BACKGROUND Mycobacterium species are grown using specific media that increase laboratory cost, thus hampering their diffusion in resource-limited countries. Preliminary data suggested that versatile blood agar may be also used for mycobacterial culture. METHODOLOGY We examined the growth of 41 different Mycobacterium species on 5% blood agar. Over a 24-month period we analysed isolation of my...

Unlike the experience in the broader quality management (QM) area, for ISO 9000, the relationships between management practices associated with the standard and performance is relatively under-researched. This has contributed to a general lack of clarity on how the standard works and how effective it is in generating the espoused benefits. In this paper, an attempt is made to fill this gap. Thr...

With Yuval Noah Harari’s ‘I told you so’ still ringing in our ears and the battlefield ablaze, one cannot help but wonder what next microorganism assault on humankind is going to involve.1 While we are fully engaged main front, another old enemy gathering strength flanks. Bacterial resistance has been described as single most important threat public health the  21st century.2 The United Nations...