Department Of Microbiology

Microbes are infectious agents that are not visible to the naked eye; they are widespread in nature. Some cause human diseases. They are divided into bacteria, fungi, viruses, prions, and protozoa. Macroscopic parasites are also included. Diagnosis of infection by the microbiology laboratory has two important functions: clinical and epidemiological. The microbiology laboratory is an essential part of effective infection prevention and control (IPC). The microbiology laboratory should be able to determine the most frequent microbes causing healthcare-associated infections, and perform at least some basic typing of microorganisms for epidemiologic evaluations. The microbiology laboratory produces routine reports for IPC personnel to develop incidence graphs for specific pathogens, antibiotic resistance, wards, and groups of patients. Microbiologists, understanding the role of normal colonising flora of humans, the pathogenesis of infections, and the characteristics of specific pathogens, can interpret microbiological findings for IPC personnel. The various facilities under the department includes:

Bacteriology lab:
Bacteriologylab has facilities for isolation and indentification of various pathogenic bacteria and determining their antimicrobial susceptibility by conventional and automated methods.

Serology lab:
Serology lab has both qualitative and quantitative tests for ASO titre, CRP, Rheumatoid factor, enteric fever, chikungunya etc.

Immunology lab:
Immunology lab has HIV, TORCH profile, Dengue panels, ANA profile.

Mycobacteriology lab:
has state of art facilities. Conventional and Automated Culture is done for pulmonary as well as extrapulmonary samples. First /Second line anti-mycobacterial susceptibility testing by MGIT automated method is done. LPA molecular testing for identification of MDR patients is done in pulmonary samples. Real time PCR forTuberculosis is done in recommended samples.

Mycology Lab:
Routine culture and identification of fungi.

Parasitology Lab:
Identification of blood and enteric parasites is available. Rapid test for antigen detection and ELISA are also available.

Virology Lab
Virology lab has ELISA testing for Hepatitis A. B. C. and E by manual as well as automated method. All markers of Hepatitis B are available ie., HBe. HBc. HBs. JE lgM ELISA is available.

Molecular diagnostics:
Department has a well equipped, fully functional common molecular diagnostic section. Currently it offers viral load estimation for COVID-19 by Roche lightcycler 96 Real-time PCR system.