Communicable Disease Microbiology
The Office of Public Health Microbiology has approximately thirty technical and support staff. Reference capabilities in this office include diagnostic and surveillance services that focus on foodborne disease,
sexually transmitted diseases, virus isolation and viral serology, mycobacteriology, and a variety of new forms of molecular technology. Individual units within the laboratory are headed by leading experts in
the field who work together with the Office of Epidemiology, housed in the same facility, on a daily basis. Virology, serology, HIV, and Chlamydia laboratories perform a variety of conventional, serological and
molecular tests to rapidly identify disease agents and characterize viral and bacterial pathogens. Standard tests performed by these laboratories include influenza, rabies, syphilis, EIA and western blot for HIV,
Gen-Probe Optima II Combo for Chlamydia/GC, IgG and IgM for rubeola. This office also has a state of the art molecular diagnostics unit that uses DNA based technologies including pulsed field gel electrophoresis
(PFGE) and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assist the Office of Epidemiology with outbreak investigations.
During 1996-1997, the Microbiology section began developing advanced molecular biology testing capabilities for bacterial and viral pathogens. The methodologies have allowed the PHL to improve the testing services
offered to its customers and to initiate new research projects. Since 1997 the PHL has been testing samples (nasopharyngeal swabs) submitted for
Bordetella Pertussis by PCR. The PHL has conducted two extensive and
divided studies with UW to compare various methodologies for detecting B. Pertussis from clinical samples.
The Public Health Microbiology staff has been directly involved in the investigation of sporadic cases and outbreaks related to
Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Vibrio parahaemolyticus,
Enterotoxigenic E. coli, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, Norwalk-like virus, rubeola, rubella and influenza, to name a few. The team approach of microbiology and
epidemiology staff has led to timely intervention for outbreak investigations. For example, during the months of July and August 1999, a unique cluster of 35 cases of E. coli O157:H7 was recognized through routine
PFGE surveillance testing at the PHL. Patients linked to the cluster reported swimming in a shallow sectioned-off area of a popular swimming lake in southwest Washington. Microbiologists from our Environmental
Section were able to isolate E. coli O157:H7 from sediment samples collected from the Battleground Lake. This was the first documented report isolating E. coli O157:H7 from lake sediment. Subsequently, the PFGE
profile from the sediment isolate was found to be identical with all 35 human E. coli O157:H7 cases. The PulseNet system helped to provide assurances that the outbreak was not a large multi-state problem but one
localized in southwest Washington.
Microbiology Laboratory Units
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