> Infectious Diseases Research Centre
Bacteriology Unit| Introduction | Research | Publications | Diagnostic Services |
The bacteriology Unit was established in 1900 along with the establishment of the Institute for Medical Research. During the early years of establishment, bacteriological work was mainly on the addressing the preliminary enquiry into the bacteriology of the natural waters of the country. The works conducted were mainly routine diagnostic bacteriology. Over the years, the Unit has been gradually evolved into a research unit. During the progress, some achievements have been made. To name a few are the establishment of Bacillus mallei as the causative agent of melioidosis (which was later known as Burkholderia psudomallei ) by Whitmore, Fletcher and Stanton, the pathologists of the Institute (1917); isolation of the antibiotic-producing mould, Streptomyces , from Malaysian soils (1951); and the discovery of Actinonim, an antibiotic (1961). Another major achievement made by the Unit was the development of Indirect Immunoperoxidase test for the laboratory diagnosis of scrub typhus (1985).
Dotting in the preparation of rickettsial antigen slides
Indirect Immunoperoxidase Test
The Unit is recognized by WHO as the National Salmonella Reference Center and the National center for the collection of Type culture since 1970. The Unit is the National focal point for World Health Organization Collaborative Surveillance Programme on Antibiotic Resistance in the Western Pacific Region.
The Unit also participates actively in the External Quality Assurance Programs organized by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) with the main aim was to provide the avenue for the staff to update their knowledge in microbiology.
Salmonella serotyping
The Unit also participates actively in the External Quality Assurance Programs organized by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) with the main aim was to provide the avenue for the staff to update their knowledge in microbiology.
The Unit is now concentrating at a more focused research based on diseases and the causative organisms. Newer generation tests based on molecular biology techniques which include peptide synthesis and recombinant proteins, DNA probes and hybridization and amplification technique such as polymerase chain reaction and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis, are coming to fore as research tools and are beginning to supplant the traditional tools such as culture, serotyping and phage typing which have had their own limitations.
The Unit is now emphasizing more on the molecular-based research.
RCPA Presentation
Macroagglutination Test for Leptospira
Polymerase Chain Reaction work
Serological Test for melioidosis
