Free-Living Amoebae and Legionella in Bioaerosols from Composting Facilities

Legionella bacteria are the causal agents of the Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia. The aim of this study was to investigate the simultaneous presence of amoebae and Legionella in the compost piles and in the bioaerosols developed from pile fermentation. Bioaerosols were collected from seven green waste collection centers by a Coriolis®µ air sampler. Results show that composting facilities are possible reservoirs for Legionella and amoebae and suggest further studies are needed to investigate the spread of Legionella from composts to bioaerosols.