MOLECULAR
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
Read articles about molecular microbiology from Microbiologics’ experts and other field experts.
The Challenges of Accurate Zika Virus Testing
Although it is largely forgotten today, just five years before the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Zika virus was making headlines. In early 2016, the World Health Organization declared the Zika epidemic a public health emergency, as evidence mounted that the Zika virus...
When COVID-19 Meets Flu Season: How One Clinical Laboratory is Preparing
A typical flu season presents significant challenges for medical laboratories with increased demand and pressure for providing quick and accurate diagnostic testing. But what happens when you combine this already demanding time with the global COVID-19 pandemic? No...
What Happens When Laboratory Tests Fail?
The Critical Role of QC in Every Stage of Assay Development and Usage For anyone of us involved in medical laboratory or public health laboratory testing, we understand the critical importance of clinical quality control (QC). With the ongoing fallout from the...
Uses and Advantages of Synthetic RNA Process Controls for SARS-CoV-2 Assays
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 controls. While...
Advantages of Whole Virus Controls for SARS-CoV-2 Quality Control
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...
COVID-19 and Proficiency Testing
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 you are currently a front-line worker in...
Mycoplasma genitalium Quiz
SARS-C0V-2 Tests & Their Targets
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 similar PCR based tests are...
Importance of Testing a Positive Control When Performing a Diagnostic Assay
Positive controls are critical for ensuring diagnostic accuracy. This post examines reasons why positive controls are necessary, even during emergency situations.
Tuberculosis (TB) Quiz
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