Laboratory diagnosis of viral diseases-fact, fiction and clinical relevance

After many years of limited use, diagnostic virology has entered the main stream of clinical medicine. Recent developments in tissue transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, and the development of antiviral therapy have greatly augmented the need for rapid and accurate diagnosis of viral infection. Many health care professionals lack clear understanding of the utilization of viral diagnostic facilities as well the methodology used in analysing clinical specimens. This article will give an overview of clinical situations where viral diagnosis is useful, then discuss a number of misconceptions by attending physicians that often preclude viral diagnostic studies. It will then review current methods available for recognition of virus in clinical specimens with emphasis on rapid viral diagnostic tests and their clinical relevance

Comparative in vitro activity of newer cephalosporins

To determine the in vitro activity of six new cephalosporins. Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration of new drugs and their comparison with commercially available cephalosporins in clinical use against recent clinical isolates. King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh [KFSH and RC], Saudi Arabia. 897 bacteria recently isolated from clinical specimens of patients at KFSH and RC. Cefepime, cefpirome, GR 691 53 and Ro 09-1428 were the most active agents against Enterobacteriaceae and Aeromonas hydrophila, inhibiting >90% of them at