Sample pooling is a viable strategy for SARS-CoV-2 detection in low-prevalence settings.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has significantly increased demand on laboratory throughput and reagents for nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Reagent shortages may limit the expansion of testing required to scale back containment measures. The aims of this study were to investigate the viability of sample pooling as a strategy for increasing test throughput and conserving PCR reagents; and to report our early experience with pooling of clinical samples.

Epidemiology, Microbiological Diagnosis, and Clinical Outcomes in Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A 10-year Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) is rising in incidence, but optimal methods of investigation and duration of antibiotic therapy remain controversial.

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of PVO at an Australian teaching hospital. We included all adults with a first episode of PVO between 2006 and 2015.