The Department of Clinical Microbiology at Aarhus University Hospital provides full diagnostic microbiological service for both inpatients and outpatients from a referral area covering approximately 750,000 inhabitants.
The department performs highly specialized diagnostic tests within the areas of microbiological surveillance of organ transplant patients and patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. The treatment of these patients is centralised at two centres in Denmark. The surveillance of transplant patients involves an extensive pre-transplantation characterisation of patient immunity, passed infections and extended diagnostic efforts to identify the cause of infections arising after transplantation. The microbiological surveillance of cystic fibrosis patients involves culture of respiratory specimens on a monthly basis, including special cultures for non-TB mycobacteria and unusual pathogens, such as Burkholderia spp. and Achromobacter spp.
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacteria from all patients in a region provides unique opportunity for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. Observed rates are reported to national and international authorities and are discussed with local clinicians at meetings, conferences or with other contacts to sustain prudent use of antimicrobial agents.
Aarhus University Hospital
