An amoeba is infected with a novel bacterium, CC99. Numerous coccoid bacteria fill the nucleus of the amoeba 48 hours after infection as it begins to rupture. Art/Mary FaroneÂ
Results of a new study published online by Environmental Science & Technology suggest these amoebas infected with bacteria are more prevalent in cooling towers than in natural environments. Sharon Berk of Tennessee Technological University and colleagues sampled 40 cooling towers in hospitals, universities and industries and 40 natural environmentslakes, rivers, creeks and pondsfinding infected amoebas in 22 of the cooling towers and only three of the natural samples.
"The bacteria responsible for Legionnaire's disease use amoebas as a host, as do many related bacteria," said Berk, a TTU biology professor.
The bacteria can then hijack the amoeba's cellular machinery and then multiply profusely. According to Berk, eventually the amoeba swells and bursts like a balloon, releasing the bacteria by the hundreds.
People can contract pneumonia after inhaling Legionella in aerosol drifts from cooling towers, according to a related ES&T article. It is possible that other amoeba-associated microorganisms, such as those found in cooling towers in the study, may be unrecognized causes of other respiratory disease.
Source: Tennessee Technological University   Â
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.