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

For more information on any of these tests see the Lab Tests Online UK website. Almost all the examinations that we use are NICE accredited UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (SMI) hosted by by Public Health England; see UK Standards For Microbiology Investigations.

A

• Abscesses and Deep-Seated Wound Infections Bacteriology
• Acanthamoeba Bacteriology
• Acute haemorrhagic cystitis Molecular Microbiology
• Adenovirus PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Adenovirus (Respiratory Infection) Molecular Microbiology
• Adenovirus 40/41 (Enteric) PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Antenatal Serology
• Antibiotic Susceptibility Test Bacteriology
• Anti-HCV antibody screen and confirmation Virology
• Anti-Hepatitis Bs antibody Virology
• Anti-HIV 1 and 2 antibody and p24 antigen screen Virology
• ASO
• Aspergillus PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Astrovirus PCR – enteric Molecular Microbiology
• Avian influenza Molecular Microbiology

B

• Bacteraemia
• Bartonella (Virology referral)
• Bilharzia Bacteriology
• Biopsies Bacteriology
• BK virus PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Blastomyces (Virology referral)
• Blepharitis
• Blood Culture Bacteriology
• Bloodstream Infection
• Bocavirus PCR (Molecular Microbiology referral)
• Bordetella pertussis Bacteriology
• Bordetella pertussis PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Brucella (Virology referral)
• Burns

C

• Campylobacter serology (Virology referral)
• Candida PCR Molecular Microbiology
• Candida precipitins (Virology referral)
• Candidosis
• CAPD Bacteriology
• Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) Screen Bacteriology
• Cellulitis
• Cerebrospinal fluid
• Chickenpox
• Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies Virology
• Chlamydia and Gonococcal PCR (Aptima) Molecular Microbiology
• Chlamydia NAATS confirmation Virology
• Chlamydia/Gonococcal Virology
• Clostridium difficile GDH and Toxin Bacteriology
• Clostridium difficile Ribotyping Service Bacteriology
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus) IgG Virology
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus) IgM Virology
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus) IgG avidity Virology
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus) viral load Molecular Microbiology
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus) genotypic antiviral resistance
• Coccidioides (Virology referral)
• Conjunctivitis Bacteriology
• Contact lens Bacteriology
• Corneal Scrape Bacteriology
• Corneal Scrape Virology
• Coronavirus COVID-19 Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Microbiology
• Coxiella burnetii – see Q fever
• Cryptococcus antigen Virology
• Cryptosporidium Bacteriology
• CSF – Microscopy/culture Bacteriology
• Culture Bacteriology
• Culture: Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical Bacteriology
• Cystic Fibrosis Bacteriology

D

• Dermatological specimens – hair, skin, nails
• Diphtheria IgG antibody determination Vaccine Evaluation Unit
• Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis B core antibody Virology
• Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis B surface antigen Virology
• Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C antibody Virology
• Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C RNA Screening Virology
• Dried Blood Spot Hepatitis C Genotyping Virology
• Dried Blood Spot HIV Ag/Ab Virology
• Dried Blood Spot Syphilis antibody Virology
• Dysuria

E

• Ear Bacteriology
• Ebola
• EBV (Epstein Barr virus) viral load Molecular Microbiology
• EBV VCA IgG – screening Virology
• EBV VCA IgM – screening Virology
• EBV (EBNA) Virology
• Ecthyma gangrenosum
• Ehrlichia IF (Virology referral)
• Entamoeba Bacteriology
• Enteric Virus Panel Molecular Microbiology
• Enterovirus and parechovirus Molecular Microbiology
• Eye Bacteriology
• Eye Virology ie Molecular

F

• Faeces – Clostridium difficile Bacteriology
• Faeces – culture/microscopy Bacteriology
• Faeces culture – Clostridium difficile screen Bacteriology
• Fluids Bacteriology
• Folliculitis

G

• Galactomannan (Aspergillus antigen) (Virology referral)
• Gastric Biopsy for H.pylori Bacteriology
• Genital specimens Bacteriology
• Giardia lamblia Bacteriology
• Glucan (referral)
• Gonococcal NAATS confirmation Virology

H

• • Haematuria
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b antibody Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Helicobacter pylori stool antigen Bacteriology
  • Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Biopsies Bacteriology
  • Hepatitis A total antibody (IgG and IgM) Virology
  • Hepatitis A IgM Virology
  • Hepatitis B confirmation Virology
  • Hepatitis B core antibodies Virology
  • Hepatitis B core IgM Virology
  • Hepatitis B core antibody – Dried Blood Spot Virology
  • Hepatitis B e antigen Virology
  • Hepatitis B e antibody Virology
  • Hepatitis B surface antibody Virology
  • Hepatitis B surface antigen Virology
  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) Virology
  • Hepatitis B surface antigen – Dried Blood Spot Virology
  • Hepatitis B viral load Molecular Microbiology
  • Hepatitis B virus Resistance Markers Molecular Microbiology
  • Hepatitis C confirmation Virology
  • Hepatitis C screen Virology
  • Hepatitis C viral load Molecular Microbiology
  • Hepatitis C virus Genotyping Molecular Microbiology
  • Hepatitis C Dried Blood Spot Virology
  • Hepatitis D (delta) antibody Virology
  • Hepatitis E IgG (Virology referral)
  • Hepatitis E IgM Virology
  • Herpes simplex 1/2 antibody (type specific, IgM and total antibody) Virology
  • Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Histoplasma (Virology referral)
  • HIV confirmation Virology
  • HIV Integrase Resistance Virology
  • HIV P24 antigen and neutralization Virology
  • HIV Resistance Molecular Microbiology
  • HIV screen Virology
  • HIV screen 4th generation: HIV1 and 2 antibody and p24 antigen Virology
  • HIV screen – same day Virology
  • HIV Tropism prediction Molecular Microbiology
  • HIV-1 Viral load Molecular Microbiology
  • HIV-2 viral load (Virology referral)
  • HIV Ag/Ab Dried Blood Spot Virology
  • HIV Resistance Markers Molecular Microbiology
  • HSV 1/2 antibody (type specific, IgM and total antibody) Virology
  • HSV types 1 and 2 PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • HTLV 1 and 2 antibody Virology
  • Human Herpes virus 6 & 7 Molecular Microbiology
  • Human Papilloma virus PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Human Papillomavirus Genotyping Molecular Microbiology

