Molecular evolution of virulence genes and non-virulence genes in clinical, natural and artificial environmental Legionella pneumophila isolates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

L. pneumophila is the main causative agent of Legionnaires' disease. Free-living amoeba in natural aquatic environments is the reservoir and shelter for L. pneumophila. From natural water sources, L. pneumophila can colonize artificial environments such as cooling towers and hot-water systems, and then spread in aerosols, infecting the susceptible person. Therefore, molecular phylogeny and genetic variability of L. pneumophila from different sources (natural water, artificial water, and human lung tissue) might be distinct because of the selection pressure in different environments. Several studies researched genetic differences between L. pneumophila clinical isolates and environmental isolates at the nucleotide sequence level. These r

SUBMITTER: Zhan XY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5719964 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature