Molecular Diagnostic Methods and Their Application to Patient Care: Clinical Microbiologist’s Perspective

In the era of Human Immunodeficiency virus, emerging and re-emerging of various microbial infections, the status of a clinical microbiology laboratory performance is different in the developed and developing nations. On the one side application of rapid, accurate and advanced molecular laboratory techniques have contributed to better diagnosis, patient care and management in developed nations, the developing and economically weak countries are still plagued by ill equipped and undertrained laboratory personnel unable to afford the cost associated with acquiring infrastructure and man power. Clinical microbiology laboratories in the developing nations should be revolutionized so as to improve patient care and to contribute effectively in the control of infectious disease epidemics and pandemics that are of public health importance.