Public Health Laboratory

 

Laboratory Services and Specimen Collection Manual (11/21/19)

 

COVID-19 TESTING

Health care providers who identify persons under investigation (PUI) should contact the San Diego County Epidemiology Unit at 619-692-8499 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday 8AM- 5PM, or 858-565-5255 after hours, on weekends, and County-observed holidays). San Diego County Public Health Laboratory will test specimens approved by the Epidemiology Unit.

Resources

• Specimen Collection
• San Diego County Epidemiology Unit
• California Department of Public Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Mandated Reporting of SARS-COV-2

Point-of-Care Testing Fact Sheets

• Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet
• Patient Fact Sheet

 

LABORATORY FORMS

San Diego County Public Health Laboratory Test Requisition Form (8/02/23)

San Diego County Public Health Laboratory Rabies Requisition Form (09/06/23)

San Diego County Public Health Laboratory Water Bacteriology Requisition Form (6/20/23)

San Diego County Public Health Laboratory Supplies Form (09/06/23)

San Diego County Public Health Laboratory Client Secure Fax or Email Agreement (4/19/23)

LABORATORY FEES

Laboratory Fees for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (07/01/2023)


MEASLES

For more information, please refer to the Laboratory Services and Collection Manual above. Once approved by the Immunization Program at 866-358-2966, testing can be performed same day if received in the laboratory by 11:00 a.m. that day.

INFLUENZA 2019-2020

• Influenza Diagnostic Testing Guidelines and Reporting Requirements for 2019-2020
• Case Report Form

 

NON-DIAGNOSTIC GENERAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT (NDGHA) Important Forms and Documents

NDGHA Registration Form
NDGHA Fee Schedule
NDGHA Change Notification Form
NDGHA Guidelines for Policy and Procedures Manual Preparation
NDGHA Event Permit Request Form

For information on state and local disease reporting requirements, click here for Disease Reporting Requirements for Laboratorians.

About the Public Health Laboratory

The Public Health Laboratory (PHL) works in conjunction with public health clinics, local hospitals and healthcare providers, and the departments of Epidemiology and Environmental Health. By analyzing clinical and environmental samples, the PHL participates in the core activities of surveillance, assessment and assurance.

Functions

I. Laboratory support for agency services

• Clinic support: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Tuberculosis, Anonymous and Confidential HIV Antibody Testing, Child Health & Youth Clinics
• Clearance exams on food handlers, health care and day care workers with infectious diseases
• Testing biting animals for rabies
• Influenza surveillance (sentinel physicians, lab surveillance, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sentinel laboratory, World Health Organization's Collaborating Center for Influenza)
• Testing for human mosquito-borne viral infections
• Regulation of Non-Diagnostic General Health Assessment Programs (e.g., cholesterol and glucose testing in shopping malls)
• Investigation of suspected communicable disease outbreaks (e.g., salmonella in foods, hepatitis, malaria, and measles)
• Investigation of suspected bioterrorism incidents
• Molecular analysis of bacterial and viral pathogens
• Screening children for lead poisoning
• Statistical reports for assessing prevalence of diseases

II. Support for Other County Departments

• Sexually transmitted disease and voluntary HIV testing for Sheriff's detention facilities
• Court ordered HIV testing on jail inmates or suspects that have exposed others
• Bacteriological testing of drinking water and coastal recreational waters for the Department of Environmental Health and other government agencies
• Foodborne illness investigations for the Department of Environmental Health
• Testing for the County Medical Examiner to assist in determining causes of death
• Testing environmental samples for bioterrorism agents

III. Services provided to Community Clinics

• Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
• HIV antibody testing
• HIV viral load testing

IV. Services provided to hospitals and laboratories

• Identification of enteric pathogens
• Serve as regional reference center for parasite identification
• Confirmatory testing for syphilis
• Identification of fungi, yeasts, parasites, and unusual bacteria
• Identification of tuberculosis bacteria and drug susceptibility testing
• Virus cultures
• Molecular typing of bacteria
• Assist in infection control (immune status testing, typing of drug-resistant bacteria)
• Training of laboratory and infection control staff
• Influenza surveillance in hospital emergency rooms
• Rapid identification or rule out of bioterrorism agents

V. Services provided to private physicians

• Tuberculosis testing for indigent patients
• Virology services
• Consultation
• Influenza surveillance

VI. Services Provided to Support Academic Institutions

• Present lectures and laboratory instruction at Palomar College, San Diego State University, and UC San Diego School of Medicine
• Student career counseling
• Supervise graduate students
• Participate in joint research projects

VII. Community Outreach and Support

• Present lectures and demonstrations for schools and community groups
• Answer inquiries from the public

VIII. International Activities

• Laboratory testing for U.S.-Mexico Binational disease surveillance and control projects
• Training of laboratory workers from Mexican border communities
• Partnership with Laboratorio Central, Ministry of Health, Honduras
• Presentation of lectures and workshops to laboratory and other healthcare professionals

 

Laboratory Overview

A description of Services and Staffing.

The Public Health Laboratory is comprised of 5 major sections:

• Virology and Serology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Laboratory Support
• Office/ Administration/ Quality Assurance

Workload: Over 100,000 exams performed annually

Approval and Certification

• Approved as a Public Health Laboratory by the State of California
• Certified as an Environmental Laboratory by the State of California
• Certified as a Clinical Laboratory by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

 

Laboratory Staffing

The Public Health Laboratory is staffed by State certified Public Health Microbiologists. Requirements include a bachelor's degree in Microbiology or a related field. There is a six-month training period, followed by State certification examination. Contact Laboratory Field Services at the website link for specific application requirements. For career information and academic requirements, see 'Career Info' on the California Association of Public Health Laboratory Directors website link.

 

Laboratory Web Links

Related Links:

• Disease Reporting Requirements for Laboratorians
• California Association of Public Health Laboratory Directors
• Association of Public Health Laboratories
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• California Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services

For more information contact us by phone at 619-692-8500 or email at phslaboratory.hhsa@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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