Which of the following statements are true regarding Legionella, EXCEPT?
High-Yield Explanation
Legionella is a gram-negative rod that stains with difficulty. The toxicity of L pneumophila lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is significantly less than that of other Gram-negative bacteria such as Neisseria and the Enterobacteriaceae. Side chains are hydrophobic. It has been postulated that this hydrophobicity may promote adherence of bacterial cells to membranes or their concentration in aerosols. Infections are associated with aerosols distributed by humidifying and cooling systems. Amoebas in fresh water habitat act as reservoir. Person-to-person transmission or carriers are unknown. Ref: Ray C.G., Ryan K.J. (2010). Chapter 34. Legionella. In C.G. Ray, K.J. Ryan (Eds), Sherris Medical Microbiology, 5e.