Agent/Disease

HETL Test

Preferred Specimen

Section

Adenovirus

Culture isolation, IFA

Throat, nasopharyngeal, rectal, urine

VIRO

Anaerobe

Identification

Pure isolate in thioglycolate or other suitable growth medium. Clinical material not recommended.

BACTI

Aspergillosis

Identification

See mycology

TB

Bacteria I.D.

Identification

Pure isolate of the unknown

BACTI

Bordetella pertussis

PCR and culture

Nasopharyngeal swab. Transport
media provided by HETL.

BACTI

Campylobacter

Isolation and I.D.

Pure isolate or clinical material

Chickenpox

See Varicella zoster

Chlamydia trachomatis

Amplified DNA probe

Cervical, urethral, or male and female urine specimens. Transport system provided by HETL. GC testing is done on the same specimen.

BACTI

Clostridium difficile

Identification

Call for instructions Toxin testing at CDC.

BACTI

Clostridium botulinum

Identification

Pure isolate, food, stool, vomitus. Toxin testing done at CDC. Call for Instructions.

BACTI

Cryptococcosis

LA

Latex agglutination test to detect antigen in serum & CSF of cryptococcal meningitis cases

VIRO

Cytomegalovirus

Culture isolation, IFA

Urine, throat washings, tissue, serum

VIRO

Cryptosporidium

DFA

Raw Stool in formalin

BACTI

Diphtheria

Isolation and I.D.

Call for instructions

BACTI

Enteric Bacteria

Isolation and I.D.

Pure isolate or clinical material

BACTI

Escherichia coli

EIA Shiga toxin, typing.

Pure isolate or clinical material in Cary-Blair

Enterovirus

Isolation, IFA

Throat, rectal, stool, CSF, tissues

VIRO

Food Poisoning

Culture

Call for instructions.

BACTI

Giardia

DFA

Raw stool in formalin

BACTI

Gonococcal Infections

See Neisseria gonorrhoeae

BACTI

Haemophilus
influenzae

I.D. and typing

Pure isolate

BACTI

Hepatitis B & C

EIA

Serum

VIRO

Herpes simplex

IFA

Serum, IgG

VIRO

Herpes simplex

Cell culture isolation, DFA

Vesicle fluid, throat swab

VIRO

Herpes zoster

Cell culture isolation, IFA

Vesicle fluid

VIRO

HIV-1/HIV-2

EIA

Serum, plasma

VIRO

HIV-1

EIA

Oral fluid

VIRO

HIV-1

WB

Serum, oral fluid

VIRO

Influenza A, B

Isolation, IFA

Throat, nasopharyngeal, respiratory secretions

VIRO

Mumps

Isolation, IFA

Throat, Nasopharyngeal, serum, IgG

VIRO

Mycobacteriology Mycology

Smear, culture,
sensitivity

Sputum, gastric washing, body fluids swab & tissue, bone, urine, special handling, bone marrow & blood

TB

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Culture

Pure isolate or direct culture

BACTI

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Fluorescent antibody microscopy

FA quality slides.

BACTI

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Smears: gram stain

Male urogenital site only . Slides from other sites or females are unsatisfactory.

BACTI

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Amplified DNA Probe

Amplified DNA Probe on cervical, urethral, and male and female urine specimens. Transport system provided by HETL. Chlamydia testing is done on the same specimen.

BACTI

Neisseria meningitidis

I.D. and grouping

Pure isolate.

BACTI

Parainfluenza 1,2,3

Isolation, IFA

Throat, nasopharyngeal, respiratory secretions

VIRO

Pertussis

See Bordetella pertussis

BACTI

Parasite/Protozoa

No longer routinely provided at HETL. Call for assistance during outbreaks or in identifying unusual parasites.

BACTI

Toxoplasmosis

IFA

See TORCH

VIRO

Respiratory syncytial Virus

Isolation, IFA

Throat, nasopharyngeal, respiratory secretions

VIRO

Rubella

EIA

Serum, IgG

VIRO

Rubeola

IFA

Serum, IgG

VIRO

Sal monellas

Isolate, I.D.& serotyping

Pure isolate, Clinical material

BACTI

Shigellosis

Isolate, I.D.& serotyping

Pure isolate, Clinical material

BACTI

Staphylococci

I.D. Call for instructions on phage typing and toxin testing. CDC does not usually do these on single cases.

BACTI

Syphilis

RPR screen-confirmation

Serum Premarital (Out-of State)

VIRO

VDRL

Spinal fluid

VIRO

TORCH (Toxopla-smosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus & HSV )

EIA, IFA

Serum, IgG

VIRO

Toxoplasmosis

IFA

Serum, IgG

VIRO

Tularemia

Not tested at HETL

Specimen referred to CDC. Call for instructions.

BACTI

Varicella zoster

IFA and isolation

Serum, IgG Vesicle fluid or scraping

VIRO

Vibrio (Cholera)

Identification

Pure Isolate, Clinical material

BACTI

Whooping Cough

See Bordetella pertussis

Yersinia

Isolate and I.D.

Pure isolate

BACTI