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  1. September 16, 2024

    Back to Basics: Best Practices for Plating Techniques used with Growth Promotion Testing

    When performing Growth Promotion on new batches of media, one of three plating techniques can be used: Spread Plate, Pour Plate, or Membrane Filtration. Each method aids in enumeration of the cells in the inoculum, but each is different in technique. Below we offer our Top 5 Best Practices for each plating method to help you ensure proper growth promotion of your agar media.

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  2. September 12, 2024

    Can You Get a UTI From Eating Chicken?

    Globally, millions of individuals are affected by UTIs each year, of which, a portion of these cases may be caused by consuming ExPEC from food reservoirs. Additional studies are necessary to clarify the relationship between UTI risk and the presence of ExPECs in food reservoirs. It is important for researchers to identify the level of risk ExPECs pose to human health.

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  3. September 09, 2024

    Reducing Risk with Strep B Carrot Broth™: Combatting Newborn GBS Infections

    The birthrate in the United States has hit a new record low, according to an analysis of 2023 birth certificate data published this past spring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Last year’s slowdown marks an end to the uptick in new babies that began during t

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  4. September 03, 2024

    Mpox Outbreak Classified as Global Public Health Emergency

    On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the most recent mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, outbreak in Africa is a global health emergency. “This is something that should concern us all ... The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    To aid in the testing procedures, Hardy Diagnostics offers products that are in compliance with CDC guidelines, including Viral Transport Medium (VTM).

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  5. August 26, 2024

    How Rapid Development of Technology Has Revolutionized Food Safety

    Hardy Diagnostics is proud to have sponsored a recent Food Safety Magazine webinar, “How Rapid Development of Technology Has Revolutionized Food Safety.” In this event, technology and policy experts Karen Beers, Eric Brown, and Frank Yiannas shared their perspective that an increasing number of recently recorded outbreaks is an indicator of the success of our modern food safety systems - and not of

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  6. August 21, 2024

    The Critical Role of Sterility Testing in 503B Compounding Facilities

    A 503B compounding facility, also known as an outsourcing facility, is a type of pharmaceutical compounding business that operates under section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. The concept of a 503B pharmacy was introduced with the passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) in 2013. These facilities can manufacture bulk pharmaceuticals and are the only pharmacies

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  7. August 12, 2024

    Antibody-Dependent Enhancement: A Critical Challenge in Vaccine Safety

    A primary objective in the development of vaccines and therapeutics is to stimulate the body to produce antibodies that block pathogen entry into cells and tissues. Vaccines emulate infections by presenting an antigen to our immune system. This antigen may be a weakened or inactivated virus or bacteria, components of their outer surface, or genetic material. As part of the adaptive immune response, our bodies generate neutralizing antibodies that attach to pathogens, hindering their ability to infiltrate cells. However, on rare occasions, antibodies can act as a Trojan horse that facilitates the pathogen’s access into cells and potentially worsen the disease.

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  8. August 06, 2024

    Alexander Fleming: A Pioneer for Antimicrobial Stewardship

    Explore the remarkable life of Sir Alexander Fleming, the man behind penicillin, in our latest blog post. Born in 1881 in Scotland, Fleming's journey from a marksman in the Territorial Army to a Nobel laureate revolutionized modern medicine. Discover his accidental discovery of penicillin and its profound impact on global health. Dive into the history and personal stories that shaped one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century. Click to read more about Fleming's enduring legacy and the medical marvels that followed his work.

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  9. July 29, 2024

    The Power of Copper: An Ally in the Fight Against Resistant Bacteria

    Scientists are continually seeking new weapons in the arms race against increasingly resistant bacteria. One of our oldest weapons, copper, may hold the key to curbing the rise of these superbugs.

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  10. July 22, 2024

    AMR: An Evolving Global Health Threat

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its 2024 Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (BPPL). The 72-page document builds on its first list, released in 2017. The WHO BPPL 2024 focuses on the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that present the greatest unmet needs and pose the most significant public health burdens. The list includes 15 families of antibiotic resistant pathogens grouped as critical, high and medium categories.

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  11. July 17, 2024

    RABS vs Isolators: Choosing the Right Barrier System for Safe and Effective Product Handling

    Personnel are a significant source of contamination in aseptic manufacturing, and reducing human intervention in critical zones is essential to ensure higher product purity. Isolators and RABS (Restricted Access Barrier Systems) work to control contamination during pharmaceutical production. Because these systems are equipped with a variety of sophisticated protections and physical barriers, they can protect the operator from harmful chemicals and safeguard the product from pathogens and other particulate contamination.

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  12. July 15, 2024

    Tuberculosis: Still the Deadliest Infectious Disease in the World

    For a human pathogen with no known environmental reservoir, Mycobacterium tuberculosis has honed the art of survival and has persisted in human communities from antiquity through modern times. Tuberculosis is a preventable and treatable infectious disease. Having said that, it is still one of the major contributors to morbidity and mortality in developing countries where there is less-than-adequate access to care.

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  13. July 11, 2024

    Avian Flu: A Global Concern and How Hardy Diagnostics' Viral Transport Medium Can Help

    As we navigate through 2024, the avian flu, or H5N1, continues to make headlines around the globe. Recent reports indicate an alarming spread of the virus, with new human cases anticipated, highlighting the urgent need for robust surveillance and diagnostic measures. At Hardy Diagnostics, we are committed to supporting the global healthcare community in the fight against infectious diseases with our Viral Transport Medium (VTM).

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  14. July 08, 2024

    Hardy Diagnostics’ Community Action Committee Honored by Communify of Santa Barbara County

    The award from Communify of Santa Barbara County is a significant milestone for Hardy Diagnostics and a testament to the incredible work of our CAC. We are grateful for the recognition and inspired to continue our mission of improving lives both inside and outside the laboratory. Congratulations to Lauren Hamilton and the entire committee for their outstanding contributions.

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  15. July 01, 2024

    Is progress being made against Cystic Fibrosis?

    We’re all familiar with this ever-present dichotomy. Antibiotics are life-saving, until they’re not; until the delicate balance shifts, causing the oh-so-inevitable resistance. While antibiotic stewardship programs are becoming more and more prevalent, what does one do when working with a patient with a chronic condition in which daily, long-term antimicrobial treatment is the norm? How do we address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in patients with whom bacterial infections are typically never fully eradicated, despite the employment of a multitude of drug therapies?

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