Microbiology and Infectious Disease Testing

Microbiology and Infectious Disease Testing

Advanced Molecular Diagnostics

Infectious disease diagnostics has recently been rapidly evolving towards the use of Advanced Molecular Diagnostic (AMD) methods. Public health laboratories are increasingly called upon to provide rapid identification of emerging and re-merging disease-causing agents using more complex, sensitive and specific tests. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Laboratory has established an AMD Section within the Infectious Diseases Microbiology Division to conduct conventional molecular methods as well as to develop, validate and implement more complex AMD methodologies such as Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) for routine diagnostic and public health surveillance purposes.

WGS is currently performed at the DPH Laboratory for bacterial pathogens implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks, including Salmonella, STEC, Shigella, Listeria, Vibrio, or Campylobacter. Genomic data obtained from WGS can be analyzed to determine genetic relatedness of recovered bacteria and the likelihood of them being linked to a local and/or national disease outbreak. Data obtained from expansion of WGS methods will allow for prediction of drug susceptibility and resistance in pathogens such as Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis; or for the identification and typing of infectious pathogens of public health significance, such as human enteroviruses.

Conventional molecular testing conducted in this section includes real-time RT-PCR for the detection of infectious agents such as influenza, measles, mumps, zika virus and C. auris.

Please refer to the Directory of Clinical Testing Services at https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Laboratory/Clinical-Testing-Services/DCTS-101915 for additional information.

________________________________________________________________________

Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease found primarily in warm-blooded mammals and infection by the rabies virus occurs in the brain and spinal cord. People or domestic pets can get rabies by exposure to the saliva, by a bite or scratch, of an infected animal. Although rabies in dogs has largely been eliminated in the United States, it is still widespread in wildlife. Bats, raccoons, skunk, and fox are the major reservoirs and serve as a source of potential infection for other animals, including domestic pets, and people.

Rabies testing of suspected rabid animals performed at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Laboratory allows state epidemiologists to monitor the occurrence of rabies among wild and domestic animals. DPH offers testing of animals that could have exposed people to the rabies virus. Since rabies is invariably fatal once symptoms appear, the timely results of testing are critical to guiding the clinical management of patients exposed to potentially rabid animals.

The Department of Public Health Laboratory works in collaboration with DPH Epidemiology, the CT Department of Agriculture, the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and all local health departments to keep communities safe from the risk of exposure to rabid animals.

For additional information about rabies exposure and testing at the CT DPH Laboratory, please call the CTDPH Epidemiology & Emerging Infections Program at (860) 509-7994 or visit here.

Serology

Serological testing is conducted on blood serum to detect antibodies resulting from exposure to a particular infectious bacteria or virus. Testing done in the Serology section of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Laboratory provides clinically diagnostic results as well as data useful for the surveillance of infectious diseases of public health significance. These test data include results for vaccine preventable diseases, diseases transmitted from animals to humans, sexually transmitted infections, and mosquito and other arthropod borne diseases. When not readily available elsewhere, some infrequently requested serological testing submitted by healthcare providers can often be forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further analysis.

Please refer to the Directory of Clinical Testing Services at https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Laboratory/Clinical-Testing-Services/DCTS-101915 for additional information.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted infections are some of the most common infections found in the United States and affect persons from all backgrounds. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Laboratory’s diagnostic services support the DPH Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Control Program activities to reduce the occurrence of STDs through disease surveillance, case and outbreak investigation, screening, preventive therapy, outreach, diagnosis, case management, and education. For further information, contact the CT DPH Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Program or at 860-509-7920.

STDs are infectious diseases that are often characterized by a phase in which the virus or bacteria causing the disease may circulate in the blood or other body fluids for a prolonged period. When people are exposed to these infectious agents through sexual activity, the body’s immune system produces specific antibodies against the organism. Detection of these antibodies helps determine whether an infection occurred recently or at an unknown time in the past. STD testing includes Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis, and Hepatitis testing. Additionally, the DPH Laboratory performs culturing and molecular tests to directly detect other organisms that cause sexually transmitted infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Herpes.

Please refer to the Directory of Clinical Testing Services at https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Laboratory/Clinical-Testing-Services/DCTS-101915 for additional information.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Virology

Many viral diseases of public health significance take the form of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness accompanied by fever and malaise, while other viral diseases present as localized rashes, sores, or encephalitis. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Laboratory performs viral culture and molecular testing that provides clinically diagnostic results as well as data to support the surveillance efforts of the DPH Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program (DPH EEIP). The mission of the Program is to prevent illness, disability, and death in Connecticut residents caused by infectious diseases in otherwise healthy communities. For further information, contact DPH EEIP https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Infectious-Diseases/EEI/Epidemiology-and-Emerging-Infections-Program or at 860-509-7994.

The Virology section of the laboratory performs testing for the identification of the most common viral agents of public health significance, including influenza, measles, and mumps, arbovirus, and herpes. The section also has the capacity to respond to outbreaks and emerging public health pandemics, such as Zika virus and novel respiratory viruses, based on recommendations from both the CT DPH Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When not readily available elsewhere, some infrequently requested testing submitted by healthcare providers can often be forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further analysis.

Please refer to the Directory of Clinical Testing Services at https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Laboratory/Clinical-Testing-Services/DCTS-101915 for additional information.

________________________________________________