FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2024
Celebrating 150 Years of the MHD Laboratory: Milwaukee Hosts Association of Public Health Laboratories Conference
MILWAUKEE – This week, Milwaukee proudly hosts the annual Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) conference, drawing more than 1,400 scientists to the Baird Center to showcase laboratories' roles in public health. In tandem with this year’s conference, the City of Milwaukee Health Department Laboratory (MHDL) is celebrating its milestone 150th year!
To help showcase the rich history of MHDL, news media will find historical images attached to this email of lab operations, courtesy of MHD. The images offer a glimpse into the evolution of public health practices, depicting bacteriologists in early microscopy labs in the 1930s and 1940s, MHDL techs testing samples in the 1990s, and current lab employees working with wastewater and soil samples.
MHDL, established in 1874, has continually been at the forefront of combating infectious diseases and protecting community well-being. Some interesting facts through the years of MHDL include:
- In 1874, Dr. James Johnson established the first MHD Laboratory (MHDL) to inspect milk and water for disease sources.12 years later, the lab expanded to include food safety and daily water analysis, identifying sewage contamination in Lake Michigan contributing to typhoid fever rates.
- By 1927, MHDL was testing and diagnosing contagious diseases, and testing food, water, and medicines.
- Between 1950-1953, during the Korean War, MHDL helped combat sexually transmitted diseases by processing almost 100,000 specimens of syphilis annually for draft induction centers.
- In 1959 MHDL moved to Zeidler Municipal Building, eventually expanding into the entire second floor.
- During the 1970s, MHDL provided forensic services for drug abuse and gonorrhea surveillance and started weekly virus infection summaries for local physicians.
- During the 1993 cryptosporidium outbreak, MHDL's innovative testing methodologies led to the detection of future outbreaks nationwide.
- During the 2009 Swine Flu outbreak, MHDL's utilization of advanced testing techniques contributed to the enhancement of nationwide influenza testing protocols by the CDC.
- Between 2020 and 2022, MHDL processed over 45,000 COVID-19 tests, playing a pivotal role in pandemic response efforts.
- Collaborating with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, MHDL also implemented wastewater testing for the virus, which helped gauge the community’s viral load.
- Beginning in January 2024, that data became publicly accessible in the COVID-19 wastewater dashboard, providing real-time insights into community spread. Moving forward, MHD is working towards using this technology to monitor more respiratory illnesses like influenza and RSV
The APHL conference is an in-person-only event for the public health laboratory community. The conference brings together leaders, scientists, influencers, and partners to share issues, trends, and best practices driving laboratory science and public health today. News media interested in covering the APHL conference and MHDL celebrating its 150th year can email MHD Public Information Officer Caroline Reinwald for specific interview requests. Any media needing press credentials for the conference can either register on-site in the Baird Center or email APHL media manager Michelle Forman at [email protected].
WHAT: Association of Public Health Laboratories annual conference
WHEN: Happening NOW, Monday, May 6 – Thursday, May 9
WHERE: Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53203
More information on MHDL operations and history:
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