The WHO recommends that each patient with suspected tuberculosis should benefit from at least one NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test), as these tests have enhanced sensitivity and specificity above conventional microscopy. Over the past...
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease of public health importance. Due to the variable presence of diagnostic laboratory parameters in the natural history of the disease, laboratory findings should be interpreted in the context of the clinical history...
PathCare utilizes the Treponema pallidum antibody assay as a screening test for syphilis. This is in line with international reporting standards. The Treponema pallidum antibody test is an economic and reliable automated syphilis serology test. It utilizes...
TTP is a relatively uncommon condition characterized by die formation of platelet-rich thrombi in the arteriioles and capillaries with widespread multi organ thrombosis. It is a clinical diagnosis and a MEDICAL EMERGENCY! In the South African Setting,...
Serum Free Light Chains - An Essential Test in Myeloma. Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the 2nd most common haematological malignancy. Serum free light chain (s-FLC) testing now forms an integral part of the management of MM. The serum levels of free light...
A new molecular test improves PathCare laboratories' capacity to detect and identify bacteria involved in 'difficult' infections. A 16s rRNA molecular test is now offered by the molecular laboratory in our reference laboratory at N1 City, Goodwood. The test is useful...
The association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and plasma low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) level is indisputable. Accordingly, all screening and therapeutic guidelines are based on total cholesterol (TC) or LDL-c levels....
The use of the Platelet Analyser (PFA-200) in the investigation of platelet disorders. Global platelet function tests are useful in the investigation of individuals with a pathological bleeding tendency or who are on anti-platelet therapy. As global tests...
PathCare is introducing a new Meningitis/Encephalitis Multiplexed PCR test with an expanded organism profile and reduced turn-around time. This new PCR test is able to detect 14 potential central nervous system (CNS) pathogens will replace the current...
CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF) TESTING UPDATE The diagnosis of CF is made in individuals with one or more clinical features of CF who have either an elevated sweat chloride concentration on two or more occasions or have CF-causing mutations in the CFTR...