We are also able to refer testing to external laboratories; if the test you are looking for is not displayed, please contact the laboratory for advice.
A-Z
Our tests are listed in alphabetical order. Click on the A-Z links to find out more.
A
B
C
- Cannula / Central Line Tips
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Device
- Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
- Chickenpox - see Varicella Zoster
- Chlamydia - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Clostridium difficile
- CMV
-
Conjunctivitis - see
Eye Samples
Send swab for bacterial culture, corneal scrape inoculated on to culture plates and swab / scrape in viral transport medium for viral PCR.
- Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) Fluid
- COVID-19
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
- Cryptococcal Antigen / Cryptococcus
- Cryptosporidium - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
E
- Ear Swabs - see Surface Swabs
- EBV
- Encephalitis - discuss suspected cases with Microbiology medical staff - see Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
-
Endocarditis - see
Blood Culture
Send blood culture sets from three separate venepunctures and off antibiotics if possible. If culture-negative, consider blood serology for Q Fever (Coxiella) and Chlamydia. Consult Microbiology medical staff. See Blood Culture for specimen requirements.
-
Endophthalmitis - see
Eye Samples
Send aqueous / vitreous fluid.
- Enteric Parasites - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Enteric Samples - see Faeces and/or Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Eye Samples
F
- Faeces
- Flu and RSV - see Respiratory Virus Testing
- Fungal Culture
G
- Gastroenteritis - see Faeces and/or Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Genital Culture
- Giardia - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
-
Glandular Fever - see
EBV
Send serum for EBV, CMV IgM, Toxoplasma IgM and HIV.
- Gonorrhoea - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Gout - see Joint Aspirates
- Group B Strep (GBS) Screening
H
- Heart Valves and Pacing Wires
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hepatitis - see Molecular Testing and/or Serological Testing
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
- HIV - see Molecular Testing and/or Serological Testing
-
Hospital-acquired Infection
Microbiology supports testing programmes for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE).
- HTLV-1 - see Serological Testing
- Human Herpes Viruses 6, 7, 8 (HHV6, HHV7, HHV8)
I
- Immunoglobulins
- Influenza - see Respiratory Virus Testing
K
-
Keratitis - see
Eye Samples
Send swab for bacterial culture, corneal scrape inoculated on to culture plates and swab / scrape in viral transport medium for viral PCR. Contact lens keratitis may require Acanthamoeba PCR arranged with the lab by Ophthalmic Surgeons if relevant.
L
-
Leg Ulcers - see
Surface Swabs
Superficial samples are not usually helpful except in chronic mycobacterial infection; in this case send a biopsy.
- Legionella
-
Line Infection - see
Blood Culture and/or Line Tip Culture
Send central and peripheral blood cultures and line tips.
- Line Tip Culture
-
Lower Respiratory Tract Infection
See Respiratory Samples.
- Lyme Disease
M
-
Malaria
Malaria is diagnosed by the examination of a blood film and/or detection of malaria antigen in EDTA blood. These tests are performed by Haematology.
-
Measles
Oral fluid kits are available from UKHSA: 0344 225 3861
They will be sent to the Virology Reference Department in London - Meningitis
- Molecular Testing
- Mouth Swab - see Surface Swabs
- MRSA
-
Mumps
Oral fluid kits are available from UKHSA: 0344 225 3861
They will be sent to the Virology Reference Department in London - Mycobacterial Culture
N
- Nail Clippings / Scrapings - see Dermatophyte Cultures
- Needle Stick Injury
- Nephrostomy - see Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Nocardia
- Norovirus
- Nose Swab - see MRSA and/or Surface Swabs
P
- Parasite for Identification - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites and/or Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Parvovirus - see Molecular Testing and/or Serological Testing
- Perfusion Fluid - see Sterility Check
- Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid - see Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) Fluid
- Pertussis - see Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pleural Fluid
- Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia (PJP)
- Pneumonia
- Pus / tissue / fluid samples
R
- Respiratory Samples - see
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - see Respiratory Virus Testing
- Respiratory Virus Testing
S
- Schistosomiasis - see Urine Culture and Microscopy
-
Semen - see
Genital Culture
Discuss samples for infertility examination with Oxford Infertility Unit: 01856 782800. Do not send to Microbiology
- Serological Testing
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Skin Scrapings - see Dermatophyte Cultures
- Sputum
- Sterile Sites
- Sterility Check
- Surface Swabs
- Syphilis - see Serological Testing
T
-
Throat Swab - see
Surface Swabs
For virus testing - see COVID-19 and/or Respiratory Virus Testing
- Toxoplasma - see Serological Testing
- Tuberculosis (TB) - see Mycobacterial Culture
V
- Vaginal Swab - see Genital Culture and/or Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Varicella Zoster
- Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) - see Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
- Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt - see Central Nervous System (CNS) Device
W
- Worm for Identification - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Wound Swab - see Surface Swabs
Search terms:
(Clear)
- Acanthamoeba
- Actinomyces
- Adenovirus
- Amoebiasis - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Antenatal Screens
- Antibiotic and Antifungal Assays
- Ascitic Fluid
