WSLH News

October 5, 2018Lange Awarded U.S. Army Commander’s Award for Public ServiceOn October 2nd, Chemical Emergency Response Assistant Coordinator Meshel Lange was awarded the U.S. Department of the Army’s Commander’s Award for Public Service by the Wisconsin National Guard 54th Civil Support Team (CST). The 54th CST is a critical response asset for emergencies or terrorist events that involve weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or toxic […]

October 5, 2018Accolades for WSLH’s Chemical Emergency Response TeamOne of the WSLH’s important duties is being Wisconsin’s primary emergency response laboratory. And as with many of our state roles, our impact is felt far beyond Wisconsin’s borders. The WSLH is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be a Level 1 chemical emergency response laboratory – 1 of only […]

September 4, 2018WSLH Responds to Synthetic Cannabinoid ContaminationStories about people being hospitalized for and even dying from severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids have filled the news since March 2018. The responsible agent was determined to be brodifacoum, a powerful anticoagulant. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Chemical Response Program developed and implemented a quantitative test method for brodifacoum in blood, […]

August 24, 2018Legionella PCR (test MP00421) DiscontinuedLegionella PCR testing has been discontinued. The PCR test is designed to detect Legionella spp. at the genus level. To best meet our program needs, we request that you submit a primary specimen for Legionella Culture or submit a Legionella isolate grown at your laboratory so we can also type the organism for epidemiologic purposes. […]

August 17, 2018Labor Day Holiday HoursThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Specimen Receiving Departments will be open for deliveries on Saturday, September 1st, as usual. In observance of the Labor Day holiday, all WSLH units EXCEPT NEWBORN SCREENING will be closed on Monday, September 3rd. Please see hours of operation by location below. As always, if there is an […]

August 16, 2018Webinar: Newborn Screening Responds to Concerns through TrainingWSLH Newborn Screening Laboratory Co-Director and UW Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Patrice Held, PhD, FACMGG, shares how the newborn screening program developed innovative online training modules that positively impacted the analytical testing process of the newborn screening program. These learning opportunities for health care providers address timeliness and quality assurance concerns. Watch the webinar

August 7, 2018“Majoring” in Genetics and Newborn Screening at Grandparents UniversityThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s campus lab building was bustling with “students” on July 26th and 27th as 12 grandparent-grandkid pairs “majored” in genetics and newborn screening as part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Grandparents University (GPU). GPU started at UW-Madison in 2001 and runs for two consecutive days for three consecutive weeks every […]

July 24, 2018National Atmospheric Deposition Program Moves to WSLHUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison news story – https://news.wisc.edu/national-atmospheric-deposition-program-moves-to-hygiene-lab-at-uw-madison/ The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the new Central Analytical Laboratory and Program Office for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program. The NADP serves public and environmental health, science, education and agriculture by monitoring North America’s precipitation and atmosphere for a range of […]

July 9, 2018Partnerships Key for WI Harmful Algal Bloom SurveillanceThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a case study on Wisconsin’s use of partnerships to help build and sustain Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)-related illness surveillance. This case study is part of a CDC toolkit for public health professionals designed to encourage HAB surveillance and reporting to One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System […]

June 20, 2018July 4th Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the July 4th Independence Day holiday. In observance of the holiday, we will be closed on Wednesday, July 4th. We will NOT be receiving specimens on July 4th. The WSLH Specimen Receiving Department will be open for […]

June 8, 2018Schauer Named U.S. Science EnvoyJames Schauer, PhD, PE, MBA, director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and Peterson-Radar-Hawnn Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UW-Madison, has been named a 2018 U.S. Science Envoy by the U.S. Department of State. U.S. Science Envoys engage internationally at the citizen and government levels to enhance relationships between other nations and […]

June 7, 2018Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment Grant Award Focuses on Newborn Screening, Genetic TestingAs a Co-Principal Investigator, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Newborn Screening Laboratory Co-Director and University of Wisconsin Professor of Pediatrics Mei Baker, MD, and the Principal Investigator UW Pediatrics Associate Professor Christine Seroogy, MD, received a three-year, $120,000 Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment Grant for their project, “Development and Implementation of Rapid Genetic Test to Improve […]

