South Texas Laboratory is a branch of the Department of State Health Services Laboratory Services Section and is headquartered at the Rio Grande State Center/South Texas Health Care System in Harlingen, Texas. The Laboratory is dedicated to provide high quality accurate test results to residents of the Rio Grande Valley as a Public Health Laboratory for the Local Health Department and Region 11 as well as a Clinical Laboratory for the Out-Patients of the Rio Grande State Center/South Texas Health Center. The South Texas Laboratory operates as a full service laboratory encompassing Bacteriology/Mycobacteriology, Public Health Bacteriology, Consumer Microbiology, and Emergency Preparedness.

The Clinical Laboratory provides services to patients of all ages for the RGSC/STHCS Out-Patients and Regional Clinics. Sub-sections of the Clinical Laboratory are: Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, Immunology, and Clinical Microscopy. The Clinical Laboratory and Phlebotomy Section serves as support for medical educational programs at the University of Texas Brownsville Medical Laboratory Technology Program student rotations and numerous Vocational Phlebotomy school student rotations.
General Bacteriology, Mycobacteriology, and Parasitology are included in the Bacteriology/Mycobacteriology Laboratory.
The Mycobacteriology Section provides TB services to the four county area, including local hospitals, Immigration Services, Region 11 Clinics and is well known for expertise in TB testing with immediate access to Medical Authorities on new cases and their contacts. The Mycobacteriology Laboratory also serves as the Bi-National TB Laboratory and has been instrumental in training Mexico border state laboratories TB technologists to assist in the elimination of tuberculosis through the DSHS Bi-National Program. South Texas Laboratory continues to serve as the International training center of excellence for TB testing by assisting in the control of tuberculosis on the Mexico-US Border. Participates in special projects, such as NAA Study (a pilot study to evaluate nucleic acid amplification tests to predicte relapse of tuberculosis and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment) and participates in a study with the Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control (CPIDS), University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, entitled “Transmisison Dynamics of Tuberculosis along the US-Mexican Border. The Mycobacteriology Laboratory will also participate with the University of Texas Brownsville-School of Public Health with two grant projects in 2005-2006 which will continue involvement at a higher testing volume and with a more focused training curriculum.
The Public Health Bacteriology Section is the STD Laboratory for DSHS. Services Include Syphilis Serology and the Gen-Probe DNA test for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. Services are provided for Cameron and Hidalgo County Health Departments; Planned Parenthood Association for Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Starr Counties; Valley Aids Council; RGSC/STHCS Out-Patients; Regional Clinics, and Community Clinics. Services are also provided for local hospitals in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties for the confirmation of Syphilis.
Consumer Microbiology provides water testing for Public Water Systems in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties for TCEQ. The Water Lab also tests vended and bottled water samples for Manufactured Foods Division and provides water testing for individual wells and construction samples. The South Texas Laboratory is certified with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the microbiological examination of drinking water.
The Emergency Preparedness section responds to Public Health emergencies and health threats, such as food outbreaks or biological agents for bioterrorism testing, for the Rio Grande Valley. South Texas Laboratory Emergency serves 8 counties, local hospitals, and reference laboratories and is a member of the Laboratory Response Network.

South Texas Laboratory’s professional staff is made up of competent Medical Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Microbiologists, and a Phlebotomist. A highly trained dedicated support staff assists in all areas and provides client support services. Laboratory activities are directed by a Board Certified Pathologist. He is the Medical Laboratory Director and provides consultant services on a part-time basis. The Administrative Laboratory Director is a registered Medical Technologist. General Supervisors are all registered Medical Technologists and have extensive laboratory experience.

South Texas Laboratory is accredited by the Commission Inspection and Accreditation of Laboratories of the College of American Pathologists (#21448-01) and is accredited by the Joint Commission Accreditation of Hospital Organizations and approved to provide clinical services under the Medicare Program (CLIA #45D0503753).

Contact Info:

South Texas Laboratory
1301 S. Rangerville Road
Harlingen, TX 78552
(956) 364-8748
(956) 412-8794

Aurora Martinez, M.T.(ASCP)
Director

Last Updated March 15, 2007