Hong Kong, China SRL

Description

Our laboratory serves a dual role as a service and reference laboratory for detection and characterization of mycobacteria from out-patient clinics and hospitals in Hong Kong. We provide service to both the public and private sectors. We support both clinical and public health functions. We have been designated as a member of the Tuberculosis Supranational Reference Laboratory Network of the World Health Organization since 2005. Over 100,000 clinical samples are processed by our laboratory each year. A comprehensive scope of service is provided, including microscopy, molecular detection, culture and identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, and strain typing.

Structure and organization

The Mycobacteriology Laboratory, together with other laboratories providing clinical laboratory services on virology, bacteriology, mycology and parasitology, comprise the Microbiology Division, one of the functional divisions of the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Centre for Health Protection under the Department of Health of Hong Kong. The Microbiology Division also encompasses other members of WHO laboratory networks, including Regional Reference Laboratory for measles in the Western Pacific Region, and global Influenza A(H5) Reference Laboratory and SARS Reference Laboratory. The laboratory director of the Mycobacteriology Laboratory is a clinical microbiologist. The laboratory service is staffed by clinical microbiologists, scientific officers, and technical staff.

Services provided by the SRL

We receive clinical specimens from Tuberculosis and Chest Clinics in the territory for detection of mycobacteria by acid-fast bacillus (AFB) examination with fluorescence microscopy, and by culture using broth and solid media. Direct molecular detection of tubercle bacilli using Xpert MTB/RIF is undertaken for selected cases. We also receive referred mycobacterial isolates from hospital and private laboratories for characterization. All mycobacterial isolates are subjected to identification tests for M. tuberculosis (MTB) and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM). Drug susceptibility tests are performed on MTB isolates phenotypically, supplemented with genotypic testing as appropriate. Drug susceptibility testing on NTM isolates is performed when clinically indicated.

1. AFB smear by fluorescence microscopy

2. AFB smear by light microscopy

3. Xpert MTB/RIF

4. Culture by solid LJ medium

5. Culture by MGIT broth

6. MPT64 antigen detection on culture isolates

7. MALDI-TOF MS for mycobacterial identification

8. Real-time PCR for mycobacterial identification

9. Nucleotide sequencing (heat shock protein gene, 16S rRNA gene, resistance genes)

10. MTB DST by MGIT broth

11. MTB DST by agar proportion method

12. NTM DST by microbroth dilution method

13. Line probe assays: GenoType MTBDRplus and GenoType MTBDRsl

14. 24-loci MIRU-VNTR

Current links and partnerships outside of SRLN

We maintain liaison with public health and reference laboratories internationally in terms of sharing of epidemiological and laboratory information.