News
Implications of Vibrio vulnificus infections in healthcare
Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium found in warm, saltwater areas worldwide, and filter feeders such as oysters, mussels, scallops, and clams. It is a curved, oxidase positive, gram-negative bacillus that is halophilic (requires salt to survive) and is in the family Vibrionaceae which includes Vibrio, Plesiomonas, and Aeromonas. This organism only infects humans and other primates; the first documented case of this disease was in 1979. In the United States, V. vulnificus is the leading cause of seafood-related deaths with a mortality rate of 15-30%.
…Since most clinical laboratories do not routinely culture for Vibrio and since it requires a special culture media (TCBS agar), the physician who suspects this organism needs to place a special request so that it can be ruled out.
Poo transplant 'super donors' have higher success rate treating intestinal disorders
Not all poo is created equal — especially when it comes to faecal transplants.
"Super donors" — people whose stool donations have strikingly high success rates in poo transplants — have turned up in multiple studies, according to a review paper published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
And while a large part of the super-donor effect is likely down to the community of bugs dwelling in a person's gut, known as the gut microbiome, it's certainly not the be-all and end-all.
Summerside woman starts new blood collection clinic to ease demand
A new blood collection clinic has set up in Summerside.
“We all know the wait times and appointment schedules can be long when you’re waiting to get blood taken or have another exam at a hospital or other facility,” said Rachel Reeves.
Reeves is a medical laboratory assistant. She understands the work hospitals have to do first hand.
...“The work the hospital does is great, and I have so much respect for them. I’m just trying to help with the patient load.”
Drone carrying blood falls in lake during test
Switzerland is pioneering the use of drone couriers, especially for exchange of medical samples between hospitals and laboratories.
A drone carrying a blood sample has fallen into Lake Zurich during the test phase of a medical deliveries programme.
No-one was hurt, but divers did not manage to recover the drone on Friday and the cause of the accident was not known.
Why three person babies could soon be legal in Australia
Mitochondrial disease (mito) is a genetic condition which can be caused by a mutation in the mitochondrial DNA passed from a mother to her child.
Mito is difficult to diagnose as symptoms can range from mild to severe and can impact many different organs and body systems. The most severe forms of mito can lead to mortality or significant disability.
Currently the treatment options for mito are limited so preventative options are very important to avoid the devastating impacts on individuals and families.
Some options are available at the moment for women who are planning a family and are at increased risk of having a child with mito. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) using donated eggs are possibilities but PGD is not suitable for women at high risk of having a child with mito. Another option may be on the horizon for couples to have children who are genetically related to both parents; mitochondrial donation.
FDA authorizes 23andMe to report results of direct-to-consumer pharmacogenetics test to customers without a prescription, bypassing doctors and clinical laboratories
Clinical laboratories continue to be impacted by the growing direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing market, as more walk-in lab customers order at-home tests. Now, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a DTC test company to provide results of a pharmacogenetic (PGx) test to customers without needing a doctor’s order. This is the first genetic test of its kind to receive such FDA authorization and is in line with the government’s focus on precision medicine.
23andMe gained the authorization through the FDA’s de novo classification process, which the FDA uses to classify new devices that have no existing classification or comparable device on the market.
Micro-dispenser for long-term storage and controlled release of liquids
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology could transform medicine in ways comparable with the microprocessor revolution—once it can be manufactured in a scalable, cost-effective way. Researchers in Sweden now report a development that could hasten this revolution.
A team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has created a device that precisely dispenses and stores liquids that can be used on a range of diagnostic lab-on-a-chip platforms, at an estimated manufacturing cost of $2 to $6. The technology, which could also be scaled up in size for use in packaging food, cosmetics and chemicals, was reported in Nature Communications.
We need your help to grow this newsletter! Please pass along the subscription link to any colleague you think would benefit from hearing about med lab news.