Public Health Command Europe (PHCE) Laboratory Sciences (LS) is an ISO 17025 accredited full-service public health laboratory providing biological and chemical analytical services for drinking water, bottled water, environmental and occupational health assessment, food quality and safety, veterinary diagnostics, and entomology.

LS' primary mission is to support the Public Health Programs of the United States National Military Strategy in the United States European Command (USEUCOM), United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), and United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) Theaters of operations.

Please contact our Laboratory Operations Division to coordinate the submission of samples.

Analytical Testing Capabilities 

PHCE, LS is a fixed facility public health laboratory equipped with state-of-the art instrumentation for microbiological, biochemical, and molecular biological testing as well as for trace level chemical testing. For tests that cannot be performed in-house, PHCE, LS collaborates with local and CONUS laboratories that are ISO 17025 accredited. Our areas of testing are:

Services:

• Bottled Water, Food and Food Related Products - Bottled Water and Food products are tested in support of the Destination Monitoring and Initial Sanitation Audit programs. These programs ensure that the products used by military personnel and their family members, both in garrison and in theater, meet or exceed the regulatory requirements of VETCOM Circular 40-1, Appendix O - Department of Defense Food Safety and Quality Assurance Action Levels.
• Drinking Water - This service is provided to ensure that the drinking water used by military personnel and their family members both in garrison and during major operations in the theater meets or exceeds the regulatory requirements of either the Overseas Environmental Baseline Guidance Document (OEBGD), host nation specific requirements or the Department of Defense Final Governing Standards.
• Soil and water - The analysis of trace level organic contaminants in environmental samples allows the customer to perform baseline studies and to identify and locate contaminated sites. The customer can then determine if corrective measures such as remediation is required.
• Vectors - LS uses real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rtPCR) and real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rtRT- PCR) to analyze vector hosts (mosquito, ticks, sand flies) for the presence of various pathogens that could potentially cause diseases to humans or animals.
• Rabies - LS tests brain tissue of animals that show neurological signs that could be indicative of rabies. Rabies is diagnosed using the direct fluorescent antibody test (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol) which looks for the presence of rabies virus antigens in brain tissue
• Cytology & Histopathology - Examination and diagnostic services is available for stained and unstained smears prepared from fine-needle aspirates, impressions, scrapings, and swabs, and submitted tissue. Specimens are accepted from all Department of Defense (DoD) working dogs and animals owned by personnel authorized DoD medical care. Routine Hematoxylin and Eosin staining is performed for all submitted tissue specimens. Additional histochemical and immunohistochemical stains are available to aid in examination and diagnosis.