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Legionella Sampling
Legionnaires' disease is a lung infection (pneumonia) caused by a bacterium called Legionella. The name Legionella pneumophila was derived from the original outbreak at the 1976 American Legion Convention in Philadelphia. The genus Legionella contains over 50 species of which about 50% have been implicated in human disease.
Environmental sources contain many Legionella spp. (e.g. water >60 serogroups). Legionella pneumophila (particularly Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1) is the most commonly isolated species from infected individuals. Other species commonly associated with disease are L. micdadei, L. bozemanii, L. dumoffii, and L. longbeachae.
U.S. Micro-Solutions, Inc. provides our customers with free sterile screw-top containers and free swabs to obtain your samples for Legionella testing. Call 1-877 US MICRO for details.
A few guidelines when Legionella sampling:
Swab of Faucet:
Allow water to
briefly trickle through opening to moisten outlet. Insert a sterile
swab into the faucet and rotate four times while moving swab upward
into the opening.
After collection, place swab into transport system (transport culture swab).
Optional - Allow
hot water tap to run and fill a sterile four ounce container
(approximately 100 mL of water). Do after initial swabbing of faucet.
Showerheads:
Allow water to trickle through opening (hot water tap) for a few seconds - turn off and then collect swab sample by rotating swab four times in a criss-cross pattern over the openings of the showerhead.
Place swab in transport system.
Hot Water Storage Tank:
Pre-flush samples
- water samples are collected from the drain valve located at base of
large-volume storage tanks. Allow water to flow from drain valve, and
100 mL is immediately collected in a sterile container.
Optional Sample -
wait 15-30 seconds while water is flowing from drain valve and then
collect another water sample from tank (100 mL).
Cooling Towers; Reservoirs, etc.:
Collect sample of
water from reservoir or condensation pan using a sterile screw-capped
container. Place container under surface of water to obtain a 100 mL
sample.
Note: Avoid
collecting excessive sediment. If collecting samples from more than
one reservoir, it is recommended that disposable gloves be worn and
changed after each sample.
Insert sterile swab in outlet of the fountain and place in transport system. Water may also be collected (100 mL).
Collect ice in sterile screw-capped container.
Collect 100 mL of warm water from whirlpool.
Place water sample in a sterile screw-capped container.
Need a Chain of Custody or Would You Like to View a Sample Legionella Report?
U.S. Micro-Solutions Legionella easy-to-read reports give you all the information in the palm of your hands to determine the source of Legionella contamination. Click here to view a sample Legionella report.
For more information on Legionella and its effectsclick here.
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