The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pandemic on March 11, 2020. 1 Since then—at the time of writing—63,098,003 cases and 1,465,111 deaths have been reported from 191 afflicted countries/regions across the globe. 2 Along with its high transmissibility and mortality…
Listeria hysteria! Outbreaks have been popping up in a variety of foods over the years—however, not all infections are created equal. The severity of L. monocytogenes infection, also known as Listeriosis, is dependent on both the host’s immune system and the virulence of the strain.(1) Immunocompromised populations may experience encephalitis, meningitis, bacteremia, miscarriage, gastroenteritis, or…
One of the deadliest species known to man is Aedes aegypti, also known as the Yellow Fever mosquito. This species of mosquito is capable of carrying and spreading diseases such as chikungunya, zika, yellow fever, and dengue fever to more than half of the world’s population. These diseases are the cause for millions of deaths…
Bacteria are becoming more resistant to drugs while pharmaceutical companies are slowing their antibiotic research. Due to low profits and high time consumption, there are fewer drugs discovered and manufactured by drug companies.(1) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are a major concern with limited treatment options. Treatment is…
In the United States, approximately 2.8 million people are infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) every year resulting in billions of dollars in healthcare costs and approximately 35,000 deaths (1,2). About 80% of antibiotic use in the United States comes from the agriculture industry, particularly in the husbandry of cattle and poultry. While antibiotics are…
“There is no future for those who cannot or will not think.” (Louis O. Kelso, In Lectures and Conversation) Louis Kelso is often credited as the man who invented the ESOP. Hardy Diagnostics owes Louis Kelso a lifetime of gratitude for his ideas as they have helped shaped our company today. The following is a…
Long before Sir Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of Penicillin in 1928, our ancestors were already putting the antimicrobial effects of metal to use. Metals such as copper and silver were used as vessels by ancient civilizations to keep their water clean and safe to drink (1). Researchers have also discovered a reference in an ancient…
We know that cannabis can make people sick. We know that the pathogens present in this medicine, like many others, have killed patients[i]. We know that our most vulnerable and desperate cannabis patients are immunocompromised, terminal, and/or pediatric. WE, US, YOU AND I, must address patient safety in an informed and rational way. We do…
Self-policing has long been the standard for the industry, although several entities have a say in what constitutes Best Practice in the manufacturing and production of cosmetics and personal care products. The FDA’s (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics) oversight is mainly focused on regulating adulterated and misbranded products. Products classified as improving the appearance and…
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In total silence, a nearly 463 ton marvel is traveling at 17,000 miles per hour, but it garners little attention from those on Earth. In a modern age where space travel has become so mundane that private space flight companies are better known for their founder’s tweets than the incredible feats of scientific achievement they…
