Celine - Automation Flashcards
Why is micro slow to change over to automation?
(5)
Micro too complex to automate -> there is a large variety of specimens, specimen collection systems, specimen processing and culture requirements
Automation can’t replace subjective decision, making skills and interpretative expertise required
High cost - complexity of specimens poor return on instrument investment
Scale of economy lost in micro - large scale tracking automation systems under-utilised
Microbiologists don’t like change
What are the four main drivers for automation in micro
Increased demands on service increase by 10% per year
More challenges - mutli-resistant organisms, new pathogens
Reduced funding - reduced budget and staff number
Accreditation - need for standardisation and traceability
Explain why automation is being introduced to the micro lab
(3)
Lab under immense pressure to produce faster, better, standardised results in face of increasing work volume
Microbiologist recognise that automation need not replace cognitive decision-making but rather replace tedious, repetitive steps
Automation offers the opportunity to reduce TAT, optimise workflow and reduce costs
What happens on Day 1
(4)
Specimen in
- Microscopy
- Processing
- Culture
- Isolate
What happens on day 2?
Identify
Susceptibility
Comment on automation for day 1 specimen processing
(2)
Automated systems for specimen preparation and culture are complex
Front end processing only recently developed and only evident in large diagnostic micro labs
Comment on automation for day 2, pathogen
Austomated systems for ID and AST first developed widespread use in all diagnostic micro labs
Where is the most manual work done in micro
Plate and broth medium inoculation
Medium and plate reading
Write about the role of automation in Day 1: Microscopic investigation of clinical specimen
(6)
Microscopic investigation consists of direct gram stain and/or white cell count (CSF and Urine)
Direct gram stain can be automated but microscopy is still manual
Microscopic cell count increasingly automated
Urine is the most common sample in the lab
Automation of urine microscopy using fluorescence flow cytometry
Negative screening method for urine -> 60-80% negative, if WCC count normal no need for culture
What machine can be used for urine microscopy?
Sysmex UF-5000 - urine microscopy
How does the Sysmex UF-5000 work?
(3)
Urine flow cytometer
Enumerates WBC, RBC, bacteria and epithelial cells by cell size and staining with fluorescent dyes
105 samples/hour
Comment on the role of automation in Day 1 processing and culture
(6)
Remains largely manual
Front end processing evolving at a rapid pace
Liquid samples readily compatible with automation but swabs required manual handling
Liquid-based ESwab facilitated change
The Eswab sits in liquid media - vortex so flocked head releases organism into liquid media -> this allows for automated smear preparation for gram stain and for plate inoculation
New generation of liquid-based specimen processors now in large diagnostic labs with high specimen throughput
Explain the role of Eswabs in automation
The Eswab sits in liquid media - vortex so flocked head releases organism into liquid media -> this allows for automated smear preparation for gram stain and for plate inoculation
Give an example of a specimen processor used in the labs, capable of plate culture
WASP Processor (Copan Diagnostics)
What is the WASP processor and how does it work
(8)
2 robot arms which move specimens and plates
Can work with all specimen types
Has 9 media silos and a capacity of 370 plates
Uses reusable chrome loops
Can inoculate 180 plates per hour
Can gram stain prep
Capable of auto decapping and recapping
Only one installed in Ireland
Write about the role of automation in blood culture processing
(4)
Automation is important for the early detection of BSIs -> rapid diagnosis, prognosis and appropriate therapy
Automation for Blood cultures is well established
BacT/Alert SD is the most common BC system available
BacT/Alert SD allows for the continuous monitoring for detection of bacteria, fungi and mycobacteria
What is a BC bottle
(3)
A blood culture bottle is used to investigate BSI
Blood is injected into bottles with culture media at bedside
The BC is then sent to the lab
What is the most common BC automation system
BacT/Alert 3D
What is the principle behind the BacT detecion system
(5)
If organisms are present in blood they will multiply in nutritious liquid media in BC bottle to generate CO2
CO2 production lowers the pH of the medium and produces a colour change in a sensor at the base of each bottle
Resins in the media neutralise antimicrobials in patient blood enhancing early recovery of pathogens
The bottles are constantly agitated and read every 10 minutes
When the bottle flags positive the bottle is removed from the BacTAlert -> withdraw a sample and perform a gram stain and culture on appropriate culture plates
What is present in BC bottles that neutralise antimicrobials?
Resins