Biomaterial Database

[A case of Legionnaires' disease due to aspiration of hot spring water and isolation of Legionella pneumophila from hot spring water]. 1993

K Mashiba, and T Hamamoto, and K Torikai

Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University, School of Medicine.

We report a case of fulminant pneumonia that was due to aspiration of contaminated hot spring water and was not affected by beta-lactam antibiotics. We suspected that the patient had Legionnaires' disease and treated the clinical symptoms with erythromycin. Legionellaceae could not be isolated from sputum or lung biopsy material, but an elevated titer to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 4 was found by indirect immunofluorescence test. We diagnosed the patent as having Legionnaires' disease with improved clinical symptoms. Furthermore, we went to the hot spring that he visited and tried to isolate Legionellaceae. Hot spring water was collected from the bathroom and water, hot water, and shower water from the guest-room. After using a low-pH method, samples were cultured on BCYE alpha medium. Serogroups are classified by agglutination method with immune rabbit serum. As a result, we successfully isolated Legionella pneumophila serogroup 4 from hot spring water (42 degrees C) from the bath. No bacteria could be isolated from the other samples. Therefore, we believe that this case of Legionnaires' disease was caused by aspiration of contaminated hot spring water. The infection route of Legionnaires' disease is unclear. There are no previous reports of isolation of Legionellaceae from Japanese hot springs. This case would provide important information when considering the infection route of Legionnaires' disease in Japan.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007877	Legionnaires' Disease	An acute, sometimes fatal, pneumonia-like bacterial infection characterized by high fever, malaise, muscle aches, respiratory disorders and headache. It is named for an outbreak at the 1976 Philadelphia convention of the American Legion.	Legionella pneumophila Infections,Infections, Legionella pneumophila,Legionnaire Disease,Pontiac Fever,Disease, Legionnaire,Disease, Legionnaires',Fever, Pontiac,Infection, Legionella pneumophila,Legionella pneumophila Infection,Legionnaire's Disease,Legionnaires Disease
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D008900	Mineral Waters	Water naturally or artificially infused with mineral salts or gases.	Mineral Water,Water, Mineral,Waters, Mineral
D011014	Pneumonia	Infection of the lung often accompanied by inflammation.	Experimental Lung Inflammation,Lobar Pneumonia,Lung Inflammation,Pneumonia, Lobar,Pneumonitis,Pulmonary Inflammation,Experimental Lung Inflammations,Inflammation, Experimental Lung,Inflammation, Lung,Inflammation, Pulmonary,Inflammations, Lung,Inflammations, Pulmonary,Lobar Pneumonias,Lung Inflammation, Experimental,Lung Inflammations,Lung Inflammations, Experimental,Pneumonias,Pneumonias, Lobar,Pneumonitides,Pulmonary Inflammations
D006294	Health Resorts	Destinations frequented as vacation or recreational retreats, equipped with specialized amenities, treatments and facilities, for the promotion of general well-being and health.	Health Resort,Resort, Health,Resorts, Health
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000059	Accidents	Unexpected and unintentional events, typically resulting in ACCIDENTAL INJURIES.	Accident
D001239	Inhalation	The act of BREATHING in.	Inhaling,Inspiration, Respiratory,Respiratory Inspiration
D014871	Water Microbiology	The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in water. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms.	Microbiology, Water