Proof of concept for a rapid, point of use test for Legionella pneumophila

军团菌是一种细菌性疾病，通过吸入来自水系统的气溶胶传播，细菌能够在水系统中生长，包括冷却塔，空调，淋浴，水槽，厕所和分娩池。这是一项强制性要求，要求专家评估所有员工或公众进入的建筑物中的军团菌风险，包括医院、酒店、工作场所和租用的房屋和办公室。目前的军团菌筛检方法是收集水样，然后送到实验室进行检测，需要10-12天才能得出结果。本项目旨在开发军团菌快速检测方法，使专业承包商能够在现场收集和检测水样，并在约30分钟内返回结果。该测试基于军团菌的特异性检测，并使用创新的专利捕获和扩增系统，使测试能够检测水样中的低水平细菌。细菌的存在是通过发光反应来检测的，发光反应由手持阅读器读取。该阅读器已经可靠地用于读取环境毒性测试的结果。测试需要检测< 100至1000个细菌菌落形成单位/升水（cfu/L），因为这两个值分别代表需要或必须采取行动的两个值。为了响应最近的HSE指南，一些实验室正在检测40 cfu/L。为了达到这些灵敏度水平，我们将使用一种快速、一次性使用的设备，在收集地点浓缩水样，以便在需要时进行快速检测和采取行动。该系统可以被纳入安装管道系统的背景检查系统的水，并验证适当的温度控制。这种方法将在保护公众健康和在私人和增强的卫生环境中提供更好的控制方面提供显着的公共卫生效益。

Legionella is a bacterial disease transmitted as a consequence of breathing in aerosols fromwater systems where the bacterium has been able to grow, including cooling towers, airconditioners, showers, sinks, toilets and birthing pools. It is a mandatory requirement forexperts to assess the risk of Legionella in all buildings to which there is employee or publicaccess, including hospitals, hotels, workplaces and rented houses & offices. The currentmethod of screening for Legionella involves collecting a water sample and sending it to alaboratory for testing, which takes 10-12 days to obtain a result. This project aims to develop arapid test for Legionella, which will allow expert contractors to collect and test water samplesat site to return a result within approximately 30 minutes. The test is based on specificdetection of Legionella bacteria and uses an innovative, patented capture and amplificationsystem to allow the test to detect low levels of bacteria in water samples. The presence ofbacteria is detected by a light-emitting reaction, which is read by a hand-held reader. Thisreader is already reliably used to read results from environmental toxicity tests. The test willneed to detect < 100 to 1000 bacteria colony forming units per litre of water (cfu/L) as theserepresent the two values after which action may either need, or must, be taken, respectively.In response to recent HSE guidelines, some laboratories are detecting down to 40 cfu/L. Inorder to achieve these levels of sensitivity, we will use a rapid, single-use device toconcentrate water samples at the site of collection to allow rapid detection and action ifrequired. The system could be incorporated into installation pipework for background checkson system water and to validate proper temperature control. This approach will offersignificant public health benefits in the protection of the health of the public and in providingbetter control in private & augmented health settings.