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Biolog Microbial Identification System Identifies Bacterium Contaminating Kidney Dialysis Clinic
| Source: Biolog, Inc.
HAYWARD, CA--(Marketwire - August 27, 2009) - A paper published last month in the journal
Medicine (Volume 88, Number 4, July 2009) by a team of Stanford University
doctors and researchers used the Biolog System to identify a Halomonas
bacterium causing a contamination problem in their Renal Care Center in San
Jose, CA.
The Stanford team first tried unsuccessfully to identify the bacterium
using their standard hospital microbial identification system. Then, they
tried the Biolog system and obtained an identification of Halomonas, which
subsequently was verified by 16s rDNA sequencing, a more difficult and
costly molecular identification method.
Hospitals routinely use microbial identification systems that can only
identify about 300 bacterial species. Biolog's newest identification
system, called the GEN III™ System can identify 1,044 species. It is
also the easiest system to use as it is built around a single test panel
that can be used to identify both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria
without a Gram stain.
"No one knows how many bacteria are misidentified every day by hospital
laboratories using their standard test kits with very limited databases,"
said Barry Bochner, Ph.D., CEO and CSO at Biolog. "It is well documented
that environmental bacteria can and do cause medically relevant situations
of contamination and infection. Biolog has the only microbiology test
kits with the capability to identify environmental as well as known
pathogenic bacterial species infecting humans, animals, and even plants.
The much larger database is an important feature to Biolog's customers,
which work in diverse disciplines of microbiology."
The bacterial contaminant found by the Stanford team, Halomonas, is
typically found in high salt environments such as salt ponds. Normally,
one would not expect to find Halomonas in a hospital clinic. In this case,
the authors believe that the bacterium was a contaminant of the sodium
bicarbonate solutions that they routinely use to prepare dialysis fluid.
"Bacteria are enterprising, and they will get into and thrive in any
environment that they can adapt to and grow in," adds Bochner. "This is
why it is important for microbiology labs to use identification methods
with broader capabilities. It is not reasonable to assume that
environmental bacteria will not find ways to cause contamination and
infections."
About Biolog:
Biolog is a privately held company based in Hayward, CA, that continues to
pioneer in the development of powerful new cell analysis tools for solving
critical problems in biological, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological
research and development. It is the world leader in cell phenotyping
technology. Biolog products are available worldwide, either directly from
the company or through its extensive network of international distributors.
Further information can be obtained at Biolog's website, www.biolog.com.