OBJECTIVE To investigate the provision of diagnostic services for genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in the United Kingdom. METHODS National survey of laboratories providing diagnostic services for genital herpes. RESULTS Completed questionnaires were returned from 25/32 (78%) laboratories participating in the Clinical Virology Network, including seven in London, 12 in the rest of...

National Veterinary Services administer a number of regulatory programmes, such as foreign animal disease (FAD) surveillance and exclusion of FADs, and certification of regions as free from disease. Laboratory testing is an important part of any surveillance or control programme. Most countries have a national laboratory which performs testing for FADs and provides support for national disease ...

Since a large proportion of medical decisions are based on laboratory results, clinical laboratories should meet the increasing demand of clinicians and their patients. Huge central laboratories may process over 10 million tests annually; they act as production factories, measuring emergency and routine tests with sufficient speed and accuracy. At the same time, they also serve as specialized d...

Safaa M. EL-AGEERY*, Howayda N. Mahran 1 Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt; Medical Laboratories Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia Medical Laboratories Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia; Medico-legal Department, Ministr...

In order to audit United Kingdom laboratory diagnostic and reference services including novel molecular methods for tuberculosis, a questionnaire was sent to laboratories submitting specimens to the PHLS Mycobacterium Reference Unit (MRU) and regional centres and to the Scottish Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory (SMRL) in 1996-7. Nationally, 67.2% of laboratories responded. Most UK laboratories...