EDLab Receives CDC Legionella ELITE Program Certificate of Proficiency

According to CDC, each year an estimated 8,000-18,000 cases of Legionnaires’ Disease occur in the U.S. with fatality rates between 5 to 40%. Of those who survive, there are often serious long term health consequences after recovery. Legionnaires’ Disease is caused by the inhalation of aerosolized water contaminated with Legionella bacteria. It is an illness that is completely preventable provided routine monitoring and maintenance of potable water and cooling tower water systems are conducted.

Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab) at Pure Air Control Services has received a Certificate of Proficiency for Legionella Analysis issued by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) ELITE Program. Along with this Elite proficiency program, EDLab is also an American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) AIHA/ISO 17025 (indoor air quality) accredited environmental microbiology laboratory AIHA EMLAP # 102795 accredited in bacteriology, mycology and microscopy.

The CDC Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) Program certifies labs in the isolation of Legionella from water samples. Labs that are proficient in Legionella isolation are listed on our ELITE Members List as a service for the general public. Labs that perform adequately receive a Certificate of Proficiency that indicates that the lab’s procedures are consistent with federal recommendations and that they meet or exceed typical industry standards for recovery of Legionella.

The ELITE Program certifies labs that are able to find Legionella in a water sample by culture. Appropriate culture protocols include water sample treatment, isolate identification, and characterization. Molecular (e.g., PCR), serological (e.g., DFA), or rapid analytical tests (e.g., dipstick) are not evaluated.  CDC does not certify performance of these other technologies because methods other than culture are suitable for supplemental testing, but are not discriminating enough to be applied as a primary test to environmental samples.

Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 accounts for roughly 90% of legionellosis reported in North America. Recent advances in DNA sequence based typing (SBT) of strains have demonstrated that many fall into closely related sequence types. Because most of CDC’s strains are associated with outbreaks, it is unknown whether the prevalence of these sequence types is due to hyper virulence, over-representation in nature or other factors. CDC research seeks to survey the sequence types of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains not associated with disease which are present at different locations and different seasons across North America to understand their normal distribution in the environment.

For more information on Legionella testing, special pricing at your facility contact the professionals at EDLab by calling1-800-422-7873 ext 802 or 301.

About Environmental Diagnostics laboratory (EDLab):

The Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab) (established in 1992) at Pure Air Control Services (PACS) is an AIHA accredited environmental lab # EMLAP 102795 offering complete and comprehensive indoor environmental microbiology laboratory services. They include: microbiology, aerobiology, chemistry, allergen assays and microscopy designed to meet all your indoor air needs. EDLab supports IAQ investigations by assisting with strategic sampling plan development and supplying media collection equipment while performing a wide range of environmental analyses.

The company’s expanding client roster includes the General Services Administration (GSA);US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; US Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station - King's Bay, Georgia, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air Control Services/EDLab the reliable industry leader in IAQ.

For more information on EDLab at Pure Air Services, Inc. please contact Dr. Rajiv Sahay or Alan Wozniak at   (800) 422-7873  (800) 422-7873 301 or 802 respectivley, or visit www.edlab.org