FEATURE ARTICLES

With the passage of an unseasonably mild autumn and the onset of winter, thoughts turn to what infections the dormant season has in store for the susceptible among us. Viral infections are high on the list of things of which to be wary, and laboratories, with a little help from Oxoid, must be as vigilant as ever in an attempt to identify these agents promptly.

The battle against healthcare-acquired infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended spectrum ▀-lactamase-producing organisms continues with a need for high-level leadership and support, the Infection Control Nurses Association Conference, held recently in Brighton, was told. A comprehensive report of the proceedings follows.

Bacterial sepsis is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in preterm babies. Can a new rapid cytokine test improve diagnosis over use of C-reactive protein alone and help reduce unnecessary antibiotic use?

Increasingly, workflow efficiency is seen as the way forward in dealing with ever-expanding workload, and tracks linking individual analysers are becoming a more common sight in the laboratory. Here, biomedical scientists from Basingstoke in Hampshire share their experiences of a very successful implementation.

A trial last year of three chromogenic MRSA media and oxacillin resistance screening agar in Nottingham has led to significant improvements in the detection of this nosocomial pathogen. Here, infection control biomedical scientist Ros Montgomery describes the testing process and the advantages gain in patient care.

Introduction of a rapid test for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has had a dramatic impact on several specialties in a district general hospital. The result has been a close working relationship between laboratory and infection control staff, and important benefits to patient and hospital alike.

From porphyrin analysis to textile sun protection factor measurement, use of spectrophotometers from Norfolk-based company Camspec has achieved global utility in routine and research applications in the past 20 years.

Advances in stem cell technology have prompted attempts to remove legal obstacles arising from differences in patentability standards in national legislation and case law across Europe. Here, SiΓn Gill explains the complexities of patent protection and how they relate to this emotive subject.

The increasingly diverse ethnicity of the United Kingdom population is having a major effect on haemoglobin screening workloads in laboratories around the country. Here, Ben Starling looks at the impact that TosohÆs G7 high performance liquid chromatography analysers have had in Sheffield and Leicester.

Hospital-acquired infection is of increasing concern in the health service, and the spectre of MRSA is now being joined by other, equally problematic infections. However, new technology from Acolyte Biomedica has joined the fight and promises to expedite detection and antibiotic susceptibility testing, directly from clinical specimens.

Continuing professional development has been a fact of professional life for the best part of two decades, but only recently has it become a mandatory requirement for re-registration. Historically, commercial support for CPD has been indirect, but Cosmos Biomedical felt it could do more, as Chris Sanders explains.

Such has been the response to the CellNass off-site storage service, launched in 2003, that cellular pathology specialist CellPath has had to build a new facility to keep up with demand from across England and Wales.

The new UniCel DxC 880i from Beckman Coulter is designed for high-throughput workstation consolidation, as Jag Grewal, the companyÆs marketing manager for Northern Europe, explains.

Examination of bone sections for abnormalities is helping to define mechanisms of bone loss in untreated and treated osteoporosis, but imaging large bone sections can prove difficult. Here, Ana Maria Caballero-Alias discusses some of the issues surrounding imaging this type of section and how digital systems are overcoming some of these problems.

The current drive towards greater automation in pathology should be measured against a range of important factors that need to be considered carefully. Here, Alistair Forrest goes into some detail and provides an example of a successful implementation.

Telepathology provides a range of benefits in cellular pathology, and at the heart of this technology are digital pathology systems and so-called virtual microscopy. Paul Cormack provides an overview of progress in this exciting field of laboratory medicine.

Temperature plays a vital role in polymerase chain reaction methodology. Thus, it is important to verify that thermal cyclers used in the technique are functioning properly. Here, Tom Hendrix, Marc Verblakt and Roger Pierik report on a study of cycler performance and on a validation service.

The use of glass microscope slides across pathology is largely taken for granted, but the technology that produces these ubiquitous laboratory consumables varies considerably, depending on which part of the world you happen to explore. Here, Andrew Cuthbert peers through the looking glass at slide production worldwide.

PathLore was established in 2001 to provide an alternative private sector model for cellular pathology support and provision in the UK. It was designed to meet emerging and anticipated future needs and those of other branches of pathology. Here, Professor Ian O Ellis gives an historical perspective and provides an overview of progress so far.

Agenda for Change and the latest government pathology review are evolutionary pressures on pathology the effect of which will only become fully apparent with the passage of time. However, forewarned is forearmed, so Pathology û the real agenda will inform, update and advise.