Let's Talk Micro

There are many challenges in the microbiology laboratory. As a leader, you have to deal with things like validations, verifications, and knowledge of regulations among other things. As a microbiologist in a non-leadership position you need to be familiar with some of these as well. With so much information out there, where do we go? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Rebekah Martin, author of the "101 Topics for Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Leaders" book. This book was made in order to bring all of this information to one place. In the episode Dr. Martin discussed the process of writing the book, what type of content it has, and more. Link to purchase the book: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/101+Topics+for+Clinical+Microbiology+Laboratory+Leaders%3A+Accreditation%2C+Verification%2C+Quality+Systems%2C+and+More-p-9781683674474 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

The field of Microbiology continues to change. Organisms were primarily identified in the clinical laboratory by biochemical testing. Then MALDI-TOF came to the lab and was incorporated into the workflow. Now labs are bringing next-generation sequencing (NGS). What is NGS? How does it work? Have you heard of Nanopore technologies? In this episode Dr. Jose Alexander and Daniel Navas from Advent Health Orlando, join the podcast to talk about NGS. They brought it to their laboratory and discuss the whole process, including the validation, challenges, and more. This episode was originally published on February 9th, 2024 Guest: Dr. Jose Alexander Daniel Navas Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Is your laboratory accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) ? Are you familiar with their checklists? What are the latest updates to the microbiology checklist? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Christi Wojewoda to discuss the latest updates to the microbiology checklist: media quality control and nomenclature. Why are some media exempt and some non-exempt? Regarding nomenclature, do we need to report the new name or the old name? Tune in to find out. ASM IQCP template link: https://asm.org/protocols/individualized-quality-control-plan-iqcp Questions regarding checklists? Contact CAP at [email protected] Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

The latest edition of the CLSI M100 has been published. What are the latest updates? One of them is the deletion of breakpoints for Burkholderia cepacia complex. What are the recommendations for susceptibility testing? Dr. April Bobenchik returns to the podcast to talk to Luis about the latest updates. She also talks about the M45. Will there be an update to the M45? Tune in to find out. Link to CLSI free resources: https://clsi.org/all-free-resources/ Link to webinar: https://clsi.org/standards/products/microbiology/documents/m100/ Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

This week Luis continues going over organisms. This time he goes over Eikenella. Are there any other Eikenella species other than Eikenella corrodens? What is the morphology of E. corrodens? How about biochemicals? What are the members of the HACEK group? What is the HACEK group known for? Tune in to learn about this organism, which is seen in infections such as bite wounds, periodontitis, endocarditis, and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Talk about a great career! In this episode Luis is joined by Janet Hindler. Janet is a microbiologist with a career that has spanned over many decades. Just like most Medical Laboratory Scientists, she started working in the lab and early on she had a passion for microbiology. Then she got involved in work that took her beyond the bench such as the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this episode Janet talks about her career and offers her opinions on mentorship and the value of networking. Tune in for a great episode! Link to ASM's biographical feature: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jcm.00511-22 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Kristen Pesavento from Loyola University in Chicago. She was a guest in 2023 when she came to talk about the MS in MLS degree that her institution was offering. This time she joins the podcast to talk about clinical certificates. They are offered on three subjects of the clinical laboratory. These certificates allow you to sit for the categorical certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) on the areas of Hematology, Blood Banking, and Microbiology. Join in and listen to this episode to get more information on these certificates. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Does your institution teach distance microbiology courses? What do you use to teach students those critical skills required in microbiology? In this episode Luis is joined by Brittany Jackson, a specialist from the Carolina Distance Learning section of the Carolina Biological Supply company. Brittany talks about the kits for microbiology students. Which materials are in those kits? Gram stains? Media? Tune in to learn more. Link to website: https://carolinadistancelearning.com/ready-to-ship/ Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

A great conversation between three microbiologists! In this episode Luis is joined by Kelli Maddock and Jessica D'Angelo to talk about their careers. Kelli is a previous guest and is currently a section head in microbiology. Jessica is a microbiology supervisor. What inspired them to pursue a career in the laboratory and microbiology? What challenges have they encountered? What is their favorite bug? Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

If you work in laboratory medicine or microbiology, what led or inspired you to choose that career? What have you learned? Do you have a different occupation within the field than the one you started with? This episode is part of a series that features members of the laboratory and microbiology community, who come in and share their journey. They talk about their positions, what they have enjoyed, what challenges they have encountered, and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

