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 United Kingdom Health Security Agency; see UK Standards For Microbiology Investigations.

Container guide for Bacteriology tests

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
ASD
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 Cultures 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 tests
CAPD Bacteriology
Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) Screen Bacteriology
Cellulitis
Cerebrospinal fluid
Chickenpox
Chlamydia and Gonococcal PCR (Aptima) Molecular Microbiology
Chlamydia NAATS confirmation Virology
Chlamydia/Gonococcal Virology
Clostridium difficile GDH and Toxin 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

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)
- Dried Blood Spot HIV Ag/Ab 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
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
- Mycobacterium PCR Bacteriology
- Mycoplasma PCR Molecular Microbiology
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 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
- P arvovirus 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
- Syphilis (Treponema pallidum) screen 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 and biopsies Bacteriology
- Toxoplasma PCR Molecular Microbiology
- Toxoplasma serology (IgG) Virology
- Toxoplasma 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 November 2021)

Repertoire of tests

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W