Legionella Testing Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Water testing, IVD testing), By End Use (Microbial culture, Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain, PCR, Others), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 303.02 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	9.51%
Fastest Growing Segment	PCR
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 522.63 Million

Market Overview

The Global Legionella Testing Market will grow from USD 303.02 Million in 2025 to USD 522.63 Million by 2031 at a 9.51% CAGR. Legionella testing involves the analytical processes employed to detect specific bacterial antigens or genetic material in water systems and clinical specimens. The primary drivers propelling the market include the widespread deterioration of aging water infrastructure which fosters biofilm formation and the subsequent growth of the pathogen. Furthermore, stringent public health codes requiring frequent environmental screening actively support market demand by mandating compliance from facility managers. According to the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease, in 2024, the infection was estimated to be fatal for approximately 10 percent of diagnosed cases. This high mortality rate underscores the critical necessity for proactive monitoring and accurate detection protocols across susceptible facilities.

A significant challenge impeding market expansion is the substantial cost of advanced molecular diagnostic methods compared to conventional culture techniques. Laboratories often face budgetary constraints that limit the adoption of rapid polymerase chain reaction systems despite their speed and sensitivity. This financial barrier is particularly evident in regions with restricted healthcare expenditure where cost efficiency often takes precedence over technological speed. Consequently, the continued reliance on slower traditional testing methodologies remains a hurdle to achieving real time outbreak management and swift remediation of contaminated water sources.

Key Market Drivers

The rising incidence of Legionnaires' disease and pneumonia represents a critical driver propelling the Global Legionella Testing Market. As bacterial proliferation intensifies due to warming climates and aging infrastructure, health agencies are prioritizing rapid detection to contain outbreaks. For instance, according to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency, in September 2025, a severe cluster in Albertville, France, resulted in 50 laboratory-confirmed cases, necessitating immediate environmental screening. This surge in cases compels facility managers to increase testing frequency to identify contamination sources swiftly. Furthermore, according to IWC Innovations, in August 2025, a substantial outbreak in Harlem, New York, led to 114 confirmed cases, demonstrating the widespread vulnerability of urban water systems and the necessity for consistent monitoring across high-density populations.

Concurrently, the market is significantly influenced by technological advancements in rapid molecular diagnostic methods. Laboratories and regulatory bodies are increasingly shifting from time-consuming culture methods to faster polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to enable real-time risk management. Supporting this transition, according to the Legionella Control Association, in May 2025, the organization advanced the adoption of these modern protocols by providing industry guidance on the implementation of ISO/TS 16099 standards for PCR-based detection. This focus on standardizing rapid diagnostics reduces the turnaround time for results, allowing facility operators to validate water safety measures more effectively and minimizing the operational downtime associated with traditional testing timelines.

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Key Market Challenges

The substantial cost of advanced molecular diagnostic methods compared to conventional culture techniques constitutes a major barrier to market expansion. Laboratories often face budgetary limitations that impede the adoption of rapid polymerase chain reaction systems, forcing a continued reliance on slower traditional methods. This financial constraint limits the implementation of high-speed testing protocols, particularly in regions where operational cost efficiency is prioritized over diagnostic speed. Consequently, the market faces difficulty in generating higher revenue streams associated with modern automated platforms.

According to the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease, in 2024, analysis indicated that 96 percent of Legionnaires’ disease cases were sporadic and not linked to known outbreaks. This data underscores the vast number of individual water systems that require monitoring but may be neglected due to cost barriers. The high expense of advanced screening prevents facility managers from implementing the frequency of testing necessary to catch these sporadic instances, thereby directly limiting the addressable market volume for premium diagnostic solutions and slowing the overall industry growth rate.

Key Market Trends

The proliferation of portable point-of-use testing devices is reshaping the market by decentralizing diagnostic capabilities. Unlike traditional laboratory-based methods that require sample transport and extended wait times, these compact solutions allow facility managers to conduct rapid screening directly on-site, reducing the window of exposure during potential outbreaks. This shift is supported by innovations in lateral flow immunochromatographic assays which now offer sensitivity comparable to culture methods. For instance, according to Retrofit Magazine, January 2025, in the 'Study Confirms Accuracy of Rapid Legionella Testing' article, a third-party study confirmed that the Hydrosense PRO rapid testing kit was 100 percent accurate in identifying both Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 and serogroups 2-15. Such high diagnostic precision in a portable format encourages more frequent testing regimes in high-risk environments.

