Does Your “Backup” Method Have Your Back? Controversies Surrounding Backup of Rapid Antigen Detection Methods for Group A
Accurate diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis followed by appropriate antibiotic therapy is important for the prevention and control of group A streptococcus (GAS) infection and its sequelae. Rapid antigen detection methods (RADTs) for detection of GAS antigen are commonly used to speed the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis; however, reports of false-negative antigen tests are common. In this review, we describe the conflicting strategies that surround GAS testing and reflexive backup testing for samples found to be negative for Streptococcus pyogenes antigen. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - July 8, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Diana R. Hernandez, Donna M. Wolk Source Type: news
A Special Invitation to Authors
To subscribe to CMN, please visit the website at www.cmnewsletter.com. A U.S. personal subscription is priced $106. Discounts are available to members of some society organizations — full details are available on the website. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - July 8, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Sigma Metrics for Assessing Accuracy of Molecular Testing
For any diagnostic testing, the bar for accuracy is high, for good reason. Disease status and therapy decisions are often defined by a single positive or negative result. In the case of molecular viral load testing of patients with hepatitis or human immunodeficiency virus infections, expensive antiviral therapies are continued or terminated based on laboratory results. If these results are not accurate, patients may be subjected to additional testing or to treatments, which can add expense, worry, and in some cases medical harms. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 21, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sten Westgard, Danijela Lucic Source Type: news
A Special Invitation to Authors
To subscribe to CMN, please visit the website at www.cmnewsletter.com. A U.S. personal subscription is priced $106. Discounts are available to members of some society organizations — full details are available on the website. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 21, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Non- Species Associated with Human Disease: a Primer for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species represent a broad list of 34 organisms, with only 14 convincingly associated with human infections. Additionally, a significant number of these species were discovered only in the last 10 years. Major limitations in our knowledge of these organisms and their clinical relevance adds to the difficulty of culturing and characterizing the species consistently in the clinical laboratory. Further complicating the clinical correlations of these species is the inconsistency in nomenclature exhibited in published studies, which serves as a barrier to creating a universal knowledge base i...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Margaret V. Powers-Fletcher, Marc Roger Couturier 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 - June 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Infections at the Gym
This article examines the most common infectious agents lurking at the gym and discusses the things that gym members can do to limit their exposure as they exercise. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 17, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Alice Schauer Weissfeld Source Type: news
Isolation of a Non-Toxigenic Strain in a Patient with Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Corynebacterium diphtheriae is a nonsporulating, nonencapsulated, nonmotile, pleomorphic, Gram-positive bacillus that displays a characteristic morphology resembling “Chinese characters” on Gram stain examination. It is the etiologic agent of diphtheria, an upper respiratory tract disease with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially among children. Once considered a major worldwide health problem, today diphtheria is almost a forgotten disease because of the high rates of worldwide immunization practices using the toxoid vaccine. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 17, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sara Gomez, Antonia Yagüe, Fernando Chaves Tags: Case Report Source Type: news
>A Special Invitation to Authors
To subscribe to CMN, please visit the website at www.cmnewsletter.com. A U.S. personal subscription is priced $106. Discounts are available to members of some society organizations — full details are available on the website. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 17, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Is That Isolate Really Methicillin Susceptible?
The increased use of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has led to more frequent reports of mecA-positive, oxacillin-susceptible S. aureus (OS-MRSA) strains. This poses a dilemma for the laboratory, which must choose between reporting phenotypic or genotypic results as the best indicator for clinical response. Recent studies have demonstrated that phenotypic expression of oxacillin resistance can be “induced” in some OS-MRSA strains, either by a true induction mechanism or through the selection of mutations in a heterogeneously oxacillin-resistant strain...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Fred C. Tenover, Isabella A. Tickler Source Type: news
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Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology 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 - May 5, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Resurgence of Pertussis and Its Laboratory Diagnosis
Prevention of whooping cough by vaccination has been one of the outstanding successes in modern medical history. However, despite the great efforts made to improve vaccine safety and efficacy, as well as campaigns for immunization, there has been a worldwide resurgence of pertussis since the early 1990s. These outbreaks occur independently of the vaccine coverage rates or economic standards of the affected region. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has documented statewide outbreaks, such as “Pertussis Outbreak—Vermont, 1996,” “Notes from th...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - April 19, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Xuan Qin Source Type: news
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Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - April 19, 2015 Category: Microbiology 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 - April 19, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
