University of Washington Researchers Use Genomic Analysis to Track Shigella Infections as Decreased Cost of Gene Sequencing Aids Public Health Research

Another study in the United Kingdom that also used genomic analysis to understand drug-resistant Shigella produced findings that may be useful for microbiologists and medical laboratory scientists From the onset of an infectious disease outbreak, public health officials, microbiologists, and clinical laboratory managers find it valuable to trace the origin of the spread back to the “index case” or “patient zero”—the first documented patient in the disease epidemic. Given the decreased cost of...

University of Washington Researchers Develop Home Blood Clotting Clinical Laboratory Test That Uses a Smartphone and a Single Drop of Blood

UW scientists believe their at-home test could help more people on anticoagulants monitor their clotting levels and avoid blood clots In a proof-of-concept study,researchers at the University of Washington (UW) are developing a new smartphone-based technology/application designed to enable people on anticoagulants such as warfarin to monitor their clotting levels from the comfort of their homes. Should this new test methodology prove successful, clinical laboratories may have yet one more...

Scientists Estimate 73% of US Population May Be Immune to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant

Clinical laboratory scientists should also know experts warn that ‘herd resistance’ is more likely than ‘herd immunity’ due to low vaccination rates in many parts of the world Scientists estimate 73% of the US population may be immune to the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant. Whether the nation is approaching “herd immunity” against the disease, however, remains open to debate, the Associated Press (AP) reported. These estimates are relevant to medical laboratories doing serology tests for COVID-19,...

Could Omicron Variant Have Links to HIV? Infectious Disease Experts in South Africa Say ‘Yes’

Given the large number of mutations found in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, experts in South Africa speculate it likely evolved in someone with a compromised immune system As the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spreads around the United States and the rest of the world, infectious disease experts in South Africa have been investigating how the variant developed so many mutations. One hypothesis is that it evolved over time in the body of an immunosuppressed person, such as a cancer patient,...

Retail Giant Nordstrom Now Sells Viome Life Sciences’ Microbiome Testing Kit Online, Will Stock the Test Kit in Some Retail Locations Next Year

Although there are healthcare providers who see the potential in microbiome testing, many clinical laboratories are not yet ready to embrace microbiome-based testing In an unlikely string of events, no less than Nordstrom, the national department store chain, announced in September that it would offer microbiome-based test claimed to “check gut health.” Apparently, its customers were interested in this clinical laboratory test, as the Nordstrom website currently indicates that the “Health...
;