Legionella Testing Market

Global Legionella Testing Market Size

The global Legionella testing market was valued at USD 277 million in 2025. The global market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2026 to 2034, reaching USD 545 million by 2034, up from USD 298.61 million in 2026.

MARKET DRIVERS

Increasing spending on R&D, rising awareness around legionella, technological advancements, and untapped potential in emerging markets are a few factors driving the legionella testing market.

Legionella infection is caused by inhaling airborne water droplets contaminated with legionella bacteria. This has led to rising awareness regarding bacteria and its adverse effects on people's health. Since outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease can sometimes be fatal, regular Legionella testing is preferred. Owing to the increased adoption of these testing devices, the market participants and manufacturers are investing continuously to improve further these testing devices, which is anticipated to boost market growth during the forecast period. Increasing initiatives by various governments and market participants to develop technological advancements for effective legionella testing is another factor promoting the market growth. Sometimes, these testing devices must be carried to places such as publicly accessible buildings, health care centers, fountains, cooling towers, and hospitals for testing purposes. In addition, YOY growth in aging people is expected to favor the legionella testing market. This is because people over 50 are much more likely to get infected with legionella.

MARKET RESTRAINTS

Accuracy issues and high costs associated with legionella testing are majorly hampering the market growth. In addition, legionella testing takes a considerable amount of time to announce testing results. So, there is a need to develop quick devices to give results. Due to the low purchasing power of underdeveloped and developing countries, the market is not seeing much encouragement from such regions, which is hampering the overall growth rate of the legionella testing market.

REPORT COVERAGE

SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS

By Test Type Insights

Based on test type, the urinary antigen testing segment led the market in 2024. During the forecast period, the UAN test type is anticipated to showcase healthy CAGR owing to the advantages associated with UAN testing, such as rapid tests, ease of handling, higher sensitivity, and reasonable specificity. In addition, it is used as a diagnostic tool that provides same-day results without requiring respiratory fluid samples, further reducing sensitivity issues. Also, being a cost-effective test, it is preferred by underdeveloped or developing regions.On the other hand, the chest X-ray segment is also anticipated to hold a substantial share of the global legionella testing market over the forecast period.

By Application Insights

Based on application, the water testing segment is widely adopted. It is anticipated to dominate the market during the forecast period owing to strict government laws, increasing incidence of legionella testing, and increasing adoption and usage of water testing methods.However, the antibody-based in vitro diagnostics (IVD) segment is expected to showcase a healthy CAGR during the forecast period. IVD testing is a powerful and popular tool for diagnosing infectious diseases, including Legionella, with high accuracy, due to which many laboratory specialists adopt it.

By End-User Insights

Based on the end-user, the diagnostic laboratories segment is anticipated to hold the largest share of the legionella testing market during the forecast period. Growing adoption of diagnostic laboratories for legionella testing, awareness, and penetration of advanced tests for diagnosing Legionella infection are favoring the segment’s growth. In addition, the lab professionals determine the health of a water system, most of them complying with companies to get more subtle indicators for better testing.The hospital and clinics segment is anticipated to register a healthy CAGR during the forecast period owing to much better shift supervisors through applying strict regulations with environmental controls and managing a suitable treatment plan for legionella testing and treating its infection.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

Europe Legionella Testing Market Analysis

Europe had the largest global legionella testing market share in 2024, closely followed by North America. The legionella testing market in Europe is majorly driven by the growing awareness of Legionnaires' disease, increasing incidence of legionellosis, rising prevalence of waterborne diseases across Europe, and increasing investments from the key market participants on R&D. An estimated 11298 legionellosis cases were identified in Europe in 2021, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

North America Legionella Testing Market Analysis

North America is another promising region for the legionella testing market worldwide and is anticipated to account for a notable share of the global market during the forecast period. The market's growth in this region can be attributed mainly to the vast number of professionals focusing on Legionella risk assessments and related treatments. According to the CDC, 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease every year in the United States. The increasing number of people affected by legionnaires is boosting the growth of the legionella testing market. Furthermore, the presence of key market players in the region from pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, implementation of strict water safety regulatory laws by the government along with considering some favorable initiatives for making Legionella screening compulsory by the governments in countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom has further resulted in driving the growth of the market.

Asia Pacific Legionella Testing Market Analysis

The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to hold the fastest CAGR in the global market. Growing investments to conduct R&D activities, growing awareness of Legionella screening techniques, increasing government support, increasing geriatric population prone to these infections, and availability of funds are supporting the legionella testing market in the Asia-Pacific region.

KEY MARKET PLAYERS

Companies playing a significant role in the global legionella testing market profiled in this report are

• Becton Dickinson and Co.
• bioMerieux SA
• Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.
• Eiken Chemical Co. Ltd.
• Element Materials Technology Group Ltd.
• EMSL Analytical Inc.
• Eurofins Scientific SE
• IDEXX Laboratories Inc.
• Intertek Group Plc
• Pace Analytical Services LLC
• PDC Laboratories LLC
• Pro Lab Diagnostics Inc.
• Quidel Corp.

GLOBAL LEGIONELLA TESTING MARKET NEWS

• In November 2022, the world leader in rapid microbiological testing for water, IDEXX, acquired an innovative Canadian company, Tecta-PDS, to expand its water microbiology testing devices range for laboratory and field testing, providing fast, simple, accurate, and cost-effective water quality testing to protect billions of people every day.
• In August 2022, Water-i.d. invented the ultimate photometer, PrimeLab 2.0, for measuring 18 wavelengths in parallel, helping various end users with sensor configuration and over 140 flexibly selectable parameters for easy management.

MARKET SEGMENTATION

This research report on the global legionella testing market has been segmented and sub-segmented based on test type, application, end-user & region.

By Test Type

• Sputum or Lung Tissue Test
• Urine Antigen Test
• Chest X-ray
• Blood Test

By Application

• Water Testing
• IVD Testing

By End-User

• Diagnostic Laboratories
• Hospital and Clinics

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa