneumophila as the causative agent of legionnaires' disease. as its counterparts in other bacterial pathogens, htpb did not initially receive further attention, particularly because research was focused on a few model chaperonins that were used to demonstrate that chaperonins are essential stress proteins, present in all cellula ...	2011	21713066
asc-dependent and independent mechanisms contribute to restriction of legionella pneumophila infection in murine macrophages.	the apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (asc) is an adaptor molecule that mediates inflammatory and apoptotic signals. legionella pneumophila is an intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of legionnaire's pneumonia. l. pneumophila is able to cause pneumonia in immuno-compromised humans but not in most inbred mice. murine macrophages that lack the ability to activate caspase-1, such as caspase(-1-/-) and nlrc4(-/-) allow l. pneumophila infection ...	2011	21713115
legionellosis must be kept in mind in case of pneumonia with lung abscesses in children receiving therapeutic steroids.	a 10-year-old boy, who had received recurrent short-course treatments with steroids to control severe autoimmune thrombocytopaenia, developed legionnaires' disease as community-acquired pneumonia. legionella pneumophila pneumonia was complicated by an extended abscess of the right inferior lobe, leading to residual lung cavities. legionellosis must be kept in mind as the differential diagnosis in the case of severe pneumonia and with lung abscesses in children receiving therapeutic steroids. leg ...	2011	21713431
legionella micdadei, a new cause of prosthetic joint infection.	extrapulmonary infections caused by legionella spp. other than legionella pneumophila are rare. we report what is, to our knowledge, the first description of a prosthetic joint infection due to legionella spp. systematic testing of samples with suspected prosthetic infection by molecular biology techniques was essential. legionella micdadei should be added to the list of microorganisms causing prosthetic joint infection.	2011	21715591
crystal structure of a copper-transporting pib-type atpase.	heavy-metal homeostasis and detoxification is crucial for cell viability. p-type atpases of the class ib (pib) are essential in these processes, actively extruding heavy metals from the cytoplasm of cells. here we present the structure of a pib-atpase, a legionella pneumophila copa cu(+)-atpase, in a copper-free form, as determined by x-ray crystallography at 3.2 +à resolution. the structure indicates a three-stage copper transport pathway involving several conserved residues. a pib-specific tra ...	2011	21716286
elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia: optimal treatment strategies.	community-acquired pneumonia (cap) is a common infectious disease that still causes substantial morbidity and mortality. elderly people are frequently affected, and several issues related to care of this condition in the elderly have to be considered. this article reviews current recommendations of guidelines with a special focus on aspects of the care of elderly patients with cap. the most common pathogen in cap is still streptococcus pneumoniae, followed by other pathogens such as haemophilus ...	2011	21721597
Accuracy and precision of Legionella isolation by US laboratories in the ELITE program pilot study.	A pilot study for the Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) Program, a proficiency testing scheme for US laboratories that culture Legionella from environmental samples, was conducted September 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Participants (n=20) processed panels consisting of six sample types: pure and mixed positive, pure and mixed negative, pure and mixed variable. The majority (93%) of all samples (n=286) were correctly characterized, with 88.5% of samples positive ...	2011	21726887
legionella pneumophila sidd is a deampylase that modifies rab1.	legionella pneumophila actively modulates host vesicle trafficking pathways to facilitate its intracellular replication with effectors translocated by the dot/icm type iv secretion system (t4ss). the sidm/drra protein functions by locking the small gtpase rab1 into an active form by its guanine nucleotide exchange factor (gef) and ampylation activity. here we demonstrate that the l. pneumophila protein sidd preferably deampylates rab1. we found that the deampylation activity of sidd could suppre ...	2011	21734656
structural biology: a platform for copper pumps.		2011	21734698
[legionella pneumonia in a patient with positive culture results of legionella pneumophila serotype 1 from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid but negative urinary antigen test results].	a 39-year-old man presented to a local physician complaining of fever, headache without cough or sputum. abnormal shadows were found on chest x-ray films. pneumonia was diagnosed and he was referred to our hospital, where chest computed tomography showed bilateral, multifocal, and patchy ground-glass opacities. neither the urinary antigen test for streptococcus pneumoniae nor that for legionella was positive. because he had visited a public spa several days before developing the fever and headac ...	2011	21735748
