Laboratory for Viruses and Molecular Biology

The AIDS Laboratory
The Aids Laboratory performs almost one third of the total tests carried out in Israel to detect people infected with the AIDS-causing virus (HIV). Furthermore, it is one of only two of its kind in the country that performs molecular tests to determine whether the HIV virus of patients is resistant to drug treatment. Today, it is considered the standard of care.

The Molecular Biology Laboratory
The Molecular Biology Laboratory conducts a wide range of tests, primarily for the molecular diagnosis of viral infections. In addition, it is the only laboratory in Israel that performs diagnostic tests for cat scratch disease and other diseases caused by the Bartonella bacteria. The laboratory has a high level of expertise in the development of molecular tests for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

The AIDS Laboratory
The following tests are performed in the AIDS Laboratory:

• Screening for HIV - This is an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for detecting HIV antibodies and the P-24 antigen in the blood. The test is aimed to identify HIV-infected carriers.
• HIV viral load - This is a molecular test that uses the advanced methodology of Real-time PCR for monitoring HIV levels in the blood of infected patients. The test is carried out as part of routine follow-up of HIV carriers.
• CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte count - This test aims to monitor lymphocyte sub-populations in HIV-infected patients, as a measure of their immune status. The test is performed by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS).
• Resistance tests - These are highly sophisticated molecular tests by which the HIV genome is isolated from the patient’s blood and is sequenced to identify mutations in the viral protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase genes, which are known to confer resistance to antiviral drug treatment. These tests are performed in patients failing therapy, as well as in newly diagnosed patients, prior to drug treatment.
  

The Molecular Biology Laboratory
The following tests are performed in the Molecular Biology Laboratory:

• ELISA test to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies for the diagnosis of cat scratch disease and other diseases caused by the Bartonella bacteria.
• Molecular testing by PCR for the diagnosis of cat scratch disease.
• Molecular testing by Real-time PCR to determine the level of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the blood. This test is used to identify HCV-infected patients and to monitor treatment.
• Molecular typing of HCV. This test is used to determine treatment strategy.
• Real-time PCR testing for quantifying the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the blood, to detect HBV-infected patients and to monitor therapy.
• Real-time PCR testing for the measurement of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) levels in the blood. This test is used to determine the initiation of treatment and for follow-up of solid-organ and bone-marrow transplant patients.
• Real-time PCR testing to detect HCMV in amniotic fluid, to determine HCMV infection of the fetus.
• PCR for detection and typing of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in cervical swabs.
• Molecular testing by real-time PCR for the flu virus, including type A, type B and swine flu (the pandemic 2009 A/H1N1).
• Culture of the Bartonella bacteria.