PhD Oral Defense: Environmental and genetic factors that contribute to the adaptation and survival of Legionella pneumophila in water systems
PhD Oral Defense of Nilmini Mendis, Department of Natural Resource Sciences
Respiratory infections, including community-acquired pneumonia, are most common among the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Legionella pneumophila (Lp) contributes to this disease burden as the leading cause of Legionnaires’ disease (LD), an atypical and potentially life-threatening pneumonia whose incidence rates have seen an increase in the last decade. This water-borne bacterium is transmitted through contaminated aerosols that are emitted from a variety of water distribution systems. Lp is ubiquitous in freshwater, and notoriously persistent in anthropogenic systems, surviving a slew of disinfectants. An important knowledge gap in Legionella research is the identification of genetic factors contributing to the long-term survival of the bacterium in water, and in response to the environmental stresses encountered within aquatic systems. As a first step, the development of a reproducible proxy for a freshwater model was required.