National Reference Laboratory for Legionella - Norway

The department of medical microbiology at Stavanger University hospital, Norway hosts the National Reference Laboratory for Legionella. We offer reference diagnostics and source investigation and outbreak analyses related to Legionnaire’s disease.

Norsk versjon

Main tasks

Reference diagnostics
Identification and typing of Legionella in diagnostics, source investigation and research
National biobank for Legionella isolates (clinical and environmental) and other reference materials
Surveillance, preparedness and response in case of outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease
Scientific advice and support
Collaboration and research

Laboratory functions

Isolation by culture and identification of Legionella from patient sample; urinary antigen test, PCR and serology (In-house patients mainly, other hospitals by appointment)
Species identification of Legionella isolates (MALDI-TOF and whole genome sequencing)
Serotyping of Legionella pneumophila isolates (agglutination)
Sequence-based typing of Legionella pneumophila isolates (whole genome sequencing)
Monoclonal subtyping of Legionella pneumophila isolates (Dresden-panel)
Source investigation and outbreaks analyses

Surveillance

The Norwegian Reference Laboratory for Legionella works closely together with the epidemiologists at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) regarding source- and outbreaks investigations.
The Reference Laboratory is the ECDC nominated national Operational Contact Point (OCP) for microbiology for Legionnaires’ disease and participates in the European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet)
The Reference Laboratory managers are members of the ESCMID Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI)

Research

The Reference Laboratory is involved in Legionella research and is interested to collaborate and participate in international research projects.

We participate in both national and international conferences

Research publications and presentations:
Poster: Nanopore sequencing as a solution to the mompS challenge in L. pneumophila SBT from short-read data (2022). Krøvel, A.V, Bernhoff, E., Soma, M.A., Hetland, M.A.K., Romstad, M.R. and Löhr, I.H. The 10th International conference on Legionella, Japan, September 20-24.

Legionella pneumophila in Municipal Shower Systems in Stavanger, Norway; a Longitudinal Surveillance Study using Whole Genome Sequencing in Risk Management (2022). Krøvel, A.V., Bernhoff, E., Austerheim, E., Soma, M.A., Romstad, M.R. and Löhr, I.H. Microorganisms; 10 (3);536.

Susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to antimicrobial agents and the presence of the efflux pump LpeAB (2019). Natås, O.B., Brekken, A.L., Bernhoff, E., Hetland, M.A.K., Löhr, I.H and Lindemann, P.C. J Antimicrob Chemother. Jun 1;74(6):1545-1550.
doi: 10.1093/jac/dkz081.

Legionella i kommunale dusjanlegg - Undersøkelse av utbredelse, typer og virulens med tanke på risikostyring (2017). Krøvel A.V., Engen, O.A.H., Bernhoff, E., Nilsen, I.M., Ragnes, K., Wiik, R. og Natås O.B. Rapport IRIS 2017/282 (PDF). Norwegian.

Poster: Legionella pneumophila in municipal shower systems in Stavanger, Norway; a longitudinal study of incidences and types (2015). Krøvel A.V., Bernhoff, E., Rangnes, K and Natås, O.B. 3rd ESGLI meeting, London, UK, September 16-17th.

Contact information

Contact persons:

Dr. Anne Vatland Krøvel

e-mail: anne.vatland.krovel@sus.no

M.D. Monica Regine Romstad

e-mail: monica.regine.romstad@sus.no

Visiting address:

Stavanger University Hospital (SUS)

Department of Medical Microbiology

Armauer Hansens vei 28

4011 Stavanger, Norway

Postal address:

Helse Stavanger HF

Stavanger University Hospital (SUS)

Department of Medical Microbiology

P.O Box 8100

4068 STAVANGER, Norway