Advertise on podcast: Let's Talk Micro

Are you familiar with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Antimicrobial Laboratory Network( AR Lab Network)? How about the ThermoFisher Sensititre? In this episode, Amelia Bhatnagar from the CDC joins the podcast to talk about a study that was performed to evaluate the Sensititre GN7F panel. She discusses the study and explains to the listeners what the AR Lab Network is. Tune in to learn more about this study, the AR Lab network, and the importance of evaluating the performance of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) systems. Link to study: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jcm.00799-23   Link to AR Lab Network: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/ar-lab-networks/domestic.html "HAI" Activity within the AR Lab Network: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/hai-ar-programs/activities/AR-lab-network.html   The AR and Patient Safety Portal: https://arpsp.cdc.gov/profile/antibiotic-resistance?tab=ar-lab-network Questions? Feedback? Send those to letstalkmicro@outlook.com

The next episode of the AMR series is here! In this episode Luis and Andrea are joined by Dr. Patrick McDaneld to discuss aminoglycosides. We go over mechanism of action, what drugs are part of this class, what organisms does it have activity against, and more. We invite you to check the CLSI M100 and get familiarized with it. Questions? Suggestions? Email those at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

The field of Microbiology continues to change. Organisms were primarily identified in the clinical laboratory by biochemical testing. Then MALDI-TOF came to the lab and was incorporated to the workflow. Now labs are bringing next-generation sequencing (NGS). What is NGS? How does it work? Have you heard of Nanopore technologies? In this episode Dr. Jose Alexander and Daniel Navas from Advent Health Orlando, join the podcast to talk about NGS. They brought it to their laboratory and discuss the whole process, including the validation, challenges and more. Have any feedback or suggestions? Send those to letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Have you heard about Variovorax durovernensis? The field of Microbiology is one that continues to change, sometimes at a fast pace. With MALDI-TOF and whole genome sequencing making rapid advances, we now learn more of existing organisms and discover novel ones. Tune in to learn about how this novel species was discovered, including the testing performed and the reason behind its name. Link to article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590170223001152 Questions or feedback? Send an email to letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Are you familiar with the Manual of Clinical Microbiology (MCM)? If you work in a clinical microbiology laboratory you might be familiar with it. Last year the 13th edition was released. What content is in the MCM? Where is the information obtained from? What is new in this edition? Is it available online? Dr. Karen Carroll, one of the editors-in chief joins the podcast to discuss this important resource. Link to ClinMicroNow : https://www.clinmicronow.org Feedback? Suggestions? Please email those to letstalkmicro@outlook.com

It is 2024. Is your laboratory using current breakpoints? Are you familiar with the requirements? This episode features a collaboration with Breakpoints: The SIDP Podcast. In it I join the podcast along with two other guests to talk about those requirements among other things. Check out the Breakpoints podcast: https://sidp.pinecast.co More information on breakpoints toolkit: https://clsi.org/meetings/ast/breakpoints-in-use-toolkit/

Originally published as episodes 36 and 37, in this episode I go over Streptococcus agalactiae. I discuss morphology, biochemicals, and testing among other things. What is the Lancefield group of this organism? What is the significance of this organism in neonates? Any organisms that morphologically resemble it? Tune in to find out.

Originally released as episode 53, in this episode I go over Enterococcus species. What are the most clinically significant species of Enterococcus? Morphology? Biochemicals? Tune in to find out more about these organisms, and why are they so significant in healthcare settings.

Originally released as episode 58, in this episode I continue going over S. pneumoniae. This time I go over a popular antigen test. I also discuss molecular testing, including limitations and the importance of correlating the gram stain with the result. Also, have you heard of Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae?

The AMR sub-series is back! Dr. Minkey Wungwattana joins Luis and Andrea in the podcast to talk about fluoroquinolones. What is the mechanism of action of this class of antimicrobials? What organisms do they have activity against? What about breakpoints for Salmonella? Tune in to find out. Link to breakpoints episode that Andrea mentioned: https://rss.com/podcasts/letstalkmicro/475955/

This episode was originally published as episode 57. In it I go over Streptococcus pneumoniae: gram stain, morphology, diseases, and more. What is optochin? What is the bile solubility test? Tune in to find out.

This episode features a conversation with Lisa Parlich, an Infection Preventionist, with a background in Medical Laboratory Sciences. Lisa joins the podcast to talk about an order for urinalysis that was implemented in her hospital. This order is the Urinalysis with Hold order panel. Those of you that work in the laboratory might be familiar with the Urinalysis with reflex to culture order, where if an urinalysis meets the positive criteria for a culture, an order for an urine culture is reflexed, How does this new order differ from traditional orders? How does it help the patients ? How does it work? Tune in to find out.