Maryland Department of Health - MD Public Health Laboratory

Your public health laboratories perform over 10 million tests annually on human specimens and environmental samples submitted by county health departments and clinics, private physicians and laboratories, hospitals, correctional facilities, and the MDE. The Laboratories Administration consists of a Central Laboratory in Baltimore, the Western Maryland Regional Laboratory in Cumberland, and the Eas

tern Shore Regional Laboratory in Salisbury. The Central Laboratory is organized into several divisions with over 40 specialty laboratory sections and units. The Regional Laboratories employ approximately 40 employees and perform basic public health testing for surrounding counties. Your public health laboratory system is prepared to confront such serious community threats as emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, growing antimicrobial drug resistance, contaminated and overburdened water supplies, and foodborne pathogens associated with new and imported food products. The State laboratories are also improving disease prevention and control by implementing new molecular and genetic technologies to identify and track infectious microorganisms responsible for disease outbreaks, by detecting hazardous chemicals and their metabolites, by monitoring gene mutations associated with identifiable and treatable genetic defects, and by implementing new scientific instruments and procedures to help limit and control the effects of biological and chemical terrorism.