infectious disease specifications

Many types and species of microorganisms are causative of infections in humans and the specialized tests that we perform can identify some of these. Our tests utilize real time PCR (RT-PCR) amplification to detect the presence of a microorganism in a specimen by amplifying the genomic material of the organism(s). The microorganism(s) we test for are listed below in “Target Microorganisms”. Amplification and detection is performed using an Applied Biosystems™ QuantStudio™ 7 Flex real time PC system which includes the QuantStudio™ Real-Time PCR Software. Real time PR amplification is performed using TaqMan™ assays from Thermo Fisher Scientific consisting of two PC primers and one fluorescently labeled (FAM dye) probe which hybridizes to the target organism’s genomic DNA. The assays are preloaded onto TaqMan™ Array Cards (TAC).

These methodologies allow Southwest Labs to rapidly and simultaneously test for many infectious organisms as well as some of the most common genes known to confer possible resistance to antibiotics. Given this, all of these possible tests return an independent binary result: present or absent. For this reason, it is not possible for Southwest labs to determine which of two (or more) detected bacterial pathogens contain any simultaneously detected antibiotic resistance gene(s) from the same specimen. Therefore, in polymicrobial specimen results of this type, medical providers could assume the antibiotic resistance genes were present in all detected bacterial microorganisms when they are selecting a treatment as a means of reducing the likelihood of antibiotic failure due to antibiotic resistance.