A New Legionella Species, Legionella feeleii Species Nova, Causes Pontiac Fever in an Automobile Plant

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Abstract
From Aug. 15-21, 1981, Pontiac fever affected 317 automobile assembly plant workers. Results of serologic tests were negative for Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, respiratory tract viruses and previously described legionellae. A gram-negative, rod-shaped organism (WO-44C) that did not grow on blood agar, required L-cysteine for growth and contained large amounts of branched-chain fatty acids was isolated from a water-based coolant. The organism did not react with antisera against other legionellae; on DNA hybridization the organism was < 10% related to other Legionella spp. Geometric mean titers found by indirect fluorescent antibody testing to WO-44C were significantly higher in ill employees than in controls (P = 0.0001). Attack rates by department decreased linearly with the department''s distance from the implicated coolant system. The etiologic agent apaprently was a new Legionella spp; the name L. feeleii sp. nov. (AATC 35072) is proposed. This is the first outbreak of nonpneumonic legionellosis in which the etiologic agent is not L. pneumophila, serogroup 1.