It's time to talk about AFB! What is acid fastness? What are some stains used for acid-fast bacilli? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Filipe Cerqueira to talk about AFB. He goes over stains, media, processing of AFB cultures, Runyon groups, and more. He also talks about Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and provides examples of organisms. Tune in for another great episode . Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

The next episode of the AMR series is here! This time Luis and Andrea are joined by Sonali Kalathiya, a pharmacist and Medical Science Liaison. Sonali joins the podcast to talk about two classes of antibiotics: macrolides and lincosamides. Have you performed a D-test in the lab? What is the purpose of the test? If you have performed it and perform susceptibilities for erythromycin and clindamycin, then you are familiar with these classes of drugs. Tune in to learn more. Also, in the episode Sonali asks Luis about the origin of the Let's Talk Micro logo. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

A simulation laboratory? In this episode Luis is joined by Emily Matthys, an Assistant Professor at Northern Michigan University. Emily teaches at a Medical Laboratory Sciences program and she joins the podcast to talk about a simulation laboratory that was implemented for blood bank and microbiology for medical laboratory technician students. As some labs become more centralized, and end result might be diminished exposure to some areas for medical laboratory science students undergoing their clinical rotations. How does this simulation lab help students? What do the students do in this lab? Tune in for another great episode. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Let's Talk Micro kicks off 2025 with a great new episode. This time Luis is Joined by Dr. Sam Aitken to talk about sulopenem. Have you heard about this oral antibiotic? It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs). This is an oral penem, and the news of its release has caused different reactions in social media by members of the Microbiology/Infectious Diseases community. What is sulopenem? Why is it combined with probenecid (Orlynvah)? What are the concerns regarding sulopenem? When are carbapenems appropriate for treatment? Tune in for a great episode . Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Working in the microbiology field you might be familiar with outbreaks and health care associated infections (HAI). What about linens in health care? What outbreaks have been associated with health care linens (HCLs)? Are there any regulations regarding their use? What about the MOULD study? Luis is joined by Dr. Alex Sundermann to talk about HCLs, regulations, mold-associated outbreaks, and more. Link to Dr. Sundermann's article: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/health-care-linens-underrecognized-risk-infection-prevention-control Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Following the episode with Dr. Kelli Maddock, Luis decided to talk about his favorite organism: Pasteurella! This time Luis goes into more detail. What are some species of Pasteurella? Which animals are they found on? Which species are isolated from humans? This episode also covers media, biochemicals, diseases, and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Luis and Andrea are back to talk antibiotics! This time they are joined by David Allen, an infectious diseases (ID) pharmacist to talk about another class : oxazolidinones. How familiar are you with this class? Have you performed testing on linezolid in the lab? Then you might be somewhat familiar. What is the mechanism of action? Intrinsic resistance? What organisms does this class have activity against? Tune in to find out. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

A Pasteurella multocida episode! In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Kelli Maddock to talk about P. multocida. Kelli was a previous guest and this time returns to talk about the capsular types of P. multocida. What are these types? What diseases are associated with them? What about hemorrhagic septicemia? Kelli also talks about a model developed to look for hemorrhagic septicemia types of P. multocida using MALDI-TOF MS. Don't miss out on a great episode! Link to Dr. Maddock's article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167701224001799?via%3Dihub Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

As a new microbiologist sometimes terms like beta-lactams, beta-lactamases, or penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) can be confusing. Are you familiar with the New-Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) and its variants? How many are there? How does this enzyme affect beta-lactam drugs?How about NDM-5? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Raneem Pallotta, an infectious diseases pharmacist. In the episode we go over these terms. Dr. Pallotta also talks about an NDM-producing E. coli that harbors PBP3 variants. How do these variants affect beta-lactam antibiotics? Tune in for a great episode. Link to Dr. Pallotta's article: https://www.contagionlive.com/view/ndm-producing-e-coli-harboring-pbp-insert-variants-emerges-as-new-threat Link to other articles: https://bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12866-017-1012-8 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5527577/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34800710/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32040179/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25634992/ https://www.idsociety.org/practice-guideline/amr-guidance/ Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