- Aspergillus
- Beta-D-glucan (BDG)
- Biopsies
- BK Virus
- Blood Culture
- Bone Marrow
- Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
- Burkholderia
- Cannula / Central Line Tips
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Device
- Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
- Chickenpox - see Varicella Zoster
- Chlamydia - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Clostridium difficile
- CMV
- Conjunctivitis[comment]Send swab for bacterial culture, corneal scrape inoculated on to culture plates and swab / scrape in viral transport medium for viral PCR.[comment] - see Eye Samples
- Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) Fluid
- COVID-19
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
- Cryptococcal Antigen / Cryptococcus
- Cryptosporidium - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Dermatophyte Cultures
- Ear Swabs - see Surface Swabs
- EBV
- Encephalitis - discuss suspected cases with Microbiology medical staff - see Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
- Endocarditis[comment]Send blood culture sets from three separate venepunctures and off antibiotics if possible. If culture-negative, consider blood serology for Q Fever (Coxiella) and Chlamydia. Consult Microbiology medical staff. See Blood Culture for specimen requirements.[comment] - see Blood Culture
- Endophthalmitis[comment]Send aqueous / vitreous fluid.[comment] - see Eye Samples
- Enteric Parasites - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Enteric Samples - see Faeces
- Enteric Samples - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Eye Samples
- Faeces
- Flu and RSV - see Respiratory Virus Testing
- Fungal Culture
- Gastroenteritis - see Faeces
- Gastroenteritis - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Genital Culture
- Giardia - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Glandular Fever[comment]Send serum for EBV, CMV IgM, Toxoplasma IgM and HIV.[comment] - see EBV
- Gonorrhoea - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Gout - see Joint Aspirates
- Group B Strep (GBS) Screening
- Heart Valves and Pacing Wires
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hepatitis - see Molecular Testing
- Hepatitis - see Serological Testing
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
- HIV - see Molecular Testing
- HIV - see Serological Testing
- Hospital-acquired Infection
- HTLV-1 - see Serological Testing
- Human Herpes Viruses 6, 7, 8 (HHV6, HHV7, HHV8)
- Immunoglobulins
- Influenza - see Respiratory Virus Testing
- Joint Aspirates
- Keratitis[comment]Send swab for bacterial culture, corneal scrape inoculated on to culture plates and swab / scrape in viral transport medium for viral PCR. Contact lens keratitis may require Acanthamoeba PCR arranged with the lab by Ophthalmic Surgeons if relevant.[comment] - see Eye Samples
- Leg Ulcers[comment]Superficial samples are not usually helpful except in chronic mycobacterial infection; in this case send a biopsy.[comment] - see Surface Swabs
- Legionella
- Line Infection[comment]Send central and peripheral blood cultures and line tips.[comment] - see Blood Culture
- Line Infection[comment]Send central and peripheral blood cultures and line tips.[comment] - see Line Tip Culture
- Line Tip Culture
- Lower Respiratory Tract Infection
- Lyme Disease
- Malaria
- Measles
- Meningitis
- Molecular Testing
- Mouth Swab - see Surface Swabs
- MRSA
- Mumps
- Mycobacterial Culture
- Nail Clippings / Scrapings - see Dermatophyte Cultures
- Needle Stick Injury
- Nephrostomy - see Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Nocardia
- Norovirus
- Nose Swab - see MRSA
- Nose Swab - see Surface Swabs
- Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Parasite for Identification - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Parasite for Identification - see Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Parvovirus - see Molecular Testing
- Parvovirus - see Serological Testing
- Perfusion Fluid - see Sterility Check
- Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid - see Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) Fluid
- Pertussis - see Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pleural Fluid
- Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia (PJP)
- Pneumonia
- Pus / tissue / fluid samples
- Respiratory Samples - see Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
- Respiratory Samples - see Burkholderia
- Respiratory Samples - see Legionella
- Respiratory Samples - see Nocardia
- Respiratory Samples - see Pleural Fluid
- Respiratory Samples - see Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia (PJP)
- Respiratory Samples - see Pneumonia
- Respiratory Samples - see Sputum
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - see Respiratory Virus Testing
- Respiratory Virus Testing
- Schistosomiasis - see Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Semen [comment]Discuss samples for infertility examination with Oxford Infertility Unit: 01856 782800. Do not send to Microbiology[comment] - see Genital Culture
- Serological Testing
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Skin Scrapings - see Dermatophyte Cultures
- Sputum
- Sterile Sites
- Sterility Check
- Surface Swabs
- Syphilis - see Serological Testing
- Throat Swab[comment]For virus testing - see COVID-19 and/or Respiratory Virus Testing[comment] - see Surface Swabs
- Toxoplasma - see Serological Testing
- Tuberculosis (TB) - see Mycobacterial Culture
- Urine Culture and Microscopy
- Vaginal Swab - see Genital Culture
- Vaginal Swab - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Varicella Zoster
- Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) - see Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
- Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt - see Central Nervous System (CNS) Device
- Worm for Identification - see Ova, Cysts and Parasites
- Wound Swab - see Surface Swabs
