Lack of airborne spread of infection by Legionella pneumophila among guinea pigs

Abstract

Many investigators find no spread of Legionnaires disease from person to person. The present study examined the question of airborne transmission of infection by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 from guinea pigs inoculated nasally with the agent to healthy guinea pigs. The nasal inoculation produced confluent peribronchiolar pneumonia similar to the pulmonary lesions observed in humans, but by techniques of clinical observation, serology, culture, and pathology, there was no evidence of airborne spread of infection from 26 inoculated guinea pigs to 64 uninoculated guinea pigs. The results, compatible with epidemiological studies of Legionnaires disease that fail to demonstrate airborne person-to-person transmission of the illness in humans, are useful for scientists who work with animal models of Legionnaires disease.