Mechanism of Formation of the Orange-Colored Sputum in Pneumonia Caused by Legionella pneumophila

Jiro Fujita; Masato Touyama; Kenji Chibana; Michio Koide; Shusaku Haranaga; Futoshi Higa; Masao Tateyama

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.46.0444

CASE REPORTS

Mechanism of Formation of the Orange-Colored Sputum in Pneumonia Caused by Legionella pneumophila

Jiro Fujita, Masato Touyama, Kenji Chibana, Michio Koide, Shusaku Haranaga, Futoshi Higa, Masao Tateyama

Author information

Jiro Fujita
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (The First Department of Internal Medicine), Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus
Masato Touyama
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonabaru Central Hospital
Kenji Chibana
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonabaru Central Hospital
Michio Koide
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (The First Department of Internal Medicine), Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus
Shusaku Haranaga
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (The First Department of Internal Medicine), Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus
Futoshi Higa
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (The First Department of Internal Medicine), Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus
Masao Tateyama
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (The First Department of Internal Medicine), Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus

Keywords: Legionella pneumophila, pneumonia, sputum, orange-colored

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2007 Volume 46 Issue 23 Pages 1931-1934

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.46.0444

Details

Abstract

It has been said that the color of sputum from patients with Legionella pneumophila pneumonia is orange. However, why the color is orange has not been clarified. First, orange-colored sputum obtained from a patient with L. pneumophila pneumonia is presented. Then, the formation of an orange-colored pigment in a culture medium (without charcoal) after the growth of L. pneumophila is demonstrated.

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