General Microbiology Services

• Testing for tuberculosis, rabies, food-borne diseases (eg, botulism and other food poisoning), plague, diphtheria, whooping cough, gonorrhea, salmonellosis, shigellosis, E. coli O157, other diarrheal diseases, giardiasis, amoebic dysentery, cryptosporidosis, and other intestinal parasitic diseases.
• Conducting bacteriologic monitoring of surface, waste, and drinking water to support local health department programs and other state agencies.

• Compiling testing data for applied research and disease monitoring.

• Providing technical assistance and consultation to clinical laboratories, local health departments, and other agencies.

• Providing testing to support public health programs and activities undertaken by local health departments and other agencies.

• Molecular sub-typing of some bacterial pathogens is also performed.

The General Microbiology Section tests approximately 8,500 clinical specimens and 4,000 water samples per year.

Resources

• For more information on the availability of particular tests, please consult the Quick Reference section of the Guide To Services manual. You may also link to Request Forms to access available forms.
• Bioterrorism Response and Preparedness Information is available from the Laboratory Response Networkprogram, and from the Acute and Communicable Disease Program with links to related sites.
  
  
• GM Tests includes information on how to submit specimens for testing.

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