   

  I

  • Impetigo
  • Infective endocarditis
  • Influenza A
  • Influenza B
  • Tips Intravascular cannulae Bacteriology
  • Invasive infection with Aspergillus Molecular Microbiology
  • Invasive infection with Candida Molecular Microbiology

   

  J

  • JC virus Molecular Microbiology
  • Joint Fluids Bacteriology

   

  L

  • Legionella urinary antigen detection Virology
  • Leptospira (Virology referral)
  • Lyme Disease Virology
  • Lyme IgG Virology
  • Lyme IgM Virology

   

  M

  • Measles IgG Virology
  • Measles IgM Virology
  • Measles virus PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Meningitis
  • Meningococcal DNA detection by PCR (multiplex with Pneumococcal DNA PCR) Molecular Microbiology
  • Neisseria meningitidis functional antibody Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • MERS Molecular Microbiology
  • Metapneumovirus Molecular Microbiology
  • Molecular subtyping of isolates Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Mouth swab Bacteriology
  • MRSA Bacteriology
  • Mumps IgG Virology
  • Mumps IgM Virology
  • Mycobacteria – Culture, Sensitivity and PCR (Bacteriology) Bacteriology
  • Mycobacterium PCR Bacteriology
  • Mycoplasma PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae particle agglutination Virology

   

  N

  • Neisseria meningitidis: Functional antibody to serogroups A, C, W and Y by internationally standardised serum bactericidal antibody assays Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Functional antibody to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B by Serum Bactericidal Antibody Assay (SBA) Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Neisseria meningitidis isolate characterisation Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Neisseria meningitidis: Serogrouping and outer membrane typing Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Neisseria meningitidis: Minimum inhibitory concentration Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Neisseria meningitidis PorA sequencing from cultures Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Neisseria meningitidis serology Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Neonatal sepsis
  • Norovirus PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Nose Swab Bacteriology

   

  O

  • Otitis externa
  • Otitis media
  • Ova, Cysts and Parasites Bacteriology

   

  P

  • Paronychia
  • Parotitis
  • 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
  • Pharyngitis
  • Pneumococcal PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Pneumococcal serotype-specific IgG Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Pneumococcal urinary antigen detection Virology
  • Pneumocystis jirovecii PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Polyoma viruses (BK) Molecular Microbiology
  • Polyoma viruses (JC) Molecular Microbiology
  • Polysaccharide antigen detection Meningococcal Reference Unit
  • Posaconazole Level (referral)
  • Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy
  • Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE)
  • Pus Bacteriology
  • Pyuria

  Q

  • Q Fever Serology and PCR (Referral)

   

  R

  • Respiratory specimens Bacteriology
  • Respiratory Screen Molecular Microbiology
  • Respiratory virus PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Rhinovirus
  • Rotavirus PCR – enteric Molecular Microbiology
  • RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
  • Rubella IgG Virology
  • Rubella IgM Virology
  • Rubella Avidity (Virology referral)

   

  S

  • Sapovirus PCR – enteric Molecular Microbiology
  • Schistosoma haematobium Bacteriology
  • Sepsis
  • Sialadenitis
  • Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical Wounds Bacteriology
  • Sputum Bacteriology
  • Staphylococcal serology – AST (Virology referral)
  • Stem Cell Sterility Check Bacteriology
  • Sterile Fluids Bacteriology
  • Streptococcal serology (including anti-DNaseB) Virology
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae serology Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Syphilis antibody Virology
  • Syphilis confirmation including immunoblot
  • Syphilis IgM Virology
  • Syphilis PCR Molecular Microbiology

   

  T

  • TB examination (microscopy and culture) Bacteriology
  • Tetanus antibodies Vaccine Evaluation Unit
  • Throat Swab Bacteriology
  • Tips Bacteriology
  • Tissue Bacteriology
  • Toxoplasma PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Toxoplasma serology (IgG) Virology
  • Toxoplasma serology (IgM) Virology
  • Toxoplasma serology (Avidity)Virology
  • Treponema pallidum (syphilis) PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • Treponema pallidum confirmation Virology
  • Treponema pallidum screen Virology
  • Trichomonas vaginalis Virology

   

  U

  • Ulcers
  • Urinary Tract Infection
  • Urine – cell count Bacteriology
  • Urine Culture Bacteriology

   

  V

  • Varicella Zoster IgG Virology
  • Varicella Zoster IgM Virology
  • Varicella Zoster virus PCR Molecular Microbiology
  • VRE screening Bacteriology
  • Vincent’s angina
  • Viral Haemorragic Fever (VHF)

   

  W

  • Whooping Cough
  • Wounds – Skin, Superficial, Non-surgical Bacteriology

   

   

  (Last reviewed March 2020)