Browse Blog Posts: Infectious Diseases | Archived Past Lab Best Practice
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
Read MoreRole 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
Read MoreHepatitis 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 .....
Read MoreAcid 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....
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreChallenges 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.
Read MoreSpecimen 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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