[elaboration of chemotaxonomical detection method of presence legionella pneumophila cultures in water samples by gc-ms technique].	the aim of this study was elaboration of chemotaxonomical detection method of presence legionella pneumophila cultures in water samples. in research, the profile of ester-linked fatty acids were specified, which are situated in the cell wall of the model bacteria cultures legionella pneumophila 33152, which originate from atcc collection philadelphia 1 type. the profile were applied as a standard to detection l. pneumophila presence in water supply network. during the research, water samples wer ...	2011	21735989
post-infection immunocomplex glomerulonephritis and legionnaires' disease in a patient with adult still's disease during treatment with interleukin 1 receptor antagonist anakinra: a case report.	abstract:	2011	21740588
control of legionella contamination in a hospital water distribution system by monochloramine.	background: we report the results of 1-year application of monochloramine to control legionella pneumophila contamination in a hospital hot water distribution system. methods: in the main building of the hospital, a device continuously distributing monochloramine was installed. legionella pneumophila and pseudomonas spp contamination was followed in comparison with 2 other water networks in the same building using chlorine dioxide. results: monochloramine significantly reduced the number of cont ...	2011	21741121
legionella pneumophilarequires polyamines for optimal intracellular growth.	the gram-negative intracellular pathogen legionella pneumophilareplicates in a membrane-bound compartment known as the legionella-containing vacuole (lcv), into which it abundantly releases its chaperonin, htpb. to determine whether htpb remains within the lcv or reaches the host cell cytoplasm, we infected u937 human macrophages and cho cells with l. pneumophilaexpressing a translocation reporter consisting of the bordetella pertussisadenylate cyclase fused to htpb. these infections led to incr ...	2011	21742865
total and viable legionella pneumophila cells in hot and natural waters as measured by immunofluorescence-based assays and solid-phase cytometry.	a new method was developed for the rapid and sensitive detection of viable legionella pneumophila. the method combines specific immunofluorescence (if) staining using monoclonal antibodies with a bacterial viability marker (chemchrome v6 cellular esterase activity marker) by means of solid-phase cytometry (spc). if methods were applied to the detection and enumeration of both the total and viable l. pneumophila cells in water samples. the sensitivity of the if methods coupled to spc was 34 cells ...	2011	21742913
type ivb secretion systems of legionella and other gram-negative bacteria.	type iv secretion systems (t4sss) play a central role in the pathogenicity of many important pathogens, including agrobacterium tumefaciens, helicobacter pylori, and legionella pneumophila. the t4sss are related to bacterial conjugation systems, and are classified into two subgroups, type iva (t4ass) and type ivb (t4bss). the t4bss, which is closely related to conjugation systems of inci plasmids, was originally found in human pathogen l. pneumophila; pathogenesis by l. pneumophila infection req ...	2011	21743810
secrets of a successful pathogen: legionella resistance to progression along the autophagic pathway.	to proliferate within phagocytes, legionella pneumophila relies on type iv secretion to modulate host cellular pathways. autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradative pathway that captures and transfers a variety of microbes to lysosomes. biogenesis of l. pneumophila-containing vacuoles and autophagosomes share several features, including endoplasmic reticulum (er)-derived membranes, contributions by the host gtpases rab1, arf1 and sar1, and a final destiny in lysosomes. we discuss morpho ...	2011	21743811
listeria monocytogenes engineered to activate the nlrc4 inflammasome are severely attenuated and are poor inducers of protective immunity.	inflammasomes are intracellular multiprotein signaling complexes that activate caspase-1, leading to the cleavage and secretion of il-1ß and il-18, and ultimately host cell death. inflammasome activation is a common cellular response to infection; however, the consequences of inflammasome activation during acute infection and in the development of long-term protective immunity is not well understood. to investigate the role of the inflammasome in vivo, we engineered a strain of listeria monocyto ...	2011	21746921
legionella pneumophila transcriptome during intracellular multiplication in human macrophages.	legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of legionnaires' disease, an acute pulmonary infection. l. pneumophila is able to infect and multiply in both phagocytic protozoa, such as acanthamoeba castellanii, and mammalian professional phagocytes. the best-known l. pneumophila virulence determinant is the icm/dot type ivb secretion system, which is used to translocate more than 150 effector proteins into host cells. while the transcriptional response of legionella to the intracellular environm ...	2011	21747786
