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Public Health Laboratory

    

Contact Information
Los Angeles County
Department of Public Health
Public Health Laboratory
12750 Erickson Avenue
Downey, California 90242

Laboratory Director
J. Michael Janda, Ph.D, D(ABMM)

Phone: (562) 658-1330
Fax: (562) 401-5999

Monday - Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Public Health Laboratory - Bacteriology

The Bacteriology laboratory emphasizes foodborne disease related testing, routinely culturing stool samples for Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, E. coli 0157 and Vibrio species. Salmonella and Shigella serotyping, E. coli somatic and flagellar identification, and the detection of Shiga-like toxin by EIA are all performed to aid in disease investigation. Food product testing ranges from aerobic plate counts and coliform/E. coli counts for detecting mishandled food to Salmonella isolation and culture, with enumeration, of Staph. aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens. Botulism testing is performed on suspect foods and patient clinical specimens. Mouse neutralization testing is used to demonstrate the presence and type of botulinal toxin. Identification of Brucella cultures is made.

Other communicable diseases are addressed by performing: culture and DFA for Bordetella pertussis, serogrouping of Neisseria meningitidis, typing of Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and culture and in vitro virulence testing of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Clinical and environmental specimens are accepted for Legionella culture. An EIA for Legionella urinary antigen is also available.

PHL Code Test information Reference Range Specimen Requirements
0110 Aerobic bacterial culture, routine Normal flora Clinical specimen, properly collected and submitted in transport system. Refrigerate.
0111 Aerobic bacterial culture, special   Clinical specimen, properly collected and submitted in transport system. Refrigerate. If submitting inoculated culture media, hold at room temperature.
0113 Aerobic bacterial culture, stool, Campylobacter only None isolated Collect 1-2 gm of feces about the size of a thumbnail in ParaPak® transport medium. For swab, insert sterile swab well into the rectum and rub mucosa. Repeat until visible fecal material adheres to the swab and transfer swab to ParaPak® transport medium. Break or cut swab to allow tight fit of screw cap.
0114 Aerobic bacterial culture, stool, Salmonella and Shigella only No Salmonella or Shigella isolated Collect 1-2 gm of feces about the size of a thumbnail in ParaPak® transport medium. For swab, insert sterile swab well into the rectum and rub mucosa. Repeat until visible fecal material adheres to the swab and transfer swab to ParaPak® transport medium. Break or cut swab to allow tight fit of screw cap.
0115 Aerobic bacterial culture, stool, Yersinia enterocolitica only No Yersinia enterocolitica isolated Collect 1-2 gm of feces about the size of a thumbnail in ParaPak® transport medium. For swab, insert sterile swab well into the rectum and rub mucosa. Repeat until visible fecal material adheres to the swab and transfer swab to ParaPak® transport medium. Break or cut swab to allow tight fit of screw cap.
0305 Aerobic Bacterial Culture, Stool, Vibrio Species Only No Vibrio species isolated Collect 1-2 gm of feces about the size of a thumbnail in ParaPak® transport medium. For swab, insert sterile swab well into the rectum and rub mucosa. Repeat until visible fecal material adheres to the swab and transfer swab to ParaPak® transport medium. Break or cut swab to allow tight fit of screw cap.
0118 Aerobic bacterial identification By report Pure culture
0119 Aerobic susceptibility by Disk Diffusion Method By report.

Studies performed on FDA approved drugs.
Pure culture
0120 Anaerobic bacterial culture, routine No anaerobes isolated Clinical specimen properly collected and transported under anaerobic conditions
0121 Anaerobic bacterial identification By report Pure culture
0131 Bordetella pertussis/ parapertussis culture & DFA Negative Nasopharyngeal swab submitted on Regan Lowe Medium. An air-dried, heat fixed smear may be submitted for the DFA procedure. Specimen collection
0132 Bordetella pertussis & parapertussis culture No B. pertussis/parapertussis isolated Nasopharyngeal swab submitted on Regan Lowe Medium.
0133 Bordetella pertussis/ parapertussis antigen detection, DFA Negative Nasopharyngeal swab in Regan Lowe Deep Medium or an air-dried and heat fixed smear for the DFA procedure.
  Botulism toxin assay - see test 0142    
0135 Brucella identification By report Pure culture
0141 Clostridium botulinum culture None isolated See Specimen Submission Guidelines for Suspected Botulism
0142 Clostridium botulinum neutralization test Negative See Specimen Submission Guidelines for Suspected Botulism
0147 Corynebacterium diphtheriae culture -   Nasal Swab: Collect secretions from anterior nasal mucosa with sterile swab. Streak swab over surface of Loefflers agar slant or place in Bacterial Culturette®. Call the General Bacteriology Section for information and to obtain media.
0157 E. coli 0157:H7 Serotyping, Shiga-toxin positive strains None detected Pure culture of E. coli
0158 E. coli 0157:H7
Stool culture screen
No E. coli 0157 isolated 1 gram stool in Para Pak container
0159 E. coli Shiga toxin detection None detected Pure culture of E. coli or stool enrichment broth
  GC culture -
see test 0227
   
0180 Haemophilus inflenzae serotyping (A-F), slide agglutination By report Pure culture on chocolate slant
  Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) -
see test 0138, Chlamydia trachomatis Culture
   
0163 Molecular Strain typing analysis using pulsed field gel electroporesis (PFGE) By Report Consult with the PFGE bench at (562) 658-1421 before submitting specimens
0227 Neisseria gonorrhea culture None isolated Performed only for legal issues. Properly inoculate MTM chocolate agar pill pocket plate. Incubate plates until transport.
0228 Neisseria meningitidis serogrouping By report Pure culture on chocolate agar slant
  Pertussis culture and/or DFA - see test 0133    
  Plague (Yersinia pestis) see test 0289    
0260 Salmonella serogrouping, groups A-Z, 51-61 & VI By report Pure culture on agar slant
0261 Salmonella serotyping By report Pure culture on agar slant
  Salmonella/Shigella culture - see test 0114    
0262 Shigella serotyping By report Pure culture on agar slant
  Stool culture -see test 0112    
  Whooping cough culture see test 0132    
  Yersinia stool culture -see test 0115    
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