The Department conducts microbiological tests in medical microbiology and determines the infective agent of contagious diseases (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) in various samples of human origin. At the customer’s request, the Department microbiologically tests samples of persons who come into contact with food while performing their work. It determines susceptibility of bacteria and fungi to antimicrobial substances, thereby helping the doctor treating the patient to efficiently target and treat infections. The Department cooperates with hospitals to prevent hospital infections and draws the attention of responsible authorities to the existence of resistant bacteria and dangerous micro-organisms in particular.
The Department endeavours to perform these tasks with the greatest possible quality. Therefore, it is involved in the international system of external laboratory control.
Microbiological test results are stored in computer (INFONET computer programme) allowing for easy data access in case a customer wants to learn about microbiological test results by phone. Electronic databases also enable various statistical analyses at the customer’s demand.
Interested health institutes and doctors will soon have a possibility of round-the-clock access to microbiological test results (through MBX – INFONET).
The Department is divided into several units due to organisational reasons:
- * Clinical Microbiology Laboratory,
- * Laboratory of Coprocultures and Parasites,
- * Laboratory for Hospital Hygiene,
- * Laboratory for Serological Tests.
The Culture Medium Preparation, Sterilization and Decontamination Unit is an important support unit, which supplies laboratories with reagents, culture media, germ-free material and decontaminates infectious material.