Under a low magnification of 5X, this photograph depicted a
number of Legionella pneumophila colonies that had been
cultivated on Feeley-Gorman (FG) agar. Note the “cut-glass”
appearance displayed by the round, off-white colored colonies.
FG agar is used particularly in the cultivation of Legionella
spp. bacteria, and is composed of casein (acid hydrolyzed),
agar, beef extract, starch, cysteine and iron (III)
pyrophosphate (Fe4(P2O7)3). How do people get Legionnaires’
disease? People get Legionnaires' disease when they breathe in a
mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been
contaminated with the bacteria. One example might be from
breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been
properly cleaned and disinfected. The bacteria are NOT spread
from one person to another person. Outbreaks are when two or
more people become ill in the same place at about the same time,
such as patients in hospitals. Hospital buildings have complex
water systems, and many people in hospitals alread