CAP Pro Course - Immunology - Molecular Amplification Methods for Detection of Infectious Diseases

Continuing Education Credits

• P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours: 1 hour(s)
• Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Science CE Credit Hours -
  General (Serology/Immunology): 1 hour(s)

Objectives

• Identify the advantages of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for detection of infectious diseases and discuss factors that could limit effectiveness.
• Explain the difference between target amplification and signal amplification and give examples of each method.
• Describe the principles of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
• Identify procedural processes that are necessary when using amplification methods to ensure reliable test results.

Course Outline

• Identify the advantages of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for detection of infectious diseases and discuss factors that could limit effectiveness.
• Key Benefits of Molecular Methods
• Key Benefits of Molecular Methods: Improved Sensitivity of Detection
• Key Benefits of Molecular Methods: Reduced Turnaround Time
• Key Benefits of Molecular Methods: Ease of Performance
• Specificity and Sensitivity of Laboratory Methods for Detection of Bordetella pertussis as an Example
• Preanalytical Factors Affecting Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT)
• Molecular testing in the medical or clinical laboratory science refers to which of the following?
• A technologist in the microbiology laboratory is looking for a new influenza assay and is considering a molecular assay. Which of the following is tru...
• A laboratory supervisor is considering a molecular assay for the detection of Giardia. Which of the following is not an expected advantage with a mole...
• While NAATs are usually much more specific than non-NAAT methods, which is an example of an infectious agent that still exhibits issues with specifici...
• Four nasopharyngeal swabs are brought into the laboratory for a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR test. All four swabs are slight...
• Explain the difference between target amplification and signal amplification and give examples of each method.
• Categories of Molecular Assays
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Other Target Amplification Methods
• Examples of Signal Amplification Methods
• Newer Assays
• Multiplexing
• A newly-hired technologist is training in the microbiology laboratory and learning the laboratory's urine Chlamydia assay. The assay requires that sam...
• If a new PCR test was needed in your laboratory to detect COVID-19 virus (a respiratory RNA virus), which would be true?
• A technologist is troubleshooting an HPV hybrid capture assay. He is finding that all samples, including positive controls, are negative. Which of the...
• As the new supervisor of a microbiology laboratory, you are considering a new molecular platform for gastrointestinal pathogen testing. The brochure f...
• A diagnostics vendor is asking your laboratory to consider using its multiplex blood culture pathogen instrument. The test utilizes the cartridge show...
• A laboratory is considering a new molecular assay for HIV-1 viral loads. In this assay, the presence of specific HIV sequences is measured using label...
• A new assay is being validated in your laboratory for the detection of Neisseria meningitidis. The new assay uses four primers that create a dumbbell-...
• Which of the following is not a target amplification method?
• Describe the principles of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
• Detection of PCR Products
• Microarrays
• Real-Time PCR
• Melt Curve Analysis
• If a clinical laboratory uses an assay that employs reverse transcriptase, what can be definitively concluded?
• The accompanying figure shows which of the following types of molecular assay?
• You overhear a colleague talking about a 'real time' assay that is being validated for the detection of Trichomonas vaginalis. Which of the following ...
• FDA-emergency use authorization (EUA) has been given to a new assay that is being used to detect a new DNA-virus that is causing an outbreak in your p...
• Identify procedural processes that are necessary when using amplification methods to ensure reliable test results.
• Concerns for Cross-Contamination
• Designated Work Areas and Processes
• Required Work Skills and Process Controls
• Your hospital is building a new molecular laboratory testing space adjacent to the main laboratory. You propose the accompanying layout for the rooms ...
• For the last three months, the daily percent positivity rate for your laboratory's COVID-19 test has been about 2.8%. When reviewing last night's run ...
• Which statement below best summarizes the contamination risk experienced by molecular laboratories?
• A laboratory is considering an HPV assay and asks the vendor the following question, "Does this assay give a negative result if there is no specimen i...
• Which of the following spaces is not specifically recommended in the processing of molecular testing and workflow?
• References
• References

Additional Information