Public health laboratory
Encyclopedia
Public Health Laboratories operate as a first line of defense to protect the public against diseases and other health hazards. Working in collaboration with other arms of the nation’s public health
system, public health laboratories provide clinical diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, environmental and radiological testing, emergency response support, applied research, laboratory training and other essential services to the communities they serve. Public health laboratory scientists are highly educated specialists with knowledge of one or more scientific disciplines, advanced skills in laboratory practice and the ability to apply this expertise to the solution of complex problems affecting human health.
Every US state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia, has a central public health laboratory that performs testing and other laboratory services on behalf of the entire jurisdiction. In addition, most states have local public health laboratories, ranging in size from large metropolitan
laboratories with hundreds of scientists to small rural laboratories with one or two staff, that support local public health activities like sexually transmitted disease
control, drinking water
testing, and lead
abatement.
State and large local public health laboratories frequently perform tests that are unavailable elsewhere. At the state level, public health laboratories help formulate public policies, develop new methods to detect and combat infectious disease
and environmental pollutants and toxins, regulate private medical and environmental laboratories, and perform other essential services to protect residents’ health and well-being. At the federal level, state public health laboratories are an important part of a national network of laboratories that support response to national emergencies and incidents involving food, disease, environment, and agriculture.
Many state public health laboratories also perform environmental testing. In some states the environmental and public health laboratory are the same laboratory and are often within the state health department, providing analytical testing support for numerous state programs including drinking water, wastewater
, solid waste, air quality, etc. In other states, the environmental laboratory is separate from the public health lab and is part of the department of environmental quality or natural resources. However, one common feature within these laboratories is the commitment of laboratory personnel to keeping the environment safe and protecting public health.
A simple definition of an environmental laboratory might be: A laboratory that analyzes environmental samples such as air, water and soil for microbiological and chemical contamination of both public and environmental health
concern. The environmental laboratory can be traced to the original mission of laboratories associated with municipal water and wastewater treatment plants: To ensure that drinking water provided to citizens was free of disease-causing microorganisms and to test waste water effluent for contamination that may degrade the quality of the waterway into which the effluent is discharged.
Over the last 35 years as the health effects of environmental degradation have became more evident, the environmental laboratory has shifted its focus to macro-pollutants. Initially analytical techniques for these macro-pollutants were moderately selective and sensitive. Over time, as environmental quality improved, techniques became increasingly selective, sensitive and sophisticated. In some states, state environmental laboratories and scientists charged with evaluating the health effects from environmental exposures to trace environmental pollutants collaborated to form biomonitoring
and environmental health tracking programs.
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
system, public health laboratories provide clinical diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, environmental and radiological testing, emergency response support, applied research, laboratory training and other essential services to the communities they serve. Public health laboratory scientists are highly educated specialists with knowledge of one or more scientific disciplines, advanced skills in laboratory practice and the ability to apply this expertise to the solution of complex problems affecting human health.
Every US state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia, has a central public health laboratory that performs testing and other laboratory services on behalf of the entire jurisdiction. In addition, most states have local public health laboratories, ranging in size from large metropolitan
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
laboratories with hundreds of scientists to small rural laboratories with one or two staff, that support local public health activities like sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
control, drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
testing, and lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
abatement.
State and large local public health laboratories frequently perform tests that are unavailable elsewhere. At the state level, public health laboratories help formulate public policies, develop new methods to detect and combat infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
and environmental pollutants and toxins, regulate private medical and environmental laboratories, and perform other essential services to protect residents’ health and well-being. At the federal level, state public health laboratories are an important part of a national network of laboratories that support response to national emergencies and incidents involving food, disease, environment, and agriculture.
Many state public health laboratories also perform environmental testing. In some states the environmental and public health laboratory are the same laboratory and are often within the state health department, providing analytical testing support for numerous state programs including drinking water, wastewater
Wastewater
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...
, solid waste, air quality, etc. In other states, the environmental laboratory is separate from the public health lab and is part of the department of environmental quality or natural resources. However, one common feature within these laboratories is the commitment of laboratory personnel to keeping the environment safe and protecting public health.
A simple definition of an environmental laboratory might be: A laboratory that analyzes environmental samples such as air, water and soil for microbiological and chemical contamination of both public and environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
concern. The environmental laboratory can be traced to the original mission of laboratories associated with municipal water and wastewater treatment plants: To ensure that drinking water provided to citizens was free of disease-causing microorganisms and to test waste water effluent for contamination that may degrade the quality of the waterway into which the effluent is discharged.
Over the last 35 years as the health effects of environmental degradation have became more evident, the environmental laboratory has shifted its focus to macro-pollutants. Initially analytical techniques for these macro-pollutants were moderately selective and sensitive. Over time, as environmental quality improved, techniques became increasingly selective, sensitive and sophisticated. In some states, state environmental laboratories and scientists charged with evaluating the health effects from environmental exposures to trace environmental pollutants collaborated to form biomonitoring
Biomonitoring
Aquatic biomonitoring is the science of inferring the ecological condition of rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands by examining the organisms that live there...
and environmental health tracking programs.
Core Functions of Public Health Laboratories
- Disease Prevention, Control and Surveillance
- Integrated Data Management
- Reference and Specialized Testing
- Environmental Health and Protection
- Food Safety
- Laboratory Improvement and Regulation
- Policy Development
- Emergency Response
- Public Health Related Research
- Training and Education
- Partnerships and Communication
Public Health Laboratory Services
- Screen 97% of babies born in the United States for metabolic and genetic disorders.
- Monitor communities for pathogens that spread in food or through contact with people or animals.
- Perform almost all testing to detect and monitor newly emerging infectious diseases like West Nile virusWest Nile virusWest Nile virus is a virus of the family Flaviviridae. Part of the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of viruses, it is found in both tropical and temperate regions. It mainly infects birds, but is known to infect humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, domestic...
, SARS and Avian Influenza. - Test drinking and some recreational water for bacteria, parasites, pesticides and other harmful substances.
- Identify suspect agents, as in 2001 when public health laboratories tested over 1,200 specimens a day during the 2001 anthrax attacks2001 anthrax attacksThe 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
, ultimately conducting over one million laboratory analyses.
International accreditation
In 2007, Haim Hacham et al. published a paper addressing the need for and the process of international standardised accreditation for laboratory proficiency in Israel. Their practice is an invaluable experience for all in the sector . With the similar efforts, both the Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (JAB) and the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) have validated and convened ISO 15189, respectively , . However, Spitzenberger and Edelhäuser have expressed their concerns in that ISO accreditation may include obstacles rising from new emerging medical devices and the new approach of assessment, indicating the time dependence of the standards .See also
- Association of Public Health LaboratoriesAssociation of Public Health LaboratoriesThe Association of Public Health Laboratories is a membership organization in the United States representing the laboratories that protect the health and safety of the public. In collaboration with members, APHL advances laboratory systems and practices, and promotes policies that support healthy...
- ISO 9000ISO 9000The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
- ISO 15189ISO 15189ISO 15189 Medical laboratories — Particular requirements for quality and competence specifies the quality management system requirements particular to medical laboratories. The standard was developed by the International Organisation for Standardisations's Technical Committee 212...
- ISO/IEC 17025ISO/IEC 17025ISO/IEC 17025 is the main standard used by testing and calibration laboratories. Originally known as ISO/IEC Guide 25, ISO/IEC 17025 was initially issued by the International Organization for Standardization in 1999. There are many commonalities with the ISO 9000 standard, but ISO/IEC 17025 adds in...
- Laboratories
- Public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...