This story is from the US but still relevant to legionella control.

Bacteria are able to build camoflaged homes for themselves inside healthy cells - and cause disease - by mainipulating a natural cellular process. Purdue University biologists led a team that revealed how a pair of proteins from the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, which causes Legionnaires disease, alters a host protein in order to divert raw materials within the cell for use in building and disguising a large structure that houses the bacteria as it replicates.

Zhao-Qing Luo, the associate professor of biological sciences who headed the study, said the modification of the host protein creates a dam, blocking proteins that would be used as bricks in cellular construction from reaching their destination. The protein "bricks" are then diverted and incorporated into a bacterial structure called a vacuole that houses bacteria as it replicates within the cell. Because the vacuole contains materials natural to the cell, it goes unrecognized as a foreign structure.

"The bacterial proteins use the cellular membrane proteins to build their house, which is sort of like a balloon," Luo said. "It needs to stretch and grow bigger as more bacterial replication occurs. The membrane material helps the vacuole be more rubbery and stretchy, and it also camouflages the structure. The bacteria is stealing material from the cell to build their own house and then disguising it so it blends in with the neighborhood."

The method by which the bacteria achieve this theft is what was most surprising to Luo.

(Read More) Source: Bioscience

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A Corona is compiling a list of recommended improvements at Basildon Hospital, after an inquest ruled a patient died because of serious failings.

Hospital bosses have been given a fortnight to come up with ways to stamp out Legionnaires’ disease, in the wake of the death of a patient who contracted the disease there.

Raymond Cackett, 54, from South Ockendon, died of the lung condition in March last year after being admitted to the hospital. A jury at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court last week recorded a narrative verdict, which raised concerns over Mr Cackett’s care. The jury ruled the hospital had failed to do enough to control the legionella bug.

Jurors also ruled the death there, in June 2007, of Billericay man James Compton, 74, was caused by bacterial infection by C-difficile, with legionella as a contributory factor only. Commenting on the verdict at a board meeting yesterday. hospital chief executive, Alan Whittle said: “This is disappointing from the hospital’s point of view. “The jury found control arrangements for legionella at that time had serious failings. “That was disappointing because the whole focus of the evidence to the inquest, which ran over a three-week period, was that the arrangements for control had changed considerably and improved over the period between the two deaths.”

(Read More) Source: Basildonrecorder.co.uk