Clinical Microbiology and Virology
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
The Delaware Public Health Laboratory Clinical Microbiology section tests clinical samples taken from blood, urine, cervix, urethra or spinal fluid for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including syphilis. Gonorrhea and chlamydia testing is performed using amplified DNA methods. Other testing performed includes shigatoxin, antimicrobial susceptibility (for antimicrobial resistance surveillance) and serotyping of salmonella, shigella and Neisseria meningitidis. Tuberculosis (mycobacteriology) testing is performed for recovery, identification and drug susceptibility testing of acid fast bacilli (AFB). Parasitology is performed for the examination for amoeba and other gastro-intestinal parasites in feces.
VIROLOGY
The Delaware Public Health Laboratory Virology section performs testing for viruses using living host systems. Immunological, serological and neutralization procedures are used to identify viruses and viral infections. Sample sources include autopsy, biopsy, blood, CSF,cervix, eye, skin, lesion, throat, urine, stool or other body fluids. Testing includes the following: HIV-1 (which includes rapid testing at state service centers), herpes, hepatitis, West Nile and other arboviruses, rabies and influenza.
