Daniel S. Shapiro, MD – Director
Wendy B. Gillespie, MT, ASCP – Manager
What is the Microbiology Laboratory?
The Microbiology Laboratory is one of many labs in the Department of
Laboratory Medicine at Lahey Clinic. The main purpose of this laboratory is to
assist in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. This starts with the patient
entering the healthcare system and presenting with certain signs and symptoms
consistent with an infectious disease. The patient's physician then orders
specific tests to clarify the presence of an infectious disease. These diseases
can include those caused by bacteria (e.g., Group A streptococcus that may cause
strep throat); those caused by viruses (e.g., influenza A that cause the flu);
those caused by fungi (e.g., Candida, which may cause vaginal yeast infections);
or those caused by parasites (e.g., Giardia, which may cause diarrhea).
Who works in the Microbiology Laboratory?
A range of personnel performs testing and oversees the Microbiology
Laboratory. Medical technologists, who are highly trained professionals and have
bachelor's degrees in medical technology or microbiology, perform the daily
testing. The lab is directed by a board-certified physician with specialty
training in microbiology and infectious diseases.
How does the lab diagnose your infection?
In order for microbiology to aid in diagnosing the correct infectious
disease, a number of steps occur. The first step is the collection of the
appropriate specimens to diagnose the patient's disease. For instance, if an
infection of the bladder is a possibility, the physician may order a urinalysis
that looks at the cell types present in the urine, such as red and white blood
cells, as well as a urine specimen for a culture to grow the organism that is
causing the infection.
Specimens may be collected from a number of different sources, including
blood, urine, and swab specimens of the throat. Sometimes a more invasive
technique using a needle or other special instrument is required to collect the
specimen. This first step in microbiology diagnosis of infectious disease is
very important! A good quality specimen means the best chance of diagnosing the
infectious disease.
What test methods are used to find the organism?
After the collection of the specimen and input from the physician about what
the possible infectious disease may be, the laboratory decides what technique is
best to identify the infectious disease and the organism likely causing the
problem. All of the techniques look for some product of an organism. The time it
takes to identify the organism is dependent on the technique used, as well as
how complicated the testing process may be. For the patient, this means the lab
may be able to provide an answer in anywhere from 15 minutes to eight weeks!
Recommended Web site:
http://www.asm.org
The
American
Society for Microbiology represents 25 disciplines of microbiological
specialization plus a division for microbiology educators. Microbiologists study
microbes--bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, mycoplasma, fungi, algae and
protozoa--some of which cause diseases, but many of which contribute to the
balance of nature or are otherwise beneficial. Microbiological research includes
infectious diseases, recombinant DNA technology, alternative methods of energy
production and waste recycling, new sources of food, new drug development, and
the etiology of sexually transmitted diseases, among other areas. Microbiology
is also concerned with environmental problems and industrial
processes.
