News • News

Beckman Coulter launches diagnostics system

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics will be showcasing its new DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System at ECCMID 2015 in Copenhagen.

Breath-based Diagnostic Test Technology

Hospital-based pathologists may soon gain a new diagnostic assay that could prove effective in detecting hospital-acquired infections more quickly and more accurately than with existing rapid molecular diagnostic tests

Sponsored • Automation

Scottish NHS group endorses automation

It’s thumbs up for Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics’ Aptio Automation, following a two-year deployment by Dundee-based National Health Service (NHS) Dundee, the first north European healthcare organisation to use the system to consolidate formerly siloed biochemistry, immunology, haematology and haemostasis testing onto a single automation track.

Article • Nosocomial infections I

Microbes vs. viruses

In European acute care hospitals, on any given day, an estimated 80,000 patients – roughly six percent of all patients – receive antimicrobial treatment to fight a healthcare associated infection (HAI), according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Report: Walter Depner

Article • DRUG resistance II

Obama’s multi-year, billion-dollar effort

The USA’s President Barack Obama released a comprehensive plan in March to slow the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, a multi-year, billion-dollar effort that includes getting doctors to stop over-prescribing antibiotics, developing new medications and rapid diagnostics, and real-time tracking of infection outbreaks. Report: Lisa Chamoff

Article • Management

Labs need quality management systems

All laboratories should utilise quality monitoring systems and systematically work through their workflow processes to identify problem areas, according to Lucia Berte, who specialises in quality management systems in healthcare ancillary services through the Colorado-based organisation Laboratories Made Better. Report: Mark Nicholls

Article • Norms & standards

IT communication fosters unified standards

Looking back, the founding fathers of laboratory medicine were doctors who carried out the historic medical practice of uroscopy in the Middle Ages, explains Professor Klaus Kohse MD, Director of the Institute for Laboratory Medicine in Oldenburg Clinical Centre at Oldenburg University Medical Faculty. Report: Walter Depner

Sponsored • QUALITY CONTROL

Made to measure laboratories

In 1995 Claudia and Robert Karl risked self-employment in a sector already dominated by experts. Those manufacturers, however, sold standardised products. The Karls, with backing from a stainless steel producer, decided to produce tailor-made solutions to fit customers’ needs. To that end they attended international medical equipment exhibitions from Dubai through to Malaysia. Today, Claudia…

Article • Fast, accurate and convenient

New test identifies early sepsis

A newly launched test enables the quantitative determination of PCT in serum samples, EDTA or lithium heparin plasma samples by latex enhanced immunoturbidimetric methodology. The Stanbio Chemistry Procalcitonin (PCT) LiquiColor Assay was launched by EKF Diagnostics, based in Cardiff, Wales, which explains: ‘Procalcitonin is a marker for bacterial infection and sepsis and has been recognised as…

News • Ovarian cancer

Genetic testing should be accessible to all women

The genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a significant role in hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Recent media attention has focused on American actress Angelina Jolie's decision to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes surgically removed after genetic testing for such cancers.

News • Low energy usage

Temperature freezer: green solution in lab

New ultra-low temperature freezer reduces energy usage by up to 50 percent compared to conventional refrigerant ultra-low freezers

Interview • Health Apps

Can medical apps replace conventional medical diagnostics?

The question as to whether or not there is a point in using medical apps on private smartphones is being asked more frequently. Issues around medical diagnostics are among the key points here. We asked Prof. Dr. Dr. Norbert Gässler, Head of the Centre for Laboratory Diagnostics at the St. Bernward Hospital, Hildesheim, for competent advice. Interview: Walter Depner

Diagnosing infectious diseases at the point-of-care

A new "lab-on-a-disc" technology developed by an EU project research team can diagnose malaria and other febrile infectious diseases simultaneously in just an hour - allowing faster point-of-care treatment and precise drugs administration that could save thousands of lives.

Article • testing Ebola

New mobile lab case sees action in Guinea

Dr Ahmed Abd El Wahed, research associate in the Department of Infection Models at the German Primate Centre (DPZ) in Göttingen, has developed a portable laboratory for fast diagnosis of Ebola. The new procedure is six to ten times faster than the one currently used, and equally sensitive. Report: Anja Behringer

Sponsored • Critical care

European launch of in-line blood gas analyser

Sphere Medical, launches its in-line patient dedicated arterial blood gas analyser in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium at ISICEM 2015. The advanced Proxima System delivers true point-of-care testing (POCT) by enabling critical care staff to obtain frequent laboratory accurate blood gas measurements without leaving the patient’s bedside. This facilitates effective and timely clinical decisions…

News • Fighting Infection

WHO joins ESCMID to fight global infections

The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) has been joined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to launch the 7th annual ‘International Day for Fighting Infection’ (April 24th, 2015). This year’s event sees the European society exploring vaccines as a possible solution in the global, cross-border fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Sponsored • Testing Infections

One step detection of toxigenic C. difficile

A new CE-IVD certified molecular test has been added to Greiner Bio-One’s Genspeed test portfolio for nosocomial infections. In addition to the recently introduced MRSA test, the Genspeed C.diff OneStep test addresses the international need to combat Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections. The test is analysed on the Genspeed R2 Analyser.

Article • Automation

Reducing laborious microbiology testing

Automation of high-volume biochemistry and immunology laboratories has been on-going for more than a decade, yet central laboratories only recently dared to take on the daunting task of automating the more complex processes of microbiology. Report: John Brosky

Article • Diagnostics

Part II: Iron deficiency and anaemia

Iron deficiency and resulting anaemia cause fatal comorbidities worldwide. Despite this, they are generally underestimated. Professor Lothar Thomas, specialist in laboratory medicine at the Central Laboratory in the Frankfurt/Main University Hospital, is seeking more information about new laboratory parameters for diagnosis and monitoring of iron deficiency and iron substitution therapy. The…

News • Diabetes

Biomarker for steatohepatitis

40 percent of people in the EU suffer from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a disease which is becoming increasingly more frequent as a result of diabetes and excess weight in an affluent society.

News • Cancer diagnostics

How much overdetection is acceptable in cancer screening?

People have highly variable views on how much overdetection is acceptable in cancer screening, finds a UK survey. The authors say invitations for screening "should include clear information on the likelihood and consequences of overdetection to allow people to make an informed choice."

New test to predict the effectiveness of cancer vaccines

Many therapeutic cancer vaccines that are currently being developed are designed to direct the immune system against altered cancer-cell proteins.

Sponsored • Staying young

A good night's sleep keeps your stem cells young

Findings of a recent study say that environmental stress is a major factor for DNA damage and therefore the reason for accelerated tissue aging and probably cancer. Good sleep prevents this DNA damage.

News • CARDIS

New European effort targeting mobile cardio vascular disease

Imec, Medtronic, Ghent University and their project partners today announced the launch of the CARDIS project. Together they will develop and validate an early-stage cardio vascular disease detection platform using integrated silicon photonics.

Article • Oncology

Molecular genetics and proteomics

Women with metastatic breast cancer know they have a slim chance of long-term survival. The question is whether personalised therapy could extend their lives. Report: Cynthia E Keen