Ampath would like to inform you of the availability of a new SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. This test may be used to determine whether a patient has previously been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.... Read more
Patients suffering from recurrent infections, autoimmunity or lymphoproliferative disease may have an underlying humoral immunodeficiency.... Read more
Penicillin allergy is the most commonly reported antibiotic allergy. However, very few patients ever have their penicillin allergy confirmed. Furthermore, less than 20% of patients who report a positive history of a prior reaction to penicillin are found to be allergic to penicillin upon skin prick testing. Avoidance of penicillin based on self-reported allergic history alone often leads to the use of an alternate antibiotic with greater cost or side effect profile.... Read more
Primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are a diverse group of inborn errors in immunity. PID can present at any age, with the more severe forms presenting in infancy. Due to the heterogeneity of presentation and age of onset, the diagnosis of PID is often delayed or missed. There are at least 300 known genetic defects resulting in PID.... Read more
Allergic rhinitis and inhalant allergy are common problems in primary care. Their diagnosis and subsequent management are often suboptimal. This may impact on a patient’s quality of life, asthma control and exacerbations.... Read more
Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) is a pathological diagnosis, yet the diagnosis is made clinically. Diagnosis is made through the observation of neurologic dysfunction (e.g. depressed level of consciousness, seizures etc.) combined with corroborating findings of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap, EEG and neuroimaging studies.... Read more
Screening for severe primary immunodefi- ciencies involving the cellular and humoral immune system allows early detection and treatment, potentially saving the lives of babies affected by the disease.... Read more
Primary immunodeficiencies are a group of heterogenous genetic disorders that cause an enhanced susceptibility to recurrent and severe infections.... Read more
Coeliac disease used to be a disease of infancy, with children presenting with life-threatening malabsorbtion. Currently and more commonly, the disease presents between the ages of 10 and 40 with milder manifestations.... Read more
HLA typing is performed by sequencing the DNA. This method is robust, specific and reproducible, which, in turn, allows for accurate and higher-resolution typing between the donor and the recipient. HLA typing by next-generation sequencing (NGS) is considered to be the gold standard of tissue typing methods internationally.... Read more
