Legionella in soil: how climate and soil biology affect its danger
Official title: Legionella in soil: biotic and abiotic controls of pathogenicity
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-11392494 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how soil conditions and climate influence Legionella bacteria and their amoeba hosts, to understand the risk of environmentally caused pneumonia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2018 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $162,890 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM125508-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11392494 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals concerned about environmental exposure to Legionella, especially those in areas with warm soils and heavy rainfall.
✕Less likely to help
People without exposure to soil environments or those not at risk for Legionella infection may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
Legionella bacteria can live in soil and infect people when conditions favor their growth and interaction with amoebae. The project will study how soil temperature, moisture, and other environmental factors shape the presence of Legionella and its amoeba hosts across different soil types. By mapping where Legionella and amoebae occur and how climate factors influence their partnership, researchers aim to predict areas with higher risk. This work will lay the groundwork for better soil-based risk assessments for Legionella transmission. The study is led by Mengting Maggie Yuan at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and will use a variety of soil environments to test the proposed ideas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help public health by improving prediction of Legionella risk in soil and informing prevention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier work has shown climate factors relate to Legionella ecology, but this project advances mechanistic understanding in soil ecosystems.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yuan, Mengting Maggie — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Yuan, Mengting Maggie
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.