Improved microbiological diagnostic due to utilization of a high-throughput homogenizer for routine tissue processing

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Tissue specimens are crucial for microbiological diagnostics but current processing methods are complex, labor-intensive, and lack standardization.
• Existing techniques are prone to contamination and may not maximize microbial recovery, impacting diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of the Precellys 24 high-throughput tissue homogenizer for routine microbiological diagnostics.
• To improve the facilitation, speed, standardization, and microbial yield from tissue sample processing.

Main Methods:

• Tissue samples were artificially inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans.
• Microbial yield was compared between samples processed with the Precellys 24 homogenizer and direct plating.
• The homogenizer's efficacy was further demonstrated on routine tissue samples from endoprosthesis infections.

Main Results:

• Tissue homogenization using the Precellys 24 was found to be easy, fast, and highly standardized.
• Significantly higher microbial yield was achieved from homogenized samples compared to the conventional plating technique.
• The method proved effective for analyzing clinical samples from infected joint replacements.

Conclusions:

• The Precellys 24 homogenizer offers a superior method for processing tissue samples in microbiological diagnostics.
• This high-throughput approach enhances microbial recovery and standardization, leading to more accurate and efficient diagnostic results.