Assured Bio is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ELITE (Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation) Program for Legionella Analysis. 

AssuredBio Legionella Testing uses DNA analysis and provides a positive/negative result.  Legionella is a zero-tolerance microorganism, therefore any positive result requires remediation.  The test requires collecting water and sending it to the lab where it undegoes PCR DNA analysis.  Because many Legionella testing situations are unique, please call the lab to discuss the best sample collection process with one of our scientists.

Legionella testing is $75.00 per analysis.  Call 1-866-547-1727 for more information.

Legionella and Legionnaire's Disease Information

A new and deadly disease emerged late last century in the in the United States.  The outbreak occurred in the summer of 1976 as a severe pneumonia that caused many deaths in American Legion members attending a convention in Philadelphia at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel.  After months of intensive investigations they found an unknown gram-negative rod to be the cause of the disease.  The biological agent of disease was found to be transmitted through the air conditioning ducts.  Later, the infective agent was named Legionella after it’s initial victims.  Legionella is transmitted by inhalation of infectious particles.  Typical symptoms include: fever, lethargy, disorientation, severe pneumonia.  

Most epidemics occur in late summer and autumn where it proliferates in water reservoirs during these warm months.  Elderly persons, heavy smokers, and the immunocompromised, are at a higher risk of becoming infected because they have decreased cellular immunity and decreased pulmonary function.  Approximately 25% of cases are acquired in hospitals.  Person to person or animal cases have not been found.

Legionella is found worldwide and is commonly present in natural bodies of water (lake and streams) as well in air conditioning cooling towers and condensers and in water systems (hot tubs).  It is found in nosocomial settings like nebulizers filled with tap water.  Legionella can survive in moist environments for a long time at high temperatures and in the presence of disinfectants such as chlorine.  Legionella bacteria can also survive in biofilms that develop in the pipes of water systems.  

Legionnaires’ Disease is difficult to document.  Cases steadily rose during the last decade, with 1,200 to 2,200 cases annually.  The CDC estimates that between 10,000 and 20,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease occur each year in the U.S.

Legionella Testing

Assured Bio offers two types of analysis for the isolation of Legionella bacteria from the environment.

Culture Analysis

Each sample that is analyzed by the CDC’s standard protocol for isolation of Legionella bacteria from the environment is isolated on three types of culture medium: BCYE (non-selective Legionella media), PAV (moderately selective), and GPCV (highly selective Legionella media). A presence / absence of Legionella bacteria is reported as well as quantization of the bacteria present.

Cost per sample $75

DNA Analysis

Each sample that is processed by QPCR utilizes two assays for the identification of Legionella bacteria in environmental samples. DNA analysis is 99.9% accurate. The two assays available will tell you whether any species of Legionella is present, whether it is Legionella pneumophila, and give you a concentration of both.

Cost per sample $75

Additional Testing.

If your DNA analysis comes back with a species of Legionella not identified as pneumophila, Assured Bio can sequence your results and identify what species is present.

Cost per sample $75