Characterization of aerosols containing Legionella generated upon nebulization

Legionella pneumophila is, by far, the species most frequently associated with Legionnaires’ disease (LD). Human infection occurs almost exclusively by aerosol inhalation which places the bacteria in juxtaposition with alveolar macrophages. LD risk management is based on controlling water quality by applying standardized procedures. However, to gain a better understanding of the real risk of exposure, there is a need (i) to investigate under which conditions Legionella may be aerosolized and (ii) to quantify bacterial deposition into the respiratory tract upon nebulization. In this study, we used an original experimental set-up that enables the generation of aerosol particles containing L. pneumophila under various conditions. Using flow cytometry in combination with qPCR and culture, we determined (i) the size of the aerosols and (ii) the concentration of viable Legionella forms that may reach the thoracic region. We determined that the 0.26–2.5 μm aerosol size range represents 7% of initial bacterial suspension. Among the viable forms, 0.7% of initial viable bacterial suspension may reach the pulmonary alveoli. In conclusion, these deposition profiles can be used to standardize the size of inoculum injected in any type of respiratory tract model to obtain new insights into the dose response for LD.