Laboratory Testing of Ear Swabs in Otitis Externa
April 03, 2019
The microbiology department at Pathlab have been examining the clinical value of ear swabs for otitis externa in the community setting. There is a paucity of evidence to support the clinical usefulness of ear swabbing in otitis externa, and guidelines based on expert opinion do not recommend ear swabbing in uncomplicated otitis externa infection. With this in mind, ear swabs in patients with…
Keep Reading →
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Reporting
January 23, 2019
Pathlab uses the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) system for testing and reporting antimicrobial susceptibilities. Until now EUCAST has used the following categories for the reporting of antimicrobial susceptibilities, “Susceptible”, “Intermediate”, and “Resistant”. In 2019, EUCAST introduced changes that redefined the categories used for interpreting and…
Keep Reading →
Request for Copy to Clinics
January 07, 2019
In July 2018, a clinical update was released to inform clinicians that a request for a copy of a result, could only be sent to a specified clinician. This was to address complaints we received of inadvertent breaches of privacy or other complaints of this nature. Pathlab are now able to accommodate requests for a copy of a result to be sent to a medical practice/clinic. Clinics will need to have a…
Keep Reading →