In this section
With each test we provide the following information where appropriate:
- Name of test and clinical condition
- Measurement units
- Biological reference units
- Clinical decision points
- Type and volume of sample
- Collection container
- Specimen transport
- Turnaround time
- Factors known to significantly affect the results
- Examinations sent to referral clearly identified
Almost all the examinations that we use are NICE accredited UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (SMI) hosted by by United Kingdom Health Security Agency; see UK Standards For Microbiology Investigations.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
| Abscesses and Deep-Seated Wound Infections | Bacteriology | |
| Acanthamoeba | Bacteriology | See Corneal Scrape (Bacteriology) |
| Acute haemorrhagic cystitis | Molecular Microbiology | See BK virus PCR |
| Adenovirus (Respiratory Infection) | Molecular Microbiology | See Respiratory virus PCR |
| Adenovirus 40/41 (Enteric) PCR | Molecular Microbiology | See Enteric Virus Panel |
| Adenovirus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Antenatal | Serology | |
| Antibiotic Susceptibility Test | Bacteriology | |
| Anti-HCV antibody screen and confirmation | Virology | |
| Anti-Hepatitis Bs antibody | Virology | See Hepatitis B surface antibody |
| Anti-HIV 1 and 2 antibody and p24 antigen screen | Virology | See HIV screen 4th generation: HIV1 and 2 antibody and p24 antigen |
| ASO | See Streptococcal serology – Antistreptolysin O (ASO) | |
| Aspergillus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Astrovirus PCR – enteric | Molecular Microbiology | See Enteric Virus Panel |
| Avian influenza | Molecular Microbiology | See Respiratory virus PCR |
B
| Bacteraemia | See Blood Cultures | |
| Bartonella | Virology referral | |
| Bilharzia | Bacteriology | See Ova, Cysts and Parasites |
| Biopsies | Bacteriology | See Tissue and Biopsies |
| BK virus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Blastomyces | Virology referral | See Eye |
| Blood Cultures | Bacteriology | |
| Bloodstream Infection | See Blood Cultures | |
| Bocavirus PCR | Molecular Microbiology referral | |
| Bordetella pertussis | Bacteriology | |
| Bordetella pertussis PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Brucella | Virology referral | |
| Burns | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical |
C
D
| Diphtheria IgG antibody determination | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | |
| Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis B core antibody | Virology | See Hepatitis B core antibody – Dried Blood Spot |
| Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis B surface antigen | Virology | See Hepatitis B surface antigen – Dried Blood Spot |
| Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C antibody | Virology | See Hepatitis C Dried Blood Spot |
| Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C Genotyping | Virology | |
| Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C RNA Screening | Virology | |
| Dried Blood Spot HIV Ag/Ab | Virology | |
| Dried Blood Spot Syphilis antibody | Virology | |
| Dysuria | See Urine Culture |
E
| Ear | Bacteriology | |
| Ebola | ||
| EBV (EBNA) | Virology | |
| EBV (Epstein Barr virus) viral load | Molecular Microbiology | |
| EBV VCA IgG – screening | Virology | |
| EBV VCA IgM – screening | Virology | |
| Ecthyma gangrenosum | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | |
| Ehrlichia IF | Virology referral | |
| Entamoeba | Bacteriology | See Ova, Cysts and Parasites |
| Enteric Virus Panel | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Enterovirus and parechovirus | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Eye | Bacteriology | |
| Eye | Virology ie Molecular | See Adenovirus PCR |
F
| Faeces – Clostridium difficile | Bacteriology | See Clostridium difficile GDH and Toxin |
| Faeces – culture/microscopy | Bacteriology | |
| Faeces culture – Clostridium difficile screen | Bacteriology | See Clostridium difficile GDH and Toxin |
| Fluids | Bacteriology | |
| Folliculitis | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | |
| Functional antibody to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B by Serum Bactericidal Antibody Assay (SBA) | Vaccine Evaluation Unit |
G
| Galactomannan (Aspergillus antigen) | Virology referral | |
| Gastric Biopsy for H.pylori | Bacteriology | |
| Genital specimens | Bacteriology | |
| Giardia lamblia | Bacteriology | See Ova, Cysts and Parasites |
| Glucan | Referral | |
| Gonococcal NAATS confirmation | Virology | See Chlamydia and Gonococcal PCR (Aptima) |
H
I
| Impetigo | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | |
| Infective endocarditis | See Blood Cultures | |
| Influenza A | See Respiratory virus PCR | |
| Influenza B | See Respiratory virus PCR | |
| Intravascular cannulae/Tips | Bacteriology | |
| Invasive infection with Aspergillus | Molecular Microbiology | See Aspergillus PCR |
| Invasive infection with Candida | Molecular Microbiology | See Candida PCR |
J
| JC virus | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Joint Fluids | Bacteriology | See Fluids |
L
| Legionella urinary antigen detection | Virology | |
| Leptospira | Virology referral | |
| Lyme Disease | Virology | |
| Lyme IgG | Virology | See Lyme Disease |
| Lyme IgM | Virology | See Lyme Disease |
M
| Measles IgG | Virology | |
| Measles IgM | Virology | |
| Measles virus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Meningitis | See Meningococcal DNA detection by PCR (multiplex with Pneumococcal DNA PCR) | |
| Meningococcal DNA detection by PCR (multiplex with Pneumococcal DNA PCR) | Molecular Microbiology | |
| MERS | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Metapneumovirus | Molecular Microbiology | See Respiratory virus PCR |
