Legionella species, a Gram negative bacterium is the causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, a
potentially fatal pneumonic syndrome of widely recognized public health importance. The aim of the study was to
determine the presence of
Legionella pneumophila in domestic water (borehole) in Benin metropolis by cultural method.
One hundred and ninety-eight (198) water samples from the eight-two facilities (grouped into three: public
apartments/hotels, private apartments and eateries) were cultured on BCYE made selective with the addition of legionella
supplement IV and growth supplement after concentration and heat treatment at 50
0C for 30 minutes and incubated at
37
0C. Isolates were identified by doing gram stain, oxidase, catalase and hippurate test, final identification was done by
using PCR, sequence and blast search using National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The results obtained
showed that
Legionella pneumophila or
Legionella species was not isolated though other bacteria (such as
Burkholderia bacterium
MSMB7 (32%),
Pseudomonas antarctica
(28%),
Cupriavidus gilaridii
(14%),
Microbacterium paraoxydans
(14%),
Bacillus thuringensis
(4%),
Bacillus cereus
(2%),
Acinetobacter johnsonii
(6%)) were detected. In conclusion zero
percent (0%) prevalence of
Legionella species in the water systems investigated though other bacteria with pathogenic
potential were recovered. This finding suggests that water systems in Benin metropolis may not present vehicles for the
transmission of diseases associated with
Legionella species.