En este episodio en español, Luis conversa con la Dra. Verónica Seija. La Dra. Seija es especialista en microbiología y tiene un blog, redes sociales y un podcast donde habla sobre microbiología bajo el nombre MicroClinUY. ¿ Qué motivó a la Dra. a comenzar a hablar sobre microbiología? ¿Qué tipo de contenido encontramos en sus redes sociales y el podcast? ¿Dónde encuentran el podcast? Sintonizen y no se pierdan de una gran conversación. Enlace al podcast: https://www.microclin.uy/podcast Enlace a la página web de MicroClinUy: https://www.microclin.uy Preguntas? Comentarios? Envíen un correo electrónico a [email protected] Desean apoyar al podcast? Pueden hacerlo de la siguiente forma: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Luis and Andrea return with a new episode of the AMR series. This time, they are joined by Dr. Nikunj Vyas, and they go over glycopeptides. Whether you are a microbiologist, provider or an ID pharmacist, you are familiar with vancomycin. What is the mechanism of action of glycopeptides? Is there intrinsic resistance? How does a difference in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) affect treatment? Tune in to learn more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

🎙️ Throwback to a great episode! Ever wondered what it's like to work in a veterinary diagnostic lab? What kind of training is needed—and can an MLS make the switch from human to animal diagnostics? In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Kelli Maddock and Sarah Gefroh from the North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Both are Medical Laboratory Scientists who transitioned from human to veterinary medicine. They share insights on culturing veterinary specimens, antimicrobial guidelines, and what makes vet lab work both similar and uniquely different. Tune in to explore this fascinating side of the lab world! Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

One of the very first—and still one of the most downloaded—episodes of Let's Talk Micro dives into biochemicals and how they help us identify bacteria in the clinical lab. What are biochemicals, and why are they so important in Clinical Microbiology? In this episode, I introduce two of the most commonly used tests: catalase and coagulase. Learn how these simple yet powerful reactions help distinguish organisms and guide diagnostic workups in the lab. This episode was originally published on June 24, 2021. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

The first episode! Share it with students and peers, In it Luis talks about agar. What is agar? What do we use it for? Various types of agar are discussed like blood agar and MacConkey along with their uses. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

A microbicide for Neisseria gonorrhoeae? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. María Rendón from the University of Arizona. Dr. Rendón joins the podcast to talk about a novel microbicide that was developed which has activity against N. gonorrhoeae . How does it work? Does it affect commensal Neisseria? What about methylation signatures? Tune in to learn more about this microbicide. Link to articles referenced in episode: http://microbialcell.com/researcharticles/2019a-so-microbial-cell/ https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1931-3128%2819%2930347-6 Link to study: https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/aac.00794-24?doi=10.1128/aac.00794-24 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Are you familiar with the BioFire system? If you work in microbiology you probably are. How about a joint infections panel for this system? In this episode Dr. Angelica Moran and Jekzaly Arellano join the podcast to talk about a study they did evaluating this panel. Why are joint infections difficult to diagnose? Tune in to learn more. Link to article: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jcm.00182-24 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

This week Luis continues going over gram-positive rods: this time Lactobacillus. What is the morphology of Lactobacillus? Biochemicals? Which species are typically seen in humans? Is it pathogenic or normal flora? What about susceptibilities? All great questions. Tune in to find out about this genera. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

If you work with MALDI-TOF MS and you read urine cultures, you probably have seen this organism : Actinotignum schaalii. Is this organism significant? What is the gram stain? Biochemicals? Other questions come up such as we do report it? Do we perform susceptibilities ? Tune in to learn about this emerging pathogen and get answers to all these questions. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Thinking about getting certified in microbiology but not sure where to start? In this episode Luis chats with Dr. Amanda Harrington about certification options through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). They cover how to qualify, what the Specialist in Microbiology (SM) is all about, and even options if you haven't gone through a traditional MLS program. If you're curious about leveling up in the lab—this one's for you! Link to certifications in Microbiology from ASCP: https://www.ascp.org/content/board-of-certification/get-credentialed?srsltid=AfmBOoo4i6_pt4DLUEKUJmclab7AJkFp1bZlPGibNnIqLb-jgp3JGgvO# Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Dr. Rodney Rohde returns to the podcast! This time he joins Luis to talk about dengue. You might hear reports about increases in cases in some areas, so it was a good time to talk about it. What is dengue? What type of virus it is? Vectors? Prevention? Is there a vaccine? Tune in to learn more about this virus. Link to Dr. Rohde's dengue article: https://asm.org/articles/2024/august/dengue-is-spreading-is-warmer-weather-to-blame More information about dengue: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/index.html Link to Dr. Rohde's Podcast: https://www.contagionlive.com/view/from-pathogen-to-infectious-disease-diagnosis-taking-on-potential-standard-of-care-diagnostic-opportunities Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

