REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Symbioses
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1634806
The Hidden Dancers in Water: The Symbiotic Mystery of Legionella pneumophila and Free-living amoebae
Provisionally accepted
- 1Jilin Medical University, Jilin, China
- 2Jilin People’s Hospital, Jilin, China
- 3Jilin Central Hospital, Jilin, China
- 4Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, United States
- 5New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States
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Legionella pneumophila, a Gram-negative bacillus, is the primary etiological agent of Legionnaires' disease, a severe respiratory infection. The symbiotic relationship between L. pneumophila and free-living amoebae (FLAs), particularly Acanthamoeba spp., represents a critical intersection of microbial ecology and human pathogenesis. This symbiosis provides Legionella with a protective intracellular niche, enhancing its resistance to biocides, increasing its pathogenicity, and facilitating horizontal gene transfer. These interactions not only boost the environmental persistence and dissemination of L. pneumophila but also elevate the risk of human exposure through contaminated drinking water systems. This review delves into the sophisticated survival strategies employed by L. pneumophila within host cells, including evasion of endocytic pathways, inhibition of phagosome maturation and acidification, and prevention of phagosome-lysosome fusion. By elucidating these mechanisms, we underscore the critical need for in-depth research into the Legionella-amoebae symbiosis and its broader implications for public health. Additionally, we address the challenges and strategies for mitigating environmental risks, emphasizing the importance of innovative approaches to ensure water system safety and prevent pathogen transmission.
Keywords: Legionella pneumophila 1, Free-living amoebae 2, Symbiotic relationship 3, Pathogenicity 4, Public Health 5
Received: 25 May 2025; Accepted: 21 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang, Jiang, Zhou, Zhang, Fine and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Mingguang Li, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, China
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