May 18, 2018What if There Were No Public Health Labs?A new Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) podcast tells the horror stories that can happen to families everywhere when there are no public health labs. The podcast is the second in a series produced by cohort 10 of the APHL Emerging Leader Program. The podcast stories focus on emerging infectious diseases, newborn screening, and […]

May 18, 2018New Rapid Rabies Test Could Revolutionize Testing, TreatmentThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Rabies laboratory was 1 of 14 pilot study sites worldwide for a new rabies test developed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that could mean people exposed to potentially rabid animals could forego the weeks-long regimen of shots to prevent the deadly disease. The new test, […]

May 16, 2018Memorial Day Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Memorial Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 Henry Mall […]

May 7, 2018WSLH Webinar: Using eDNA to Determine Species Presence in Environmental SamplesWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Microbiologist Alyssa Beck explains how the WSLH will begin using environmental DNA (eDNA) to determine the presence of Zebra Mussels and New Zealand Mudsnails in select Wisconsin bodies of water this summer. Both of these invasive aquatic organisms are of concern to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. eDNA […]

May 3, 2018WisContext: Flu’s Seasonal Curve Swelled In 2017-18The WSLH’s state and regional influenza surveillance programs were in the news as WisContext produced a wrap-up story on this past flu season. WisContext is a multimedia service of Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television and the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. Story — https://www.wiscontext.org/flus-seasonal-curve-swelled-2017-18

April 27, 2018NBC 15: Drugged Driving on the RiseThe increase in drugged driving and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Forensic Toxicology Lab’s role in that testing were featured in a story by NBC 15 news in Madison. In 2017, the WSLH tested more than 22,000 blood samples from suspected impaired drivers. All of those samples were tested for alcohol and a sub-set […]

April 5, 20181918 Influenza Pandemic 100th Anniversary – How Far We’ve Come and How Far We Need To Go2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the 1918 influenza pandemic that caused the deaths of an estimated 675,000 Americans and tens of millions worldwide. The latest issue of Lab Matters from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) features an article recounting how far the public health system has come in being able to respond […]

March 26, 2018OSHA Small Business Success Story: Rotating Equipment Repair Achieves Injury-Free Workplace with WisCon’s HelpRotating Equipment Repair (RER), a Sussex, WI, company providing high quality repairs, parts, and field service to the high energy pump market, is featured as a “Small Business Success Story” by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). The story highlights the collaboration between RER staffers and expert consultants from Wisconsin’s Onsite Safety and Health […]

February 9, 2018Webinar – Detecting Drugged Driving in Wisconsin: Comparing Whole Blood and Roadside Oral Fluid SpecimensWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Forensic Toxicologist Ted Savage discusses the Dane County Oral Fluid Study. Objectives of the study were to evaluate the utility of an oral fluid detection system as a tool for law enforcement, the prevalence of people driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs, the differences between detecting […]

February 7, 2018WSLH’s Critical Role in State and National Flu SurveillanceThe critical role the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s Communicable Disease Division plays in state and national flu surveillance was featured in an article by WisContext. WisContext is a collaborative news service of Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television and University of Wisconsin Extension. Wisconsin’s Place In The Backbone Of U.S. Flu Surveillance: How State […]

February 1, 2018Wisconsin Nonfatal Work Injury and Illness Rate Increases in 2016According to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), there were 82,700 total injuries and illnesses reported by Wisconsin employers in 2016, an increase from the 78,800 total injuries and illnesses reported for 2015. The rate of injury and illness rose from 3.6 in 2015 to […]

February 1, 2018Rate of Fatal Worker Injuries Remains Consistent in Wisconsin in 2016According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), there were 105 Wisconsin workers who died due to injury in 2016. This number reflects a slight increase from 104 fatalities in 2015. Wisconsin’s overall fatality rate remained consistent from 2015 to 2016 with 3.6 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers. […]

January 24, 2018Wisconsin Clinical Lab Biosafety Assessment Featured in JCMThe January 2018 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology features an article about an innovative statewide biosafety risk assessment conducted by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Communicable Disease Division (WSLH CDD). From the article “Laboratory Focus on Improving the Culture of Biosafety: Statewide Risk Assessment of Clinical Laboratories That Process Specimens for Microbiologic […]

January 5, 2018Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our […]

