Lab Technician Role in Investigation & Prevention PDF

The role of lab technician in investigation and prevention Presented by:dr Mariam Alfatih Algam MASTER of family medicine Gezira university  Infectious diseases constitute the major cause of death worldwide and will not be conquered during our.lifetimes...

The role of lab technician in investigation and prevention Presented by:dr Mariam Alfatih Algam MASTER of family medicine Gezira university  Infectious diseases constitute the major cause of death worldwide and will not be conquered during our.lifetimes.  The laboratory is essential for optimal prevention and control of infectious diseases. Its major functions are identification and characterization of infectious agents and development of serological tests. Isolation of the agent and characterization of the immune response can lead to development of some of the most effective As programs of disease elimination or eradication, the laboratory role is critical in ensuring accurate.diagnosis of suspicious illness  The role of the laboratory in disease surveillance Laboratory information is critical for disease surveillance and control programmes. Before an outbreak, laboratory-supported surveillance allows early detection of cases. During an outbreak a sample of cases should be laboratory confirmed to assess changes in the etiological agent and to guide  More complete testing is usually. done in regional laboratories. International reference laboratories may identify rare or dangerous pathogens, identify newly described organisms, and provide uncommon diagnostic reagents. Laboratory information must be accurate, timely and subjected to quality assurance.procedures  WHO plan five goals have been identified for combating emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases1_. Strengthened disease surveillance and 2_enhanced international laboratory infrastructure ,3:Risk communication 4_Research and it's utilization 5Advocacy for political commitment and partnership building _ and some  In order to accomplish these goals,. WHO recommended that collaborating laboratories form local and regional "partnerships" and "horizontal laboratory networks". In concept, these voluntary cooperative networks will share information and report unusual patterns of human and zoonotic disease. In order to effectively perform these tasks,  This support must come in many forms and will include technology transfer, the availability of critical reagents and supplies, enhanced communications capabilities, ongoing quality control/quality assurance activities and the means for retaining competent, trained personnel who possess rare expertise or unique.diagnostic capabilities  Laboratory support: a key to# disease surveillance Accurate laboratory-based information is a critical component of disease surveillance and is among the highest goals of disease control programmes. Pathogen-specific surveillance information, based on factors such as geographic range, vectors, antibiotic resistance and Early detection of disease outbreaks. with confirmation of etiology allows the institution of proper treatment, control and prevention practices. Likewise, during a disease outbreak a sample of cases should be laboratory confirmed in order to monitor the characteristics of the epidemic strain.of the organism  Significant changes in key phenotypic or genotypic characteristics (antibiotic resistances, serotype, biotype, antigenic shifts, etc.) may warrant changes in treatment or control.practices  Laboratories are composed of numerous diverse and complex elements that go beyond the issues of science and medicine. Of these, the single most important asset is the knowledge and expertise of the laboratory employee. Highly trained, motivated employees with access to adequate resources are able to consistently produce high quality  However, as in all systems, the quality of the output of a laboratory is directly related to the quality of the input and the quality of the process itself. Knowledge, training and teamwork are required to obtain adequate specimens for testing and to ensure correct processing, handling, storage, analysis and reporting. Each step in the process is  Laboratory facilities and# capabilities Adequate epidemiological support can often be provided by laboratory facilities of differing levels of sophistication and capabilities. Field laboratories, either portable, mobile or fixed, can provide screening tests and simple diagnostic procedures in areas where more extensive  Field facilities, however, may be limited to collection and processing of specimens or the performance of simple, rapid diagnostic procedures that do not require significant environmental controls, containment capabilities or support facilities. Field laboratories, however, require significant logistical support and are best suited to providing limited  Larger laboratories, such as those found at the district, regional and national levels require significant infrastructure and support. These larger facilities, however, are often the only ones with the resources to perform complex or lengthy testing procedures, such as viral cultures and molecular biological assays. These facilities often operate in  Tests offered may include the isolation, identification and characterization of the spectrum of.pathogenic microorganisms International reference laboratories, such as WHO collaborating centres, are often asked to confirm the identification of rarely encountered organisms as well as to identify extremely dangerous pathogens.  It is important that these unique. facilities be empowered to maintain not only their expertise, but also supplies of reagents for which there.may be no commercial supplier Laboratory-based communications# Rapid and effective communication of laboratory information is an essential component of infectious disease surveillance. Modern communications and computer technology offer the opportunity for rapidly compiling and disseminating information. Strengthening the communications capabilities of  Numerous innovative means of transmitting laboratory information have been recently developed. Nearly all disease reporting systems are now available electronically. Using these systems allows not only the rapid dissemination of information but also the creation of global data sets of infectious disease information. As these data are  In summary, the modern public health or diagnostic laboratory is a key component of surveillance and disease control programmes. Effective laboratory operations are the result of a team effort. Laboratories come in many sizes, varieties and capabilities and should be selected based on the proper use of their individual capabilities.  Finally, quality control and quality assurance must be incorporated into all aspects of laboratory management and practice for.continued excellence