History:

The college was started in the year 1965.The Department of microbiology functioned under thatched roof in the hospital before it was shifted to the present building in the year 1972. The department started functioning in a small scale with Dr. Siva Raman as its First Professor & Head Of Department and now, presently it has grown tremendously in infrastructure, advanced teaching facilities under the guidance of various pioneers of Microbiology. The department has had a unique good fortune of having successive efficient and resourceful HODs. The department has nurtured the growth and development of the college and has played a very significant role in producing eminent doctors & microbiologist. The department caters the microbiology diagnostic needs of the village population in and around Chengalpattu and still continues to be the most important diagnostic laboratory in Kanchipuram district.

Aims & Objectives:

The department aims at imparting quality education to medical students, setting trends in medical research, offering sophisticated patient care and also ensures availability of all advanced microbiology diagnostic facility even to the lay public.

Faculty members:

The department is fully fledged with more than sufficient faculty members. The department is fully established with a distinctive administrative set up and eminent faculty members. The list of faculties in the department are furnished below

Highlights of patient care:

The department aspires at providing microbiology diagnostic facility to all the needy. The clinical microbiology section revolves around providing timely accurate diagnosis of infections to ensure effective and prompt treatment. It also works on surveillance of infection, investigation of out breaks, control of epidemics and endemics. It also plays an inevitable role in infection control program. In this aspect, total number of investigations undertaken in the department is 65000 specimens per annum.

The details of the investigations done in the department are listed below.

1. Heart vasculature
2. Respiratory system

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

a) List of publications by the members of the staff during the last 3 years. :

Different diagnostic tests available in various sections of the department are as follows:

1. Bacteriology – Microscopy and culture of body fluids, pus, swabs, tissues, stool, urine, blood and other body fluids. Antibiotic sensitivity of bacterial isolates.
2. Immunology – VDRL test, Widal test, ASO test, RA factor test, test for C- reactive protein, Weil-Felix agglutination test.
3. Parasitology section – Stool Examination for intestinal parasites.
4. Mycobacteriology section – Microscopy and culture of sputum and other clinical specimens for Mycobacteria.
5. Virology - IgM ELISA for Dengue and Chikungunya, screening for HBsAg
6. HIV section – ELISA for HIV, Rapid test for HIV infection (Immunocomb test).
7. Mycology section - Preliminary identification and culture of fungi from the clinical specimen.

Other significant features of the Microbiology department:

1. State Referral laboratory:

The Department of Microbiology, Chengalpattu medical college is one among 12 State Referral Laboratory (SRL) for HIV testing in the state of Tamilnadu (TANSACS). This SRL serves as the administrative and technical reference centre for 3 districts – Cuddalore district, Villupuram district, Thiruvannamalai district. SRL, Chengalpattu comes under NRL – Madras Medical college, Chennai.

The SRL provides refresher training for General lab technicians, ICTC technicians in - Kanchipuram district, Villupuram district, Thiruvannamalai district

The SRL conducts EQAS program and Quality control testing (QC) for ICTC centers in Cuddalore district, Villupuram district, Thiruvannamalai district. HIV sentinel surveillance program for antenatal cases is conducted periodically for Cuddalore district, Villupuram district, Thiruvannamalai district.

Apart from the organizing the above programs and refresher training courses, the ICTC performs HIV testing and counseling for the patients on a routine basis.

1. The ART clinic tests CD4 counts and prescribes ART drugs to the PLHA patients.
2. The department not only conducts QC for other centers, it also constantly evaluates the diagnostic facility in the department by external quality assurance program. The department of Microbiology is also participating in the external quality assurance program organized by IAMM.
3. The Department of Microbiology also accompanies the medical team during all VIP visit program in Kanchipuram district for Food analysis.
4. The Department of Microbiology is the Nodal centre for Biomedical waste management and Infection control committee in Chengalpattu medical college.
5. The operation theater sterility testing is routinely done for all hospitals in Kanchipuram district

Special equipments available:

Bio-safety cabinet type II, Deep freezers minus 20oC, ELISA reader and ELISA washer, Microprocessor control shaking water bath, Refrigerator centrifuge, BOD incubator and binocular & research microscopes.

Academic and Research

The academic activities of the department include teaching, learning and understanding Microbiology both by the faculty and students. The faculties in the department of microbiology are actively involved in teaching & training MBBS Students, MD (Microbiology) postgraduates and paramedical students also conducts regular CME program, integrated teaching & practical training program for the better understanding of the subject and update of recent advancements. The faculties & students in the department of microbiology are participating in various research programs. The students also enroll themselves in ICMR student’s projects. The library is well-equipped with 235 books in the department library and 1412 books in the Central library and Indian & international journals. Laboratory research work has been done on isolation and antibiotic susceptibility testing including extended spectrum beta-lactamases, MRSA, hospital acquired infections etc.

The Department of Microbiology at Chengalpattu medical college is well-equipped with a student laboratory, research laboratory, museum, demonstration room, seminar hall, department library and microbiology lecture hall.

The diagnostic sections of different branches like diagnostic bacteriology, aerobic and anaerobic culture, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycology and parasitology function efficiently. The virology section has a facility for performing ELISA tests. The department regularly monitors the Hospital Acquired Infections and plays an important role in infection control and bio medical waste management.

Bio medical waste management:

The objective of Biomedical waste management is implementation appropriate segregation of general and hazardous waste and proper collection and disposal potentially infectious hospital waste. The college has suitable government approved biomedical waste disposal system from Tamilnadu pollution control board. The college has an MOU with GJ Multi clave for disposal of hospital generated biomedical infectious waste.

Biomedical waste committee:

The Biomedical Waste Committee consists of Medical Superintendent ,Nodal officer, RMO, HOD – Medicine, HOD – Surgery, HOD – Pediatrics, HOD – Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nursing Superintendent, Biomedical Engineer, PWD Engineer

Training:

Biomedical waste disposal & management training was conducted for Doctors, paramedical staffs & sanitary workers periodically by the Department of Microbiology

Hospital Infection control committee:

The infection control committee consists of The Dean , Medical Superintendent , HOD – Microbiology , Members- Assoc. Prof., Microbiology, RMO , Nursing Superintendent, HOD – Medicine, HOD – Surgery, HOD – Pediatrics, HOD – OG, HOD – Anesthesia, HOD – SPM, Biomedical Engineer, PWD Engineer.