Linoj Samuel
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: SELF-CARE AS A FORTITUDE FACTOR AGAINST COMPASSION FATIGUE: LESSONS LEARNED FROM COVID-19
SELF-CARE AS A FORTITUDE FACTOR AGAINST COMPASSION FATIGUE: LESSONS LEARNED FROM COVID-19 Open
Gerontology practitioners did not receive the national attention as others, but they were on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic caring for older adults, one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations. They helped older adults man…
View article: FDA’s proposed rule for the regulation of laboratory-developed tests
FDA’s proposed rule for the regulation of laboratory-developed tests Open
In October 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule that ends enforcement discretion for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). The FDA's proposal outlines a five-stage implementation to begin regulating LDTs as th…
View article: 607. Candidemia: Role of T2Candida® compared to Bact/Alert Virtuo blood culture system in a real-world setting
607. Candidemia: Role of T2Candida® compared to Bact/Alert Virtuo blood culture system in a real-world setting Open
Background Candidemia is the most common cause of invasive fungal infections with mortality rates up to 60%. The current standard for diagnosis of candidemia is traditional blood cultures (BC) but it has low sensitivity. The need for rapid…
View article: Direct-from-Blood Detection of Pathogens: a Review of Technology and Challenges
Direct-from-Blood Detection of Pathogens: a Review of Technology and Challenges Open
Blood cultures have been the staple of clinical microbiology laboratories for well over half a century, but gaps remain in our ability to identify the causative agent in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of sepsis. Molecular tech…
View article: Preface
Preface Open
View article: Role of diagnostic stewardship in reducing healthcare-facility–onset <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infections
Role of diagnostic stewardship in reducing healthcare-facility–onset <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infections Open
We describe the implementation of an electronic medical record “hard stop” to decrease inappropriate Clostridioides difficile testing across a 5-hospital health system, effectively reducing the rates of healthcare-facility–onset C. diffici…
View article: 328. Universal PCR Testing- Is It Worth It?
328. Universal PCR Testing- Is It Worth It? Open
Background Universal PCR and Next Generation Sequencing (uPCR/NGS) is a major advancement in microbiology. It is a highly sensitive and specific test that amplifies ribosomal RNA in samples to detect bacterial and fungal pathogens. We inve…
View article: 344. VersaTrek versus Virtuo Blood Culture System’s Effect on Diagnostic Test Utilization and Patient Outcomes, a Quasi-Experimental Study
344. VersaTrek versus Virtuo Blood Culture System’s Effect on Diagnostic Test Utilization and Patient Outcomes, a Quasi-Experimental Study Open
Background Prior studies evaluating the sensitivity blood cultures utilizing the Virtuo blood culture system versus the VersaTREK blood culture system have suggested increased sensitivity with the Virtuo system. Studies evaluating if this …
View article: Performance of the Reveal Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing System on Gram-Negative Blood Cultures at a Large Urban Hospital
Performance of the Reveal Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing System on Gram-Negative Blood Cultures at a Large Urban Hospital Open
Timely and effective antibiotic treatment is vital for sepsis, with increasing incidence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteremia driving interest in rapid phenotypic susceptibility testing. To enable the widespread adoption needed to make an…
View article: Vaginal Swabs Are Non-inferior to Endocervical Swabs for Sexually Transmitted Infection testing in the Emergency Department
Vaginal Swabs Are Non-inferior to Endocervical Swabs for Sexually Transmitted Infection testing in the Emergency Department Open
Study Objective: Emergency department (ED) testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI) in women is typically performed with a pelvic examination and an endocervical swab. However, vaginal swabs are effective for STI testing and the p…
View article: Risk Factors Associated With Hospitalization and Death in COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections
Risk Factors Associated With Hospitalization and Death in COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections Open
Background Characterizations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine breakthrough infections are limited. We aim to characterize breakthrough infections and identify risk factors associated with outcomes. Methods This was a retrospe…
View article: Hepatitis C Virus Reflex Testing Protocol in an Emergency Department
Hepatitis C Virus Reflex Testing Protocol in an Emergency Department Open
Introduction: Our aim was to measure hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and linkage-to-care rates in an urban emergency department (ED) before and after implementing an HCV viral RNA (vRNA) reflex testing protocol within a HCV screening pro…
View article: The long-term sustainability of a respiratory culture nudge
The long-term sustainability of a respiratory culture nudge Open
Resource-intensive interventions and education are susceptible to a lack of long-term sustainability and regression to the mean. The respiratory culture nudge changed reporting to “Commensal Respiratory Flora only: No S. aureus /MRSA or P.…
View article: 569. Characterization of COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections in Metropolitan Detroit
569. Characterization of COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections in Metropolitan Detroit Open
Background Although COVID-19 vaccines are very effective, vaccine breakthrough infections have been reported, albeit rarely. When they do occur, people generally have milder COVID-19 illness compared to unvaccinated people. A total of 10,2…
View article: Correlation Of Pcr Ct Values With Symptom Onset Across Diagnostic Platforms For Sars-Cov-2
Correlation Of Pcr Ct Values With Symptom Onset Across Diagnostic Platforms For Sars-Cov-2 Open
Introduction/Objective Following the definition of SARS-CoV2 outbreak as a pandemic by WHO, FDA gave EUA approval to the CDC real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and soon to other vendors to increase test availability. Most of t…
View article: SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity and antibody prevalence among asymptomatic hospital-based health care workers
SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity and antibody prevalence among asymptomatic hospital-based health care workers Open
View article: The Need for Dedicated Microbiology Leadership in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
The Need for Dedicated Microbiology Leadership in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Open
Clinical microbiology laboratories play a crucial role in patient care using traditional and innovative diagnostics. Challenges faced by laboratories include emerging pathogens, rapidly evolving technologies, health care-acquired infection…
View article: 551. Convalescent plasma early in disease course improves survival in COVID-19
551. Convalescent plasma early in disease course improves survival in COVID-19 Open
Background Convalescent plasma (CP) has been described as a potential therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given paucity of data, we sought to describe characteristics of CP recipients in survivors and non-survivors. Methods We…
View article: 669. Rapid Molecular Testing of Sputum for Identification of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Impact on Duration of Respiratory Isolation
669. Rapid Molecular Testing of Sputum for Identification of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Impact on Duration of Respiratory Isolation Open
Background Current guidelines recommend molecular testing directly on sputum of patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) to facilitate discontinuation of airborne infection isolation (AII). Henry Ford Hospital (HFH), a tertiary …
View article: 444. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Among Healthcare Workers in Southeast Michigan
444. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Among Healthcare Workers in Southeast Michigan Open
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has significantly impacted Michigan, with over 60,000 cases and 5,700 deaths to date. During the surge, Metropolitan Detroit was the epicenter of the outbreak, accountin…
View article: Early Short-Course Corticosteroids in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19
Early Short-Course Corticosteroids in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 Open
Background There is no proven antiviral or immunomodulatory therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The disease progression associated with the proinflammatory host response prompted us to examine the role of early corticosteroid …
View article: Answer to March 2020 Photo Quiz
Answer to March 2020 Photo Quiz Open
Answer: Lecythophora (Coniochaeta) hoffmannii. A few yeast-like colonies were isolated on fungal culture (Sabouraud dextrose agar) after 7 days at 30°C (see Fig. 1A and B in the photo quiz). Microscopic examination with lactophenol cotton …
View article: Photo Quiz: Subcutaneous Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient Handling a Wooden Wheelbarrow
Photo Quiz: Subcutaneous Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient Handling a Wooden Wheelbarrow Open
A 44-year-old male presented to the emergency department with injury to his right hand. Five days prior, he had been lifting a wheelbarrow out of his truck and punctured his right hand. The patient reported removing several splinters from …
View article: Multicenter Evaluation of a PCR-Based Digital Microfluidics and Electrochemical Detection System for the Rapid Identification of 15 Fungal Pathogens Directly from Positive Blood Cultures
Multicenter Evaluation of a PCR-Based Digital Microfluidics and Electrochemical Detection System for the Rapid Identification of 15 Fungal Pathogens Directly from Positive Blood Cultures Open
Routine identification of fungal pathogens from positive blood cultures by culture-based methods can be time-consuming, delaying treatment with appropriate antifungal agents. The GenMark Dx ePlex investigational use only blood culture iden…
View article: Clinical Performance of the Novel GenMark Dx ePlex Blood Culture ID Gram-Positive Panel
Clinical Performance of the Novel GenMark Dx ePlex Blood Culture ID Gram-Positive Panel Open
Rapid identification from positive blood cultures is standard of care (SOC) in many clinical microbiology laboratories. The GenMark Dx ePlex Blood Culture Identification Gram-Positive (BCID-GP) Panel is a multiplex nucleic acid amplificati…
View article: Direct Detection of Pathogens in Bloodstream During Sepsis: Are We There Yet?
Direct Detection of Pathogens in Bloodstream During Sepsis: Are We There Yet? Open
Background Advances in medicine have improved our understanding of sepsis, but it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The detection of pathogens that cause sepsis remains a challenge for clinical microbiology laboratories. Co…
View article: 2043. T2-<i>Candida</i> (T2MR) vs. Β-D-Glucan (BDG) for Preemptive Antifungal Stewardship in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
2043. T2-<i>Candida</i> (T2MR) vs. Β-D-Glucan (BDG) for Preemptive Antifungal Stewardship in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Open
BACKGROUND: Timely empiric antifungal therapy is essential in the management of candidemia but must be weighed with the risks of overuse. The purpose of this study was to compare preemptive antifungal therapy and outcomes following a negat…
View article: 210. Improved Antimicrobial Utilization in the Emergency Department: Impact of a Point of Care Polymerase Chain Reaction Test for The Rapid Detection Influenza
210. Improved Antimicrobial Utilization in the Emergency Department: Impact of a Point of Care Polymerase Chain Reaction Test for The Rapid Detection Influenza Open
BACKGROUND: Due to poor sensitivity, the FDA mandated that rapid influenza antigen (IAT) must be phased out by 2018. At our institution an on-site rapid influenza PCR (PCR) was implemented in emergency departments (ED) at the start of the …
View article: Microbiology Comment Nudge Improves Pneumonia Prescribing
Microbiology Comment Nudge Improves Pneumonia Prescribing Open
Background Systematic and behavioral interventions are needed to improve antibiotic use for common conditions like pneumonia. Methods Single pretest, post-test quasi-experiment in a 4-hospital health system in metropolitan Detroit, Michiga…
View article: Retraction for Flynt et al., “Comparison of Etest to Broth Microdilution for Testing of Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Ceftolozane-Tazobactam”
Retraction for Flynt et al., “Comparison of Etest to Broth Microdilution for Testing of Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Ceftolozane-Tazobactam” Open