control of host cell phosphorylation by legionella pneumophila.	phosphorylation is one of the most frequent modifications in intracellular signaling and is implicated in many processes ranging from transcriptional control to signal transduction in innate immunity. many pathogens modulate host cell phosphorylation pathways to promote growth and establish an infectious disease. the intracellular pathogen legionella pneumophila targets and exploits the host phosphorylation system throughout the infection cycle as part of its strategy to establish an environment ...	2011	21747787
virulence properties of the legionella pneumophila cell envelope.	the bacterial envelope plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. in this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the structure and molecular composition of the legionella pneumophila cell envelope. we describe lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis and the biological activities of membrane and periplasmic proteins and discuss their decisive functions during the pathogen-host interaction. in addition to adherence, invasion, and intracellular survival of l. pneumophila, spec ...	2011	21747794
pontiac fever among retirement home nurses associated with airborne legionella.	the aim of this study was to ascertain incidence of symptoms compatible with pontiac fever (pf) and to assess their association with exposure to legionella bacteria among retirement home nurses who help residents take their shower. within a non-epidemic framework, 104 nurses of 19 retirement homes were followed up during an average period of four months. data on symptoms, number and location of showers they attended were recorded daily by each participant. water and aerosol bacterial quality was ...	2011	21752493
community-acquired versus nosocomial legionella pneumonia: lessons learned from an epidemiologic investigation.		2011	21752494
the atypical two-component sensor kinase lpl0330 from legionella pneumophila controls the bifunctional diguanylate cyclase-phosphodiesterase lpl0329 to modulate c-di-gmp synthesis.	a significant part of bacterial two-component system response regulators contain effector domains predicted to be involved in metabolism of c-di-gmp, a second messenger which plays a key role in many physiological processes. intracellular level of c-di-gmp is controlled by diguanylate cyclases (dgcs) and phosphodiesterases (pdes) activities associated with ggdef and eal domains, respectively. the legionella pneumophila lens genome displays 22 ggdef/eal domain-encoding genes. one of them, lpl0329 ...	2011	21757706
epidemiology and control of legionellosis, singapore.	to determine trends and clinical and epidemiologic features of legionellosis in singapore, we studied cases reported during 2000-2009. during this period, 238 indigenous and 33 imported cases of legionellosis were reported. cases were reported individually and sporadically throughout each year. although the annual incidence of indigenous cases had decreased from 0.46 cases per 100,000 population in 2003 to 0.16 cases per 100,000 in 2009, the proportion of imported cases increased correspondingly ...	2011	21762574
cell mediated immunity in legionnaires' disease.		2011	21762750
an acpxl mutant in rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseolus lacks 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid in its lipid a and is developmentally delayed during symbiotic infection of the determinate nodulating host plant phaseolus vulgaris.	rhizobium leguminosarum is a gram negative bacterium that forms nitrogen fixing symbioses with compatible leguminous plants via intracellular invasion and establishes a persistent infection within host membrane derived subcellular compartments. notably, an unusual very long chain fatty acid (vlcfa) is found in the lipid a of r. leguminosarum as well as in the lipid a of the medically relevant pathogens brucella abortus, brucella melitensis, bartonella henselae, and legionellae pneumophila which ...	2011	21764936
matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and database for identification of legionella species (1) (1) this study was presented in part at the 110th american society for microbiology annual meeting, 23-27 may 2010, san diego, california.	more than 20 species of legionella have been identified in relation to human infections. rapid detection and identification of legionella isolates is clinically useful to differentiate between infection and contamination and to determine treatment regimens. we explored the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms) biotyper system (bruker daltonik gmbh, bremen, germany) for the identification of legionella species. the maldi ms spectra were ...	2011	21767077
asc modulates the function of nlrc4 in response to infection of macrophages by legionella pneumophila.	abstract nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing proteins (nlrs) activate caspase-1 in response to a variety of bacterium-derived signals in macrophages. nlr-mediated activation of caspase-1 by legionella pneumophila occurs through both an nlrc4/naip5-dependent pathway and a pathway requiring the adapter protein asc. both pathways are needed for maximal activation of caspase-1 and for the release of the cytokines interleukin-1ß (il-1ß) and il-18. asc is not required for caspase ...	2011	21771913
role of rifampin-based combination therapy for severe community-acquired legionella pneumophila pneumonia.	to review the literature concerning the role of rifampin in the combination treatment of legionella pneumophila pneumonia.	2011	21775694
