The Microbiological Laboratories

Submerged fermentation procedures are used almost exclusively today. A few surface fermentation processes (on liquids or solids) are still used. Cost comparisons of labor, air compression, infection, etc., can be made, but modem batch fed, highly instrumented and computerized submerged methods predominate. Submerged methods are also the predominant culture propagation technique. The general principle is to have the fewest possible 

After the culture is grown, the flask (fitted with a hose and tank coupling device) is used to inoculate the seed fermenter. However, some transfer the culture from the seed flask to a sterile metal container (in the laboratory) which has a special attachment for the seed fermenter. This technique is usually abandoned in time. Ingenuity for the minimum transfers in the simplest manner will usually give the best results. 

The space requirements and the equipment necessary for designing a culture maintenance lab vary so widely, from simple laminar flow hoods to air locked sterile rooms, that only each company can specify the details. The number of rooms and work areas depend upon the number of types of cultures maintained, as well as the variety of techniques for mutation, isolation and testing. Therefore, lab space and equipment might include  

Glassware and Equipment Washing Area. Washing and drying equipment, benches, carts. 

Inoculation Rooms. Frequently, separate rooms are used for work with bacteria, actinomycetes, molds, and sterility testing. High intensity UV lighting is commonly used when the rooms are unoccupied. These rooms generally have only work benches (or hoods) for easy cleaning. 

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The QPP has three laboratories the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (ECL) in Bay St. Louis, MS, and the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) and the Microbiology Laboratory at the Environmental Science Center, both at Fort Meade, MD. The ECL is heavily involved with method validation efforts. The ACL evaluates enforcement analytical methods for product chemistry to ensure that the ingredient statements on the label are accurate and evaluates residue analytical methods for... 

Monitor culture and sensitivity data from the microbiology laboratory to determine whether any refinements are needed in the patient s treatment regimen. Design a therapeutic plan to finish out the patient s course of therapy for acute meningitis. 

Approximately 90% of the first two cultures will yield a positive result. If a positive blood culture is not obtained from a patient with suspected IE, the microbiology laboratory should be notified and cultures requested to be monitored for growth of fastidious organisms for up to 1 month. 

The medical resident suspected osteomyelitis and ordered plain film radiographs. He also swabbed the open wound and sent the swab to the microbiology laboratory for culture and sensitivity. The following result was reported ... 

These advances in correcting for mass spectral drift have far-reaching implications for the potential of PyMS in the microbiology laboratory. However, there are still some problems associated with the technique (1) it is hardly a nondestructive method, so information on the structure and identity of the molecules producing the pyrolysate will be lost, (2) data acquisition takes 2... 

Each site and material must be evaluated before implementing a biological solution. The soil is examined in chemical laboratories to assess the type and extent of the contamination. The microbiological laboratory analyzes the presence and activity of the local microbial strains in the contaminated soil. Biologists then specify the type and quantity of natural additives required to produce maximum degradation rates. 

The sterility testing area is located in an area of the microbiology laboratory. The area contains a gowning room and sterility testing room. Each testing room contains a unidirectional flow HEPA hood. 

This effort must extend to the microbiological laboratory as well, in which validation of methods is essential to assure confidence in the results. This will include appropriate testing environments, laboratory sterilization/depyrogenation validation, equipment qualification and calibration, use of standards, and positive and negative controls. 

If meningococcus is confirmed by the microbiology laboratory and antibiotic sensitivity data suggest the strain is sensitive, the patient s therapy may be streamlined to benzylpenicillin i.v. 2.4 g every 4 hours. However, in practice it may be difficult to persuade the clinician to discontinue the initial therapy if the patient shows signs of improving. 

A common practice in microbiological testing is that pharmaceutical ingredients and products are tested without full consideration of their significance. Sometimes, all raw materials purchased and product manufactured are submitted to the microbiology laboratory... 

Gill VJ, Fedorko DP, Witebsky FG. The clinician and the microbiology laboratory. In Mandell GL, Bennet JE., Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 5th ed. New York, Churchill-Livingstone, 2000 184-221. 

After antimicrobial therapy has been instituted, the patient must be monitored carefully for a therapeutic response. Culture and sensitivity reports from specimens sent to the microbiology laboratory must be reviewed and the therapy changed accordingly. Use of agents with the narrowest spectrum of activity against identified pathogens is recommended. If anaerobes are suspected, even if they are not identified, anaerobic therapy should be continued. 

Mackay IM (2004) Real-Time PCR in the microbiology laboratory. CUn Microbiol Infect... 

Lesions found to be inflammatory at biopsy should be sent sterile from the OR to the microbiology laboratory for cultures. Cultures are more sensitive than tissue stains for nearly all microorganisms that grow in vitro. 

By far the most likely diagnosis in this case is diabetic ketoacidosis. This may be precipitated by a number of conditions, such as infection. This may have caused anorexia and, thus, the patient may have omitted to take her insulin. Trauma can increase a patient s requirement for insulin but there is nothing to suggest that in this case. The blood glucose can be checked at the bedside as can a specimen of urine for the presence or absence of ketones. The laboratory tests which may be requested are urea and electrolytes to assess renal function, the presence or absence of hyperkalaemia and the serum sodium concentration. The patient s acid-base status should be assessed to quantitate the severity of the acidosis present, and the blood glucose should be accurately measured. These will influence the patient s treatment. It is essential in cases such as this that samples of blood and urine and, if appropriate, sputum are sent to the microbiological laboratory to look for the presence of infection. 

The microbiology laboratory confirmed H influenzae type b and demonstrated that the isolate was beta-lactamase-positive. Ampicillin is inactivated by penicillinases unless used in combination with an inhibitor of such enzymes. Beta-lactamase-producing isolates of H influenzae type b are not resistant to chloramphenicol or to third-generation cephalosporins. 

Chatigny, M.A., Protection against infection in the microbiological laboratory devices and procedmes, m. Advances in Applied Microbiology 3, Umbreit, W.W., Ed., Academic Press, New York, 131, 1961. 

Some promising new methods are not provided in this table however, they are discussed in Section 5.2.4 below. The variety of identification and differentiation methods is extensive only a few are implemented in the routine analysis conducted in commercial laboratories, and even fewer in the microbiology laboratories of breweries. A list of some of the established and reliable routine methods for rapid yeast identification is found in Section 5.2.3. Which method is applied in brewery laboratories or combined with the established routine methods depends on the practicability and the degree of aceeptance for new techniques, which require special training and knowledge of yeast handling. 

Mackay, I. M. (2004). Real-time PCR in the microbiology laboratory. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 10(3), 190-212. 

The ability to transfer colonies from one container to another, without contamination, is crucial to success in the microbiology laboratory and serves as the basis for any subsequent work. The need for transferring cultures varies from raising large populations of yeast and/or bacteria to serve as inocula, to having to identify a troublesome organism. Routine transfer of cultures to fresh media is yet another reason. 

Wedum, A.G. and Kruse, R.H. (1969). Assessment of risk of human infection in the microbiological laboratory. Miscellaneous Publication No 30. Department of the Army, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland. 

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