On consultation

Background Document on Public Consultation

Pathology consultation on detection of Clostridium difficile.

Laboratory methods for detecting Clostridium difficile have undergone considerable evolution since the organism's etiologic association with antibiotic-associated diarrhea and colitis was established. Clearly, familiarity with the advantages and shortcomings of the various assays is essential for the laboratory director when choosing among these tests. For the consulting pathologist, furthermor...

Calling time on the 10-minute consultation.

Pathology consultation on drug-induced hemolytic anemia.

Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia is considered to be rare but is likely underrecognized. The consulting pathologist plays a critical role in integrating serologic findings with the clinical history, as drug-induced antibodies should be distinguished as either drug-dependent or drug-independent for appropriate clinical management. Drug-dependent antibodies (DDABs) are most commonly associate...

Informal consultation on rifampicin resistance in leprosy.

The emergence of drug resistance is a cause for concern and a threat for any infectious disease intervention programme. For leprosy, a chronic disease with social stigma, drug resistance poses a serious impediment at a stage when there is a dramatic decline in prevalence due to intensive and concerted chemotherapy intervention made by the global community. To effectively meet the challenge of c...