The Microbiology Laboratory receives samples from patients to identify organisms that are responsible for infection including bacteria, fungi and parasites. The laboratory workflow is handled by medical technologists specialized in microbiology and is staffed 24 hours per day.
Testing
Testing performed by the Microbiology Laboratory includes:
- Culture of blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), stool, tissue and other human samples for aerobic, anaerobic, mycobacterial and fastidious bacterial species as well as fungus
- Direct staining for bacteria and fungi via Gram stain, Modified Acid Fast stain and immunofluorescence for Pneumocystis
- Rapid detection of influenza, streptococcus, cryptococcus, Clostridium difficile, Giardia and Cryptosporidium
- Examination of stool and other body fluids for ova and parasites
- Molecular diagnostic testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (1,2,3), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), BK virus, adenovirus, gonorrhea, chlamydia,
- Trichomonas and Clostridium difficile (C diff) confirmatory testing.
