This episode brings bacteriology into the laboratory. Drawing from Murray’s chapter, it explores the structured process of diagnosing bacterial disease: specimen selection, transport, culture, identification, and susceptibility testing.

The episode emphasises that laboratory diagnosis begins before the sample reaches the bench. Appropriate specimen collection, timing, and clinical context determine the reliability of results. Microscopy, culture media selection, biochemical testing, and modern automated systems are framed as logical steps in narrowing identity.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing introduces the bridge between identification and treatment, reinforcing the need for precision in an era of resistance. The episode also addresses contamination, colonisation versus infection, and the risk of overinterpretation.

Conceptually, this chapter reinforces microbiology as a discipline of disciplined inference. Clinically, it anchors therapy in evidence rather than assumption.

Key Takeaways

* Accurate diagnosis begins with proper specimen collection

* Microscopy and culture remain foundational tools

* Biochemical and automated systems refine identification

* Susceptibility testing guides rational therapy

* Laboratory results require careful clinical interpretation

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