Respiratory Virus Testing
September 20, 2022
Spring is well and truly upon us; the weather is warming up and respiratory viruses are moving into their summer phase. Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) numbers are down to almost nothing and SARS-CoV-2 numbers remain low. This means that effective Monday 3rd October we will stop routinely performing the SARS-CoV-2/Influenza A+B/RSV multiplex molecular assay on all respiratory virus…
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STI Collection Kit Change
August 29, 2022
Pathlab is excited to announce the implementation of a new BD COR high throughput molecular analyser to perform several tests including the STI panels (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomonas). This is only the second instrument of its type commissioned in the world and offers improvements over the existing assay and instruments. Dual target self-confirming gonorrhoea test meaning reduced turnaround…
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Laboratory Testing for Monkeypox
June 02, 2022
There is currently an outbreak of Monkeypox in Europe, North America and Australia. The virus is related to smallpox but is less severe. It is not easily transmitted between people.
Infection occurs following close contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated material.
The virus enters the body through broken skin, mucous membranes or the respiratory tract. Incubation period 5-21 days…
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LDL equation / LH & FSH reference intervals update
May 04, 2022
Waikato DHB and Pathlab will implement a new LDL- Cholesterol (LDL-C) equation on 16th May 2022. The Friedwald equation has been used to calculate LDL since 1972. Friedewald knew that with increasing triglyceride levels, the calculated LDL-C was progressively falsely lower when compared with the gold standard technique and therefore Friedewald stated LDL-C should not be calculated when…
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COVID-19 testing surge: Changes to Microbiology Requesting
November 22, 2021
As you will be acutely aware, COVID-19 has appeared in the Lakes and BOP communities over the past week. This has caused unprecedented demand for COVID testing and at present the local demand outstrips our testing capacity at Pathlab. We urgently need to reduce routine molecular and microbiology testing for the foreseeable future in order to re-allocate staff and keep turnaround times low for…
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