State Laboratories Division

Functions of the Bacteriology and Parasitology Section:

Bacteriology Unit:

1. Provides confirmation of specimens submitted under Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-156, such as Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Haemophilus influenza B, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, PPNG, Neisseria meningitidis, Campylobacter spp., Vibrio spp. , Salmonella spp. Shigella spp., and Yersinia spp


2. Confirms or completes findings of other laboratories lacking resources to conduct specialized procedures on isolates of significance to the Department of Health.


3. Provides resources for laboratory resources required in epidemiological surveillance studies.


4. Provides Salmonella and Shigella serological typing services to identify enteric organisms involved in outbreaks, and provides epidemiological data on tracking of these organisms.


5. Provides laboratory confirmation on consultative services on blood and enteric parasites to programs of the Department and other laboratories.

Bacterial Serology Unit:

1. Performs Standard Test for syphilis (STS) for prenatal diagnostic and reference testing.


2. Performs treponemal specific STS to confirm all positive sera submitted in accordance with HAR, Chapter 11-156.


3. Performs other serological tests for the detection of antibodies against bacterial and parasitological agents such as Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp., and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

STD: 2010 Hawaii Antibiogram for N. gonorrhoeae Isolates

Specimen Requirements for: Aerobic Bacteria Identification (pdf) Anaerobic Bacteria Identification (pdf) Corynebacterium diphtheriae (pdf) Infant Botulism (pdf) Legionella Culture (pdf) Leptospira Culture(pdf) Leptospira IgM Antibody(pdf) Neisseria gonorrhoeae (pdf) Parasite Identification (pdf) Pertussis Culture (pdf) Pertussis PCR (pdf) Post Mortem Culture (pdf) QuantiFERON-TB Gold IT Test (pdf) Syphilis (Blood) (pdf) Syphilis (CSF) (pdf)

A public health microbiologist reads microscope slides during syphilis testing.