January 4, 2018Radon – The Silent KillerYou can’t see it, you can’t smell it, you can’t taste it, it could kill you – and it may be a problem in your home. What is it? Radon. January is National Radon Action Month and homeowners interested in testing their homes for radon have many options. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene offers […]

December 7, 2017Webinar – Flu 101: Truth and MythIn this webinar, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Virology Team Lead Erik Reisdorf reviews the basics of seasonal and pandemic influenza, what we expect to happen this flu season, and the importance of surveillance activities at the WSLH. Reisdorf also discusses common misconceptions about influenza. Webinar link (plays best in Internet Explorer) – https://slhstream2.ad.slh.wisc.edu/Mediasite/Play/04ed6b246b594990ab31fa6e0e0164b11d […]

December 6, 20172017 Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving department. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 […]

November 15, 2017National Atmospheric Deposition Program Moving to WSLHThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been chosen as the central analytical laboratory and program office for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). The NADP serves public and environmental health, science, education and agriculture by monitoring North America’s precipitation and atmosphere for a range of chemicals and uses […]

November 14, 2017WSLH/UW Scientists Elected to American Society of Cytopathology LeadershipWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Medical Director and University of Wisconsin Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Daniel Kurtycz, MD, has been elected to lead the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC). The ASC is a 3,000 member national professional society of physicians, cytotechnologists and scientists dedicated to the cytologic method of diagnostic pathology. Dr. Kurtycz […]

November 10, 2017WisContext: The Volatile Mix Of Drugs At Work In The Opioid CrisisWisContext – an online multimedia news and information service of Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television and UW Cooperative Extension – used excerpts from Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Forensic Toxicologist Lori Edward’s talk earlier this year to highlight “The Volatile Mix of Drugs at Work in the Opioid Crisis”. Edward’s talk – “Heroin […]

November 8, 2017Thanksgiving 2017 Holiday HoursThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene will be closed on Thursday, November 23, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our Specimen Receiving departments will observe the following hours of operation for the Thanksgiving holiday: 2601 Agriculture Drive – Specimen Receiving DATE HOURS Thursday, 11/23, Thanksgiving Day Closed Friday, 11/24 6 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday, 11/25 […]

November 8, 2017UW Pop Health Talk Highlights Role of WSLH and Clinical LabsOn Nov. 6th, WSLH Communicable Disease Division Director Dr. Pete Shult gave a talk on “Responding to Emerging Infectious Disease Threats – The Role of the WSLH and its Laboratory Networks” as part of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Population Health Sciences Monday seminar series. Shult’s talk focused on the […]

November 8, 2017Collaboration Key to Advancing Newborn ScreeningThe collaborative nature of public health was on display at the WSLH Newborn Screening Laboratory in October as Dr. Ellen Stevens from the North Carolina Public Health Laboratory (NCPHL) spent a week learning the next-generation sequencing assay the WSLH performs for cystic fibrosis (CF) screening. Last year the vendor that produced the type of assay […]

October 9, 2017Helping Babies in India and WisconsinScientists from NeoGen Labs in Bangalore, India, spent a week in September at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Newborn Screening Laboratory learning about Wisconsin’s testing and reporting processes. NeoGen scientists Dr. Ruby Poickaranparambil Babu, consultant biochemist, and Aggunda Channa Poornima, senior manager for laboratory operations, came to Wisconsin to learn about validating test […]

October 9, 2017New and Emerging Threats: From A to ZikaWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Communicable Disease Division Director Dr. Peter Shult gave a talk on emerging infectious diseases at the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Emergency Preparedness Conference on Sept. 20th. In addition to discussing infectious disease threats, Dr. Shult also highlighted the vital role that Wisconsin’s clinical and hospital laboratories play in emergency response […]

September 22, 2017Webinar – WisCon: Helping Workers by Helping Small BusinessesThe WisCon Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program helps small businesses in Wisconsin provide safe and healthy workplaces for their employees. The OSHA-funded program is free for the business and WisCon assists about 300 businesses each year, influencing the working conditions of about 10,000 employees. During fiscal year 2016, WisCon consultants identified and verified correction […]

September 13, 2017Fighting Antibiotic Resistance in the MidwestOn August 1 – 2, 2017, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) hosted laboratorians and epidemiologists from five Midwest states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as program staff from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), for the first annual Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN) Midwest Regional Meeting. […]

