Detection of culturable and nonculturable<i>Legionella</i>species from hot water systems of public buildings in Japan

Abstract

More than 40% of hot water systems in the Japanese public buildings examined were contaminated by not only culturable Leg. pneumophila and Leg. anisa but also by nonculturable pathogenic species. To our knowledge, this is the first report of both culturable and nonculturable Legionella contamination in hot water systems of public buildings in Japan.