• Question: What is the most dangerous bacteria you have worked with? What are its effects?

    Asked by andrei to Paul on 27 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Paul Waines

      Paul Waines answered on 27 Jun 2013:

      Hi andrei- I work a lot with bacteria called Legionella pneumophila, which lives in ponds and rivers, but also some taps and water pipes.

      It’s first name comes from the fact that it causes something called ‘Legionnaire’s disease’, and the ‘pneumophila’ part comes from the fact that it loves to live in our lungs- this might give you a clue as to its effects…

      Legionnaires disease is a particularly nasty form of pneumonia- it starts with a really high fever, and then gets worse until people with it (mainly elderly men and babies, because they are not as strong as you or I) eventually die unless treated very quickly!

      But dont worry about getting it, you should be fine!

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