September 1, 2017Three WSLH Staffers Added to Pringle Award Roll of HonorThree WSLH staffers have been added to the Pringle Award Roll of Honor by University of Wisconsin-Madison University Staff Shared Governance. Shannon Kelly in WSLH Proficiency Testing, Shauna Minick in Forensic Toxicology and Katy Penland in Newborn Screening were all nominated for the Elizabeth S. Pringle Award. Ms. Pringle worked for retired UW-Madison Professor Joel […]

August 29, 2017Concerns about Deaths Lead to Manure Storage Risk PublicationConcerns about deaths occurring near manure storage and handling systems led University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension scientists to develop a publication about “Reducing Risks from Manure Storage Agitation Gases.” The authors led by UW Biological Systems Engineering Assistant Professor Rebecca Larson and including Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Director and UW […]

August 25, 2017Labor Day Holiday HoursThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Specimen Receiving Departments will be open for deliveries on Saturday, September 2nd, as usual. In observance of the Labor Day holiday, all WSLH units EXCEPT NEWBORN SCREENING will be closed on Monday, September 4th. Please see hours of operation by location below. As always, if there is an […]

July 19, 2017Herpes Simplex Virus PCR Testing ChangeThe WSLH has discontinued Herpes Simplex Virus PCR (CSF) – test code VR01705. We will continue performing Herpes Simplex Virus PCR [Genital/Dermal] – test code VR01704. If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service staff at 800-862-1013, Monday-Friday 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM.

July 11, 2017Chromosomal Microarray Analysis (CMA) for Hematological MalignanciesUW Cytogenetic Services and Molecular Genetics is now offering a chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for hematological malignancies CMA analysis provides a high resolution, genome-wide assessment of copy number variants (gains and losses) and copy neutral loss of heterozygosity (cn-LOH) recurrent in hematological malignancies. CMA is recommended for individuals with a new diagnosis or suspected diagnosis […]

July 6, 2017Bowles and Warshauer Honored By APHLTwo Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) scientists – Erin Bowles MT (ASCP) and Dr. Dave Warshauer, PhD, D(ABMM) – were honored at the recent Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) annual meeting in Providence, RI. Bowles, the Wisconsin Clinical Laboratory Network (WCLN) coordinator and co-biosafety officer at the WSLH, received the Emerging Leader Award. […]

June 30, 2017Wisconsin Begins Pompe Newborn Screening PilotStarting in July 2017, Wisconsin will begin screening for Pompe disease as part of a federally funded newborn screening pilot program. The pilot is an outcome of a 2013 recommendation by the national Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in the Newborn and Child (ACHDNC) that Pompe screening be added to state newborn screening panels. As […]

June 27, 2017July 4th Holiday HoursIn observance of the holiday, the WSLH will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th. We will NOT be receiving specimens on July 4th. The WSLH will be open on Monday, July 3rd and Wednesday, July 5th. Specimen Receiving Department hours are listed below. As always, if there is an emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency […]

June 21, 2017Reverse Algorithm for Syphilis Diagnosis – Testing AnnouncementEffective August 1, 2017 the WSLH will implement the “reverse” algorithm for the diagnosis of syphilis. This will change the way testing is performed and charged. The traditional syphilis testing algorithm starts with a non-treponemal test (e.g. VDRL, RPR), followed by a treponemal test (e.g. FTA, TP-PA) if the non-treponemal test is reactive. With the […]

June 6, 2017Solving a Bacterial Riddle – One Gene at a TimeIn 2015 and 2016, the bacteria Elizabethkingia anopheles caused an outbreak in Wisconsin that is still unsolved. But an international scientific collaboration to examine the bacteria’s genomic history gives an answer to one part of the mystery – the 63 people sickened in Wisconsin were all exposed to the same novel strain of bacteria. Testing […]

June 2, 2017International Influenza Laboratory TrainingThe WSLH Communicable Disease Division (CDD) hosted four visiting scientists from Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of an international influenza mentorship program to provide technical assistance to countries to strengthen laboratory management systems and capacity, and enhance Biosafety and Quality Assurance programs using a step-wise approach. The program is also intended to foster technical partnerships […]