Webinars

Educational Webinars: Molecular Testing for Parasites

Free 3-part molecular O&P webinar

Hear from industry experts in the field of parasitology

This webinar series highlights the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) protozoan infection, the significant health and economic burden, and the recent advances in rapid and accurate testing techniques. Traditional screening methods for detecting ova and parasites (O&P) (such as stool O&P microscopic exams) have many challenges including longer sample-to-result time and the potential for missed diagnosis. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics can complement traditional methods, while reducing the time in detecting GI protozoa and coinfection.

Webinar 1: The burden of gastrointestinal parasites and advances in ova and parasite diagnostic screening

The first webinar is now available on demand and features two key specialists in parasitology, Professor David Bruckner and Dr Marc Couturier. Rohan Baker, Senior Principal Scientist at Genetic Signatures also introduces the benefits of 3baseTM technology for molecular diagnostics.

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Webinar 2: Molecular O&P - A streamlined workflow for ova and parasite testing and patient management

In this second live webinar held on July 26, two leading experts in medical diagnostics, Lynne Garcia and Damien Stark, will further discuss the advantages of the molecular detection of gastrointestinal parasites and provide an overview of the molecular diagnostic workflow for pathology laboratories. This will include describing the workflow from sample to result and reporting, and the subsequent clinical support for improved patient management. Eight clinically relevant protozoan pathogens that cause significant disease and negative health outcomes will be discussed including:

  • Giardia spp.
  • Cryptosporidium spp.
  • Cyclospora cayetanensis
  • Entamoeba histolytica
  • Dientamoeba fragilis 
  • Blastocystis spp.
  • Enterocytozoon bieneusi
  • Encephalitozoon intestinalis

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Webinar 3: Syndromic PCR testing for gastrointestinal parasites, including Dientamoeba fragilis and microsporidia, and their role in gastrointestinal disease

While there are several real-time multiplex PCR panels available to detect parasites, many only test for Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Entamoeba histolytica.

In this webinar, three experts in medical diagnostics, Susan Madison-Antenucci, Damien Stark, and Marc Couturier, will describe the benefits of employing a broader syndromic panel to include the detection of other leading pathogenic parasites causing gastrointestinal diseases, with a focus on Dientamoeba fragilis and microsporidia.

D. fragilis and microsporidia, despite their frequent association with human gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and disease, are often overlooked in their role as pathogens, and subsequently excluded from routine testing for suspected GI infections. The speakers will discuss the clinical significance of D. fragilis, and microsporidia, and the benefits of including these targets in the broader syndromic molecular detection of GI parasites.

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