Nova Biologicals Achieves CDC ELITE Status, Securing Gold Standard for Legionella Testing Accuracy

Legionella pneumophila, the bacterium responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, is notoriously difficult to culture and detect in complex water systems. False negatives from non-specialized laboratories can leave hospitals, hotels, and industrial facilities vulnerable to outbreaks and liability. The CDC ELITE Program was established to test the proficiency of laboratories in isolating Legionella from environmental samples, ensuring that participating labs can produce accurate, legally defensible results.

"For building owners, facility managers, or public health professionals, choosing a lab that participates in ELITE signals a higher level of assurance that the lab’s methods for environmental Legionella testing are validated in a recognized way," said Karla Allred, Director of Operations at Nova Biologicals.

A Human-First Approach to Water Safety

As regulatory requirements for water management plans tighten across North America, the burden on facility managers has increased. Nova’s achievement of ELITE status provides the critical peace of mind facility managers need to operate with confidence. By partnering with an ELITE-certified laboratory, safety directors can move beyond simple compliance and focus on their primary goal: protecting the health of their occupants.

"We aren’t just delivering test results; we are delivering certainty," said Christopher Loke, Director of Strategic Marketing for Tentamus North America. "This certification confirms that when a facility manager trusts Nova with their water samples, they are getting data that meets the rigorous gold standard set by the CDC. It’s about eliminating the guesswork so they can keep their people safe."

Nova Biologicals is now accepting samples for CDC ELITE-verified Legionella testing immediately.

About Nova Biologicals

Nova Biologicals, located in Conroe, Texas, is a full-service testing laboratory and part of Tentamus North America. Specializing in water, medical device, and antimicrobial testing, Nova helps businesses ensure the safety and quality of their products and environments.