Legionella pneumophila LPS (serogroup 1) mouse mAb

Legionella pneumonia, first discovered after an outbreak in Pennsylvania in 1976 at the American Legion convention, is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Legionella are gram-negative bacteria found in natural aquatic environments, where they are intracellular parasites of protozoa. The serogroup 1 strains most commonly cause human infections. Serotyping can be performed by antibody subgrouping, pulsed-field gele electrophoresis, or DNA sequencing. The lipopolysaccharide, LPS or endotoxin, of serogroup 1 is a bacterial virulence factor that contains 10-75 residues of the unique sugar termed legionaminic acid. Lacking free hydroxyl groups renders this LPS hydrophobic, allowing the bacterium to adhere to target cell membranes including macrophages in the lung.