Emerging Need for Automation in Diagnostic Microbiology
Dr.T.V.Rao MD- Today many laboratories all over the world are exploring the ways to automate the Microbiology specimen processing and reporting, Even much of our teaching hospitals in India lack infrastructure and technically sound manpower , in truth we hardly diagnose few conditions which need attention and facilities to report to the clinicians. Most clinical microbiology laboratories are still largely based on traditional methods for routine identification of pathogens, such as Gram staining, culture of clinical specimens, phenotypic susceptibility testing and biochemical or genotypic identification. If we are sincere the Physicians say they rarely dependent on the existing facilities, and explore matters with trial and error methods in choosing the Antibiotics, Almost it is almost salvage treatment with antibiotics in many terminally ill patients in particular septic shock, The field of infectious diseases is faced with drastic changes – emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), increase of international travel and therefore easier spread of infectious agents between continents, new challenges due to demographic change, and finally climate change, Due to international travel pathogens can cross international borders with ease . This can lead to the introduction of pathogens or resistance genes in previously unaffected regions or populations This might also influence the growing prevalence rates of MDROs which have been detected all over the world, especially in Gram Negatives Infections with MDROs usually have higher mortality rates mainly due to the obviously higher risk of treatment failure and ineffective initial antimicrobial therapy, In the present state most of the teaching institutes too use a traditional methods which are more than half century old are practiced , the main reason being automation needs much investments and technically sound manpower and above all cost effectiveness, Until now, scientific research assessing the benefits of automation in clinical microbiology is scarce, and many of thought the Magic bullet - the Antibiotics will solve all the purpose truly no more, Many developing countries too are scarce with resources switching to polling of Laboratory services with creation of better laboratory facilities, Finally, while quality of the diagnostic results was mainly based on the experience and expertise of the microbiology staff in the past, in the course of automation it will much more depend on the method or apparatus used. Many corporate hospitals too following the trend with appointment of technically sound technologists and matters are controlled by Clinical Microbiologists for better interaction between the clinicians and diagnostic microbiology. WHAT TO DO WITH THE AUTOMATION HOW FAR WE REACH OUR GOALS A QUESTION HUNTS AFTER INVESTING GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. I WISH TIME IS RIGHT TO GET OUR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS TO BE TRAINED IN ACCREDITED LABORATORIES WITH AUTOMATION AND MOLECULAR METHODS AND MORE OF THE SYLLABUS TO STRUCTURED ON AUTOMATION WITH EQUAL EMPHASIS ON IMPORTANCE ON CONVENTIONAL MICROBIOLOGY. However it is certain no one can be a better Microbiologist without understanding the basics and traditional system to control the automation from errors. Hope it is time all the people placed helm of affairs to rethink on what really happening in our laboratories and certainly we work with primitive facilities, and many seniors and even professors lack the work culture and matters are left to inexperienced technical staff and juniors, and accounts to increased morbidity and mortality.
It is certainly frightening to know how the people in ICU and critical care areas treated with unscientific way of trying all available antibiotics, Never to forget our ICU are real sources of Super bugs and certainly need attention with coordinated scientific approaches with modern facilities in Automation and dedicated clinical Microbiologists
TIME TO THINK
Dr.T.V.Rao MD
Dr.T.V.Rao MD- Today many laboratories all over the world are exploring the ways to automate the Microbiology specimen processing and reporting, Even much of our teaching hospitals in India lack infrastructure and technically sound manpower , in truth we hardly diagnose few conditions which need attention and facilities to report to the clinicians. Most clinical microbiology laboratories are still largely based on traditional methods for routine identification of pathogens, such as Gram staining, culture of clinical specimens, phenotypic susceptibility testing and biochemical or genotypic identification. If we are sincere the Physicians say they rarely dependent on the existing facilities, and explore matters with trial and error methods in choosing the Antibiotics, Almost it is almost salvage treatment with antibiotics in many terminally ill patients in particular septic shock, The field of infectious diseases is faced with drastic changes – emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), increase of international travel and therefore easier spread of infectious agents between continents, new challenges due to demographic change, and finally climate change, Due to international travel pathogens can cross international borders with ease . This can lead to the introduction of pathogens or resistance genes in previously unaffected regions or populations This might also influence the growing prevalence rates of MDROs which have been detected all over the world, especially in Gram Negatives Infections with MDROs usually have higher mortality rates mainly due to the obviously higher risk of treatment failure and ineffective initial antimicrobial therapy, In the present state most of the teaching institutes too use a traditional methods which are more than half century old are practiced , the main reason being automation needs much investments and technically sound manpower and above all cost effectiveness, Until now, scientific research assessing the benefits of automation in clinical microbiology is scarce, and many of thought the Magic bullet - the Antibiotics will solve all the purpose truly no more, Many developing countries too are scarce with resources switching to polling of Laboratory services with creation of better laboratory facilities, Finally, while quality of the diagnostic results was mainly based on the experience and expertise of the microbiology staff in the past, in the course of automation it will much more depend on the method or apparatus used. Many corporate hospitals too following the trend with appointment of technically sound technologists and matters are controlled by Clinical Microbiologists for better interaction between the clinicians and diagnostic microbiology. WHAT TO DO WITH THE AUTOMATION HOW FAR WE REACH OUR GOALS A QUESTION HUNTS AFTER INVESTING GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. I WISH TIME IS RIGHT TO GET OUR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS TO BE TRAINED IN ACCREDITED LABORATORIES WITH AUTOMATION AND MOLECULAR METHODS AND MORE OF THE SYLLABUS TO STRUCTURED ON AUTOMATION WITH EQUAL EMPHASIS ON IMPORTANCE ON CONVENTIONAL MICROBIOLOGY. However it is certain no one can be a better Microbiologist without understanding the basics and traditional system to control the automation from errors. Hope it is time all the people placed helm of affairs to rethink on what really happening in our laboratories and certainly we work with primitive facilities, and many seniors and even professors lack the work culture and matters are left to inexperienced technical staff and juniors, and accounts to increased morbidity and mortality.
It is certainly frightening to know how the people in ICU and critical care areas treated with unscientific way of trying all available antibiotics, Never to forget our ICU are real sources of Super bugs and certainly need attention with coordinated scientific approaches with modern facilities in Automation and dedicated clinical Microbiologists
TIME TO THINK
Dr.T.V.Rao MD
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