Invitrogen launches Dynabeads MAX Legionella

Invitrogen has launched its Dynabeads MAX Legionella, which it claims will enable a unique process for targeting and concentrating legionella from environmental water samples.

The provider of essential life science technologies for research, production and diagnostics says the product will provide a rapid and highly reliable sample preparation process, to improve the method used, and result achieved, in detection and quantification of legionella.

A number of strains of the legionella bacteria – most commonly Legionella pneumophila – can cause sickness and death in humans and an estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people are diagnosed with legionellosis in the US each year, according to the Centre for Disease Control.

Jim Janicki, vice-president of the organisation’s applied markets, believes that by quickly and reliably isolating only the legionella organism, the new product streamlines the procedures for its surveillance and can potentially change the market.

"Invitrogen’s technologies are quickly becoming indispensable for many applications that are essential to preserving public health," he added.

The firm announced earlier in the month it is set to receive products and services for gene over-expression from privately-held biotechnology firm Lentigen.