Let's Talk Micro

Have you ever received an identification result that just didn't make sense?
In this episode, Luis shares three cases of mistaken identity from the microbiology laboratory: a Gram-positive rod identified as Kocuria, another reported as Sphingomonas, and a yeast that somehow became Brucella. While automated identification systems are powerful tools, they can only work with the information we provide.
These examples highlight an important lesson for every microbiologist: always correlate the identification with the Gram stain, colony morphology, and other bench observations. When the result doesn't fit, take a step back and ask a simple question:
Does it make sense?
Join us for a quick Micro Minutes on critical thinking, correlation, and why the Gram stain remains one of the most valuable tools in the microbiology laboratory.
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8

Support the podcast:
Venmo

Buy me a Ko-fi

In Part 2 of this hantavirus series, Luis continues the conversation with Dr. Ryan Relich and Dr. Stephanie Seifert by focusing on the recent Andes virus cruise ship outbreak and what makes this hantavirus different from others.
The discussion explores the outbreak investigation, the evidence for person-to-person transmission, and why the Andes virus has received so much attention from the public health community. Ryan and Stephanie also discuss diagnostic testing, including PCR and serology, the role of public health laboratories, current treatment options, prevention strategies, and how concerned the public should be about future outbreaks.
Tune in for a closer look at Andes virus and its role in the recent cruise ship outbreak.
Stay updated: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/situation-summary/index.html
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8

Support the podcast:
Venmo

Buy me a Ko-fi

Hantaviruses have recently been in the headlines, but what exactly are they and how do they spread? In Part 1 of this hantavirus series, Luis is joined by Dr. Ryan Relich and Dr. Stephanie Seifert for a deep dive into the world of hantaviruses.
The conversation explores the basics of hantaviruses, including their ecology, rodent reservoirs, transmission, and the diseases they cause in humans. The guests also discuss Old World vs New World hantaviruses, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), environmental risk factors, climate influences, and why these infections may be underdiagnosed.
From deer mice and spillover events to aerosol transmission and public health concerns, this episode breaks down the science behind these important zoonotic viruses in a practical and approachable way.
Stay tuned next week for an episode where our guests talk about the Andes virus.
 
Stay updated: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/situation-summary/index.html
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8

Support the podcast:
Venmo


Buy me a Ko-fi

Workforce shortages continue to impact clinical laboratories across the country, especially in rural healthcare settings. In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Kenzi Haigler to discuss an innovative high school laboratory program designed to introduce students to laboratory medicine early and help strengthen the future workforce pipeline.
Kenzi shares her journey into the laboratory profession, her experiences working in rural healthcare, and the unique challenges small hospitals face when it comes to staffing, training, and retaining laboratory professionals. She also explains how her community came together to create a hands-on clinical laboratory assistant program that gives students exposure to phlebotomy, microscopy, waived testing, and laboratory workflows before graduation.
This conversation highlights the importance of mentorship, early exposure to laboratory medicine, and creative approaches to workforce development in clinical laboratory science.
Follow Kenzi on TikTok:  @lablifewithmrsh
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8

Support the podcast:
Venmo

Buy me a Ko-fi

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we close out our gram-negative cocci series by talking about the "background singers" of the group—the organisms that quietly show up on respiratory cultures and oral flora plates every day.
We explore the world of non-pathogenic Neisseria species, along with rod-shaped and coccobacillary Neisseria and Moraxella that break the classic gram-negative diplococci rule. From commensals and opportunistic pathogens to their role in respiratory cultures and bench identification, this episode focuses on how to think through these isolates in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
As always, we tie it back to the bench—because sometimes the organisms sitting quietly in the background still matter.
 
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8

Support the podcast:
Venmo

Buy me a Ko-fi