Molecular Microbiology Laboratory
The molecular microbiology laboratory is a recently established laboratory specializing in the development and applications of diagnostic tests for microbial pathogens using molecular biology techniques. The laboratory provides diagnostic tests for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and for other institutions. It works in close collaboration with the bacteriology and virology laboratories at SickKids.
The laboratory has been researching and implementing diagnostic tests using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The use of PCR has led to sensitive and specific tests for the detection in patient samples of fastidious bacteria such as Bordetella pertussis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Similarly, PCR tests have been implemented for viruses for which no sensitive isolation method is applicable in the Virology Laboratory. Currently PCR tests have been developed for the eight known human herpes viruses, including the detection of herpes simplex from the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with suspected herpetic encephalitis, and the detection of other herpes viruses that can cause life-threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts.
The laboratory has also implemented tests for enteroviruses, and for parvovirus B19. Finally, monitoring immunodeficient patients vulnerable to lymphoproliferative disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is done through a semiquantitative PCR test for EBV.
Services available | Methods |
|---|---|
Bordetella pertussis | PCR |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae | PCR |
Ureaplasma urealyticum | PCR |
Enterovirus | RT-PCR |
Herpes Virus Group Test 1 (HSV-1, HSV-2, EBV, CMV, HHV-8) | PCR |
Herpes Virus Group Test 2 (VZV, HHV-6, HHV-7) | PCR |
Semi-Quantitative EBV | PCR |
Parvovirus B19 | PCR |