Pharmaceutical Microbiology

HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP)

Hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) is an internationally recognized food safety system that is employed in the production line of food and food products in food processing industries to ensure food safety, food hygiene and good food quality. It is a quality assurance technique or system that is used especially in food processing and […]

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Food Microbiology,

INDICATOR ORGANISMS

Indicator organisms are microorganisms that signify the possible contamination of food or food products as well as other materials or environment. They are organisms whose presence in a material or environment serves to indicate the condition or quality of the material or environment. To meet the local and internationally established microbiological criteria for safe and

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Environmental & Soil Microbiology, Food Microbiology,

HISTORY OF ANTIBIOTICS – a synopsis on how it all started

Over the past 70 years, antibiotics have saved countless number of lives across the globe and enabled the further development of modern medicine as well as antimicrobial agents of diverse types with putative activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Despite the current state of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally, these antibiotics are currently used to counter the nefarious

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , ,

NITROCEFIN TEST FOR BETA-LACTAMASE PRODUCTION

The production of beta-lactamase enzymes by Gram negative bacteria including E. coli, P. aeruginosa and Klebsiella species is an important mechanism by which the organisms evade both in vivo and in vitro antimicrobial onslaught. Beta-lactamase production by resistant test isolates can be evaluated for beta-lactamase production using the Nitrocefin test sticks (Oxoid, UK). The nitrocefin

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , ,

Vancomycin resistance in Enterococci

Enterococcus (plural: Enterococci) is a group of bacteria that is normally found in the intestines of humans and many animals. Two species of Enterococci, which are found in the body of healthy individuals, are Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Both E. faecalis and E. faecium are associated with human diseases; and they are mostly involved

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , , , ,

What are ESBLs?

ESBLs (extended spectrum beta-lactamases) are enzymes that mediate resistance to extended-spectrum (third generation) cephalosporins (e.g., ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and ceftriaxone) and monobactams (e.g., aztreonam) but do not affect cephamycins (e.g., cefoxitin and cefotetan) or carbapenems (e.g., meropenem or imipenem). Why should hospital laboratories and hospitals be concerned about detecting ESBL-producing bacteria? The presence of an ESBL-producing

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), , ,

WHO Global Principles for the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals Intended for Food

Purpose: To minimize the negative public health impact of the use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals whilst at the same time providing for their safe and effective use in veterinary medicine. General 1. National governments should adopt a proactive approach to reduce the need for antimicrobials in animals and their contribution to antimicrobial resistance

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, ,

Differences between Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) & Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Laboratory Testing Regulations

People are often confused by differences between Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations as they relate to laboratory testing. This is understandable, since both GLPs and GMPs cover lab testing but are very different. In addition, scientists and quality control/quality assurance personnel participating in GLP and GMP studies play different roles. GLP

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , ,

CEFTAZIDIME-IMIPENEM ANTAGONISM TEST (CIAT)

Ceftazidime-imipenem antagonism test (CIAT) is one of the phenotypic confirmation tests that can be used to phenotypically confirm AmpC enzyme production in test bacteria isolates that showed reduced susceptibility or resistance to any of the tested antibiotics used in the screening test for AmpC enzyme production screening. Therefore, AmpC enzyme production in the test organisms

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , ,

Fusidic acid

Fusidic acid is a bacteriostatic antimicrobial agent and/or antibiotic that is derived from the fungus, Fusidium coccineum. It is used as a topical antimicrobial agent to treat skin infections caused by pathogenic microbes including Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acne. Fusidic acid is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of antimicrobials known as the fusidanes.

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , ,