Microbial diagnostics

6 important questions on Microbial diagnostics

How can bacteria be detected?







Detection of agent
  • microscopy
    • Methyleen blue colours gram+ bacteria
  • culture
    • Incubation: environment, time depends by material and clinical image
  • PCR (nucleic acid detection)
    • Not/difficult to culture
    • quick
  • antigen detection


Serology: Detection of immunoglobulins against agent

What are the different types of culture media?

  • Selective: specific for one type of bacteria
  • Non-selective: blood culture lots of nutrients
  • Sterile (liquor, usually no bacteria in there - blood culture)
  • Non-sterile (feces, specific culture due to lots of bacteria present)

What are the bacterial identification methodes?

  • Biochemical (bonte rij, Vitek, Phoenix)
  • MALDI-TOF MS
  • Sequence analysis of bacterial DNA
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How is the antibiotica resistance determined?

  • Resistance determination by the gold standaard (vroeger)
    • at MIC = 125 µmol/l bacterie does not grow anymore
  • Standardised and automised (now)
  • Data base
  • PCR of genome/plasmid of bacteria

What bacteria are used in PCR (nucleic acid detection)?

  • MRSA
  • SSYC
  • Legionella
  • Mycrobacteria

What does serologie show? Which bacteria are used in serologie?

Detection of specific antibodies against bacteria
  • Kinkhoest (Bordetella pertussis/parapertussis)
  • Burcella
Detection of antigens
  • Helicobacter (antigen in feces)
  • Legionella (antigen in urine)

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