If you work in a clinical microbiology laboratory, you might have worked with bone and joint samples. In this episode we dive deeper into bone and joint infections. Luis is joined by Dr. Joan Gomez-Junyent, an Infectious Diseases physician at Hospital Del Mar in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Gomez goes over different types of infections. What organisms are typically seen? Is there a typical treatment of choice? How about antimicrobial resistance? Tune in to hear Dr. Gomez go over these questions and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Season 4 is here! Tune in for the first episode. Luis talks to Dr. Paul Hergenrother about lolamicin. Dr. Hergenrother is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Illinois in Urnaba-Champaign. He was previously a guest in the podcast (fabimycin episode) and this time he returns to talk about another potential antibiotic candidate: lolamicin. What is lolamicin? What is the mechanism of action? What organisms does it have activity against? Does it affect the gut microbiota? Link to Dr. Hergenrother's article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07502-0 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Originally published in May 26, 2022, in this episode Luis continues going over beta hemolytic strep: this time Streptococcus anginosus group. What are the species that comprise this group? What is the Lancefield group? What about biochemicals and morphology? Have you heard of Streptococcus pseudoporcinus? Tune in to find out. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Originally published in November 30 2023, in this episode, Dr. Pei Zhou from the Duke University School of Medicine joins the podcast and talks to Luis about LPC-233. This is a compound that shows bactericidal activity against some gram-negative rods. LPC-233 is an LpxC inhibitor. What is LpxC? How does LPC-233 works? What are some challenges of developing LpxC inhibitors? Tune in to find out. Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adf5668 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Originally published on October 13, 2022, this episode features Luis in conversation with Dr. Paul Hergenrother from the University of Illinois. Dr. Hergenrother discusses Fabimycin, an antibiotic candidate targeting gram-negative bacteria. What is Fabimycin's mechanism of action? Which bacteria is it active against? Is there any intrinsic resistance? Tune in to find out! Link to article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.2c00598 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

A great way to end season 3! In this episode Dr. Cullen Lilley talks to Luis about his textbook : A Concise Review of Clinical Microbiology . Dr. Lilley is a pathology resident, with a Microbiology background, and a Let's Talk Micro listener! Tune in to learn about what is in this microbiology textbook, what is Ace my Path, what are the roles of a pathologist and more. Link to Ace My Path: https://www.acemypath.com Link to textbook: https://a.co/d/gGDiZ8Z Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In the laboratory we routinely use molecular testing to identify organisms in blood cultures. We also incubate body fluids in blood culture bottles. What if we could use those same tests to identify organisms from body fluids? In this episode Christina Cox and Joel Mortensen join the podcast to talk about this. They performed a study where they used the cobas® eplex system (GenMark) to identify organisms recovered from sterile body fluid cultures. Tune in to hear about the results and the applications of this in the clinical laboratory. Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.01611-23 Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we're revisiting the topic of respiratory cultures — a cornerstone in clinical microbiology. We'll go over the different types of respiratory specimens, common pathogens recovered, and how to handle yeast when it shows up in cultures. We'll also cover rejection criteria — when a sample should not be processed — and the pitfalls that can affect interpretation. Tune in for a practical walkthrough of respiratory culture workups, from specimen processing to recognizing clinically significant organisms and their impact on patient care. This episode was originally released in 2022. Article on sputum rejection, as discussed by Dr. Prinzi in this episode: https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/jcm.16.4.627-631.1982 Check out the website: https://www.letstalkmicro.com/ Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Crystal Icenhour to talk about the microbiome, more specifically, the human microbiome. What organisms typically make up the microbiome? Do they change between areas of the body? What are some applications for the microbiome? Tune in for another great episode. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

