ABSTRACT
As the complexity of diagnostic microbiology intensifi es, so do the methods employed in the laboratory to detect infectious disease etiologies. The advent of molecular technology in the clinical laboratory has not only augmented traditional methods such as culture and serology that have historically been the “gold standard” for pathogen detection, but has also created a niche for itself. For routine bacteriology (i.e., blood cultures, urine cultures, respiratory cultures), culture has remained the gold standard primarily based on cost accounting and the potential complex nature of associated infections. However, there are circumstances where molecular methodologies would prove advantageous over standard methods; for example, there may be minute quantities of the pathogen present, the patient may have received antibiotics before specimen collection, or the etiologic agent may require unusual culture conditions.
