Diagnostic microbiology Journal Article
| Authors: | Otto, C.; Persing, D. H.; Tang, Y. W. |
| Article Title: | Diagnostic microbiology |
| Abstract: | Historically, the focus of diagnostic microbiology has been to detect and accurately identify disease-causing microorganisms in test specimens by using biological growth media. However, over the past few decades, significant technological advances have been made that have led to enormous progress in the various areas including bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, parasitology, and especially in virology. The physical structure of laboratories, staffing patterns, work flow, and turnaround time have all been profoundly influenced by these technical advances. Specifically, the recent evolution of nucleic acid amplification-based molecular techniques now provides rapid, on-demand diagnostic results that have meaningful impact on patient management. These changes will continue, and lead diagnostic microbiology inevitably to a modern discipline, which can face many challenges in the future.The field of diagnostic microbiology determines whether suspected pathogenic microorganisms are present in test specimens collected from human beings, animals, and environment, and if they are present, identifies them. In medical practice, a fundamental principle of diagnostic microbiology is to define infectious processes and elucidate treatment options through rapid detection and characterization of specific pathogens. Thus, beyond detection, quantification, and identification of microorganisms in clinical specimens, diagnostic microbiology also provides physicians with antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the identified microorganism. Advanced diagnostic techniques also provide tools in basic microbial pathogenesis studies. This chapter provides a brief review of the fundamental principles of diagnostic microbiology. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
| Keywords: | mycobacterium tuberculosis; methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus; clostridium difficile; serology; cytomegalovirus; pcr; human papillomavirus; microscopic examination; cryptococcus neoformans; legionella pneumophila; chlamydia trachomatis; point-of-care testing; neisseria gonorrhoeae; borrelia burgdorferi; cell and tissue culture; cytopathic effects; diagnostic microbiology; helicobacter pylori breath test; microorganism culture |
| Journal Title: | Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences |
| ISSN: | 978-0-12-801238-3 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier Inc. |
| Date Published: | 2014-01-01 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1016/b978-0-12-801238-3.02392-8 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | This is an update of "Tang Y-W, Persing DH. Diagnostic microbiology. In: Schaechter M, editor. Encyclopedia of microbiology, 3rd ed. Oxford: Academic Press; 2009. p. 308-320," published for Elsevier's Reference Modules on Science Direct -- Export Date: 2 December 2015 -- Source: Scopus |
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