The David Axelrod Institute has security staff present in the building 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If specimens are delivered when the Mycobacteriology Laboratory staff are not available, the security personnel will receive them and store them appropriately.  The specimens will be processed by the Mycobacteriology Laboratory on the next working day.

To request shipping materials please contact the New York State order desk at 518-474-4175.

There is no need to ship mycobacteriology specimens on dry ice.  They can be shipped at ambient temperature.

Specimens for mycobacterial testing should be less than 7 days old when received at the Wadsworth Center.  NOTE:  Specimens that are >7 days old may be accepted on a case-by-case basis as deemed appropriate by the Mycobacteriology Laboratory Director.

Results are available electronically through the Health Commerce System (HCS).  Results are not faxed.

The assay will detect as low as 200 bacilli per ml of specimen material.

The Mycobacteriology Laboratory no longer accepts formalin fixed or paraffin-embedded tissue specimens under any circumstances.