Clinical Microbiology

About Clinical Microbiology

Clinical Microbiology is a full service, state of the art laboratory that provides services 24 hour/day, seven days/week to meet the needs of the University Hospital and its associated clinics.  It is both CAP (College of American Pathologists) accredited and CLIA certified.  Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial identification and susceptibility testing is accomplished via a combination of both automated and manual methods in compliance with the latest CLSI guidelines.   Virology, mycology and mycobacteriology are housed in biosafety level 3 facilities within the laboratory and provide both rapid and extended identification of clinically significant pathogens.  Extensive stool and ectoparasite identification services are likewise provided.  Blood and tissue parasites examinations may be referred to the director of Clinical Microbiology for interpretation.  This Clinical Microbiology laboratory provides an ever growing list of molecular diagnostic services including assays for the detection of HIV, HCV, CMV, HSV, HPV, Neisseria gonorrheae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and the detection of the MecA gene in MRSA.  This facility serves as a reference testing laboratory for difficult to identify bacteria, susceptibility testing, molecular diagnostics and other specialty microbiology services for other area hospitals and for research protocols.

Infectious Disease Serology testing is provided through the Special Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Kentucky Hospital.  Most high volume serology testing is performed on site.  This includes serologies to detect infection such as HIV, HCV and HBV, or serologies mean to detect serostatus like CMV and rubella testing.  In addition to having both CAP accreditation and CLIA certification, the Special Functions Laboratory is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky to perform syphilis serology.  The more esoteric or low volume serologic assays are provided as send out tests to institution approved reference laboratories or to the Department of Health.

Faculty

Julie A. Ribes, M.D., Ph.D.
Director of Clinical Microbiology

Special interests:
Parasitology, Virology, Mycology, Mycobacteriology and STDs