Spartan Bioscience today announced the product launch of the Spartan Legionella Detection System. It is the first on-site DNA test for Legionella and it can detect and quantify Legionella bacteria in 45 minutes. The system consists of a coffee-cup-sized, portable DNA analyzer called the Spartan Cube® and a single-use disposable test cartridge. The system is the winner of the 2018 AHR Expo Innovation Award for Indoor Air Quality, as judged by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Legionella is a common environmental bacterium that can infect the cooling towers of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems of large buildings. Infected cooling towers release aerosolized water droplets contaminated with Legionella into the surrounding air. Building occupants who breathe in these water droplets can develop Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal pneumonia. Legionnaires’ disease symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and nausea.