Abstract Background Blood transfusion practices should ultimately be driven by evidence-based decisions that integrate clinical observations, laboratory data, and a sound understanding of how patients can realistically benefit from blood products. In addition to acting as stewards of the local…
Abstract Background Transfusion of blood requires multiple steps, including blood donation from nonremunerated healthy volunteers, manufacture, testing, and modifications of blood components, and finally administration of the product to a patient. While blood donation and transfusions have steadily decreased in…
Abstract Background Specific knowledge of relevant blood group systems is essential for a thorough understanding of blood bank pretransfusion testing methodology and the potential practical applications of that information to clinical practice. In any given patient care setting, the blood…
Abstract Background Viral illness has a wide variety of clinical manifestations ranging from focal to systemic and affecting nearly every organ system. Infections may be asymptomatic, acute, or chronic in nature. The viruses causing these syndromes are diverse; however, unrelated…
Abstract Background Parasites are an important cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide. They include a diverse array of single-celled eukaryotic organisms (protozoans), multicellular worms (helminths), and arthropods that live in or on the human body and can cause mild…
Abstract Background Ubiquitous in nature, fungi may be opportunistic organisms in compromised hosts or primary pathogens in immunocompetent individuals. Commensal fungi reside in the human body as part of the resident microbiota and cause opportunistic infections. Diagnosis of fungal infections…
Abstract Background There are currently approximately 200 recognized species of mycobacteria. Although some species are strictly environmental organisms, several are significant human pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis . M. tuberculosis is responsible for nearly 1.5 million deaths each year, and nontuberculous…
Abstract Background Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is one of the most important tasks of the clinical microbiology laboratory. Antimicrobial resistance is common, and early recognition of patients with resistant pathogens and appropriate optimization of their antimicrobial therapy significantly improves outcomes. Content…
Abstract The diagnosis of bacterial infection is one of the many important services provided by the clinical microbiology laboratory. The past decade has resulted in a dramatic shift in the manner in which clinical microbiologists identify bacteria. With the widespread…
Abstract Background The clinical laboratory occupies an important role in enabling effective infection prevention and control (IPC) and antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) interventions. Indeed, the clinical laboratory generates the microbiologic data to guide clinical practice and recognize new trends that…