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Molecular Testing Specialist

Lehigh Valley Genomics Our Services Molecular Testing

Lehigh Valley Genomics

Laboratory Services & COVID Testing located in Bethlehem, PA

When you feel miserable due to a respiratory, gastrointestinal, or urinary tract infection, your doctor can’t prescribe the best treatment until they learn the cause of your infection. That’s when you need molecular testing performed by the exceptional team at Lehigh Valley Genomics. With this advanced testing, you and your doctor have the answers you need in 24-48 hours. To learn more about molecular testing, call the office in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, or connect online today.

Molecular Testing Q&A

What is molecular testing?

Molecular testing refers to a specialized technique, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), that identifies proteins, genes, and other molecules in samples of blood, tissues, or body fluids. 

One of the COVID-19 tests is a molecular test that identifies genetic material from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, lab specialists diagnose many health conditions with molecular testing. 

Molecular testing is essential for making the best treatment decisions because it identifies the virus, bacteria, or parasite causing your infection.


What type of molecular testing might I receive?

Lehigh Valley Genomics specializes in several types of molecular testing, including:

Respiratory pathogen panel

This test diagnoses the cause of a respiratory infection by identifying more than 20 bacterial and viral pathogens. Your provider performs a nasopharyngeal swab by inserting the swab through your nose and getting mucus from the back of your throat.

The respiratory panel identifies the pathogens responsible for many health conditions, including flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus, and whooping cough.

Urinary tract infections (UTI)

A molecular UTI test uses a simple urine sample to identify nearly 20 pathogens that cause infections in the urinary tract. When you need a molecular UTI test, your doctor’s office collects the urine sample, and then it goes to the Lehigh Valley Genomics lab.

Gastrointestinal (GI) pathogen panel

You may need a GI pathogen panel when you have symptoms such as:

  • Indigestion
  • Acid reflux
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Abdominal cramps and pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Fever or chills
  • Yellow skin or eyes

These symptoms often develop when you have a bacterial or viral infection or parasites in your gastrointestinal tract.  

Lehigh Valley Genomics runs a GI pathogen panel using a stool sample your doctor’s office collects and sends to the lab.


When do I get results from a molecular test?

Lehigh Valley Genomics has the results for all three tests mentioned above within 24-48 hours. They send the results to your doctor, then your doctor talks with you. Armed with the information from molecular tests, your doctor can prescribe the treatment that targets the specific cause of your symptoms.

To learn more about molecular testing, call Lehigh Valley Genomics, or connect online today.

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