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Infectious Diseases
Infectious Diseases

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Specimen Types: Nasal Swabs, Nasopharyngeal Swabs and Beyond

The nasopharyngeal (NP) swab serves as the primary specimen type for respiratory molecular pathogen detection. During the novel coronavirus infectious disease (COVID) pandemic of 2019, the NP swab became the

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Coronavirus

Role of Quantitative Serology Testing for COVID-19

The current pandemic has led to considerable interest in COVID-19 related laboratory testing. The widespread distribution of the various vaccines, the emerging genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 circulating around the

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Infectious Diseases

Hepatitis B Serologic Testing Methods

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) was first discovered in 1965. Briefly, HBV is a DNA virus from the Hepadnaviridae family which is spread via contaminated body fluids. After exposure, the virus enters hepatocytes and .....

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Infectious Diseases

Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) Smear and Culture Testing

It is a foundational principle for any laboratory test procedure that the value of the test heavily relies on using specimens that have been properly collected, labelled, handled or stored prior to....

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Coronavirus

The SARS-CoV-2 Variant and its Impact on Diagnostic Testing

The new SARS-CoV-2 mutant (VOC 202012/01) has become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom (UK) with the first known case in the United States identified on December 29, 2020.

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Coronavirus

Challenges and Implications of False Negative COVID-19 Testing

As communities across the U.S. struggle to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have focused on the lack of widespread testing as a major roadblock to reopening the country.

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Infectious Diseases

Specimen Collection Practices for Microbiologic Culture

The culturing of microorganisms remains the mainstay of laboratory testing for infectious disease, even in an age of rapid and more cost-effective molecular testing.

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Infectious Diseases

Molecular Group A Streptococcus Testing At The Point-of-Care

The management of group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis has mainly relied on rapid antigen detection tests (RADT). GAS associated pharyngitis is very common in children and resulting in significant morbidity.

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