With headquarters in Tallahassee and three laboratories, with the central laboratory in Jacksonville and the two branch laboratories in Miami and Tampa, the Florida Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratories provides service statewide and provides information to over 20 federal and state agencies, 500 licensed clinical laboratories, and 450 certified environmental laboratories.
Florida’s public health laboratories are on the forefront to detect new and emerging pathogens.
Laboratory contact information
The laboratories may provide different services. Please make sure you check the test menu and services below to ensure you are selecting the right laboratory for your specific testing needs.
Services Provided
View a list of the services and tests offered by the Florida Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratories and pre-analytical submission requirements.
Testing Services by Location
Jacksonville Lab
1217 N. Pearl St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
The Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Jacksonville was established in 1903 and is the central laboratory.
The laboratory is located on the northern side of downtown Jacksonville, just off I-95 along the banks of Hogans Creek.
Virology
- Emerging pathogen detection
- IgG and PCR testing
- MERS coronavirus detection
- Influenza A, influenza B, and SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by (real-time PCR)
- Novel flu detection of H7 and H5
- Respiratory virus and norovirus surveillance (real-time PCR)
- Esoteric for viruses such as measles, mumps, rubella, varicella zoster, and enterovirus D68 (real-time PCR)
- Arbovirus diseases, including west nile, zika, dengue, chikungunya, eastern equine (real-time PCR and ELISA), and Oropouche
- Rabies in animal brain tissue (DFA)
- Tick-borne diseases, including rocky mountain spotted fever and ehrlichia
Mycobacteriology (Clinical Specimens or Isolates)
- AFB Smear and Culture (Monday – Friday)
- Nucleic acid amplification for TB (real-time PCR), respiratory specimens, (Monday – Friday)
- AFB culture for identification (referred isolate)
- TB drug susceptibility (referred isolate – performed on M. tuberculosis complex isolates only)
Mycology
- Candida auris Identification
Serology
- Gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis, syphilis, rubella
- Trichomonas vaginalis
- Mycoplasma genitalium
- QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus
Retrovirology
- HIV screening tests
- HIV patient management testing
- HIV viral load testing
- HIV genotyping
Environmental Microbiology
- Well water
- Non-potable water
- Food borne outbreak testing
Clinical Microbiology
- Bacteriology testing
- Parasitology testing
Molecular
- Sequences microbial organisms, generating data for state and federal genomic surveillance and epidemiology programs, along with developing clinical sequencing assays used to detect drug resistance mutations in HIV and tuberculosis
Newborn Screening
- Testing for over 30 core conditions and over 20 secondary conditions for all newborns in the state of Florida
Chemical Threats
- One of 10 Level 1 CT laboratories in the nation
- Capability to perform testing on human specimens for chemical terrorism agents
- Provide training to providers
Biological Threats
- Clinical BT sample testing
- Environmental BT sample testing
Environmental Laboratory Certification
- Certifies laboratories across the country to use chemical and biological techniques in testing a wide variety of matrices, including drinking water, non-potable water, solid and chemical materials, biological tissue, and air
Bioinformatices
- Leverages genomic epidemiology and computational resources to analyze sequencing data for result interpretation (whether for clinical decision-making or surveillance), to guide public health policy and outbreak response
Laboratory Management
Susanne Crowe, DrPH, MHA, HCLD (ABB)
Laboratory Director and CLIA Director
904-791-1550
Mary Ritchie, PhD, HCLD (ABB)
Assistant Laboratory Director
904-791-1767
Miami Lab
1325 N.W. 14th Ave.
Miami, FL 33125
The Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Miami was established in 1914.
The lab is located in Miami’s Health District, also known as Civic Center, just southwest of the Miami VA Healthcare System, University of Miami Health System, and Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Virology
- Influenza A, influenza b, and SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by (real-time PCR)
- Arbovirus diseases, including zika, dengue, chikungunya (real-time PCR)
Clinical Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Parasitology
- Rabies in animal brain tissue (DFA)
Biological Threats
- Clinical samples
- Environmental samples
Serology
- Gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis, syphilis, HIV
Environmental Microbiology
- Well water
- Non-potable water
Laboratory Management
Xihui Newman, PhD, HCLD (ABB)
Laboratory Director
305-325-2533
Elesi Quaye BS, FIBMS, RM (NRCM), MCM (ASCP)
Assistant Laboratory Director
305-325-2536
Mary Ritchie, PhD, HCLD (ABB)
CLIA Director
904-791-1767
Tampa Lab
3602 Spectrum Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612
The Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Tampa was established in 1910 and is now located on campus near the southwest corner of the University of South Florida in Northeast Tampa.
Virology
- Influenza A, influenza B, and SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by (real-time PCR)
- Respiratory virus and norovirus surveillance (real-time PCR)
- Esoteric for viruses such as measles, mumps, varicella zoster, MERS coronavirus, and enterovirus D68 (real-time PCR)
- Characterization of genomes for adenovirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, influenza virus, norovirus, and SARS-CoV-2 by next generation sequencing and sanger sequencing
- Arbovirus diseases, including zika, dengue (real-time PCR and ELISA)
- Sentinel chicken arbovirus surveillance by HAI, ELISA, and PRNT
Clinical Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Parasitology
- Rabies in animal brain tissue (DFA)
Biological Threats
- Clinical samples
- Environmental samples
Serology
- Gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis, syphilis
Laboratory Management
Lea Heberlein, DrPH, CPH, SM (ASCP)CM, HCLD (ABB)
Laboratory Director
813-233-2277
Marshall Cone, MPH, MT(AAB)
Assistant Laboratory Director
813-233-2290
Andrew Cannons, PhD, HCLD (ABB)
CLIA Director