Biology Forums - Study Force

Legionella in the Produce Aisle

The Louisiana state health department has received reports of 33 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the town of Bogalusa (population 16,000). Legionnaires’ disease, or legionellosis, is a potentially fatal respiratory disease caused by the growth of a bacterium, Legionella pneumophila, in the lungs of patients. The bacterium enters humans via the respiratory portal in aerosols produced by cooling towers, air conditioners, whirlpool baths, showers, humidifiers, and respiratory therapy equipment.

Epidemiologists begin trying to ascertain the source of Bogalusa’s outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease by interviewing the victims and their relatives to develop complete histories and to identify areas of commonality among the victims that were lacking among nonvictims. Victims include a range of ages, occupations, hobbies, religions, and types and locations of dwellings. Although no significant differences are identified among the lifestyles, ages, or smoking habits of victims and nonvictims, one curious fact is discovered: all the victims did their grocery shopping at the same store. However, healthy individuals also shopped at that store.

The air-conditioning system of the grocery store proves to be free of Legionella, but the vegetable misting machine does not. The strain of Legionella isolated from the misting machine is identical to the strain recovered from the victims’ lungs.

Hello Adewunmi,

I'm guessing you're looking for a word that describes the spread of this pathogen. Were any options given, in the form of a multiple choice question, for instance?

epidemic: there is a sudden increase in the number of cases of legionellosis in a specific location.