Legionella Laboratory Testing

For the last few years, cases of Legionella have been increasing a lot, and there has been a lot of legionella laboratory testing taking place at state levels. This antimicrobial testing is playing a vital role and is gaining significant importance in everyday lives, especially in water management industries all over the world. This is because the testing assures water quality as well as safety reducing health risks, which may be caused due to some negligence, unplanned absence of staff, or failure of biocide dosing systems.

We need to know which methods in this regard prove convenient for testing and what are the differences between them? Maybe sometimes you can go for a single legionella laboratory testing method for one organization or many of them covering more areas.

We will be discussing comparison methods for testing this disease to understand differences between antigen, QPCR, and culture.

Measurements: WHAT IS BEING MEASURED

Let us have a look at what is actually done for each test briefly

Hydrosense Test

The test makes the best use of technology named Lateral Flow Immunochromatographic Assay (LFICA) technology. Basically, it detects and finds out the disease’s antigen using antibodies comprising of red nano particles. These particles bind to any serogroup of Legionella, where bacteria is found in each sample, making them visible on the device. Simple, this legionella laboratory testing or antimicrobial testing method is as same as a pregnancy test, except it only detects and finds out legionella antigen instead of pregnancy markers.

 

 

PCR test

PCR, commonly known as Polymerase Chain Reaction test, is a form of legionella laboratory testing, which is basically a technique used and applied in molecular biology. In this method DNA of a microorganism is taken out and perfectly extracted plus amplified. This eventually enables and lets the laboratory experts find out and determine the presence as well as quantity of that organism’s DNA in given samples.

Lab Culture Test

The lab culture method separates, isolates, and eventually quantifies culturable cells of this Legionella disease.

RECOVERY RATE for Legionella Laboratory Testing Methods

Each test has its own recovery rate.

Hydrosense Test

This antigen test has a recovery rate of more than 80%, whereas the culture method has the same of 55%.

 

PCR Test

The antimicrobial testing of PCR has the rate of 90%, but sensitivity needs to collaborate that legionella bacteria is present almost everywhere and in water systems, too even. PCR needs careful investigations to assure risks.

Culture Test

As per the latest studies and medical investigations, culture test shows a recovery of 65%, meaning that there is a higher possibility for remaining 36% inaccuracy even if you follow ISO standards, and non-ISO labs may have lower rates though

SPEED

Speed for each test is briefly discussed below

Hydrosense Test

The biggest and the noticeable advantage of this antigen or antimicrobial testing is the result, i.e., the test result. Antigen testing is very fast all over the world and detects Legionella rapidly within 25 minutes or even less as compared to 14 + days for lab culture.

PCR Test

The PCR is a very effective test method and is a useful tool, especially under emergency or outbreak conditions. This is because it produces either positive or negative results within hours instead of days as long as the lab is accessible and available. PCR takes 24-48 hours, especially if shipping to the lab is concerned.

Lab Culture Test

Culture is a time-taking test because it needs extra care as well as accuracy. It takes 7-14 days for accurate results. Latest studies have shown that Legionella can proliferate very easily and rapidly and doubles its population within 24 hours. In that case, culture results delay the stuff, and problems might be faced by patients.

 

DETECTION of VIABLE BUT NON-CULTURABLE BACTERIA

Each test detects viable and non-viable bacteria.

Hydrosense Test

Legionella enters viable and focuses on survival but remains in the non-culturable state. These viable non-culturable bacteria can still harm and cause infection leading to outbreaks of Legionella because these bacteria can resuscitate back to culturable cells under suitable stimuli, i.e., contact with amoebae. The antigen test can find out Legionella bacteria in this above-mentioned state.

PCR

The test is similar to antigen in this regard, where bacteria is detected using DNA, and moreover, VNBC bacteria is also detected by making the best use of the same method.

Lab Culture Test

The last antimicrobial testing method, i.e., lab culture, unfortunately, has no methodology and technique to detect legionella disease in a non-culturable state. But recent studies have also proved that today’s systems and environments have legionella populations, which are not culturable.

Concluding Remarks

We have talked in detail about Legionella disease and about the tests taken for the same. We have also mentioned for each test their speed, recovery rate, and effects. This Legionella laboratory testing or antimicrobial testing is now taking place at higher levels keeping in mind the possible health risks and effects.