Department Medical Microbiology

Clinical virology

Clinical virology provides rapid, adequate virological diagnostics and consultation for various patient groups inside and outside of Radboud university medical center. In addition to standard serological and molecular diagnostics for patients at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels of care, virological diagnostics focuses on specific patient groups at the academic medical center: 

• Immune-compromised patients (due to transplants, hematological malignancies, immune diseases, congenital disease, or medication).
• Patients with HIV and/or chronic hepatitis.
• Patient groups for which the Radboud university medical center operates as a knowledge center: 
  • The department of Medical Microbiology at Radboud university center, along with the AMC and the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) component of the Landelijk Expert Centrum Lyme (National Lyme expertise center). To do that, we perform high-quality diagnostics in the field of infections with Borrelia spp and we provide supporting consultation via a team of infectiologists and microbiologists.
  • We conduct extensive Q-fever diagnostics in support of the Radboud Q-fever Expertise Center. This center was founded to optimize multidisciplinary care for (chronic) Q fever patients. 

The department of Medical Microbiology also provides screening for human papilloma virus (HPV) for population studies into cervical cancer.

Medical parasitology

Our laboratory provides diagnostics into all parasitic infections. We have special expertise in the field of malaria diagnostics. 

Malaria diagnostics entail:

• Suspicion of acute infection: CITO diagnostic (024-818 70 95) microscopy using QBC, thick smear, swab.
• Exclusion of exposure in the past: serology. 
• Suspicion of very low infection (tropical splenomegaly syndrome): serology and PCR.
• Confirming positive microscopy or species: PCR.

Other parasitological diagnostics can be found in our medical handbook. 

Our infectiologists and medical microbiologists also offer consultative services for the support of diagnostics and treatment of tropical and parasitic infections.

Myco­bacteriology

In the laboratory for Mycobacteriology, we provide all facets of clinical mycobacteriology. Our goal is to optimize the diagnostics and treatment of mycobacterial infections in both the Netherlands and abroad. In our laboratory, we conduct both cultivation and susceptibility testing for patient care and research under biosafety class 3 (BSL-3) conditions. In our laboratory, we are also able to work with other BSL-3 pathogens, e.g. Brucella species, Francisella species, and Histoplasma species.

We are a leading international laboratory in the field of susceptibility testing for non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) and in the cultivation of mycobacteria that are difficult to grow. Examples of these are Mycobacterium haemophilum and Mycobacterium genavense. We comply with all the relevant guidelines in this field and send our samples around Europe for quality control. We work closely with an international team of highly respected lung specialists, infectiologists, and medical microbiologists on providing consultative services to support the diagnostics and therapy of mycobacterial infections.

T (024)361 89 51
E for clinical inquiries: jakko.vaningen@radboudumc.nl
nicolien.hanemaaijer@radboudumc.nl
E for laboratory results tuberculoseuitslagen.mmb@radboudumc.nl

Mycology

The mycology laboratory researches patient samples for the presence of fungal infections. To do this, we use microscopy, cultivation, serology, and molecular testing. In addition to the identification of fungal infections, susceptibility testing is conducted in vitro. The mycology laboratory is part of the Expertisecentrum voor Schimmelinfecties (Center of Expertise in Mycology) of Radboud university medical center/CWZ hospital. This center performs diagnostics and consultations for patients with fungal infections who are undergoing treatment at Radboud university medical center, CWZ hospital, and other hospitals.