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Microbiology

Our mission is to provide quality public health microbiological services for our providers and to support public health activities in control and prevention of communicable diseases.  Agencies served include county health departments, private physicians, hospitals including VA medical centers, and private laboratories.


Bacteriology

The Bacteriology Unit of the Microbiology Section performs both diagnostic and surveillance services.  Laboratories submit isolates for confirmation and additional characterization such as serotyping and serogrouping.  The Unit also performs primary identification of enteric pathogens from stool.


Molecular Diagnostics

The Molecular Diagnostics Unit of the Microbiology Section functions to perform advanced molecular testing for Influenza, Norovirus, and other respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens.


Molecular Surveillance

The primary function of the Molecular Surveillance Unit of the Microbiology Section is to provide surveillance testing services of foodborne diseases such as Salmonella species and Escherichia coli.  The Unit utilizes whole genome sequencing methods.


Parasitology

PLEASE NOTE:  OLS has temporarily suspended all parasitology testing.  Specimens will be referred to another lab.

The Parasitology Unit of the Microbiology Section performs traditional ova and parasite microscopic examination on stool collected in 10% formalin.  Trichrome staining is no longer performed.


Rabies

The Rabies Unit of the Microbiology Section performs fluorescent antibody testing of animal brain tissue for the presence of the Rabies virus. 


Tuberculosis (AFB) and other Mycobacteria

The Mycobacteriology (TB) Unit assists physicians, health department clinics, and hospitals in the detection, isolation, identification, and drug susceptibility testing of organisms that cause tuberculosis and other diseases.


Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network

The OLS Microbiology Section performs susceptibility testing, carbapenemase detection, and mechanism of resistance detection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii (CRAB) as part of the CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network known as ARLN.  This network of state and local public health labs supports nationwide lab capacity to characterize antibiotic resistance to predict emerging pathogens and mobilize public health action to prevent spread.


Referral Testing

While the Office of Laboratory Services makes every attempt to offer our clients the most complete menu of test services, there are some tests that are not in high enough demand for it to be feasible for us to implement.  In these cases, we offer testing referral services.  You can find the complete list of other testing available HERE.

NOTE: Before shipping, submitters must contact the Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (DIDE) for consultation and approval.  Call 304-558-5358 and ask for the epidemiologist on call.

 

Contact Information

Phone: 304-558-3530
Fax: 304-558-6210