Poorly Collected Specimens May Have a Negative Impact on Your Antibiotic Stewardship Program
It is the legal responsibility of the microbiology laboratory to develop and implement specimen management policies that are supported by the medical staff and the antimicrobial stewardship committee. These policies will promote the production of microbiology results that are accurate, significant, and clinically relevant and will reduce the potential for inaccurate and misleading results that lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate therapy. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - March 5, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: J. Michael Miller Source Type: news
Wound Infection and Sepsis Caused by
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was first described in 1946 by MacClean et al. [cited in reference 1], who isolated it from U.S. servicemen and natives of the South Pacific. It is an unusual pathogen that occasionally causes wound infections, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and septicemia [2-7]. In addition, it has been documented as a rare cause of endocarditis and brain abscess [8,9], as well as the cause of a variety of zoonotic diseases [10]. Immunocompromised individuals or those with other underlying diseases [4] are most susceptible to developing A. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - March 5, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Heather M. Smith, Inpamani Arul Tags: Case Report Source Type: news
Erratum
In the February 1, 2016 issue of Clinical Microbiology Newsletter, Vol. 38, No. 3, the first author’s name of the case report “Granulicatella adiacens: an Unusual Cause of Early-Onset Pneumonia in a Neonate” was spelled incorrectly. It should have been Ya Ling, not Yam Ling. We appologize for this error. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - March 5, 2016 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Group Bacteria: No Longer a Case of Mistaken Identity
The anginosus, or “milleri,” group of bacteria belonging to the genus Streptococcus have long been the cause of much consternation with respect to both their nomenclature and accurate laboratory identification. Although they are considered part of the normal flora of the human gastrointestinal, urogenital, and upper respiratory tracts, Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) bacteria have the ability to cause severe invasive infections with a propensity for abscess formation. Although whole-genome and multilocus sequence analyses of SAG bacteria support the current view that the SAG is made up of three distinct species (S....
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 20, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ralph K. Junckerstorff, Ronan J. Murray Source Type: news
Extensively Drug-Resistant in Kelantan East Coast of Malaysia: First Two Cases
Despite the availability of tuberculosis (TB)-preventive measures and the institution of control programs, TB remains one of the deadliest diseases in Malaysia. This is likely due to the increased incidence of HIV/TB cases, which has led to the emergence of multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strains and extensively drug-resistant M. tuberculosis (XDR-TB) infections [1]. XDR-TB strains are resistant to at least two first-line drugs; a second-line fluoroquinolone; and a second-line injectable drug, such as amikacin, kanamycin, or capreomycin [2]. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 20, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Omar Salad Elmi, Mat Zuki Bin Mat Jeab, Sarimah Binti Abdullah, Habsah Hasan, Bin Alwi Zilafil, Nyi Nyi Naing Tags: Case Report Source Type: news
What's New with Pandemic Flu
The term “bird flu” refers to avian influenza viruses. The recently emerged avian H7N9 influenza viruses replicate efficiently in birds and in mammals. Although H7N9 viruses rarely infect humans, they were the cause of sporadic human infections in China in 2014. In this review, we focus on the avian H7N9 influenza virus, summarize the characteristic biological features, and assess its pandemic potential. We also review information about highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses as possible sources of pandemic outbreaks. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 7, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Deborah A. Wildoner Source Type: news
Leptospiral Infective Endocarditis with Concurrent Dengue Infection
Leptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic leptospires. Human infection results when leptospires penetrate through abrasions in mucous membranes and skin, after which they enter the bloodstream and rapidly disseminate to various tissues. Leptospirosis presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from a mild flu-like illness to very severe disease with hemorrhagic manifestations and multiorgan failure [1]. Unusual clinical manifestations may result from pulmonary, cardiovascular, neural, gastrointestinal, ocular, and other organ system involvement. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 7, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Nabilah Ismail, Zeti Norfidayati Salmuna al Ayub, AbdelRahman Zueter, Ng Seng Loong, Zurkurnai Yusof, Zeehaida Mohamed Tags: Case Report Source Type: news
Telemicrobiology: Focusing on Quality in an Era of Laboratory Consolidation
The misinterpretation of or delay in reporting Gram stains or other microscopic examinations negatively impacts patient safety and can lead to inappropriate treatment, including unnecessary test procedures, ineffective antimicrobial therapy, and increased length of stay. Conversely, when a positive blood culture or spinal fluid Gram stain is reported appropriately and quickly, deployment of appropriate treatment regimens is expedited and is directly associated with decreased patient morbidity and mortality, decreased hospital stay, and overall improvement in patient outcomes. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - January 29, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: A. Brian Mochon, Mike Santa Cruz Source Type: news
: an Unusual Cause of Early-Onset Pneumonia in a Neonate
We present a case of early-onset pneumonia and sepsis in a newborn caused by G. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - January 29, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yam Ling, Qiaoer Su, Saizhi Jiang, Qing Wu, Yan Qian Tags: Case Report Source Type: news
A special invitation to authors
The editors of Clinical Microbiology Newsletter welcome proposals for review articles on topics relevant to clinical microbiologists and infectious disease physicians. If you would like to prepare a brief manuscript on such a topic, please contact Paul Granato with your proposal (see contact information and general guidelines below) to discuss the details of the potential submission. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - January 29, 2016 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Emerging Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin Resistance in
Over the last several decades, Neisseria gonorrhoeae has sequentially developed resistance to the agents recommended by the CDC and the Public Health Service for the treatment of gonorrhea. During the 1970s and through the 1990s, penicillin, tetracyclines, and the fluoroquinolones were recommended and subsequently removed as the therapy of choice for gonorrhea, leaving intramuscular ceftriaxone and the oral cephalosporin cefixime as the sole agents recommended for treatment of gonorrhea in 2010. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - January 12, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: William M. Janda Source Type: news
The Policy of Microbiology
This article presents the structure and function of the board; provides examples of some of the specific issues that have been shepherded, past and present; and provides examples of some of its possible future endeavors. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - December 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Kimberly E. Walker, Meghan E. O'Brien Source Type: news
Index to CMN Volume 37, 2015
The letter t following a page number denotes a table and the letter f, a figure. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - December 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Activity of 22 Antimicrobial Agents against and Species Referred to the Canadian National Microbiology Laboratory
As better methods to more accurately identify organisms belonging to the genera Corynebacterium and Microbacterium have been recently introduced into the clinical microbiology laboratory routine, the clinical significance of various members of these genera is emerging, and antimicrobial susceptibilities, in turn, are becoming more important. Therefore, the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) on Gram-positive bacilli identified using DNA sequencing methods as Corynebacterium or Microbacterium species are provided in this review to serve as a reference for clinical microbiologists. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - November 24, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Kathryn Bernard, Ana Luisa Pacheco Source Type: news
The Individualized Quality Control Plan—Coming Soon to Clinical Microbiology Laboratories Everywhere!
As of 1 January 2016, microbiology laboratories can choose to adopt a new quality control option, the Individualized Quality Control Plan (IQCP), under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). This voluntary approach increases flexibility for meeting regulatory requirements and provides laboratories the opportunity to customize QC for testing in their unique environments and with their testing personnel. IQCP is an all-inclusive approach to quality based on risk management to address potential errors in the total testing process. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - November 8, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Nancy Anderson Source Type: news
