Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology

Evaluation of a rapid and simple MPN method for enumerating Legionella pneumophila from water

Joint Event on 4^th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology & 2^nd International Conference on Food Microbiology

November 29-December 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain

David Sartory

SWM Consulting Ltd., UK

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Microb Biochem Technol

Abstract:

Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic pathogen of major concern, being the cause of severe respiratory diseases including Legionnaires�?? disease. Monitoring of at-risk water systems, particularly in hospitals and similar environments, is key to the control of this pathogen. This presentation will outline the results of a comparison of the performance of a novel and simple most probable number (MPN) method (Legiolert�?�/Quanti-Tray®) with the widely used ISO 11731-2 membrane filtration method for the enumeration of L. pneumophila from water. Data from a multi-laboratory study which were analysed according to ISO 17994 showed that Legiolert�?�/Quanti-Tray® yielded on average higher counts of L. pneumophila, with results being available within seven days compared to the 10 or more days required for the ISO method. The Legiolert�?� medium also had a high specificity for L. pneumophila of 96.4%. This new method represents a significant improvement in the efficiency and simplicity of testing for the enumeration of L. pneumophila from water samples.

Biography :

David Sartory is an Independent Consultant, and has been involved in Drinking and Environmental Water Microbiology for 40 years, with over 45 professional publications to his name. After qualifying in Microbiology from the University of Surrey, he joined Thames Water, before spending eight years in South Africa, where he obtained his MSc in Limnology. Prior to his current role, he was a Company Advisor for Severn Trent Water, where for 15 years he was involved in the development of improved methods for the microbiological assessment of water quality including the MLGA medium for E. coli and coliforms, and the Filta-Max system for Cryptosporidium analysis. He is the Chairman of the BSI Water Microbiology Committee and a member of several ISO working groups.