Overview of Microbiologic Studies / 456

• Diagnostic Testing and Microbes / 456

• Basic Concepts of Infectious Disease / 456

• Host Factors / 456

Collection and Transport of Specimens / 458

• General Principles / 458

• Collection Procedures / 459

• Transport of Specimens by Mail / 460

Diagnostic Testing Procedures / 460

• The Smear and Stain / 460

• Cultures / 461

• Tissue Biopsy / 461

• Serologic Testing / 461

• Skin Testing / 462

Blood, Urine, Eye, and Ear Cultures / 462

• Blood Cultures /462

• Urine Cultures / 464

• Eye and Ear Cultures / 467

Respiratory Tract Cultures / 468

• Reference Values / 468

• Sputum Cultures / 468

• Throat Cultures (Swab or Washings) / 469

• Nasopharyngeal Cultures (Swab) / 471

Other Cultures and Smears / 471

• Wound and Abscess Cultures /471

• Skin Cultures / 473

• Stool and Anal Cultures and Smears / 475

• Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Cultures and Smears / 478

• Cervical, Urethral, Anal, and Oropharyngeal Cultures and Smears for Gonorrhea and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) / 480

• Tissue, Bone, and Body Fluid Cultures / 482

Skin Tests / 482

• Reference Values / 483

• Intradermal Tests / 483

• Tuberculin Skin Test (TB Test); Two-Step TB Test / 483

• Mumps Test / 487

• Candida and Tetanus Toxoid Tests / 488

Diagnosis of Microbial Disease / 488

• Diagnosis of Bacterial Disease /488

• Studies of the Susceptibility of Bacteria to Antimicrobial Agents / 491

• Diagnosis of Mycobacterial Infections / 493

• Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis / 494

• Diagnosis of Rickettsial Disease / 495

• Diagnosis of Parasitic Disease / 497

• Diagnosis of Fungal Disease / 500

• Diagnosis of Spirochetal Disease / 503

• Diagnosis of Viral and Mycoplasmal Infection / 504

• Diagnosis of West Nile Virus (WNV), West Nile Fever, and West Nile Encephalitis / 512

• Diagnosis of Human Monkeypox Virus / 513

• Diagnosis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) / 514

• Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) / 516

• Diagnosis of Highly Pathogenic Asian Avian Influenza A (H5N1) (“Bird Flu”) / 517

• Diagnosis of Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic Virus (H1N1pdm09 Virus) (“Swine Flu”) / 518

• Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) / 519

• Diagnosis of Foodborne Illness (Food Poisoning) / 521

Bioterrorism and Emergency Response: Infectious Agents / 522

• Diagnosis of Anthrax Infection / 523

• Diagnosis of Botulism Infection / 526

• Diagnosis of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) / 527

• Diagnosis of Plague / 529

• Diagnosis of Smallpox Infection / 530

• Diagnosis of Tularemia Infection / 531