Legionella Testing Services

Why Legionella Testing Is Important.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states on their website; “Minimizing Legionella growth in complex building water systems and devices, including potable water, hot tubs, decorative fountains, and cooling towers, is key to preventing infection. Timely identification and reporting of legionellosis cases is also important because this allows public health officials to quickly identify and stop potential clusters and outbreaks by linking new cases to previously reported ones.”

Bond agrees with many experts that say proactively managing the risk of Legionella bacteria in cooling towers and water systems is more cost-effective than responding to an outbreak retroactively. So years ago, we partnered with world-renowned experts in the field of Legionnaires Disease, Environmental Safety Technologies. Under the direction of partners Dr. Richard Miller and Shauna Weis, their team functions as our laboratory staff providing the highest quality service. Using proven techniques for identifying and quantifying Legionella contamination. Environmental Safety Technologies has performed tens of thousands of risk assessments for Legionnaires disease. In 2005, AIHA awarded Environmental Safety Technologies, Inc. an accreditation for the processing of environmental microbiological samples.

Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease receive significant media attention especially when a large number of people become ill or die. In contrast to highly publicized outbreaks, single infections with Legionella bacteria often go unnoticed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease in the United States each year. Legionnaires’ disease is a legitimate public health concern as its fatality rate during an outbreak ranges from 5% to 30% in those who contract the disease. The immediate consequences for the building owner or manager faced with liability claims and negative publicity can be devastating and extremely costly.

While a few states and municipalities have instituted guidelines for monitoring Legionella and Legionella Testing there are no federal or state regulations that require routine monitoring of buildings with susceptible individuals. We recommend building owners and hospitals establish a Legionella control and management program, including routine monitoring and Legionella testing services, in areas where the risk of Legionella infection is high. This accomplishes two tasks:

• 1) It indicates the effectiveness of control measures already in place, and,
• 2) It provides an early warning of potential problems.

Potable water and cooling tower testing has enabled healthcare and other organizations to identify and eliminate the pathogen, Legionella pneumophila, responsible for potentially fatal pneumonia also known as Legionnaire’s Disease.

What makes our Legionella Testing different?

Our sample results include: Risk Summary and PhD Microbiologist Recommendations. Not just results!

Get More Information On Legionella Testing Services

Legionella Outbreaks can largely be prevented with good maintenance and regular testing. We encourage you to test on a regular schedule. To learn more about our maintenance and testing process fill out the form below or call to learn more about our Legionella Testing services 301-835-2663.