In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by Elitza Theel, Ph.D., director of the Infectious Diseases Serology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, for a timely discussion on tick-borne diseases. Topics covered include:

• Observations from this year’s tick season as we approach the end of July — a peak month for tick-borne disease transmission — along with trends in reported tick-borne pathogens over the past two decades.
• Algorithms developed by Mayo Clinic to guide clinicians in selecting the right tests for tick-borne and mosquito-borne diseases.
• The emergence of rare and esoteric infections and the challenges posed by vectors that carry and transmit multiple pathogens in a single bite.
• Shotgun metagenomics’ growing role in the diagnosis of vector-borne infections.

More resources
Read "Update on North American tick-borne diseases and how to diagnose them" in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology for more insights from Drs. Pritt and Theel. You can also explore tools and information from Mayo Clinic Laboratories, including region-specific details, algorithms, prevention tools, and more.

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, and William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, discuss summertime illnesses and key insights from a recent diagnostic investment event. Together, they explore:

Common summertime illnesses, along with tips for prevention.

• How investment in diagnostic tools influences innovation in the laboratory.
• The potential impact of growing interest in AI investments.
• The investment interest in liquid biopsy and its potential implications for clinical decision-making.
• How AI development may accelerate adoption of mass spectrometry, proteomics, and similar advancements in clinical laboratories.

Linda Hasadsri, M.D., Ph.D., and Huong Cabral, M.S., CGC, explain how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' expanded test panel captures rarer as well as more common genetic causes of hereditary pancreatitis. That information is key to managing patients' enhanced risk for pancreatic cancer.

Speaker 4: (00:32)
Could you both please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

Speaker 4: (02:23)
Could you please give the audience a brief overview of this assay?

Speaker 4: (03:53)
Which patients should have this test, and when should it be performed?

Speaker 4: (04:49)
What alternative testing options are available, and how do these compare to the new, expanded panel that we're going to be offering?

Speaker 4: (08:20)

How are the results used in patient care?