| Molecular subtyping of isolates | Meningococcal Reference Unit | See Neisseria meningitidis functional antibody |
| Mouth swab | Bacteriology | |
| MRSA | Bacteriology | |
| Mumps IgG | Virology | |
| Mumps IgM | Virology | |
| Mycobacteria – Culture, Sensitivity and PCR | Bacteriology | |
| Mycobacterium PCR | Bacteriology | See Mycobacteria – Culture, Sensitivity and PCR |
| Mycoplasma PCR | Molecular Microbiology |
N
| Neisseria meningitidis functional antibody | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | |
| Neisseria meningitidis isolate characterisation | Meningococcal Reference Unit | See Neisseria meningitidis: Serogrouping and outer membrane typing |
| Neisseria meningitidis serology | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | See Neisseria meningitidis functional antibody |
| Neisseria meningitidis: Functional antibody to serogroups A, C, W and Y by internationally standardised serum bactericidal antibody assays | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | See Neisseria meningitidis functional antibody |
| Neisseria meningitidis: Minimum inhibitory concentration | Meningococcal Reference Unit | |
| Neisseria meningitidis: Serogrouping and outer membrane typing | Meningococcal Reference Unit | |
| Neonatal sepsis | See Blood Cultures | |
| Norovirus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | See Enteric Virus Panel |
| Nose Swab | Bacteriology |
O
| Otitis externa | See Ear | |
| Otitis media | See Ear | |
| Ova, Cysts and Parasites | Bacteriology |
P
| Paronychia | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | |
| Parotitis | See Mouth Swab | |
| Parvovirus B19 IgG | Virology | |
| Parvovirus B19 IgM | Virology | |
| Parvovirus B19 viral load | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Peritoneal fluids culture and microscopy | Bacteriology | |
| Pernasal swab (for pertussis) | Bacteriology | See Bordetella Pertussis |
| Pharyngitis | See Throat Swab | |
| Pneumococcal PCR | Molecular Microbiology | See Meningococcal DNA detection by PCR (multiplex with Pneumococcal DNA PCR) |
| Pneumococcal serotype-specific IgG | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | See Streptococcus pneumoniae serology |
| Pneumococcal urinary antigen detection | Virology | |
| Pneumocystis jirovecii PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Polyoma viruses (BK) | Molecular Microbiology | See BK virus PCR |
| Polyoma viruses (JC) | Molecular Microbiology | See JC virus |
| Polysaccharide antigen detection | Meningococcal Reference Unit | See Neisseria meningitidis: Serogrouping and outer membrane typing |
| Posaconazole Level | Referral | |
| Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy | See JC virus | |
| Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) | See Blood Cultures | |
| Pus | Bacteriology | See Abscesses and Deep-Seated Wound Infections |
| Pyuria | See Urine Culture |
Q
| Q Fever Serology and PCR | Referral |
R
| Respiratory Screen | Molecular Microbiology | See Respiratory virus PCR |
| Respiratory specimens | Bacteriology | |
| Respiratory virus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Rhinovirus | See Respiratory virus PCR | |
| Rotavirus PCR – enteric | Molecular Microbiology | See Enteric Virus Panel |
| RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) | See Respiratory virus PCR | |
| Rubella Avidity | Virology referral | |
| Rubella IgG | Virology | |
| Rubella IgM | Virology |
S
| Sapovirus PCR – enteric | Molecular Microbiology | See Enteric Virus Panel |
| Schistosoma haematobium | Bacteriology | See Ova, Cysts and Parasites |
| Sepsis | See Blood Cultures | |
| Sialadenitis | See Mouth Swab | |
| Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical Wounds | Bacteriology | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical |
| Sputum | Bacteriology | See Respiratory specimens |
| Staphylococcal serology – AST | Virology referral | |
| Stem Cell Sterility Check | Bacteriology | |
| Sterile Fluids | Bacteriology | See Fluids |
| Streptococcal serology – Antistreptolysin O (ASO) | Virology | |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae serology | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | |
| Syphilis (Treponema pallidum) screen | Virology | See Syphilis PCR |
| Syphilis antibody | See Syphilis PCR | |
| Syphilis confirmation including immunoblot | ||
| Syphilis IgM | Virology | See Syphilis confirmation including immunoblot |
| Syphilis PCR | Molecular Microbiology |
T
| TB examination (microscopy and culture) | Bacteriology | See Mycobacteria – Culture, Sensitivity and PCR |
| Tetanus antibodies | Vaccine Evaluation Unit | |
| Throat Swab | Bacteriology | |
| Tips | Bacteriology | See Intravascular cannulae/Tips |
| Tissue and biopsies | Bacteriology | |
| Toxoplasma IgM | Virology | |
| Toxoplasma PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Toxoplasma serology (Avidity) | Virology | |
| Toxoplasma serology (IgG) | Virology | |
| Treponema pallidum (syphilis) PCR | Molecular Microbiology | See Syphilis PCR |
| Treponema pallidum confirmation | Virology | See Syphilis confirmation including immunoblot |
| Treponema pallidum screen | Virology | See Syphilis PCR |
| Trichomonas vaginalis | Virology | See Chlamydia and Gonococcal PCR (Aptima) |
U
| Ulcers | See Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | |
| Urinary Tract Infection | See Urine Culture | |
| Urine – cell count | Bacteriology | See Urine Culture |
| Urine Culture | Bacteriology |
V
| Varicella Zoster IgG | Virology | |
| Varicella Zoster IgM | Virology | |
| Varicella Zoster virus PCR | Molecular Microbiology | |
| Vincent’s angina | See Throat Swab | |
| Viral Haemorragic Fever (VHF) | ||
| VRE screening | Bacteriology |
W
| Whooping Cough | See Bordetella Pertussis | |
| Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical | Bacteriology |