Diagnostic service

The NHLS diagnostic laboratory, situated within Groote Schuur Hospital, provides clinical microbiology services to a number of facilities, including Groote Schuur, Red Cross Children's, Victoria, Mowbray Maternity, False Bay and UCT Private Academic Hospitals. The laboratory has been accredited by SANAS (South African National Accreditation Service) since 2002. The tests offered include microscopy, culture and susceptibility testing for a wide range of organisms, including most common clinically significant bacteria, certain fastidious organisms, mycobacteria, fungi and parasites. In addition, molecular testing is performed for direct detection of bacteria in certain samples, for identification of unusual organisms, and for rapid susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

 

Staff

 

NHLS/National Institute of Communicable Diseases Satellite Unit

The NICD Satellite Unit for Molecular Epidemiology, based in this Division and in Medical Virology, has played an important role in linking service and research activities. This unit has played a key role in documenting and investigating several outbreaks of drug-resistant nosocomial infections in Cape Town hospitals over the past year.
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Most recently, the NICD Satellite Unit together with the SAFELTP trainee , have documented an outbreak of highly resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia associated with a very high case fatality rate amongst patients with haematological malignancies.

   NICD May 2011 bulletin

 

Clinical Trials Service

The NHLS diagnostic laboratory offers a clinical trial service to investigators wishing to send samples to the laboratory as part of the research / trial. This clinical trial service encompasses all the pathology services (anatomical pathology, chemistry, haematology, virology and microbiology). In microbiology, the majority of the trial work relates to tuberculosis, and the projects include epidemiological research, diagnostic research and therapeutic trials. At any one time, there are between 15 and 20 different trials involving the microbiology laboratory, and it thus forms an ever increasing component of the service offered by the laboratory.

For more general information about the trials section please contact
For discussion about trials involving the microbiology laboratory specifically, you can also contact

 

Local Antimicrobial Policy and Recommendations

The Microbiology Divisions of UCT/NHLS and Stellenbosch/NHLS Laboratories publish a
"Western Cape Academic Hospitals Antimicrobial Recommendations" booklet annually.

   Download booklet