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a culture of service...
April, 2016
© 2016, Hardy Diagnostics,
all rights reserved
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The GramPRO 1
Gram Stains...
Consistent
and Fast
Hardy's GramPRO 1 will rapidly stain your smears and get it right every time! Our patented technology judges the thickness of the smear and adjusts the decolorization step to perfection. Not only that, there are no messy clean-up and maintenance procedures.
Find out more about all the QuickSlide instruments.
Please contact me to discuss automated slide stainers.
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Spending too much time with stool cultures?
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Hardy's unique chromogenic plate will readily differentiate Proteus from Salmonella and Shigella. Get ready for the onslaught of summer stool cultures and stop wasting time working up Proteus!
Send me samples, so I can see for myself.
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New Culture Media Catalog
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Hardy announces its new catalog of all culture media offerings.
This 85 page booklet contains descriptions of the 2,700 products that Hardy manufactures for the microbiologist.
Please have an account rep contact me about a price quote.
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Hardy's StrepPRO will quickly type your strep isolates by latex agglutination. It features a clear and distinct read-out without cross reactivity. It will even give you results for Group D.
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What are they saying about Hardy Diagnostics?
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"Let us not look back in anger,
nor forward in fear,
but around us in awareness."
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Dehydrated Culture Media...
Do you make your own media? Then you will want to explore the features and benefits of Hardy's CRITERION.
- Minimize dust when weighing
- Four different sizes/containers
- Complete selection of formulas
- Competitive pricing available
- Pre-weighed mylar envelopes
Learn about the many benefits
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Brainteasers
Don't have enough
frustration in your life?
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All formats available...
Control
Organisms
Hardy offers a complete selection of microorganisms for your QC program. These MBL organisms are licensed derivatives from ATCC. They are available in the swab or pellet format; qualitative or quantitative. Order from Hardy for immediate service and delivery.
View the entire microorganism catalog online.
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Think about it...
* Why are there 5 syllables in the word "monosyllabic"?
* Why do they call it the Department of Interior when they are in charge of everything outdoors?
* Why do scientists call it research when looking for something new?
* If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
* When I erase a word with a pencil, where does it go?
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Wisdom to Ponder...
George Gershwin
1898 ~ 1937
American composer and pianist. Best known for his
"Rhapsody in Blue" and
"An American in Paris"
"Life is a lot like jazz...it's best when you improvise."
"When I'm in my normal mood, music drips from my fingers."
"True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time."
"Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work."
"Jazz I regard as an American folk music; not the only one, but a very powerful one which is probably in the blood and feeling of the American people more than any other style of folk music."
"Look at the piano. You'll notice that there are white notes and black notes. Figure out the difference between them and you'll be able to make whatever kind of music you want."
"I frequently hear music in the very heart of noise."
"I like to think of music as an emotional science."
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Want to receive the MicroBytes Newsletter at home?
Want to view past issues
of MicroBytes?
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Did you know?
Hardy Diagnostics... - Is celebrating its 36th year of serving microbiologists.
- Manufactures from two ISO certified factories in California and Ohio.
- Is ISO 13485 certified for the manufacture of medical devices to give you confidence in our products.
- Offers you detailed technical inserts, comprised of over 4,500 pages of information regarding microbiology.
- Services over 10,000 labs and maintains a worldwide network of over 65 distributors.
- Is a 100% Employee-Owned company. "If we act like we own the place...it's because we do!"
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QUICK LINKS...
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As Hardy Diagnostics
enters its 36th year of serving microbiologists in the laboratory, I would like to thank each of our customers for their support and loyalty. It truly has been a pleasure to serve you!
If there is any way that we can improve or expand upon our service, would you please let me know?
Jay Hardy, CLS, SM(NRCM)
President
HARDY DIAGNOSTICS
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What organism did this woman discover that recently caused 18 deaths at a hospital in Wisconsin?
Hint: The organism bears her name.
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anaeroGRO
Could you be missing important anaerobes? Hardy offers pre-reduced culture media in oxygen impermeable bags that are gassed with nitrogen and contain an oxygen scavenger.
Learn more about anaeroGRO, and the many choices of set-up packs.
Watch a short video explaining the features and benefits of anaeroGRO.
See our complete catalog of supplies for anaerobes.
Try a sample pack of anaeroGRO and see how to get better growth of anaerobes.
