legionella

See also: Legionella

English edit

Several legionellae (Legionella pneumophila)

Etymology edit

legion +‎ -ella, from Latin legio. Constructed from "American Legion", after an outbreak of a then-unknown "mystery disease" (Legionnaires' disease) at a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia in 1976.

Noun edit

legionella (countable and uncountable, plural legionellas or legionellae)

Bacteria of the genus Legionella.
- 2021 September 8, “RMT strike threat over legionella on Thameslink trains”, in RAIL, number 939, page 18:
  Thameslink Train Services Director Rob Mullen responded: "A very low level of legionella was found during testing in a small number of our Class 700 train toilets. While it is extremely unlikely this would cause any harm, the toilets were immediately locked out of use. The trains were taken out of service and these toilets have now been drained, bleached and had their tanks completely re-filled. There is no recorded case of anyone, ever, having contracted legionella from a train."