Microbiology
The Department of Microbiology at Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences focuses on the study of microscopic living organisms and their role in infectious diseases, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The department houses a fully functional ICTC and hospital infection control unit and played a key role in COVID-19 testing during the pandemic. It offers quality education to MD and MBBS students through discussions, lectures, seminars, and guest lectures, with laboratories spanning bacteriology, parasitology, mycology, virology, immunology, mycobacteriology, and molecular biology, all functional around the clock and equipped with advanced diagnostic and research facilities.
Facilities
- Practical Lab: capacity of 75 students
- Postgraduate Research Lab
- Bacteriology Lab: O, CRP, Widal test, RPR, RA Factor, Salmonella IgG/IgM
- Virology Lab: HBsAg, HCV antibody, Dengue NS 1/IgM/IgG, HIV rapid card
- Parasitology Lab: stool microscopy, malaria antigen test, peripheral blood smear
- Mycology Lab: KOH mount, fungal culture & sensitivity, India ink mount
- T.B. Lab: AFB stain, TB culture, ZN stain for M. leprae
- NABL-accredited molecular lab (since 2020)
- Automated blood culture system (Bact/Alert 3D) and RT-PCR for COVID-19/HCV
Dr. Krati Varshney
Professor, Department of Microbiology
Dr. Kamya Verma
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology
Dr. Sanjeev Dimri
Professor & HOD
Dr. Ajanta Datta
Associate Professor
Dr. Gunjan Dutta
Associate Professor
Dr. Kavita Kumari
Assistant Professor
Dr. Suman Tiwari
Senior Resident
Dr. Harish Verma
DemonstratorFAQs
What are the main groups of microorganisms that cause infections?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are the main groups, each causing different infections and requiring different diagnostic tests and treatments.
What is a culture and sensitivity test?
It grows bacteria from a sample, such as blood or urine, and checks which antibiotics work best against them.
How is tuberculosis diagnosed in the laboratory?
Diagnosis uses sputum smear microscopy, culture, and molecular tests such as CBNAAT, which also detect rifampicin resistance within a few hours.
What is antimicrobial resistance, and why is it a concern?
It occurs when microbes stop responding to antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. Taking antibiotics only when prescribed helps prevent it.
How does molecular testing, such as PCR, help in diagnosing infections?
PCR detects the genetic material of a microorganism, giving fast, highly accurate results for viral infections such as COVID-19, even at low levels.
