Microbiology
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November 26, 2024Posted: November 26, 2024Read MoreThe cold and flu season is upon us.
Flu season tends to peak in the winter months, between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have not stocked up yet on necessary testing supplies for your laboratory, we are listing a few key...
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October 14, 2024Posted: October 14, 2024Read MoreRecent studies have shown that many tattoo inks contain dangerous chemicals and potentially infectious bacteria. Despite their cultural popularity and potential hazards, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the tattoo industry. The FDA considers tattoos and permanent makeup as cosmetics, so they do not regulate inks used for the purpose of injection into skin; they do not...
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October 08, 2024Posted: October 08, 2024Read MoreCarbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) refers to a group of bacteria within the Enterobacterales order that have developed resistance to carbapenem antibiotics. Carbapenems are a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics used as a last-resort treatment for serious infections caused by multi-drug-resistant bacteria.
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October 07, 2024Posted: October 07, 2024Read MoreDengue cases in the Americas surged threefold in the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay are the most severely affected countries. PAHO officials warn that this outbreak has the potential to be the worst the Americas have faced to date.1
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September 16, 2024Posted: September 16, 2024Read MoreWhen 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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September 09, 2024Posted: September 09, 2024Read MoreThe 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...
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August 26, 2024Posted: August 26, 2024Read MoreHardy 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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August 12, 2024Posted: August 12, 2024Read MoreA 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...
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August 06, 2024Posted: August 06, 2024Read MoreExplore 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...
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July 29, 2024Posted: July 29, 2024Read MoreScientists 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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July 15, 2024Posted: July 15, 2024Read MoreFor 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...
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July 11, 2024Posted: July 11, 2024Read MoreAs 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...
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July 01, 2024Posted: July 01, 2024Read MoreWe’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...
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June 19, 2024Posted: June 19, 2024Read MoreThe Massachusetts man at the center of an infamously deadly 2012 national meningitis outbreak, Barry Cadden, pleaded no contest to 11 counts of involuntary manslaughter in Michigan and was sentenced last month to at least ten years in prison for his part in the deaths of 11 Michigan residents....
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May 21, 2024Posted: May 21, 2024Read MoreThe CDC attributes the rise in C. auris cases during the height of the pandemic as a result of inadequate staffing, supply shortages, the increased number of seriously ill patients, and changes in infection prevention and control practices. The CDC encourages all U.S. laboratories that identify C. auris to notify their state or local public health authorities. ...
