Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Hepatitis Delta (HDV) Viruses in the Colombian Population

Source: Plos one

Viral hepatitis B, C and delta still remain a serious problem worldwide. This study was conducted in 697 habitants from 4 Colombian departments: Amazonas, Chocó, Magdalena and San Andres Islands. Epidemiological data were obtained from an interview applied to each individual aiming to evaluate risk factors related to HBV, HCV or HDV infections.
In conclusion, HBV, HCV and HDV infections are detected throughout Colombia in frequency levels that would place some areas as hyperendemic for HBV, especially those found in Amazonas and Magdalena departments. Novel strategies to increase HBV immunization in the rural population and to strengthen HCV surveillance are reinforced by these results.

Read full article:

PLoS ONE: Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Hepatitis Delta (HDV) Viruses in the Colombian Population—How Is the Epidemiological Situation?


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External quality assessment programs for Microbiology, virology and hepatitis
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

USA National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 24-30, 2011

Lab Professionals Week

April 24–30, 2011, is USA National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW), which recognizes the work of the medical laboratory scientists who perform the tests that influence more than 70 percent of the medical decisions doctors make.  A recent survey shows that most Americans know that laboratory tests are important and nearly two-thirds expect their lab results within a day or less for some tests.  A growing demand for medical tests and a shortage of medical laboratory professionals, however, may make it difficult to meet demand in the future.

• What Consumers Know about Lab Tests?
• The Shortage of Medical Laboratory Professionals 
• About Medical Laboratory Professionals   

Read more from ASCP web site:
http://www.ascp.org/mainmenu/laboratoryprofessionals/labweek.aspx

World Malaria Day 25 April, 2011

Source: WHO, Photo by Maggie Hallahan/Sumitomo Chemical

World Malaria day — A Day to Act

25 April is a day to commemorate global efforts to control malaria. The theme of the fourth World Malaria Day - Achieving Progress and Impact - heralds the international community's renewed efforts make progress towards zero malaria deaths by 2015.
World Malaria Day represents a chance for all of us to make a difference. Whether you are a government, a company, a charity or an individual, you can roll back malaria and help generate broad gains in health and human development.

Read more from WHO web site:

World Malaria Day 2011

2011-04-21 Sunday Survey - Synovial Fluid Crystals

Clinical chemistry - Synovial fluid crystals


This time 51 people participated

1. Identify crystals in image A?
Correct answer: Monosodium Urate Crystal

 
2. Identify crystals in image B?
Correct answer: Monosodium Urate Crystal

3. Identify crystals in image C?
Correct answer: Cholesterol Crystals

 
4. Identify crystals in image D?
Correct answer: Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate Crystals (CPPD)

 
5. Select the conditions when you can usually find synovial crystals
Correct answer:  Peritoneal dialysis patients (Calcium oxalate crystals), Gout (Monosodium Urate Crystal), Pseudogout (Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate Crystals (CPPD)) and after intra-articular Methyl-prednisolone injection (Corticosteroids Crystals).
There are no crystals in bacterial, viral, immunological or traumatic arthritis.

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials. _______________________________________________________________________
Learn more and strengthen your expertise
External quality assessment schemes (EQAS) for synovial crystals and clinical chemistry
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

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Previous surveys

• Malaria - Can you find  malaria from the images?
• Serum protein electrophoresis - Monoclonal or polyclonal gammopathy?
• Hepatitis serology - What is the most suitable clinical interpretation? 
• What are the white blood cells in the pictures?
• Which one is a normal female karyotype?
• What is the most suitable ISO accreditation standard for medical (clinical) laboratories?
• What of the following things can cause hemolysis?
• If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?
• Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?
• What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?
• What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?
• What white blood cell is in the picture?

See you at IFCC-worldlab congress in Berlin

IFCC-Worldlab & Euromedlab 2011
Berlin, 15-19 May

You are most welcome to meet me at Labquality`s booth and discuss about our external quality assessment and medical laboratory issues.

Our expertise is external quality assessment. Labquality provides well-known EQA schemes for all laboratory medicine expertises. Labquality´s EQA programs are suitable for clinical laboratories, research laboratories, environmental laboratories, diagnostic industry laboratories and point-of-care tests (POCT) all over the healthcare field. Labquality has 40 years experience of EQAS. We have 4500 clients from over 40 countries in Europe and Middle east. Labquality provides also quality control (QC) products for medical laboratories via Bioclin company.

Please come to enjoy a cup of coffee with us at booth n:o 08 in exhibition hall 12 every day.

If you want to arrange an appointment, please contact juha.wahlstedt@labquality.fi

Labquality is also searching for new distributors.



