Customer Service

 Customer Survey

LABConnect™ - Online Results & More

Legionella Testing Services

Category Press Release
Publish Date 11/21/2022
Author Gabrielle Cataldi
Title Five People Died Due to Legionnaires’ Disease at a Manhattan Nursing Home
Introduction EMSL provides multiple analyses to help detect the presence of legionella.

Manhattan, New York, November 21, 2022 

Over the summer, five people died from Legionnaires’ disease at a New York City nursing home. The nursing home had been cited on multiple occasions for improper maintenance of their cooling tower. This outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease is the worst since 2015 when cooling towers were blamed for the cause of 16 deaths.

Legionnaires’ disease can spread through inhaling water vapor containing legionella bacteria.  Legionella grows in wet environments including hot tubs, fountains, and cooling towers.  While it is rare to hear about deaths in conjunction with Legionnaires’ disease, there is a higher risk for older individuals, such in this case with a nursing home.

“Proactive testing can help prevent outbreaks of this potentially fatal disease or pinpoint the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Testing is the only way to know for sure if Legionella is present in a cooling tower or other source. At EMSL, we offer traditional culturing methods and advanced Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods. PCR tests are an excellent method for rapid results, but they do not indicate whether the bacteria are alive or not. Therefore, traditional culturing methods remain the gold standard, although the two testing methods are often used together. We offer all the sampling supplies necessary and have 18 laboratories that have received the CDC’s Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) Certificate of Proficiency.”

EMSL also offers a complimentary Legionella Pocket Guide. It provides an overview of Legionella, discusses sampling techniques, ways to test for it in the laboratory, and emergency remediation. To request a copy, please visit: http://emsl.com/Page.aspx?id=579.

To learn more about Legionella or other microbial testing services, please visit www.LegionellaTesting.com or www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc. 

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.
Atlanta, GA (LAB 07) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-1Baton Rouge, LA (LAB 25) - NVLAP Lab Code 200375-0Beltsville, MD (LAB 19) - NVLAP Lab Code 200293-0Boston, MA (LAB 13) - NVLAP Lab Code 101147-0Buffalo, NY (LAB 14) - NVLAP Lab Code 200056-0Carle Place, NY (LAB 06) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-10Charlotte, NC (LAB 41) - NVLAP Lab Code 200841-0Chicago, IL (LAB 26) - NVLAP Lab Code 200399-0Cinnaminson, NJ (LAB List in Description) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-0Dallas, TX (LAB 11) - NVLAP Lab Code 600111-0Denver, CO (LAB 22) - NVLAP Lab Code 200828-0EMSL Canada - Calgary, AB (LAB 65) - NVLAP Lab Code 500100-0EMSL Canada - Edmonton, AB (LAB 50) - NVLAP Lab Code 600321-0EMSL Canada - Markham, ON (LAB 66) - NVLAP Lab Code 600317-0EMSL Canada - Montreal, QC (LAB 68) - NVLAP Lab Code 201052-0EMSL Canada - Ottawa, ON (LAB 67) - NVLAP Lab Code 201040-0EMSL Canada - Toronto, ON (LAB 55) - NVLAP Lab Code 200877-0EMSL Canada - Vancouver, BC (LAB 69) - NVLAP Lab Code 201068-0Fort Lauderdale, FL (LAB 56) - NVLAP Lab Code 500085-0Houston, TX (LAB 15) - NVLAP Lab Code 102106-0Huntington Beach, CA (LAB 33) - NVLAP Lab Code 101384-0Indianapolis, IN (LAB 16) - NVLAP Lab Code 200188-0Kernersville, NC (LAB 02) - NVLAP Lab Code 102104-0Long Island City, NY (LAB 03) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-9Meriden, CT (LAB 24) - NVLAP Lab Code 200700-0Miami, FL (LAB 17) - NVLAP Lab Code 200204-0Minneapolis, MN (LAB 35) - NVLAP Lab Code 200019-0Ontario, California (San Bernadino County / Inland Empire) (LAB 71) - NVLAP Lab Code 600239-0Orlando, FL (LAB 34) - NVLAP Lab Code 101151-0Phoenix, AZ (LAB 12) - NVLAP Lab Code 200811-0Piscataway, NJ (LAB 05) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-2Plymouth Meeting, PA (LAB 18) - NVLAP Lab Code 200699-0Raleigh, NC (LAB 29) - NVLAP Lab Code 200671-0Rochester, NY (LAB 53) - NVLAP Lab Code 600183-0San Diego, CA (LAB 43) - NVLAP Lab Code 200855-0San Leandro, CA (LAB 09) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-3Santa Clara, CA (LAB 47) - NVLAP Lab Code 600318-0Seattle, WA (LAB 51) - NVLAP Lab Code 200613-0South Pasadena, CA (LAB 32) - NVLAP Lab Code 200232-0South Portland, ME (LAB 62) - NVLAP Lab Code 500094-0St. Louis, MO (LAB 39) - NVLAP Lab Code 200742-0Tampa, FL (LAB 93) - NVLAP Lab Code 600215-0
Sorry, this function is disabled.