Diagnostic Microbiology Division
The Division of Diagnostic Microbiology (DDM) consists of eight diagnostic laboratory sections, one laboratory support section, and a medical entomology section. These eight laboratory sections represented all the major sub-disciplines of medical microbiology. They provided the state public health laboratory core functions and core capabilities necessary to fulfill DHEC's dynamic vision of "Healthy people living in healthy communities."
Virology - The duties performed by this section are considered core functions for public health. These functions include: Rabies, Influenza, Emerging Diseases, Immune Status/Vaccine Preventable Diseases.
Bacteria & Parasitology - This section provides support for a variety of DHEC programs. Surveillance and monitoring of bacterial and parasitic diseases of public health importance, laboratory support for the investigation of outbreaks, and screening of high risk individuals for pathogens are essential components of these programs.
Mycobacteriology - The goal of this section is to help control and prevent the spread of mycobacterium tuberculosis in South Carolina.
Mycology - This section is a specialized fungal and aerobic actinomycete reference and identification laboratory.
Diagnostic Serology - This section is dedicated to providing, in the areas of sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis, the most accurate and high quality analyses in South Carolina.
Food & Dairy - This section fulfills the Public Health laboratory core function of disease prevention and controlling by testing for milk pasteurization and isolating, identifying and determining the source of causative agents in food borne outbreaks.
Media Reagents - This section is ready to meet the challenges that occur in the continuing endeavor of the agency "to promote and protect the health of the public and the environment.
Molecular Epidemiology - This section is involved in laboratory based surveillance for the molecular identification of such public health threats as the West Nile Virus, and in the molecular typing of food borne and antimicrobial resistant pathogens for a quick response to food borne and nosocomial outbreak investigation.
Medical Entomology - This section is involved in field- and laboratory-based surveillance for arthropod-borne diseases and other associated problems that affect humans or companion animals and public health. An entomologist is readily available to provide expert consultation to health care and public health professionals regarding the relative public health importance of a variety of insect and arachnid species.