TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - January 28, 2015) - The webinar will examine how rapid molecular stool pathogen diagnostic testing may minimize the burden of diarrheal illness throughout the entire hospital and to healthcare providers worldwide. Featured speakers include David Peaper, Assistant Professor of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine; Director ofClinical Microbiology Laboratory, Yale-New Haven Hospital; and Director of Virology Reference Laboratory, VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Dr. Peaper will be joined by Marilyn Mitchell, Supervisor, Microbiology Laboratory, Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, California.

Diarrhea caused by bacterial, viral, and/or parasitic infection represents a significant worldwide healthcare burden. Though most cases of diarrheal disease are generally self-resolving and not life-threatening in immunocompetent individuals, certain bacterial and viral infections can result in serious clinical morbidity and even death.

The current diagnostic challenge associated with detection of community-acquired diarrhea is twofold. Since clinical presentation of diarrheal disease does not narrow down the potentially responsible pathogen(s), physicians often end up taking the "shotgun" approach to diagnostic testing by ordering testing for a majority of stool pathogens. If physicians are able to characterize the patient's history, it could greatly narrow the number of diagnostic tests necessary for a given patient. On the diagnostic end, stool culture and ova and parasite (O&P) remain the gold standard diagnostics. Though generally considered sensitive and specific, these procedures are labor-intensive, unpleasant for technicians, can take as long as 5-7 days to produce definitive results in the case of stool cultures, and require a high degree of technical skill in the case of performing O&Ps.

Together, the excessive ordering of stool pathogen testing by physicians paired with less-than-ideal diagnostic options has led to what some consider significant inefficiencies in the clinical laboratory. As a result, medical technologists can spend unnecessary time working up negative stools, which can account for upwards of 95% of stools samples submitted for testing. Confirmation of a negative stool sample takes as few as 1-2 hours with a rapid diagnostic test, allowing laboratories to reallocate medical technologist time to other priorities.

The presenters will discuss rapid diagnostics for stool pathogens, which only recently emerged as viable options for testing for community-acquired diarrhea; infections caused by environmental enteric bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Since treatment decisions can vary depending on the identity of the infectious agent and the overall health of the patient, rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites from a stool specimen is crucial.

The live broadcast takes place on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 1pm EST. To learn more about this event visit: Molecular Testing for Gastrointestinal Pathogens

P.A.C.E. Accreditation

Xtalks is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. Program -- Attendees will receive further details after the event.

About Nanosphere

Nanosphere is enhancing medicine through targeted molecular diagnostics that result in earlier disease detection, optimal patient treatment and improved healthcare economics. The Company's versatile technology platform, the Verigene System, enables clinicians to rapidly detect the most complex, costly and deadly infectious diseases through a low cost and simple-to-use multiplex molecular diagnostic test. The combination of this innovative technology and Nanosphere's customer-driven solutions keeps commitment to the patient at the forefront of its business.

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Molecular Testing for GI Pathogens: Cost-Effectiveness, Clinical Impact and Lab Implementation, New Webinar Hosted by ...