Legionella Proficiency Testing
What is Legionella Proficiency Testing and Why is it Important?
Proficiency testing ensures that laboratories are providing quality tests and accurate results.
Proficiency testing provides laboratories with an independent assessment of the quality of their Legionella testing services and provides customers with an objective measure of competence.
Participation in such a proficiency testing program satisfies the ISO 17025: 2005 requirement of “General requirements for competence of testing and calibration laboratories”.
What Options Do Laboratories Have for Legionella Proficiency Testing?
The U.K. Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Until recently, there were no Legionella proficiency programs available in the United States. However, there has been a Legionella proficiency program in Europe that serves the laboratories of the European Working Group on Legionella Infections as well as other interested testing labs. This program is managed by the U.K. Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Each participant in the Legionella proficiency program receives “mock” samples that contain a known amount of Legionella bacteria and sometimes other bacteria to simulate a “real life” sample.
Special Pathogens Laboratory is one of only a few U.S. laboratories that have participated in this program. We have participated in this program for two years and have successfully fulfilled their competency requirements.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control will begin a Legionella proficiency program called the “Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program” starting in April 2009. The CDC has recognized the need for laboratories to be capable and competent in performing Legionella testing. Some laboratories have failed to detect Legionella and outbreaks have occurred because the institution was unaware of the presence of Legionella in their water system(s).
A few laboratories participated in a “pilot” study of the CDC program and were rewarded for their participation by being given early entry into the first certified group that will be posted on the CDC web site. We did not participate in the CDC pilot program because we were already participating in the HPA Legionella Proficiency Program.
Special Pathogens Laboratory will participate in the CDC proficiency program when it officially begins in April 2009, and in addition, will continue to participate in the HPA program.
Why will SPL continue with the International (HPA) proficiency program?
The HPA proficiency program is accredited by internationally recognized organizations and is used in more than 70 countries. The international organization of the European Working Group on Legionella Infections (EWGLI) recommends participation in the Legionella proficiency program provided by the HPA.
If you have any questions about this information please email the lab at info@specialpathogenslab.com
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