Microbiology
Microbiology is about looking for potential pathogenic microbes in humans. This includes bacteria, parasites and fungi. Our Clinical Microbiology Laboratory provides a wide range of services including sexual health screening, enteric pathogens, to multiple resistant organisms. We are also the national reference centre for Mycology, Anaerobes, and molecular typing of Mycobacteria.
Our Microbiologists provide advice about interpretation of microbiology results, treatment of infections and infection control issues. We also work in close liaison with the infectious disease clinicians and the Infection Control service at ADHB.
Our Antimicrobial and Antifungal Susceptibility Reports can be viewed here.
Key Contacts
- Clinical Lead Dr Sally Roberts
- Clinical Microbiologist Dr Sharmini Muttaiyah
- Clinical Microbiologist Dr Mary de Almeida
- Clinical Microbiologist Dr Matthew Blakiston
- Clinical Microbiologist Dr Arthur Morris
- Operations Manager Nadia Al anbuky
- Scientist Unit Manager Mary Bilkey
The anaerobic section is the national reference centre and receives anaerobes from hospital and community laboratories throughout New Zealand. Organisms are identified using a combination of phenotypic tests, commercial systems and 16SrRNA-sequence analysis.
Click here to download the Anaerobic Reference Laboratory Referral Form
Key contact
We offer rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) respiratory specimens by PCR. This can be done on smear positive specimens from patients suspected of having multi-drug resistant TB, or where there are public health or infection control concerns.
A TB antigen test is available for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from positive cultures and we have a rapid DNA probe to identify M. avium-complex.
Susceptibility testing against first and second line anti-TB drugs is available, as well as susceptibility testing for rapid growing mycobacteria. Molecular resistance testing is also available.
The Molecular Diagnostic section provides molecular typing (MIRU) for all New Zealand M. tuberculosis strains. Please see Molecular Diagnostic for details.
Key contact
We provide a National Reference service for identification of fungi and aerobic actinomycetes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is provided when clinically appropriate.
Click here to download the Mycology Reference Laboratory isolate referral form.
Other specialised tests include:
- Fungal serology for cryptococcal antigen and aspergillus precipitins.
- Indirect fluorescent antibody staining for Pneumocystis carinii.
- Culture for Leishmania species and Acanthomoeba species.
A specimen collection service is provided on request.
An extensive culture collection is maintained and fungal cultures can be provided for teaching purposes.
Key contacts
The Molecular Diagnostic section testing spans all areas of clinical microbiology.
In-house real-time PCR is carried out for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and LGV from appropriate specimens. Please refer to the LabPLUS Test Guide for details. In-house PCR tests have been established for the detection of Bartonella species, Rickettsia species and Tropheryma whipplei.
From clinical specimens and also from cultured organism, we offer 16S rRNA sequence analysis for detection of bacteria, 18S rRNA-sequence analysis for detection of fungi and hsp65 sequence analysis as well for identification of non-tuberculous mycobacterium. Sequence-based diagnostic methods are performed to detect specific mutations associated with drug resistance especially M. tuberculosis.
We are the reference laboratory for genotyping of M. tuberculosis isolates cultured in New Zealand by using automated 24-MIRU typing. This data is then entered into a national database for use by Public Health.