State Hygienic Laboratory - FY2014 Annual Report

Front Cover Contact

Director's Overview

Office of the Director

Genomics Human Resources Information and Technology Iowa Laboratory Appraisal Program - CLIA Organizational Development Public Policy Research and Development Strategic Communications

Year at a Glance

Administration and Finance

Financial Management Central Accessioning and Receiving Central Services Education and Outreach Facilities Glassware Grants and Contracts Media / Reagent Lab Safety and Security

Disease Control Division

Environmental Microbiology Maternal Prenatal Screening Microbiology Molecular Diagnostics Newborn Screening Serology

Environmental Health Division

Ambient Air Quality Blood Lead Emergency Preparedness FERN Chemistry CAP Gas Chromatography Analysis Industrial Hygiene and Asbestos Inorganic Chemistry Iowa Lakeside Laboratory -
Regents Resource Center Limnology Liquid Chromatography Radiochemistry Radiological Emergency Response Team

Testing Data - Page One Testing Data - Page Two Revenue Expenses
Back Cover

DISEASE CONTROL DIVISION
The primary mission of the Disease Control Division is to test human specimens, food and water for diseases of public health significance. Much of this testing is unique to the Hygienic Laboratory. The testing services help prevent the spread of disease in Iowa through the detection of infectious germs, newborn screening for genetic disorders and maternal screening.
Maternal Prenatal Screening
Expertise from this section supports the Iowa Maternal Prenatal Screening Program, offering several screenings that provide patients and health care providers with information about pregnancy and the developing fetus. These screenings are available to all Iowa women during pregnancy, and are designed to identify women with an increased risk of having a baby with Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 or an open neural tube defect. They may also identify women at increased risks of having a baby with other kinds of birth deficiencies, or women at risk of developing a problem later in pregnancy.	Each of these achievements contributes to the further development of the State Hygienic Laboratory in our stated mission: to "protect and improve quality of life by providing reliable environmental and public health information through the collective knowledge and capabilities of our organization." The theme of this report reflects the significance of these developments in the context of "momentum." The Hygienic Laboratory is committed to a forward-looking agenda of service, discovery and information. We are doing so by integrating our strategic planning into our operations; by pursuing greater quality standards in performance and customer service; and by establishing partnerships that challenge us to innovate and to provide information, which stimulates even better health and environmental science. Though the results of maternal screening will be screen-negative for most women, for those women whose results are screen-positive, this does not automatically mean that a problem exists. The positive results indicate an increased risk for either a birth defect or a chromosome abnormality that requires further testing, such as detailed ultrasound and/or amniocentesis to rule out and/or alleviate potential complications. Major achievements: Continued collaborative partnership with University of Iowa College of Nursing Associate Professor, Sandra Daack-Hirsch, Ph.D., on her research project addressing the Iowa uptake of maternal screening offered during pregnancy. The goal is to provide 100 percent coverage for all Iowa women requiring maternal screening.