Gram staining is an important procedure all microbiologists should master. A laboratorian performs a Gram stain for many reasons – from screening the quality of a sputum sample to rapid presumptive diagnosis of an illness like bacterial meningitis. How to…
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Read Next – 7 Streak Plate Best Practices
Last week we shared the Clinical Case File of a patient with persistent dysuria and asked our readers to determine the cause of the symptom. Here are the poll results: Adenovirus (4%, 7 Votes) Herpes simplex virus (9%, 21 Votes)…
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Read the case study below and then use your microbiology expertise to determine which pathogen is causing the symptoms. The results will be shared on August 1, 2019. Good luck! Background: Determining which sexually transmitted infection (STI) is causing uncomfortable…
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In 2016, two biologists from Indiana University estimated that there are about a trillion species of bacteria on earth.1 With so many choices, how can a teacher select the best strains for her microbiology class? Below are a few tips…
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Q: How frequently should I test targets for my molecular multiplex testing assays? A: This is a common question for inspectors, vendors, and laboratorians. Unfortunately, there are no cut-and-dried answers, but there are some best practices that you can apply…
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Microbiologics offers four unique QC microorganism products designed specifically for GPT that provide 10-100 CFU per 0.1 ml of hydrated suspension as required by USP guidelines. Learn more. Visit our website for helpful technical documents and instructional videos including a step-by-step tutorial on how…
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Dear Stanley, Lately, our lab has been experiencing PCR results that don’t fit with what is expected. We will see occasional positive results in a negative sample. I think the issue could be related to contamination in the lab, but…
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Cannabis has become a widely accepted form of medicine for patients across the United States. These patients, many of whom are immunocompromised, rely on testing laboratories to ensure the safety of the products they use. The lack of consistent and…
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