Laboratory Procedures Currently Exempt from Fees

  • Meningococcal isolates from blood or cerebrospinal fluid submitted for culture confirmation and serotyping.
  • Meningococcal isolates from nasopharyngeal cultures or the contacts of patients with serious meningococcal infection, submitted for culture confirmation and serotyping.
  • Meningococcal isolates associated with an outbreak, submitted for culture confirmation and serotyping.
  • Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus associated with an outbreak, submitted for PFGE.
  • Isolates of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) submitted for confirmation.
  • Isolates of Haemophilus influenza submitted for serotyping.
  • Isolates of Listeria monocytogenes submitted for serotyping.
  • Streptococcal isolates submitted for serotyping.
  • Isolates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae submitted for culture confirmation & toxigenicity testing.
  • Pharyngeal or nasopharyngeal smears submitted for identification of Bordetella pertussis by direct immunofluorescence.
  • Isolates of Salmonella/Shigella submitted for confirmation & serotyping.
  • Stools for culture from patients or food handlers involved in outbreaks of diarrheal diseases, if requested by the Health Department Bureaus of Environmental Investigation or Communicable Diseases.
  • Any outbreak related isolates for PFGE typing (prior arrangements need to be made by contracting the Molecular Typing Laboratory).
  • Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for susceptibility testing.
  • Respiratory specimens which are first-time smear positive for acid fast bacilli, submitted for MTD assay.
  • Rabies diagnostic tests.
  • Viral & rickettsial diagnostic tests for outbreak-related specimens submitted through the Bureaus of Communicable Diseases or Immunization Diseases.
  • Clinical and environmental specimens associated with potential botulism cases are submitted (after approval by the Bureau of Communicable Diseases) for the assay and identification of botulinal toxins.
  • Isolates submitted for BT testing and subsequently identified either as BT or other pathogens.