Laboratory Biothreat Testing
The County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Laboratory (SLOPHL) serves as the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) reference laboratory for the identification of biologic agents of terrorism for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. We have been serving in this capacity since early 2009 as one of 14 local public health laboratories providing LRN services to multi-county jurisdictions in California. Our role is to accurately determine the presence or absence of suspected bioterrorism agents and assist clinical and other diagnostic laboratories (called sentinel laboratories) in ruling out these agents by basic microbiologic techniques or by rapidly referring specimens and culture isolates for testing. We also facilitate training and communication to ensure timely responses and identification of possible agents.
For further information about the laboratory’s biothreat program click on the links below: