INTEGRATION OF MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES (REAL-TIME PCR) IN MICROBIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS: INNOVATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF WORK FLOWCHARTS IN A PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM LABORATORY

Abstract

Clinical microbiology laboratories face limitations with conventional phenotypic techniques for pathogen diagnosis. The incorporation of molecular methods, such as real-time PCR, helps overcome some of these barriers by improving diagnostic speed and accuracy without completely replacing traditional methods. This study aimed to evaluate the integration of real-time PCR into the workflow of the microbiology laboratory at San Pedro Claver Hospital.