Antibiotic resistance is a serious topic in the medical community, as new drugs are developed and used for the treatment of infections these bacteria have the potential of evolving countermeasures to help themselves survive and resist such drugs. This works through the process of natural selection, as antibiotics kill off bacteria the ones that survive …
April is STI Awareness Month. The stigma surrounding sexually transmitted infections often leads to them not being talked about, and therefore, not being proactively dealt with. Early detection is vital to reducing the risk of complications. Solaris Diagnostics can provide detection of potential STI pathogens such as Chlamydia trachomatis with a turnaround time (TAT) of …
The prothrombin time (PT) is the most commonly used anticoagulant test and was first introduced into use by Dr. Armand Quick and colleagues in 1935.^1 The PT is used to evaluate the tissue factor (TF) and common coagulation pathway thus affecting the activity of the coagulation factors II (FII, V (FV), VII (FVII), X (FX), …
Conjunctivitis is a term describing inflammation of the superficial tissue (conjunctiva) of the eye. It can be either infectious or non-infectious. Infectious causes can be viral or bacterial. Non-infectious causes include allergies, chemical irritation, physical injury or foreign bodies, or certain systemic diseases. These must be differentiated from infectious causes since the treatments are completely different, and if the …
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a gram-positive bacteria that is resistant to the penicillin family of antibiotics. Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacteria that causes skin and soft-tissue infections. While previously easily treated with penicillins, overuse of antibiotics has placed selective pressure on many bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance. MRSA was first a problem in …
Cortisol, a steroid hormone, is synthesized from cholesterol. It is synthesized in the zona fasciculata layer of the adrenal cortex. Cortisol has many functions in the human body, such as mediating the stress response, regulating metabolism, the inflammatory response, and immune function. Blood levels of cortisol vary throughout the day, but generally are higher in …
Solaris Diagnostics is a CLIA certified and CAP accredited medical laboratory testing facility serving clinicians, health care providers, and patients. We deliver industry leading laboratory services backed by ongoing research that results in improved patient care and outcomes.