Clinical Lab Services Manual
The Vermont Department of Health Laboratory Clinical Lab Services Manual provides a description of all clinical tests available at the laboratory and other useful information.
- Clinical Tests Available
- Special Public Health Microbiology
- Reportable Diseases
- Fee Schedule
- Clinical Forms - Submission requisition forms, Specimen Collection Instructions, and Kit Order forms
- Provider Fact Sheets
- Contact Information
We welcome comments or suggestions regarding the content or format of the Clinical Services Manual. Please take our survey and send it to us via mail, email, or fax.
Clinical Tests Available
A list of the clinical tests provided by the lab, and the specimen requirements for each.
- Clinical Tests Available (pdf)
Formatted to fit in a three ring binder.
Special Public Health Microbiology
Reference Bacteriology
About Reference Bacteriology
The Reference Bacteriology test area serves as a referral laboratory for the culture and identification of bacterial isolates that are unusual or difficult to identify. Certain clinical samples are acceptable for primary isolation, but otherwise pure isolates are required for identification and serotyping. Anaerobic testing is not performed at Lab.
The following services are available from the Reference Bacteriology Lab:
- Identification of Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis
- Culture and Identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Identification and Serotyping of Neisseria meningitidis
- Serotyping of Haemophilis influenzae
- Culture and Identification of Legionella spp.
- Serotyping of Salmonella spp.
- Confirmation of E.coli O157:H7
- Confirmation of Shiga-toxin producing E.coli, non-O157:H7
- Identification and grouping of Shigella spp.
- Serotyping of Vibrio cholerae (Ogawa and Inaba)
- Culture and Identification of Campylobactor jejuni
- Culture and Identification of Listeria spp.
- Culture and Identification of Corynebacterium spp.
- Other
PulseNet
About PulseNet
PulseNet is a program that was developed by, and is run under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PulseNet is a function of all fifty State Public Health laboratories, as well as USDA, FDA, and international public health labs.
The goals of PulseNet are to:
- Detect food borne disease case clusters by DNA fingerprinting
- Facilitate early identification of common source outbreaks
- Allow for real-time communication among state, local health departments, and international partners
- Help food regulatory agencies identify areas where implementation of new measures is likely to increase the safety of our food supply, including food recalls when necessary
PulseNet in Vermont
A clinical laboratory submits an isolate to the VDHL, or the organism may be isolated from a stool specimen submitted for enteric screening. The VDHL currently accepts Salmonella, Shigella, all enterohemorrhagic E. coli, and Listeria for PulseNet subtyping.
- A microbiologist at the VDHL uses molecular techniques (Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis) to make a DNA fingerprint for each isolate.
- The fingerprint is compared to fingerprints of other isolates received by the VDHL.
- If there is a match between two VT isolates, Vermont Department of Health epidemiologists will conduct interviews with the patients involved, to try and find a common cause of infection.
- Images of the DNA fingerprints are uploaded to an international database maintained by CDC. Database managers at CDC gather DNA fingerprints from all PulseNet participating laboratories (national and international) and continuously look for isolate matches between states and countries.
- If a match is detected by CDC, the VDH Epidemiology Program is notified and works closely with epidemiologists from other states and/or countries to conduct an epidemiological investigation to try and find a common cause of infection.
Bioterrorism
About the Bioterrorism Test Area
The Bioterrorism Test Area serves as a referral laboratory for the confirmatory identification of suspect bioterrorism agents. Certain clinical samples are acceptable for primary isolation, but otherwise pure isolates are required for identification.
The following isolates will only be accepted if the provider has consulted with the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory Bioterrorism Testing Area and has received approval for testing:
- Bacillus anthracis
- Burkholderia spp.
- Brucella spp.
- Clostridium botulinum
- Coxiella burnetii
- Francisella tularensis
- Variola (Varicella Zoster Virus rule-in/Orthopox rule-out)
- Yersinia pestis.
The VDHL must be notified prior to submission of specimens. Transport supplies will be provided if requested.
The Lab is a Reference Laboratory of the Laboratory Response network (LRN) and assists Sentinel Laboratories (ie., hospital labs) by providing training and support in specimen collection, storage, shipment, evidence control measures, and recognition of BT agents.
Food Microbiology
About Food Microbiology
The Food Microbiology test area analyzes food samples from outbreak situations, biothreat events and the Department of Agriculture. Food samples are collected by Sanitarians from the Department of Health Protection, Meat inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, or the state HazMat Team.
The VDHL is a Food Emergency Response Laboratory (FERN) and has the capability of analyzing food samples for the select agents of bioterrorism.
The following services are available from the Food Microbiology Lab:
- Bacillus anthracis
- Bacillus cereus
- Bacillus cereus Enterotoxin
- Brucella sp.
- Clostridium perfringes
- Clostridium perfringes Enterotoxin (from isolate only)
- E.coli 0157:H7
- Francisella tularemia
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Salmonella sp.
- Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin
- Yersinia enterocolica
- Yersinia pestis
For outbreak situations and biothreat events all requests must receive prior approval from Epidemiology.
Reportable Diseases
- Communicable Disease Reporting - Health Department Web Page
- Reportable Disease List for Providers (pdf)
Fee Schedule
This listing includes clinical and diagnostic tests of public health significance, provided by the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory, as well as the cost and cpt codes associated with each.
- Fee Schedule (pdf)
Clinical Forms
***All forms are in PDF format.
Submission Forms
Specimen Collection Instructions
- Enteric Bacteria (VDHL Kit #1)
- Parasitology (SAF)(VDHL Kit #2)
- Pertussis Culture (VDHL Kit #5 )
- Mycology (VDHL Kit #6 )
- Legionella Culture (VDHL Kit #6)
- Gonnorhea and Chlamydia Amplified (VDHL Kit #7 )
- Gonnorhea Culture
- Influenza
- Serological Specimens (VHDL Kit # 13 and 14)
- Pinworm (VDHL Kit #17)
- HIV serum
- HIV oral fluid
- Rotovirus
- Blood Lead
Kit Order Forms
- Microbiology Kit Order Form
- Blood Lead Supplies Order Form
- To order a Kit by phone call: (802) 863-7560
Provider Fact Sheets
- Hepatitis B
Testing and Vaccination, includes a result interpretation table. - Pertussis PCR
Contact Information
Printable Version: Laboratory/Epidemiology Contact Information (pdf)
Telephone/Fax
- (800) 660-9997(In Vermont)
- (802) 863-7335 (Voice Menu)
- (802) 863-7336 (Customer Service)
- (802) 863-7632 (FAX)
- (802) 863-7560 - (To order a Kit)
Location
Vermont Department of Health Laboratory
195 Colchester Avenue
Burlington, VT
Mailing Address
Vermont Department of Health Laboratory
195 Colchester Avenue
PO Box 1125
Burlington, VT 05402-1125
Hours
7:45am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday
Directions to Health Department Laboratory
From Interstate 89:
- Exit at 14W – Burlington
- Merge onto Route 2 W
- Bear RIGHT at third light onto East Ave.
- Follow East Ave. straight through light at hospital entrance
- Turn LEFT into VDHL parking lot before the light at the intersection of
East Ave. and Colchester Ave.