Hydrosense, a Legionella test kit provider, has called on plumbers and installers to take a proactive approach to reduce the risk of Legionella.
According to Hydrosense, this comes as experts warn that the UK is facing an increased Legionella risk fuelled by climate change and warmer temperatures, providing a “breeding ground” for Legionella bacteria. It’s estimated that there are between 4,000 to 6,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the UK each year, it said, which kills between 7% to 12% of all those infected.
Greg Rankin, CEO at Hydrosense, said: “The statistics show that the scale and severity of Legionella cases happening in the USA, the UK and Europe are all increasing at alarming levels. With an alarming 1000% increase in the US since 2003 and only recently, the EU observed its highest annual notification rate of Legionnaires’ disease to date. Clearly continuing to do what we have previously done is simply not good enough.
“As such, there has never been a more appropriate time for businesses, employers, property owners, installers and the like to act and review how they assess, test and control the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria.”
Hydrosense has revealed some new findings from a third party study, conducted by the CDC ELITE laboratory Chemicals Incorporated (CHEM Inc.) of CA, USA. The study saw Legionella samples using CDC reference Legionella materials tested using both the traditional lab-culture testing (CDC method) and the Hydrosense PRO rapid testing kit.
One complete set of samples was processed using the lab culture method, where a culture medium is controlled and observed under laboratory conditions, which took seven days. A further three complete sets of samples were processed using the Hydrosense PRO lateral flow test method, which took 25 minutes. All work was completed at CHEM Inc.’s CDC ELITE and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified testing laboratory.
Hydrosense said that the results revealed that the Hydrosense method was 100% accurate in identifying both L. pneumophila serogroup 1 and serogroups 2-15 from blind samples and gave comparable results to the traditional lab culture testing method but in a much quicker time.
The company also noted that lab culture testing has many limitations. Most lab culture tests take seven to 10 days to return results, it noted, but Legionella can double in a day. This time lag means increased exposure and risk for businesses, employees and the public, it added.
Hydrosense said it developed its Legionella testing kit as a direct response to this issue. The company added that the kit provides a quick test of water on-site and without training or experience, with accurate results delivered in 25 minutes.