SPL studied the effect on holding time and Legionella test results and presented findings in June at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) national conference.
Testing for Legionella in Healthcare Facilities: Evaluation of the Reproducibility of Legionella Test Results and the Impact of Time on Viability and Variability showed no significant increase or decrease in Legionella viability when cultured within 48 hours, the recommended time between collection and processing.