The Microbiology department receives a variety of clinical specimens and bacterial isolates for the purpose of identifying and determining antimicrobial sensitivity profiles of pathogenic microorganisms:

• Growth-based Cultures for the following sources:
• Urine
• Throat
• Wound
• Eye, Ear, skin, rectal, etc.
• Sputum
• Nasopharyngeal
• Tissue
• Stool
• Genital
• Cervical
• Urethral
• Clinical confirmation testing for foodborne pathogen outbreak surveillance:
• Salmonella, spp., Shigella spp. Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), Vibrio spp., Campylobacter spp., and Yersinia spp.
• Biochemical testing
• Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization— time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Maldi-tof ms) Identification of bacteria and yeast,
• Minimum Inhibition Control (MIC) test strips for antimicrobial susceptibility
• Surveillance testing
• Carbapenem Resistant Organisms
• Non-Candida albicans identification
• Coordination of surveillance testing with regional partners
• Coordination of shipping Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) isolates to regional partners



Pathogenic bacteria reported include, but are not limited to, Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitides, and gram-negative rods including various Enterobacteriaceae and non-Enterobacteriaceae (i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter species. DPHL serves clients throughout the state of Delaware, including state service centers, colleges/universities, school-based wellness centers, Department of Corrections (DOC), and partners at the Office of State Medical Examiner's (OCME) office.

Along with the test methods listed above, any suspected pathogens of interest may also be individually requested for screening. The State of Delaware requires all laboratories to submit organisms or clinical samples identified with foodborne disease to the State Laboratory for outbreak surveillance testing. Most laboratories use culture independent diagnostic testing (CIDT) to identify these organisms and no longer require culture for identification. Outbreak surveillance testing requires cultured organisms for testing. If a laboratory or clinic identifies any organisms on the reportable disease list please submit to Delaware Public Health Laboratory.





For additional information refer to the following links:

• Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO) Detection and Surveillance
• Mycobacteriology (Tuberculosis)
• Biological and Chemical Preparedness
• Specimen Collection Procedures

Return to the Genomic Identification and Surveillance page

Return to the Delaware Public Health Laboratory home page




This page was last updated 4/24




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