Legionnaires’ Disease in China Caused by Legionella pneumophila Corby

Abstract

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen causing pneumonia in humans. In February 2022, Legionnaires’ disease caused by L. pneumophila strain Corby in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma was identified for the first time in China. This paper includes the case report and phenotypic and genomic analysis of the Corby (ICDC) strain. Its biological characteristics were evaluated by antibiotic sensitivity testing and cytology experiments, and genomic analysis was performed to understand its genetic evolution. The patient’s clinical manifestations included cough, fever, pulmonary infiltration, and significantly decreased activity endurance. After empirical antimicrobial therapy, infection indicators decreased. The Corby (ICDC) strain was susceptible to nine antibiotics and exhibited strong intracellular proliferation ability. A phylogenetic tree showed that the Corby (ICDC) strain was closely related to the Corby strain, but under the pressure of a complex environment, its genome had undergone more rearrangement and inversion. The type IF CRISPR-Cas system was identified in its genome, and spacer analysis indicated that it had been invaded by several foreign plasmids, bacteria, and viruses during evolution. Legionnaires’ disease caused by L. pneumophila strain Corby may be ignored in China, and it is urgent to improve long-term monitoring and investigation of aquatic environments and patients with respiratory infections to prevent a large-scale outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.