Department Medical Microbiology

Bacteriology

In our bacteriology laboratory, we perform diagnostics in the field of bacterial infections. Medical microbiologists conduct many consults regarding the interpretation of testing and results. We also provide treatment recommendations to individual treatment providers and during multidisciplinary consultations. An example of this is daily antibiotic stewardship: discussion in collaboration with the internist-infectiologist and hospital pharmacists at our hospital.
 
Radboud university medical center is a tertiary referral center for orthopedic infections. For this reason, we pay a great deal of attention to improving on the diagnostics in this field as well as making them more efficient.
Special attention is given to correctly performing susceptibility testing and research into resistance development, including the use of whole genome sequencing.

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.

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.