Clinical microbiology Q & A
A 2-week-old boy is brought to the emergency department with fevers and fussiness. He appears very ill, so a lumbar puncture is performed. Blood cultures are also collected. The Gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shows abundant polymorphonuclear cells and moderate Gram-negative rods. A photo of the CSF Gram stain is shown in Fig. 1. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - July 6, 2017 Category: Microbiology Tags: Q & A Source Type: news
Candida auris for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory: Not Your Grandfather's Candida Species
Candida auris is a newly emerging species that was first identified in Asia in 2009 but has rapidly spread across the world. C. auris differs from most other Candida species in that antifungal resistance is the norm rather than the exception, it is a commensal of human skin rather than the human gut, and it can be easily transmitted from person to person in a health care setting. This review discusses the emergence of C. auris, global epidemiology, identification, antifungal susceptibility testing, and precautions to be taken when it is identified from a patient specimen. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 20, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Shawn R. Lockhart, Elizabeth L. Berkow, Nancy Chow, Rory M. Welsh Source Type: news
Chryseobacterium indologenes Urinary Tract Infection: a Case Report
The genus Chryseobacterium consists of Gram-negative, nonfermentative, nonmotile, catalase- and oxidase-positive, aerobic bacilli. Chryseobacterium meningosepticum is the most pathogenic species of the genus, but Chryseobacterium indologenes is a common cause of infection in immunocompromised patients or those with various indwelling devices [1]. C. indologenes is found in soil, on plants, and in both fresh and sea water. Despite its extensive distribution in nature and its ability to survive in chlorinated drinking water, the organism is not found as normal flora in humans. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 20, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Pallavi Tripathi, Anjani Singh, Vandana Lal 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 - June 20, 2017 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
The Potential Role of Polymerase Chain Reaction in Diagnosis of Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infection: Is Viral Culture Outdated?
Even in the era of effective antiviral therapy, neonatal herpes simplex viral infection causes significant morbidity and mortality in newborns. Prompt diagnosis is the cornerstone of treatment of these infants. Outside and inside the neonatal clinical practice, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is replacing culture as a method of facilitating a speedy diagnosis of herpes simplex virus infection. New pediatric guidelines call for testing of high-risk asymptomatic infants, and thus, many more surface cultures and PCRs are being performed. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - June 6, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Nicole L. Samies, Swathi M. Gowtham 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 6, 2017 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Optimal use of Rapid Diagnostics in Infection Control and Prevention
Clinical laboratories have implemented rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for the identification of bacterial pathogens, with subsequent improvements in antimicrobial stewardship, but these tests may also have a role in infection prevention. Early identification of pathogens by RDTs should allow faster implementation of infection prevention strategies with the goal of reducing transmission. In this review, we assess the use of RDTs as an infection control tool by exploring their role in screening, as well as diagnosis, of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant gram-negative organisms, Clostridi...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 20, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Mary Elizabeth Sexton, Jesse T. Jacob 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 20, 2017 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
The Multipurpose Tool of Social Media: Applications for Scientists, Science Communicators, and Educators
Social media has become the fastest way to disseminate new information, share personal experiences, and discuss scientific reports in an open-access setting. It acts as an aggregator of news and reports, a platform for education, a means of public outreach, and a tool for scientific research. Each social media service offers unique communication benefits. This review discusses how scientists are using social media to inform and learn from social media communities, concentrating on microbiology and infectious disease. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 4, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Julie M. Wolf Source Type: news
Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Issues and Controversies
The treatment of tuberculosis is complicated by the emergence of drug resistance. There are several risk factors for developing multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) infection, such as patient noncompliance, treatment interruption, and HIV infection. Treatment regimens for MDR-TB infection depend on the results of anti-tuberculous susceptibility testing, as well as consideration of the patient's overall health. Therapy usually consists of a combination of three or more anti-tuberculous agents. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - May 4, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Zeti Norfidiyati Ayub, Habsah Hasan, Siti Suraiya, Mohd Zulfakar Mazlan, Alwi Muhd Besari 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 - May 4, 2017 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Trends in Laboratory Utilization
Laboratory utilization is definitely a hot topic in clinical laboratory medicine, but what's all the buzz about? Laboratory utilization encompasses a number of efforts aimed at managing laboratory resources and improving patient care. Many laboratory utilization programs have proven to dramatically decrease clinical laboratory spending. Likewise, many have proven to benefit patient care by decreasing blood loss due to phlebotomy, reducing the risk of spurious results, and helping to get the right test for the right patient at the right time. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - April 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sarah B. Riley 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 22, 2017 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Statistics for Method Verification of Qualitative Assays in Clinical Microbiology
Despite improvement over the last decade, inadequate method verification strategies and documentation are still common laboratory inspection deficiencies. Some of the gaps occur because microbiologists may not use scientific experiment concepts, such as experimental design, data validation, biostatistics, and electronic documentation, that can improve their verification strategies for new test methods. Other gaps occur because laboratory resources are often limited. Clinical laboratories face tough choices when they consider implementing a new test method, and this review summarizes the basic statistical concepts that micr...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - April 5, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Donna M. Wolk Source Type: news
Self-Collected Specimens for Infectious Disease Testing
Self-collected specimens for infectious disease testing are becoming more commonplace. There are multiple published studies demonstrating that self-collected vaginal swabs for detection of sexually transmitted pathogens are as accurate as physician-collected endocervical swabs. Similarly, self-collected penile-meatal swabs are also acceptable for detecting sexually transmitted pathogens; however, unlike self-collected vaginal swabs, penile-meatal swabs are not considered an “on-label” specimen for U.S. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - March 24, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Fred C. Tenover, Ellen Jo Baron, Charlotte A. Gaydos Source Type: news
