Public Health Laboratory

County of Placer
Department of Health & Human Services
11475 C Avenue
Auburn CA 95603

Telephone: 530.889.7205
Fax: 530.889.7209

Hours of Business

8:00am to 5:00pm Monday-Friday (excluding County Holidays)

Water Testing
8:00am to 4:00pm Monday thru Friday (excluding County Holidays, the day before Thanksgiving, and the day before Christmas)

Our Laboratory

The Placer County Public Health Laboratory (PHL) provides analyses aimed at protecting the public’s health by assessing the incidence of and preventing the spread of a multitude of infectious diseases in our community. Our laboratory operates both a Biosafety Level-2 (BSL-2) and a Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) component and we participate in the state and federal Laboratory Response Network (LRN) to help maintain a nation-wide emergency response program. The Placer County PHL is staffed with Highly trained, experienced, and California certified Public Health Microbiologists and support staff.

Services

Bacteriology

• Chlamydia/Gonorrhea (Combination) Amplified RNA Probe
• Gonorrhea (Culture )
• Urine Cultures and Sensitivities
• Streptococcus Throat Culture
• Enteric Culture ( Salmonella/Shigella/Campylobacter/ E. coli, Vibrio, Yersinia)
• Aerobic/Anaerobic Cultures
• Bordetella Pertussis Culture
• Diptheria

Mycobacteriology (Tuberculosis)

• Primary Culture
• Direct Smear
• Culture and Smear
• Definitive Culture ID Genetic probe

Sputum Specimen Collection Instructions

Virology

• Rabies
• Herpes Virus Isolation
• Herpes Virus Typing
• Respiratory Virus Panel
• West Nile Virus Antibody Testing-Human
• VZV (Shingles) Testing
• Influenza Surveillance
• Testing Submittal Form
• Norovirus PCR

Parasitology

• Ova- Parasites (Conc & Trichrome)
• Pinworm
• Ectoparasite ID
• Blood Smear for Malaria
• Cryptosporidium detection
• Trichrome (Parasite Stain)
• Formalin Ether (Concentrate)
• Tick Species Identification- Lyme Disease
• Lyme IFA

Hematology

• Blood Lead

Mycology

• Wet Mount
• Fungal Culture

*Other

• Water Bacteriology
• Food-Borne Pathogens
• Title 17 Submission
• Drug Abuse Screen- not for medical purposes

*Must be accompanied by request form specific for test requested. Please contact laboratory for instructions.

Environmental Samples

Food
Water

Water Testing Brochure
Water Sampling Instructions

Water Testing Rates effective July 1, 2012:

Coliform/E. Coli- Potable 24.00
Coliform/ E. Coli- Potable with Enumeration 32.00
Total Aerobic Plate Count 29.00
Pseudomonas Count 29.00
Coliform/E. Coli- Nonpotable 56.00
Coliform/ Fecal Coliform- Potable 56.00
Coliform/ Fecal Coliform- Nonpotable 56.00

Note: The Laboratory will be closed on County Holidays. The Lab will not accept water tests the day before the Thanksgiving Holiday, November 27, 2013 and the day before the Christmas Holiday, December 24, 201.

Related Links

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Society for Microbiology
Association of Public Health Laboratories

Licensing Information

Certificate of Compliance from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
Certificate of Environmental Accreditation from California State Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP)

Contact Information

County of Placer
Department of Health & Human Services
Public Health Laboratory
11485 C Avenue
Auburn CA 95603

Laboratory Director

Musau WaKabongo, Ph.D., PHM, HCLD (ABB)

Telephone: 530.889.7205
Fax: 530.889.7209
Email: phlab@placer.ca.gov