characterization of icmf of the type vi secretion system in an avian pathogenic escherichia coli (apec) strain.	the intracellular multiplication f (icmf) factor is a component of the recently described type vi secretion system (t6ss). icmf was shown to be required for intra-macrophage replication, and inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion in legionella pneumophila. in vibrio cholera it is involved in motility, adherence and conjugation. given that we previously reported that two t6ss genes (hcp and clpv) contribute to the pathogenesis of a septicemic strain (sept362) of avian pathogenic escherichia coli ...	2011	21778203
[activity of macrolides and fluoroquinolones against intracellular legionella pneumophila].	to evaluate the activity of macrolides and fluoroquinolones against legionella pneumophila by intracellular susceptibility testing.	2011	21781510
heteroplasmic mitochondrial disease in dictyostelium discoideum.	the bewildering complexity of the relationship between genotype and phenotype in human mitochondrial diseases has delayed an understanding of the related cytopathological mechanisms. to explore the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction in dictyostelium discoideum and the related cytopathologies, we determined whether the phenotypic outcomes were similar regardless of which d. discoideum mitochondrial gene was targeted for disruption. the disruption of the mitochondrial genes resulted in ...	2011	21787754
bacteria misagglutination in legionella surveillance programmes.		2011	21788096
dissection of a type i interferon pathway in controlling bacterial intracellular infection in mice.	defense mechanisms against intracellular bacterial pathogens are incompletely understood. our study characterizes a type i ifn-dependent cell-autonomous defense pathway directed against legionella pneumophila, an intracellular model organism and frequent cause of pneumonia. we show that macrophages infected with l. pneumophila produced ifnß in a sting- and irf3-dependent manner. paracrine type i ifns stimulated up-regulation of ifn-stimulated genes and a cell-autonomous defense pathway acting on ...	2011	21790939
rapid and sensitive detection of pseudomonas aeruginosa in chlorinated water and aerosols targeting gyrb gene using real-time pcr.	aims: for the rapid detection of p. aeruginosa from chlorinated water and aerosols, gyrb gene-based real-time pcr assay was developed and investigated. methods and results: two novel primer sets (pa722f/746mgb/899r and pa722f/746mgb/788r) were designed using the most updated 611 pseudomonas and 748 other bacterial gyrb genes for achieving high specificity. their specificity showed 100% accuracy when tested with various strains including clinical isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. the assa ...	2011	21794031
collagen iv-derived peptide binds hydrophobic cavity of legionella pneumophila mip and interferes with bacterial epithelial transmigration.	the legionella virulence factor mip (macrophage infectivity potentiator) contributes to bacterial dissemination within infected lung tissue. the mip protein, which belongs to the enzyme family of fk506-binding proteins (fkbp), binds specifically to collagen iv. we identified a surface-exposed mip-binding sequence in the nc1 domain of human collagen iv a1. the corresponding collagen iv-derived peptide (p290) co-precipitated with mip and competitively inhibited the mip-collagen iv binding. transmi ...	2011	21794054
[biologic therapy and infections].	biologic therapy is an important therapeutic arsenal in rheumatic diseases. anti-tnf therapies affect host defenses against infections, since tnf mediates inflammation and modulates cellular immune responses. cases of tuberculosis have been observed in patients treated with tnf antagonists, mainly due to the presence of latent or "dormant" tuberculosis infection (ltb1). other microorganisms responsible for the infectious complications associated with biologic therapy are generally intracellular ...	2008	21794348
[legionella in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis receiving abatacept].	abatacept is a new drug available for refractory rheumatoid arthritis (ra), as other biologic therapies this drug is not free of potentially serious adverse events. we present a case of a 73 year-old patient treated with abatacept who suffered a legionella pneumophila type 1 pneumoniae.	2009	21794613
global cellular changes induced by legionella pneumophila infection of bone marrow-derived macrophages.	the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (nod)-like receptor (nlr) family member naip5 plays an essential role in restricting legionella pneumophila growth inside primary macrophages. upon interaction with bacterial flagellin, the intracellular receptor naip5 forms a multi-protein complex, the inflammasome, which activation has a protective role against infection. the a/j mouse strain carries a naip5 allele (naip5(a/j)), which renders its macrophages susceptible to legionella infection. how ...	2011	21794945
native valve endocarditis due to a novel strain of legionella.	legionellae are gram-negative bacteria which are capable of causing disease, most commonly in the form of pneumonia. we describe a case of native valve endocarditis caused by a legionella strain which by genotypic (16s rrna and mip gene sequencing) and phenotypic analyses is unlike previously described strains of legionella.	2011	21795511