Published: 08/06/22 10:45 Categories: Microbiology

The arrival of summer brings with it an increased concern about the control of Legionella. Its ability to grow and spread through shower heads, faucets, plumbing systems and cooling towers in buildings and industrial plants raises alarms about this gram-negative bacterium, as these water systems are more widely used at this time of year 

  

Watch out for Legionella! How is it detected? 

  

The clinical significance of this pathogen and its increased detection in drinking water in recent years have led to the inclusion of risk assessment and risk reduction measures for the microorganism in legislative acts such as Directive (EU) 2020/2184.  

  

The traditional ISO 11731 method requires numerous steps to be taken that vary depending on the type of sample but generally consists of sample concentration (by membrane filtration or centrifugation), dilution, pre-treatment and direct streaking. In addition, streaking is carried out in various media, complicating the process even further.

  

The traditional method has poor reproducibility and also offers low sensitivity to strains other than L. pneumophila. 

 

  

  

Condagene® VS the traditional method 

  

Condalab presents a quick and reliable alternative to traditional detection methods for the detection of Legionella.  

  

It is the Condagene® product range, based on the detection of pathogenic microorganisms by qPCR. This system facilitates detection, as it is up to ten times faster than the traditional method established by the ISO 11731 standard.  

  

 

  

The detection by qPCR also facilitates the quantification of the pathogen in the samples, which can be very useful when carrying out controls or dealing with an outbreak. 

  

Condagene® Legionella ensures rapid and reliable detection in 48 hours. The detection of the pathogen by qPCR is highly specific and sensitive, making it possible to detect the pathogen with a smaller sample volume and with less interference from other microorganisms in the sample, since it only amplifies and detects the DNA of the target microorganism. Our kit follows the specifications of the ISO 12869 standard for the detection and quantification of Legionella by qPCR. 

  

The Condagene® Legionella® user protocol greatly simplifies the workflow of the traditional method, as it consists of only three steps: sample concentration, DNA extraction, for which the Condagene® Rapid Collection Kit can be used, and qPCR amplification. 

  

The Condagene® Rapid Collection Kit includes all the reagents needed for DNA extraction and purification in a single bottle and enables the detection process to be further accelerated. In an outbreak, time is crucial, and speeding up the detection processes can make all the difference 

  

This translates into a reduced workload in the laboratory and highly specific results in under 48 hours 

  

Condagene® Legionella is your best ally for the control and rapid detection of legionella in the event of an outbreak. If you want to know more about this and other products in the Condagene® range, do not hesitate to browse the product website.