Anaerobic tubes with Hungate stoppers are available too! |
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Online Ordering Made Easy!
Watch a short video to learn how easy it is to order from Hardy on-line!
Pick. Click. You're Done!
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Whole Genome Sequencing in action...
Investigating
Foodborne Illness
Foodborne illness outbreaks receive strict scrutiny from regulatory agencies such as the FDA. These types of outbreaks may present major consequences for those affected. In some cases, with elderly or immunocompromised patients, foodborne illnesses can often be fatal. Thus, the FDA and other regulatory bodies that oversee food manufacturing have set guidelines for investigation of foodborne illnesses. In recent news, the outbreak of Listeria in a Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. in its Springfield, Ohio plant, was thoroughly investigated by the FDA and led to a market recall of its contaminated products in the United States and a market recall issued by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in mid-January.
Listeria is an especially dangerous microorganism because it possesses the ability to survive in refrigerated temperature which happens to be the recommended storage temperature of Dole's packaged salads. Listeria is the causative agent of the disease Listeriosis, which presents with a fever often accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. In pregnant women, infections can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or fatality of the newborn. Common clinical presentations in elderly or immunocompromised patients are often meningitis or septicemia. Treatment for Listeria is usually through a course of antibiotics. However, patients who have consumed contaminated food but do not present any symptoms may not require antibiotics.
As in the case of Dole's salads, the FDA handled the situation in accordance with its severity. Tracking foodborne illnesses is no easy task. The investigators must be able to demonstrate that the target pathogen isolated from one patient is closely genetically related to those isolated from other patients.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) showed that the strain of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from the ill patients were all closely genetically related which allowed for the strain to be traced back to the Dole facility in Springfield, Ohio. Furthermore, as a part of their routine sampling plan, Ohio's Department of Agriculture traced a package of Dole's Field Greens salad back to the Springfield facility. This packaged salad was contaminated with a closely genetically related strain of L. monocytogenes that the ill patients presented.
With enough evidence demonstrating that the strain of L. monocytogenes found in Dole's packaged salads was genetically very close to the strains that infected 19 individuals, Dole issued a market recall of all packaged salads on January 21st of this year. Almost a week later, Dole recalled all packaged salads produced at the Springfield facility. Since the packaged salads were also shipped to five provinces in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency took the initiative to recall this product as well. By January 28th, the FDA had completed the investigation and confirmed that the Listeria monocytogenes was found in packaged salads produced at the Dole facility in Springfield, Ohio. Finally, by March 31st, the CDC stated the investigation was completed and closed. Now, as of April 29, the facility is under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice due to reports of Dole Food company officials neglecting known Listeria contamination at this plant.
Certainly, there are guidelines and standards set by regulatory agencies to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses; however these guidelines and standards do not completely eliminate the possibility of contracting foodborne illnesses. Thus, as consumers, we must assume the responsibility of properly storing food, properly cleaning food and utensils used to prepare food, and properly cooking foods. More importantly, as consumers, we need to be aware of outbreaks and report incidences of foodborne illness so that a proper investigation can be performed by our regulatory agencies. In doing so, we can help the regulatory agencies so that they can help us as consumers.
by Nasim Delavari
Microbiologist
Hardy Diagnostics
More information....
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Environmental Monitoring...
Contact Plates
Hardy offers a complete line of
contact plates for your surface monitoring.
The Tap-Tight feature assures that
the lids will stay securely in place!
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Cellular Communication
 Said one bacterium to another, "Are you happy with your cell provider?"
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Warning:
PUN ZONE
ahead
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The police received an emergency call and rushed to a daycare center where a three year old was resisting a rest.
I relish the fact that you mustard the strength to ketchup with me.
When William joined the Army, he had a slight problem with the command to "Fire at Will!"
Show me a piano falling down a mine-shaft and I will show you A-Flat Minor.
I'm so glad I learned sign language...it's really handy!
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Do you do Growth Promotion Studies?
Hardy has the answer to simplified growth promotion studies. MBL's EZ Accushot provides you with quantified lyophilized organisms that you can count on!
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So two bacteria walk into a bar...
The bartender says, "Get out! We don't serve bacteria in this bar." The two bacteria protested, "Hey, wait a minute. We work here. We're staph."
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When skydiving for the first time,
you don't need a parachute!
But you will need one to go a second time.
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Optical Oddities from above.
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