In The News

Worry about antibiotic resistance recently intensified when it was discovered for the first time that a strain of the bacteria infecting a patient in the U.S. carries the gene called mcr-1 . The gene makes the bacteria resistant to colistin, a polymyxin, which is a class of antibiotics considered to be a "last resort" to treat patients with multidrug-resistant infections. Photo source: NHGRI, Darryl Leja

To make it easier for people to get recommended cholesterol testing, fasting should not be required, according to new European guidelines. So far, no U.S. guidelines for adults have been published recommending such a change.

Researchers are recommending universal hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for all adults based on results from a study of almost 5,000 patients at the Johns Hopkins Hospital emergency department.

The amount of blood drawn for laboratory tests has been shown to have a direct relationship to patients' ill health. While collecting the very minimal amount of blood required for testing reduces risks, smaller blood volumes present several challenges for clinical laboratories.

The CDC has released new guidelines in response to the dramatic rise in prescription opioids overdoses in the last few years. Urine drug testing is recommended to help determine whether patients are taking opioids as prescribed or taking other drugs that might increase their risk of an overdose.

The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend that adults taking statins have regular cholesterol checks. For those whose blood cholesterol level is not adequately lowered, non-statin drugs may be considered.

In recognition of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 24-30, 2016),we asked several lab professionals to list key facts that they think are important for patients and their healthcare practitioners to know about laboratory tests. See the top 10 list.

A new test developed by the CDC that distinguishes between Zika, dengue and chikungunya viral infections is now available through certain public health laboratories. Photo source: CDC , Cynthia Goldsmith

Could a blood test for multiple biomarkers improve diagnosis for depression and provide a breakthrough for certain patient populations?

When it comes to evaluating a woman's risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, her father's family history of cancer is just as important to take into consideration as her mother's and is necessary to be able to determine whether testing for BRCA mutations should be considered. Photo source: CDC , Dawn Arlotta