Legionella Bacteria Issues

BINAX 45 Minute EQUATE Environmental Legionella Test

The BINAX Equate Legionella Water Test is a rapid immunoassay for the qualitative detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in water. Not valid or designed for human diagnostic use, the test is intended solely for environmental purposes -- specifically, for the testing of potable and cooling tower water supplies. Waterchem provides a complete Legionella sampling and testing service for the BINAX Equate Legionella Water Test. The results are available within one hour from the time the test is started. Call Waterchem for a quotation.

Until the development of the BINAX Equate Legionella Water Test, detection of contaminated water could take up to 2 weeks through culture procedures which are labor-intensive and which cannot be performed at the source. Direct fluorescent antibody testing (DFA) is generally considered to be unreliable for environmental testing and, like culture, cannot be performed on-site. Polymerase chain reaction testing (PCR) requires highly trained personnel and dedicated equipment, and therefore great expense, and its performance on environmental samples remains unproven.

Our corporate policy for customer Legionella testing is to recommend a full Legionella culture from Path Con Laboratories in Atlanta if the BINAX Equate test result is positive. Of course, the BINAX Equate test is separate from regular planned culture testing from a water system.

 

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