Department Of Microbiology

General Information:

The Department of Microbiology was established as an independent Identity/Department in 1982. From its humble beginning of conventional diagnostic techniques, it has now evolved into a giant department with fully developed section, of Bacteriology, Mycobacteriology, ICTC centre, Clinical Microbiology Lab, Mycology Lab and the newer Molecular Diagnostic labs of advance Research & Virology.

COVID testing

At the time of declaration of COVID pandemic, Department had anticipated severity of COVID – 19 well in time and took proactive actions and made strategies to deal with this pandemic. Department used all available resources to its maximum in this war against COVID-19. Initially the capacity of COVID 19 testing was 100 samples per day which in very short span of time increased to 10,000 samples per day.

For the convenience of patients the department has started COVID 19 sample collection centre in different locations of SMS Hospital. The Department runs the laboratories 24 x 7 for maximum sample testing and their timely reporting.

The department has trained many doctors and technical staff from all over the Rajasthan to start RTPCR testing facilities at their centre in different location.

New machines were installed in department for molecular identification of disease and 4 new molecular testing laboratories were established in Department.

The team of Microbiology Department has been working since beginning of this pandemic and has tested about 13 lac samples of symptomatic patients and healthy contacts.

Department is working as a kit validation centre for ICMR and designated as Quality Check center for many labs of Rajasthan. The Department has evaluated various rapid antibody and antigen test kits.  One rapid antibody test kit was found to be of poor quality and this kit was rejected at national level.

A fully automated COBAS 8800 was installed for molecular identification of pathogens Genome Sequencing facility has also been started.

Bacteriology Section

In the bacteriology Section, we have facility for microscopic examination and  Aerobic culture and sensitivity by conventional method  and Automated Vitek II system. Outbreaks of various infectious diseases like Gastroenteritis, meningitis, etc are investigated. Department is doing Quality control testing of blood bank samples and human milk bank samples are also done.

Under HICC, environmental surveillance of OTs & ICUs is done routinely.

In future we are planning for including newer techniques i.e. PCR and MALDI TOF through which identification & sensitivity results can be reported early which will be beneficial for critically ill patients.

Mycology Section

The science of study of Fungus, earlier a domain of botanists, has now become an integral part of

Microbiology due to emergence of various fungal infections. A separate lab has been in function for a long time equipped with essential equipments. Microscopic examination  of various clinical samples is performed by  KOH mount, India ink and other special stains as per requirement.  Department is doing conventional fungal Culture & identification and Speciation & Drug susceptibility of by yeast Vitek -II system

The lab is soon going to start Anti fungal susceptibility of moulds and also planning to start Molecular techniques for fungal identification and serology too.

Clinical Microbiology (Central Lab)

The department has  expanded its facilities inside hospital premises by establishing a microbiology diagnostic wing in the SMS Hospital as  Clinical Microbiology (Central Lab).

This Laboratory is doing Serology of Infectious diseases by Rapid, ELISA & Automated Chemiluminescence Analyzer.

The Immunofluorescence facility will be started for various parametes.

Measles & Rubella Lab

Being a part of Global Measles Rubella Laborator Network, we carryout serological diagnosis of Measles-Rubella infection of outbreak samples received from all over Rajasthan.

Parasitological lab (Section)

The facility for Stool microscopy for intestinal parasites is available in Central Laboratory and JK Loan Hospital Jaipur. The laboratory is doing routine Stool microscopy for intestinal parasites. With this Acid fast staining of stool samples for coccidian parasites is also performed as and when requested.

Laboratory has the facility to identify and  diagnose parasites in different body fluid and tissue.

HIV Lab

As per changes in focus of NACO programme the ICTC facility available in this department is legally identified as HIV Test Lab, SMS Medical College, Jaipur.  The laboratory is providing Pre & Post test counseling services for HIV testing and doing HIV antibody Test. The Laboratory is State Reference  Laboratory for HIV Testing and mentor of 31 ICTC's. Laboratory also organize various training programmes  for laboratory  technicians of linked ICTC's . Laboratory participate in Sentinel Surveillance to access prevalence of HIV infection

Maximum number of HIV Test all over India are done in this center. The HIV Test laboratory was the first laboratory in Rajasthan Government to get NABL Accreditation.

The laboratory is doing CD4 + T lymphocyte count testing of HIV positive patients from SMS Hospital and other Link ART centers. It is also a Sample collection site for Early Infant Diagnosis.

HIV Viral Load test facility has been started at this centre.

Advance Research & Virology Lab

It was inaugurated in December 2007 It is the first lab in Rajasthan to start Real time PCR. We are doing PCR for TB, Viral load estimation for HBV, HCV & HIV and qualitative estimation of swine flu. We also validate indigenous Swine Flu kit for ICMR.

The lab was further upgraded by ICMR/HDR as grade 1 virology lab under which we have standardized viral diagnosis for more than 40 viruses by ELISA, PCR & genotyping by sequencing. Previously we had managed Swine flu outbreak by working exhaustively and providing result in 24 hrs. In 2018, BSL-3 lab was established for diagnosis of various deadly viruses.  The lab has the facility Film Array by which a group of pathogens can be detected simultaneously. The main panels available are for Encephaitis, Respiratory infections , gastroenteritis and blood pathogens.

Recently the laboratory has done tremendous work to manage the COVID 19 pandemic and worked tirelessly to test approximately 13 lacs sample from all over Rajasthan. Trained many doctors and technical staff from all over the Rajasthan to start RTPCR testing facilities at their centre.   The laboratory has validated many antigen and antibody test kits and PCR test kits.

TB Lab

The lab has been doing culture and drug susceptibility testing since more than ten years by conventional and automated methods. Lab was one of the few sites to start and validate HAINS Line probe Assay as part of FIND demonstration project which is now being used to provide rapid immediate diagnosis of MDRTB under DOTS plus. This lab has been the first government medical college lab to get accreditation for all the three technologies for TB culture from Central TB Division. The laboratory is also accredited by NABL for detection of MDR TB, XDR TB by Gene Xpert/ LPA/MGIT 960.

Last Updated: 28.06.2021