More articles from Minireview
MinireviewBeyond Fever and Pain: Diagnostic Methods for Chikungunya VirusChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus that is primarily transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes. Though reports of an illness consistent with chikungunya date back over 200 years, CHIKV only gained worldwide attention during a massive pandemic that began in East Africa in 2004.
MinireviewUnderstanding and Addressing CLSI Breakpoint Revisions: a Primer for Clinical LaboratoriesThe Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has revised several breakpoints since 2010 for bacteria that grow aerobically. In 2019, these revisions include changes to the ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin breakpoints for the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, daptomycin...
MinireviewA Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for Tuberculous MeningitisThe diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is difficult and poses a significant challenge to physicians worldwide. Recently, nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests have shown promise for the diagnosis of TBM, although their performance has been variable.
MinireviewPhylogenomic Pipeline Validation for Foodborne Pathogen Disease SurveillanceFoodborne pathogen surveillance in the United States is transitioning from strain identification using restriction digest technology (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis [PFGE]) to shotgun sequencing of the entire genome (whole-genome sequencing [WGS]). WGS requires a new suite of analysis tools, some of which have long histories in academia but are new to the field of public health and regulatory decision making.
MinireviewLaboratory Diagnosis of Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus InfectionsHerpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common and often benign infection in humans; although it less commonly affects newborns, infection in this age group can be devastating. Newborns often present with nonspecific clinical findings, making timely and accurate diagnosis of infection critical.
MinireviewCRISPR-Cas Biology and Its Application to Infectious DiseasesInfectious diseases remain a global threat contributing to excess morbidity and death annually, with the persistent potential for destabilizing pandemics. Improved understanding of the pathogenesis of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, along with rapid diagnosis and treatment of human infections, is essential for improving infectious disease outcomes worldwide.
MinireviewAntimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for Polymyxins: Challenges, Issues, and RecommendationsPolymyxins, including polymyxin B and polymyxin E (colistin), are now increasingly being used worldwide to treat patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. This necessitates that laboratories employ an accurate and reliable method for the routine performance of polymyxin susceptibility testing.
MinireviewToward the Development of a Circulating Free DNA-Based In Vitro Diagnostic Test for Infectious Diseases: a Review of Evidence for TuberculosisThe detection of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) has transformed the field of oncology and prenatal diagnostics. Clinical application of cfDNA for disease diagnosis and monitoring, however, is relatively recent in the field of infectious disease.
MinireviewGenome-Based Prediction of Bacterial Antibiotic ResistanceClinical microbiology has long relied on growing bacteria in culture to determine antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, but the use of whole-genome sequencing for antibiotic susceptibility testing (WGS-AST) is now a powerful alternative. This review discusses the technologies that made this possible and presents results from recent studies to predict resistance based on genome sequences.
