Clinical Microbiology

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Senior Technologists:

  
 

Ellen Bassett, Media Receiving


Telephone: (734) 936-6827
 

 

Specimen Processing receives specimens from a variety of hospitals, clinics, and clients.  Once received, this area evaluates specimens for proper test order, transport media, and collection methodology. Specimens are then setup on media corresponding to test order(s) and incubated accordingly. Specimen Processing also reads Gram stains of direct smears from specimens.  This area of the lab is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  

Adjacent to Specimen Processing is Media Receiving.  Media Receiving orders and receives supplies for all the Clinical Microbiology Laboratories. This area also performs quality control on reagents, media, and bacterial identification kits as they are received. Media Receiving works with laboratory leadership and hospital purchasing to obtain contracts with companies that provide quality products at reasonable prices.

Aerobes, Anaerobes, Blood Cultures and Susceptibility Testing

Lead Technologists

  
Senior Technologists: 

Connie Brenke, Susceptibility Testing

Telephone: (734) 936-66831

 

Kathleen Cullen, Aerobes and Special Bacteriology

Telephone: (734) 936-7284
   

Medical Technologists 2: 

Lily Keenan, Anaerobes

Telephone: (734) 232-5598

 

Becky Ott, Blood Cultures 


Telephone: (734) 936-7284
   

The bacteriology area performs identification and susceptibility tests on a variety of micro-organisms isolated from patient specimens.  Bacterial cultures are read on day and afternoon shifts to ensure rapid reporting to the clinicians.

MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Deionization-Time of Flight) is a mass spectrometry instrument used in the laboratory for identification of microbial organisms. MALDI-TOF has reduced the turnaround time for identification of organisms compared to conventional methods. This system may reduce identification time from hours to minutes for many isolates.  

Patient specimens are divided by type to provide a focused attention to the potential pathogens and flora types expected from each collection site, including blood and spinal fluids, body fluids and wounds, urogenital cultures, respiratory cultures and urine cultures.

Blood cultures are incubated on an automated instrument.  These cultures are monitored continuously for at least 5 days.  Reports are issued automatically after 24 hours of incubation for all negative blood cultures. Automatic final negative results are issued after 5.5 days.  There are no intervening updates on negative cultures.

Susceptibility testing is performed using broth microdilution or disc diffusion. The susceptibility testing area works in close association with the pharmacy department to provide appropriate antibiotic results for optimal patient care.

Senior Technologist

Stephanie Hillman

Telephone: (734) 936-6829

Mycology offers to test for speciation of fungal organisms and for performing yeast in vitro susceptibility testing. 

  • Fungal identification for Candida and other yeast species using MALDI-TOF.
  • Cryptococcal antigen detection
  • Fungal culture including identification of dimorphic and filamentous fungi.
  • Direct microscopic examination
    • KOH
    • Calcofluor white
  • Yeast in vitro susceptibility testing.
  • Identification of Nocardia species using MALDI-TOF.

 

Mycobacteriology offers Mycobacteria species identification and select organism susceptibility testing.

  • Culture and smear using a mycobacterial broth detection system.
  • Identification by MALDI-TOF and DNA probe testing.
  • Mycobacterial blood cultures
  • Susceptibility testing for select rapidly growing mycobacteria performed in the microbiology laboratory.

Medical Technologist 2

Saira Ramirez

Telephone: (734) 232-5601

Parasitology performs routine and STAT examination on a wide range of specimens.  STAT examination of blood films is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Our lab routinely performs tests including ova and parasite examination of stool, pinworm testing, stool antigen testing for Giardia, rapid antigen testing of urine for Trichomonas, and identification of medically important ticks and worms.  Testing can also be performed on specimens from other body sites like sputum, urine, duodenal aspirates, etc.  Our lab works in close association with health care providers to optimize collection and identification of parasites.  

Lead Technologist

Lesley Lebioda

Telephone: (734) 936-6842

Molecular Diagnostics is a rapidly evolving area of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.  It routinely performs a high volume of testing for human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas, Mycoplasma and Clostridium difficile toxin. Molecular quantitative testing is performed for cytomegalovirus, HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B. Qualitative tests include the detection of Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis, Pneumocystis jiroveci, Legionella, herpes simplex virus I and II, hepatitis C genotyping, respiratory viruses including influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza 1-3, and human metapneumovirus and gastrointestinal viruses, parasites and bacteria including norovirus, Salmonella and Giardia.