For a highly infectious virus like SARS-CoV-2, an inactivated whole virus control is the gold standard for accuracy. For labs that opt for other control formats, synthetic RNA controls can provide many of the same qualities as inactivated whole virus…
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The COVID-19 pandemic has put increasing pressure on front-line healthcare workers to deliver fast and accurate test results. For any clinical diagnostic testing, laboratory professionals need assurance that sample preparation methods, as well as the instrumentation used to complete testing,…
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I think by now it is safe to say that we are truly living in unprecedented times with the current Coronavirus pandemic. The majority of us have never experienced anything even remotely similar to this in our lives before. If…
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By Marylou Gibson, Ph.D Adapted from a post that originally appeared on LinkedIn. Of the more than 55 RT-PCR Test kits or assays currently available under Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) by the FDA, few target the same genes. Many more…
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Positive controls are critical for ensuring diagnostic accuracy. This post examines reasons why positive controls are necessary, even during emergency situations.
Read Next – Clinical Lab Best Practices: A Practical Guide to Acing Your Next Inspection
We’ve teamed up with experienced CAP auditor, Joslyn Pribble, to help clinical labs navigate CAP and COLA/CMS/CLIA requirements. Through a series of webinars and blog posts, we’re aiming to provide you with lab best practices so you can ace your…
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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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