Concurrently, the industry is evolving into integrated water safety management services, moving beyond simple pathogen detection to holistic risk mitigation strategies. Companies are increasingly bundling diagnostic testing with digital monitoring, chemical treatment, and data analytics to deliver comprehensive value-based solutions. This transition allows providers to demonstrate tangible operational efficiencies and improved safety outcomes, fostering long-term partnerships rather than transactional testing contracts. According to Ecolab, May 2025, in the '2024 Growth & Impact Report', the company's integrated water management strategies helped deliver $9.1 billion in cumulative customer value by optimizing water safety and operational performance. This trend indicates that future revenue streams will be driven by the ability to offer end-to-end management ecosystems that combine testing data with actionable remediation insights.

Segmental Insights

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) segment is currently the fastest-growing category in the Global Legionella Testing Market. This rapid expansion is primarily driven by the method's ability to deliver results in hours, offering a significant time advantage over traditional culture methods that require days for incubation. This speed enables water safety managers to implement immediate remedial actions, shifting the focus towards preventive risk management. The segment's growth is further supported by the establishment of validation standards, such as ISO 12869, which have enhanced the commercial credibility and adoption of molecular testing protocols across industrial and healthcare sectors.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominates the Global Legionella Testing Market, driven by rapid industrialization and the expansion of healthcare infrastructure across developing economies. Governments in the region are enforcing rigorous water safety standards to combat outbreaks, with regulatory authorities such as Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare implementing strict testing protocols for cooling towers and public bathhouses. Additionally, the rising prevalence of Legionnaires' disease has necessitated frequent surveillance in commercial and medical facilities. This heightened focus on regulatory compliance and preventive healthcare measures underscores the region's leading position in the global landscape.

Recent Developments

• In November 2024, Hydrosense released the results of an extensive third-party study conducted by a CDC ELITE laboratory, which validated the accuracy of its rapid testing technology. The research compared the company’s Hydrosense PRO rapid test against the traditional culture method using CDC reference materials. The findings demonstrated that the rapid test achieved 100% accuracy in identifying Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 and serogroups 2-15 from blind samples. The study highlighted that the rapid method provided results in just 25 minutes, offering a significantly faster alternative to the seven-day waiting period required by the traditional culture method.
• In September 2024, LuminUltra, a leader in applied molecular diagnostics, announced the acquisition of the Legionella testing business assets of Genomadix Inc. This strategic transaction included the rights to develop and commercialize additional assays and test methods for the water, energy, and food and beverage markets using the Genomadix Cube™ qPCR platform. The acquisition expanded LuminUltra’s portfolio of molecular testing solutions, enabling rapid identification and quantification of the microbes responsible for Legionnaires' disease. The CEO of LuminUltra stated that this addition would allow customers to more rapidly monitor and manage the risk of harmful bacteria proliferation in their water systems.
• In September 2024, Pace Analytical Services announced the establishment of a national Center of Excellence (CoE) for Legionella testing and consulting services at its laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company selected this location due to its centralized capacity and ongoing investments in method research and development. This new center was designed to support clients with both routine and advanced testing services, including species identification, serotyping, and qPCR, as well as outbreak support and water management planning. The Vice President of Operations for Pace Building Sciences noted that the facility would help clients comply with increasing regulatory requirements and mitigate infection risks in building water systems.
• In September 2024, SGS announced a significant enhancement to its Legionella testing capabilities in response to new regulations from the U.S. General Services Administration and rising public health concerns. The company expanded its laboratory capacity and streamlined its testing processes by consolidating methods to include serotyping from the initial stages of analysis. This optimization was designed to decrease incubation time and improve turnaround times for clients, ensuring faster receipt of comprehensive results. SGS emphasized that these improvements would support facility managers and building owners in taking prompt corrective actions to ensure the safety and compliance of their water systems.

Key Market Players

• Abbott Laboratories
• Beckman Coulter, Inc.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.
• BIOMÉRIEUX SA
• Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd
• Hologic Inc.
• Pro-Lab PLC
• QIAGEN N.V.
• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
• Takara Bio Inc.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

By Type	By End Use	By Region
Water testing IVD testing	Microbial culture Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain PCR Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Legionella Testing Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Legionella Testing Market, By Type:

• Water testing
• IVD testing

• Legionella Testing Market, By End Use:

• Microbial culture
• Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain
• PCR
• Others

• Legionella Testing Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE