The Department of Microbiology provides cutting-edge diagnostic testing for patients of Mount Sinai Hospital and ten other teaching and community hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area.  This allows health care workers caring for their patients to have access to testing that will quickly and accurately diagnose infectious diseases including new emerging threats such as multi-drug resistant superbugs and pandemic influenza. 

In addition, Mount Sinai Hospital's infection control program is an integral part of the Department of Microbiology. In addition to providing infection prevention services for Mount Sinai Hospital, the infection control program provides teaching and consultation services to a number of outside facilities.  At a time when many hospitals are only now focusing on patient safety and infection control, it has been over two decades since Mount Sinai Hospital introduced its infection control program, setting the standard for recognizing and controlling infectious disease threats to our patients.  We continue to have the lowest rates of transmission and infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile, and other multi-drug resistant superbugs.