FLAGELLA ON LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE BACTERIA - AN INTERIM-REPORT

The Legionnaires' Disease (LD) Bacterium, for which the name Legionella pneumophila has been proposed, is a small gram-negative microorganism that varies considerably in length depending upon its environment. Early investigators did not describe motility or the presence of flagella. While examining direct fluorescent antibody-stained smears of pure cultures of LD bacterium, the authors have observed fluorescent polar flagella on two stock strains (Bellingham 1 and Bloomington 2). The formation of flagella is subject to various environmental factors, and substances that have very minor effects on somatic growth of bacteria may completely inhibit synthesis of flagella. The demonstration of flagella and streamers on a number of LD bacterium strains adds yet another link to the chain of the authors' understanding of this unique bacterium.