Guidance

Public health laboratories: general clinical laboratory tests

A range of tests are available from the majority of PHE regional clinical microbiology laboratories.

A range of tests are available from the majority of PHE regional clinical microbiology laboratories. Please check user manuals of individual laboratories for a definitive list of availability at each site.

Serological tests

Tests include:

  • HBsAg screen
  • HBsAg confirmation
  • HBV markers (HBE or anti-e, anti – HBC total, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HBs)
  • HCV antibody screen
  • HCV antibody confirmation
  • Hepatitis D (Delta) antibody
  • HEV antibody IgM and IgG
  • HIV antibody screen
  • HIV antibody confirmation
  • HTLV 1 and 2 antibody
  • Syphilis antibody confirmation
  • HAV IgM and Total antibody
  • Rubella virus IgM and IgG
  • Erythrovirus B19 IgM and IgG
  • Measles virus IgM and IgG
  • Mumps virus IgM and IgG
  • CMV IgM and IgG
  • EBV antibody profile
  • Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM
  • HSV IgG
  • VZV IgM and IgG
  • Treponema pallidum antibody screen
  • Treponema pallidum antibody confirmation
  • Streptococcus serology (ASO, Anti-DNase B)
  • Borrelia burgdorferi IgG
  • Galactomannan serology
  • H.pylori IgG

Faecal antigen detection

  • H.pylori
  • Rotavirus and Adenovirus

Molecular detection tests

Tests include:

  • Respiratory virus PCR profile
  • Influenza A (including H5) viruses
  • Influenza B virus
  • Parainfluenza viruseses
  • Respiratory syncytial virus
  • Human metapneumovirus
  • Adenovirus
  • Rhinovirus
  • Bordetella pertussis
  • VZV
  • HSV types 1 and 2
  • BK or JC
  • Enterovirus and parechovirus
  • Norovirus
  • HIV
  • HIV resistance
  • HBV qualitative and quantitative
  • HBV genotype
  • HCV qualitative and quantitative
  • HCV genotype
  • Adeno, CMV and EBV multiplex quantitative (monoplex available)
  • CMV
  • Human papilloma virus
  • Human papilloma virus genotype
  • Chlamydia trachomatis and Nesseiria gonorrheoea (duplex)
  • Treponema pallidum
  • Neisseria meningitides
  • Streptococcal pneumoniae
  • Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae
  • Aspergillus spp
  • Candida spp
  • Pneumocytsis jirovcii
  • HIV Point mutation
  • HEV
  • Liverpool epidemic strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Clostridium difficile ribotying

M tuberculosis complex

Direct detection, characterisation, susceptibility testing and strain typing

Non tuberculous Mycobacteria

Characterisation and susceptibility testing

Bacteriology tests

Bacteriology tests to provide microscopy, culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing for:

  • gastrointestinal tract
  • upper respiratory tract
  • ear
  • eye
  • nose
  • blood
  • CSF
  • wound
  • tissue
  • genital tract
  • urine
  • puss or fluid
  • skin
  • sputum
  • post Mortem
  • organism screening eg Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening
  • Mycobacteria culture
  • any other body site or specimen for culture

Mycology tests

Mycology tests to provide microscopy culture and anti-fungal susceptibility testing for fungi and yeasts.

Parasitology tests

Parasitology tests to provide microscopy and identification of medically important ova cysts and parasites.

Food, water and environmental tests

Tests include:

  • hygiene screens for food samples and surface swabs
  • presence of pathogens, such as salmonella species, campylobacter species, vibrio species, listeria species and Escherichia coli O157
  • spoilage organisms, such as yeasts and moulds
  • shelf-life testing of foods
  • water quality testing of swimming and spa pools
  • Legionella species detection in water and environmental samples
  • bacillus anthracis detection in environmental samples
  • scombrotoxin testing
  • dairy product testing including determination of phosphatase
  • scombrotoxin testing
  • shellfish testing
  • support for investigation of outbreaks

Updates to this page

Published 2 March 2009

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