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Hygienic Laboratory pilots CDC program |
Hygienic Laboratory pilots CDC program
The University Hygienic Laboratory is one of the first state public health laboratories to pilot the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that evaluates testing techniques to detect Legionella, the bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease in environmental samples.
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| Legionella |
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia named for a 1976 outbreak that occurred during an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. It occurs worldwide. In the United States, more than 8,000 people are hospitalized each year with the disease.
Legionella bacteria can be difficult to isolate even though they thrive in ordinary reservoirs of warm water, such as hot tubs and central heating systems. The CDC's Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program began in April as a way for laboratories to assess their Legionella testing protocols against standardized samples and ensure that they are following the highest standards for testing and reliability.
"As we are asked to look for Legionella in water more and more, it is important that all laboratories performing this test use reliable methods and techniques, and that this capability be evaluated and documented appropriately," said Nancy Hall, supervisor of environmental microbiology. "I applaud Dr. Claressa Lucas, ELITE coordinator at CDC, for starting this program. I am thrilled UHL could be an early participant and offer suggestions for the program."
Twice a year, CDC will send ELITE laboratories samples to test for the presence of Legionella and other microorganisms that are commonly found in fresh water. The laboratories process the samples according to their standard protocols. The results are scored, and, after two successful testing cycles, the laboratories receive a certificate of proficiency.
Fourteen laboratories currently participate in ELITE. Ten are commercial labs, one is a hospital laboratory and three, including the Hygienic Laboratory, are public health laboratories.