Recently one of our customers was interested in testing Legionella bacteria and asked us how our polycarbonate membranes fit into the process mentioned on our website. If you are unfamiliar with Legionella, it is a waterborne pathogen commonly found in aerosolized waters such as cooling towers, showers, and humidifiers, and it is best known as the cause of Legionnaire’s Disease as well as Pontiac Fever. Its name originated from an outbreak that occurred at the 1976 convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia.
There are actually two areas in which membranes are used in regards to Legionella: Sample preparation and point-of-use filtration. For sample preparation the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends using a 0.2 micron, 47mm polycarbonate filter to extract Legionella bacterium from potable water. Non potable water utilizes a direct plating procedure.
Point of use filtration frequently involves a device that attaches to a faucet or showerhead to eliminate Legionella. Such devices have filters built into them, usually made of Nylon or PFT. A few years ago the American Journal of Infection Control conducted a study of these devices and found them to be extremely effective at preventing the spread of waterborne pathogens.
For more information on Legionella testing and guidelines, you can visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/files/legionellaprocedures-508.pdf
http://www.specialpathogenslab.com/SPL-Advantage/AJICFilterpaper05.pdf
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