[Analysis of prevalence and variability of Legionella pneumophila and Legionella spp. strains on the basis of study of allelic profiles].

AIM: To analyze prevalence and variability of Legionella strains isolated in town Verkhnaya Pyshma located in Sverdlovsk region during prophylactic surveillance of potentially dangerous water objects in 2007 - 2008. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sequencing of mip gene was conducted for identification of species of Legionella. Multi-locus sequence typing was used for describing of allelic profiles of Legionella pneumophila strains. RESULTS: Five firstly identified on Russian territory strains of Legionella species were deposited in institute's collection. Sixty-three strains of L. pneumophila belonging to 28 sequence types were characterized. Relation between strains isolated in industrial building and from water supply system was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: Observations made on the basis of study of L. pneumophila strains isolated from cooling stacks of industrial plants confirmed potential danger of these objects as a source of dissemination of Legionella infection.