ASM Microbe 2024 took place in Atlanta Georgia from June 13-17. Check out this bonus episode where Luis discusses his two events, favorite posters, and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Research in MLS? In this episode Grace Leu-Burke, director of the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, returns to the podcast. She talks to Luis about the research program the MLS students are involved in. They culture scat from moose, bears, and geese, perform identification and susceptibility testing, and more. What kind of antimicrobial resistance is found in this sample population? Tune in to learn more about this research. Link to JAM meeting registration: https://www.labjam.org/event/cc75ef76-49db-4175-8440-d194382bcf05/websitePage:d132f4da-b01b-4c7c-9ea8-5866e2b0f8ca Title of Grace's Talk: "Emerging Antimicrobial Resistance, A One Health Model" Thursday July 11th at 9:30am Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In this episode Luis talks to Dr. Madeline Barron about urinary tract infections (UTIs). Clinical Microbiologists work closely with urine cultures and recover many organisms and perform susceptibility testing. However some questions come to mind. What causes a UTI ? What organisms are typically seen in UTIs? Any treatment options other than antimicrobials? Tune in to find out. Madeline Barron's article: https://asm.org/articles/2024/may/why-urinary-tract-infections-uti-recur Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Luis and Andrea are back to talk AMR! This time they are joined by Dr. Alyssa Walker to go over polymyxins . As usual they go over important questions such as mechanism of action, intrinsic resistance, applying the interpretation of one drug to another, and more. What media used in the laboratory has colistin in it? Don't miss another great episode. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Regresa la serie en Español. Luis y Maridaliz discuten la tinción de gram. Cómo se prepara la laminilla? Cúales son los reactivos y el proceso? Qué diferencia hay entre bacterias gran-positiva y gram-negativa? Sintonizen a este episodio para aprender sobre una de las pruebas mas importantes en Microbiología Clínica. Preguntas? Comentarios? Envíen un correo electrónico a [email protected] Desean apoyar al podcast? Pueden hacerlo de la siguiente forma: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Have you been in a job or career that you feel is not a good fit for you? Perhaps you want to try something different but do not know how to get there? Sometimes you might be dreading going to work or just feel unhappy. In this episode Luis talks to Dr. Duane Newton. Duane is a microbiologist with extensive training and at one point in his career he describes feeling "miserable". What did he do to change that? Tune in to this episode to listen to how Duane navigated his path to find himself in a happy place. He shares his story and also gives advice on how you can navigate your own path. Dr. Newton's website: https://dwnconsult.com Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

In this episode Luis talks to Grace Leu-Burke, Program Director and professor at the University of Alaska in Anchorage (UAA) Medical Laboratory Sciences Program. She joins the podcast to talk about her career and talks about the MLS program at UAA. She goes over the Microbiology curriculum, the importance of biochemical testing, and more. She also talks about the research that her students are conducting involving moose and stool samples. Link to UAA MLS program: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-health/departments/school-of-allied-health/medical-laboratory-science/index.cshtml Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

As a microbiologist, you might have worked on a project or validation that involved organisms from the AR Isolate Bank. You might have asked where they came from and you were told that they were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What is the Antimicrobial Resistance Isolate Bank (AR Bank)? What organisms are part of this bank? What are they used for? In this episode Luis is joined by two guests from the CDC to answer these questions and more. Links to the AR Isolate Bank website and more: AR Isolate Bank - https://wwwn.cdc.gov/arisolatebank/ CDC's site on AR Isolate Bank - https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/resistance-bank/index.html AR Isolate Bank's email: [email protected] The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria - https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/us-activities/national-action-plan.html 2023 Breakpoint Implementation Toolkit (2023 BIT) - https://clsi.org/meetings/ast/breakpoints-in-use-toolkit/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2-rJ3vqKhAMVXVxHAR1nkACvEAAYASAAEgIi3PD_BwE Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

The next episode of the AMR series is here! Luis and Andrea are joined by Dr. Brandon Hill to talk about the Tetracyclines. What is the mechanism of action of this antimicrobial group? What drugs are part of it? Is there any intrinsic resistance? Tune in for another great episode where we "break down" antimicrobials. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Originally released as episode 76, in this episode Luis continues going over Bacillus. Now that we know its groups and what diseases they are implicated on, it's time to talk about media and morphology. What do the colonies look like? What is MYP agar? PEMBA? Tune in to find out. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Originally released as episode 75, in this episode Luis talks about Bacillus and related genera. What are the species that are part of this genus? Which species cause food poisoning? What about endophthalmitis? What are spores? Tune in to find out. Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro