Our History

The Mycobacteria/Nocardia Clinical Reference Laboratory at The University of Texas at Tyler provides specialized diagnostic testing for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), Nocardia, and other aerobic actinomycetes. Our services support clinical laboratories and healthcare providers in identifying challenging organisms and evaluating antimicrobial susceptibility to help inform treatment decisions.

The laboratory combines conventional microbiological methods with advanced molecular techniques, including gene sequencing for species identification and targeted detection of selected antimicrobial resistance mutations. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is performed using broth microdilution methods recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), providing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results for clinically relevant antimicrobial agents. Additional services include specialized resistance testing and DNA fingerprinting to support investigations of related isolates and potential transmission patterns.

Our testing capabilities encompass rapidly growing and slowly growing NTM, Nocardia species, and other clinically significant aerobic actinomycetes, including Gordonia, Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, and Tsukamurella. Next-generation sequencing technologies are also in development to expand organism identification and antimicrobial resistance detection capabilities.

By providing specialized testing beyond the scope of many routine clinical laboratories, we help referring institutions address complex microbiological challenges and obtain valuable information to support clinical decision-making and patient care.