The Issue 

Currently, measurement of viable Legionella and other bacteria using standard culture methods require shipment of water samples to an analytical laboratory.  The results typically take 12-14 days which can leave facilities in a holding pattern.  The shipment of water samples can cause unpredictable changes: In some water samples, viable bacteria increase during transit and in other samples they decrease.  When the facility receives their Legionella results, these challenges can make interpretation and decision-making difficult. 

The Solution

The patents pending Phigenics Validation Test (PVT) completely eliminates the need to ship water samples, thereby giving more reliable data about the water system.  The PVT is a field sampling protocol to obtain viable cell counts (CFU/ml) for the following:

          -  Total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria

          -  Legionella pneumophila (serogroup 1 and serogroups 2-14) 

          -  All non-pneumophila Legionella species 

Data is obtained for the exact moment when the PVT field sampler contacts the water sample.  Shipment of water samples to laboratory is not required.  Time required to obtain results is reduced 75-80% compared to the Standard Method for Legionella.

Test results including quantitative viable cell counts, digital photographs of the field samplers and authenticity labels are emailed to the facility, typically within 2-3 days of sampling. The PVT validates under operating conditions in the field that bacterial hazards in water have been eliminated, reduced or prevented from harming people (Principle 7 in Hazard Analysis and Control) 

The Benefits

 Compared to the Standard Methods for total bacteria and Legionella, the PVT is: 

*  More accurate, because water samples are not compromised during shipment to the laboratory.

*  Faster, because transit time is not wasted and microcolonies are enumerated directly on the PVT field samplers.