Measles Testing

Clinical Testing Services

The SMCPHL supports clinical providers throughout San Mateo County by performing diagnostic, reference and specialized testing that informs patient care and public health action. Services include but are not limited to testing for respiratory, bacterial, chemical, viral, emerging and re-emerging diseases of public health importance.

We work closely with the SMC Health – Edison STI Clinic and other providers to analyze patients’ test specimens. We collaborate with veterinary partners to identify diseases such as Rabies. And we contribute to coordinated public health efforts like the CDC’s recommendation to perform subtyping of Flu A positive specimens to monitor the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype (H5). If your hospital would like to participate in these surveillance efforts or for more information on how we can work together to achieve shared goals, please contact us.

To augment how we serve our community, we also work with the CDC and CDPH to perform specialized testing for novel diseases not currently offered at our lab. This includes:

• Mpox Clade I PCR testing
• Measles wild type vs. vaccine strain PCR testing
• Other highly infectious diseases of interest

Environmental Testing Services

The SMCPHL tests for and monitors contaminants in the environment to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and safeguard public health. We do this by regularly assessing the quality of water samples from beaches, creeks, wells and drinking water.

If you’re interested in having drinking or recreational bodies of water tested for communicable diseases, call to consult us on how we can help.

The SMCPHL also monitors county wastewater treatment plants for the presence and concentration of communicable disease organisms. This service is only available for treatment plants within San Mateo. If you are interested in participating, please contact us.

Animal Testing Services

The SMCPHL works together with the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (PHS) and local veterinarians to test animals for a variety of infectious diseases.

Rabies exists throughout San Mateo County and is 100% fatal in dogs and cats, and almost always fatal in humans if not treated immediately. To test for its presence, the brain of an animal is needed, thus this service cannot be requested by private citizens. Please work with the PHS and SMC Health — Animal Control to pursue specimen collection and testing.

We also test for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype (H5) — a virus that primarily infects wild and domestic birds. The current strain has been recognized as a cause of avian morbidity and mortality since the early 2000s. In 2024, H5N1 was identified for the first time in domestic cats. If you encounter a domestic cat that may show signs of infection, please contact us for H5 testing.