More information:

IFCC-Worldlab & Euromedlab

Labquality

Bioclin

External quality assessment services (EQAS)

Controls and calibrators for internal quality assessment

About IFCC-Worldlab & Euromedlab Berlin

The 21st International Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine will take place together with the 19th European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine as well as with the 8th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

An attractive scientific program will be developed together with the International Scientific Committee and the International Scientific Advisory Board which represent IFCC, EFCC and DGKL. In addition to the classical types of scientific sessions including plenary, symposium, workshop and poster presentation, we will also offer new types of scientific sessions such as "the year in review", pro-con-sessions, clinical case conferences. All of this is designed to develop a highly interactive forum to discuss cutting-edge science in our field.

A major focus of the scientific program will center around the post-genomic area and its impact on the patient. In this regard we are awaiting great advances and a much better understanding of genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic regulation with regard to the pathophysiology of diseases.

Over 4 000 participants are expected.

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External quality assessment EQA for madical laboratories and POCT
Proficiency testing PT for clinical pathology laboratories
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

Biomedical Science

The Fundamentals of Biomedical Science series is written to reflect the challenges of practising biomedical science today. The books are approved by the IBMS and written its expert writers, many of whom work on the Institute’s advisory panels. The series aim to support an undergraduate as they progress from academia to professional practice in a laboratory.

• Haematology
• Immunology
• Histopathology
• Transfusion and Transplantation Science
• Medical Microbiology
• Biology of Disease
• Clinical Biochemistry
• Cytopathology

Read more:

About Biomedical Science » Reading » Fundamentals of Biomedical Science - The Institute of Biomedical Science

Welcome to visit us at ECCMID in Milan 7-10 May

ECCMID Microbiology Congress 7-10 May, 2011 Milan

If you are going to participate ECCMID in May, you are very welcome to visit Labquality´s booth in exhibition area.

Our expertise is external quality assessment. Labquality provides well-known EQA schemes for microbiology, virology, bacteriology, bacterial serology, parasitology and immunology.

Microbiology EQA programmes are suitable for clinical microbiology laboratories and point-of-care tests (POCT).

Please come to enjoy a cup of coffee with us and discuss more a about quality and EQAS.
 
If you want to arrange an appointment, please contact me juha.wahlstedt@labquality.fi
Labquality is also searching for new distributors.


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International external quality assessment (EQA) for microbiology
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

2011-04-17 Sunday Survey - Malaria

Malaria survey

This time 112 people participated. Over 80% recognized Plasmodium falciparum ring form from picture D. On the other hand almost 29% mixed Pappenheimer bodies to malaria plasmoids in picture A. External quality assessment (EQA) is one way to learn more and strengthen expertise.

1. Can you find malaria from the images?
Correct answer: B,D,E,F. There are Pappenheimer bodies in picture A and Howell jolly bodies in picture C. 


2. How many people die because of malaria yearly?
Correct answer: 1 000 000 according to WHO malaria report 2010.

3. Malaria word comes originally from Italian language. What does it mean?
Correct answer: Malaria comes from words "mala aria" bad air.

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials.
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Learn more and strengthen your expertise
External quality assessment schemes (EQAS) for malaria and microbiology
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

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Previous surveys

• Serum protein electrophoresis - Monoclonal or polyclonal gammopathy?
• Hepatitis serology - What is the most suitable clinical interpretation? 
• What are the white blood cells in the pictures?
• Which one is a normal female karyotype?
• What is the most suitable ISO accreditation standard for medical (clinical) laboratories?
• What of the following things can cause hemolysis?
• If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?
• Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?
• What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?
• What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?
• What white blood cell is in the picture?

International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day - 15 April, 2011

Source: www.ifbls.org

"The Role of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists in the Global Management of Communicable Diseases"

The purpose with the BLS Day is to increase awareness of the role that Biomedical Laboratory Scientists have in providing health care.  BLS' play an important role in diagnosis, quality development and assurance, treatment, research, development and public health care.

BLS Day is the day for Laboratory personnel to promote awareness of our profession and the key role played by Biomedical Laboratory Scientists.

All over the world Biomedical Laboratory Scientists are using this day to promote the profession and celebrate our important role in health care.

Download poster

IFBLS web site

Point-of-Care Controls

Source: Labtestsblogs

Optimizing accuracy and precision for point of care tests using point of care controls

 Point-of-care testing sites continue to increase in number due to the availability of easy-to-use devices that make it possible to provide test results very quickly relative to the central laboratory services. There is, however, mixed review regarding the accuracy and reliability of POCT results for patient care. It is indicated that most of the test-result-quality concerns are due to compliance issues in the preanalytical and postanalytical phases of the POC testing. This review focuses on the causes of preanalytical errors, impact on patient care and strategies for reducing the errors.
Read full article from Labtestsblog:

Point of care controls | Lab Tests Blog

Better Healthcare in China

Source: Reuters

China faces uphill battle to give better healthcare

China is overhauling the biggest healthcare system in human history and has made significant changes since 2003: implementing a basic universal medical insurance system and heavily subsidizing a growing list of essential drugs.

Poor management and high costs make it difficult.

