L. pneumophila is the most common cause of Legionnaires Disease. At present 16 serogroups exist, of which L.. pneumophila serogroup 1 accounts for the majority of cases. In addition, a range of other species of Legionella have also been implicated as the causative agent of Legionnaires disease. Clinical and environmental awareness, and testing for Legionella, is rapidly increasing assisted by the introduction of several commercially available selective culture media.

However, none of the media are specific for L.. pneumophila serogroup 1 and not everything that grows on them is Legionella. Therefore a specific test is needed to quickly confirm the identification of isolates so that appropriate action can be taken.

Microgen® Legionella is an easy-to-use latex agglutination test for L. pneumophila serogroups 1 and 2-15 and now a range of non-L. pneumophila species which have been implicated as causes of diseases in humans. The kit provides specific results in under two minutes directly from a selective medium.

Conventional methods for identification of Legionella utilise specific antisera in standard agglutination or immunofluorescence tests. However, these methods lack sensitivity, are time consuming and can require specialised training and expensive equipment.

The test latexes used in Microgen® Legionella are coated with immunoglobulins which have been specially processed to minimise cross reactions with potentially cross reacting organisms, eliminating the need for a control latex, simplifying the procedure and increasing efficiency. Microgen® Legionella has recently been improved by the addition of a new latex reagent which identifies a range of non-L. pneumophila species of clinical significance with a high specificity and no cross-reactions with L. pneumophila.

Microgen® Legionella contains test latexes for both L. pneumophila serogroup 1 and 2-15, and now a latex reagent for the following additional species; L. micdadei, L. bozemanii 1 & II, L. dumoffii, L. longbeachae 1 & II, L. jordanis, L. gormanii, L. anisa and L. feelei in a convenient 50 test pack with a long shelf life to offer the most rapid, specific and sensitive test for Legionella currently available.