PCR Contamination and Molecular Best Practices

Presenters:

• Dean Jobe, MS, RM (AAM), Research Microbiologist and Laboratory Supervisor, Microbiology Research and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI
• Erik Reisdorf, MPH, Virology and Surveillance Team Leader, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene

Description of Session:

The introduction of nucleic acid amplification techniques into the clinical laboratory has resulted in significant improvements in sensitivity, specificity, and turnaround times. As a result, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have now supplanted many traditional techniques used to detect infectious organisms. During amplification millions of DNA amplicons are produced and preventing their dissemination into the laboratory environment poses unique challenges to laboratories that use NAATs. Therefore, it is imperative that proper techniques for handling of specimens submitted for nucleic acid testing be strictly adhered to in order to prevent contamination and false-positive results.  This webinar will describe nucleic acid amplification, sources of contamination, and methods to recognize and prevent contamination and false-positive test results.  Speakers will also touch on training and evaluating staff in point of care settings that perform nucleic acid testing.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the webinar.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this webinar is April 11th, 2019.

Materials:

• Evaluation Form
• PCR Contamination and Molecular Best Practices – Presentation
• PCR Contamination and Molecular Best Practices – Handouts
• Tip Sheet for PCR Contamination, Detection, Clean-up, and Prevention
• WCLN Webinar – PCR Contamination and Molecular Best Practices