Legionella Testing Market Size, Share, & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Water Testing, IVD Testing), By End-use (Microbial culture, Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) Stain, PCR, Others), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global legionella testing market size was valued at USD 261.9 million in 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% from 2023 to 2030. The increasing incidence of Legionella-related disorders and rising awareness about their preventive management is expected to drive market growth. Legionella can cause Legionellosis, a respiratory disorder (a form of pneumonia). It requires intensive care and hospitalization; hence, it is considered one of the public health concerns. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported in 2018.

As Legionella bacteria grow in hot water conditions, various industries that rely on water storage are prone to developing Legionella in water. These waterborne bacteria can harm schools, restaurants, hospitals, and large plumbing systems. Therefore, industries increasingly demand accurate and on-time diagnosis of Legionella and related infections.In September 2022, four deaths and 11 instances of severe pneumonia were reported in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina. Later, the epidemic of severe pneumonia was linked to Legionella, particularly the bacterium L. pneumophila. In addition, in June 2022, the New York Attorney General signed an agreement with Verizon to ensure the company takes prompt and thorough action to stop the Legionnaires' disease from spreading throughout New York State.

Type Insights

On the basis of type, the market is segmented into water testing and IVD testing. The water testing segment held the largest revenue share in 2022 and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The factors contributing to the segment growth mainly include government laws that mandate the testing for Legionella. For instance, in many European countries, Legionella testing is mandatory by law and must be conducted.

Time constraint is the most important drawback of conventional testing methods, as it can take weeks to deliver the results and fail to provide accurate results on time. The absence of accurate diagnostics can lead to presumptive treatment or delay it. It can further hamper the treatment measures and cause outbreaks. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new and advanced diagnostics tools.

The conventional testing methods are labor-intensive and involve manual interference, which can cause contamination and affect the outputs. The diagnostic technological advancements in terms of automation and digitization are responsible for market growth.

Automation facilitates up to 50% timesaving in diagnostic procedures, as it reduces the burden of manual efforts. In addition, results are reliable, precise, and sensitive. Diagnostic lab automation generates standardized and reproducible results. Therefore, advanced rapid diagnostic methods are gaining popularity, and their demand will continue to expand in the coming years. However, a limited number of manufacturing companies can challenge market growth.

End-use Insights

Based on end use, the market is segmented into microbial culture, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain, PCR, and others. The microbial culture segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 37.4% in 2022. Microbial culture offers high specificity and sensitivity, accurately identifying Legionella bacteria. Regulatory guidelines often recommend or require its use, ensuring water safety in various settings.

The PCR segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. PCR provides benefits such as timely and accurate diagnosis along with reproducible results. Hence, it is preferred as a bacterial testing method. PCR offers rapid results, often within hours, compared to the days required by microbial culture. It can detect non-viable and VBNC Legionella cells, enhancing accuracy.

Regional Insights

Europe dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 39.0% in 2022. The governments in some countries, such as the UK and Germany, have made Legionella testing compulsory. This is primarily due to the high levels of awareness regarding Legionellosis and related diseases. In European countries, Europe’s well-established healthcare system prioritizes water safety and disease prevention, boosting market growth.

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period. The rising geriatric population in this region, which is more prone to infections, increasing disposable income, and increasing penetration of Legionella testing products via a global distribution network, are expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), roughly 10 to 15 instances per million people in Europe, Australia, and the U.S. are reported for Legionellosis each year. In addition, 60-70% of reported cases are male, and 75-80% are above 50.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key players in the global legionella testing market implement multiple endeavors to keep up with the market competition and enhance their revenue share. These players focus on growth strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, product launches, and regional expansion. For instance, in December 2021, Pace Analytical Services announced the acquisition of Special Pathogens Laboratory, specializing in legionella testing, detection, remediation, and prevention. This acquisition aims to strengthen testing and analytical capabilities for Legionnaires' disease. Furthermore, in April 2018, Phigenics Research and Innovation Lab announced the launch of the Next Day Legionella PCR test. The new test is built on the patented Phigenics Validation Test (PVT) TimeZero method and detects Legionella DNA PCR. In addition, in January 2018, Genomadix Inc. (Spartan Bioscience) announced the launch of the Spartan Legionella Detection System. It is an on-site DNA test for Legionella and can detect and quantify Legionella bacteria in 45 minutes. The following are some of the major participants in the global legionella testing market:

• Abbott

• Beckman Coulter, Inc.

• BD

• Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

• BIOMÉRIEUX

• Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.

• Hologic, Inc.

• Pro Lab Diagnostics Inc.

• QIAGEN

• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

• Takara Bio Inc.

• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Legionella Testing Market Report Scope

Global Legionella Testing Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global legionella testing market report based on type, end-use, and region:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Water Testing

  • IVD Testing

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Microbial Culture

  • Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) Stain

  • PCR

  • Others (Serotyping)

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • UK

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • Australia

    • Thailand

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East and Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait