MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF BIOFILMS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WATER SYSTEMS

Abstract

The specific features of the structural organization of biofilms formed with the participation of Legionella in the water supply systems of health care facilities (HCF) and in the water-cooling towers of industrial enterprises in the Moscow Region were studied to elaborate new approaches to preventing legionellosis in the potentially dangerous water systems. A massive Legionella biofilm in association with other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was shown to form for 2-3 weeks on the protective antibacterial filters built in the hot water supply systems of the risk-group units of HCFs. The specific features of the structural organization of biofilms of Legionella onto surface of water-cooling towers, which were a set of a few systematic groups of microorganisms, such as fungi, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and cyanobacteriae located in the presence of a matrix and metal inclusions. The results confirm that it is necessary to destruct and prevent the formation of natural Legionella biofilms in the potentially dangerous water systems, which is an essential component of the current strategy for the prevention of legionellosis.