Read more:

China faces uphill battle to give better healthcare | Reuters



______________________________________________________
External quality assessment service (EQAS) for medical laboratories
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

World Health Day – 7 April 2011

WHO

World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the founding of WHO. Each year, the Organization selects a key health issue, and encourages people from all ages and all backgrounds to hold events that highlight the signifi cance of this issue for good health and well-being. World Health Day provides a unique opportunity for communities from across the world to come together for one day to promote actions that can improve our health.

"Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow"

Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous; urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era.

Read more:

WHO | World Health Day – 7 April 2011



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External quality assessment for microbiology and bacteriology
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

Breakthrough For MRSA Treatment

Source: Medical News Today

IBM And The Institute Of Bioengineering And Nanotechnology Find Breakthrough For MRSA Treatment

Researchers from IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology discovered a nanomedicine breakthrough in which new types of polymers were shown to physically detect and destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria and infectious diseases like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA.

Read full story:

IBM And The Institute Of Bioengineering And Nanotechnology Find Breakthrough For MRSA Treatment


____________________________________________________
External quality assessment service (EQAS) for microbiology
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

Over 700 Infected with Swine Flu in Venezuela -- 8 Dead

Source: Latin American Herald Tribune, Caracas Sunday April 3, 2011

With 6 dead and over 700 cases in just the last two weeks, the rapidly rising numbers are leading experts to think that the latest outbreak could kill more than the 131 who died in the original 2009 emergence. The outbreak of the AH1N1 flu virus affecting Venezuela since March 17 has caused six deaths and has infected 712 people, bringing the number of fatalities this year to eight, Health Minister Eugenia Sader said on Saturday.

Read full story from:

Latin American Herald Tribune - Over 700 Infected with Swine Flu in Venezuela -- 8 Dead


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External quality assessment services for microbiology and virology
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

Improving Patient Safety and Satisfaction via Patient Portals

April 2011 Clinical Laboratory News
An Interview with Dr. Ted Eytan, MD, MS, MPH medical director for Delivery Systems Operations, Permante Federation LLC, Washington, D.C.

Patient Safety Focus recently highlighted a report demonstrating that a considerable amount of patients’ health information is never accessed or communicated to patients, including test results.

What is a patient portal?
Patient portals are healthcare-related online applications that allow patients to interact and communicate with their healthcare providers, such as physicians and hospitals. What they all share is the ability for patients to interact with their medical information via the Internet, hopefully in a way that empowers patients, and those who care for them, with their health information and access to their clinicians.


Read full interview from Clinical Laboratory News

April 2011 Clinical Laboratory News: Improving Patient Safety and Satisfaction via Patient Portals



______________________________________________________
External quality assessment service (EQAS) for medical laboratories
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

Easy-To-Use Laboratory Tests

Common Errors Found in Waived Laboratories

Waived tests and waived laboratories

COLA (the premier clinical laboratory education, consultation, and accreditation organization) has identified common errors occurring at laboratories performing “waived” laboratory testing. The internationally respected clinical laboratory accreditor calls for increased education for Certificate of Waiver site personnel to ensure quality testing and mitigate any possible impacts to patient safety.

In its white paper, COLA cites evidence which supports the conclusion that “significant quality problems exist in the largely unregulated labs relying on these tests,” with the potential to contribute to errors and even patient harm

Read full article from:

Common Errors Found in Waived Laboratories | COLAinsider



____________________________________________________
External quality assessment (EQAS) for point-of-care tests (POCT)
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

2011-04-03 Sunday Survey - Serum Protein Electrophoresis

Sunday survey
Clinical chemistry - Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE)

This time 63 participants.

1. What is the most suitable interpretation for sample A?
Correct answer: Polyclonal gammopathy. Gamma-region is increased, but no M-spike.

2. What is the most suitable interpretation for sample D?
Correct answer: Monoclonal gammopathy. Gamma-region is increased and there is strong M-spike.







3. What of the following conditions are related to monoclonal gammopathy?
Correct answer: Multiple myeloma, Plasma cell leukemia, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and Heavy chain disease. The other conditions are related to polyclonal gammopathy.

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials.
____________________________________________________________
External quality assessment schemes for clinical chemistry and electrophoresis
Labquality, www.labquality.fi

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Previous surveys

• Hepatitis serology - What is the most suitable clinical interpretation? 
• What are the white blood cells in the pictures?
• Which one is a normal female karyotype?
• What is the most suitable ISO accreditation standard for medical (clinical) laboratories?
• What of the following things can cause hemolysis?
• If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?
• Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?
• What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?
• What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?
• What white blood cell is in the picture?

Clinical Cases and Images

V. Dimov, M.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago


Gallery of clinical images.

Examples:
Lingua villosa nigra.
Fungal Infection from Sweeping in the Wrong Place
Miliary Tuberculosis.
Ocular Loiasis.
Chloroquine-Induced Hair Hypopigmentation.

View more:

Clinical Cases and Images: Infectious Diseases: Images in Clinical Medicine - Case-based Curriculum of Clinical Medicine


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External quality assessment schemes for laboratory medicine
Labquality, www.laquality.fi