About our services

The department of infection provides a full clinical service for the diagnosis of infection, which includes bacteriology, virology, serology, parasitology, mycology, molecular epidemiological studies to UHS, other NHS Trusts, general practitioners and local authorities.

Specialist sections include:

Antimicrobial chemotherapy, carrying out antibiotic assays and sensitivity tests on clinical isolates.
Mycology, providing diagnostic mycology, medical parasitology and fungal serology services.
The molecular diagnostics unit provides rapid identification of bacterial and viral pathogens directly from various patient specimens, by detection of pathogen DNA or RNA.
Microbiological and epidemiological information, advice and support to consultants in communicable disease control and their colleagues in Public Health Medicine; local surveillance and special studies in infectious disease.
Laboratory expertise for the control of infections including investigations in the community and during national outbreaks of infection.
The Southampton specialist virology centre (SSVC) offers specialist virology diagnostic molecular and serological testing for hospital and community patients.

Core service hours

Monday to Sunday including bank holidays, 09:00 to 17.30. During normal laboratory hours please telephone urgent requests to the main enquiry number and the call will be directed to the appropriate member of staff in the laboratory to ensure priority processing. Either bring the specimen to the laboratory reception yourself or arrange urgent transport. Details of the out of hours service may be found below.

Out of hours service

There is a small team of staff on site to process some clinically urgent samples.
Urgent specimens can be processed if requested and agreed criteria satisfied, depending on availability of competent staff.
These requests need to be phoned and discussed directly with the laboratory on a case-by-case basis.