Guest contribution of the Union Clinical Laboratory, Taiwan: The Union Clinical Laboratory (UCL) was established in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1973 with a total 100 employees. We perform diverse laboratory tests in the field of haematology, biochemistry, immunology and microbiology and provide clinical diagnostic services to hospitals, the general public and biomedical research institutes and participate in […]
Aspergillus spp. are ubiquitous moulds which are found in the soil, compost, or on humid walls. They form single-celled spores that spread through the air and of which every person inhales hundreds every day. Their concentration is especially increased in the summer. In people with an intact immune system, inhalation of the spores has usually
Diagnosing pollen allergies in the Mediterranean is characterised by many special challenges. The pollen release times of the endemic plants are often parallel and may stretch over the whole year, which makes it difficult to determine the relevant allergens. Moreover, many people are sensitised to several pollen allergens. Together with leading allergy experts from the
Over the past years, a global spread of a multitude of new viruses and other pathogens has been observed, leading to previously unknown diseases. Lately, there was an increase in epidemics of vector-borne infectious diseases, especially in tropical regions. Alongside dengue and chikungunya fever, Zika fever, which spread in large parts of the South American
They are nasty: they are itching, they scale, inflame, hurt and really do not look nice – fungal skin and nail infections! And not only the therapy may turn into a test of patience, if it, as it happens so often, requires application for several months. Also diagnosis of infection and identification of the pathogen
