{"id":8795,"date":"2023-10-26T16:29:21","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T06:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/?p=8795"},"modified":"2024-01-17T16:29:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T06:29:38","slug":"understanding-your-samples-spreaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/understanding-your-samples-spreaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding your Samples \u2013 Spreaders"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8795\" class=\"elementor elementor-8795\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b885c80 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b885c80\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e29120 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e29120\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>A number of factors can affect the microbiological result of a sample submitted for analysis. One such factor that occurs from time to time is the presence of \u201cSpreaders\u201d.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1134c3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a1134c3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f4bb21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0f4bb21\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What are spreaders?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2f2d6e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c2f2d6e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0988cbc e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0988cbc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2361e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c2361e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"text-align: var(--text-align); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-weight ); letter-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-letter-spacing ); word-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-word-spacing );\">Spreaders are naturally occurring colonies that grow across a plate, including over other bacterial colonies that are present. <strong>Spreaders are not contamination,<\/strong> but they can interfere with test results. Due to their ability to alter the growth and detection of other microorganisms on the plate, spreaders can unfortunately result in un-reportable tests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"text-align: var(--text-align); color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-font-weight ); letter-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-letter-spacing ); word-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-acf0567-word-spacing );\">It&#8217;s important for clients to understand the nature of spreaders and how they can disrupt samples, but also that it&#8217;s not the fault of the sampler or the laboratory undertaking the testing.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca03440 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ca03440\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa36908 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"aa36908\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/spreaders.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-8797\" alt=\"agar plates\" srcset=\"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/spreaders.webp 400w, https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/spreaders-300x225.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0748a8d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0748a8d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6928c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6928c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A\u00a0<em>Spreader\u00a0<\/em>may be only one colony, normally present in the sample, but which has happened to grow rapidly and can cover more than 25% of the agar plate. These instances are not indicative of a high count, but simply of a special type of colony that covers greater than 25% of the agar plate.<\/p><p>As a requirement of NATA accreditation, Symbio Laboratories is unable to report a valid result in an instance where a\u00a0<em>Spreader\u00a0<\/em>covers more than 25% of a plate. The reason it is not allowed to be termed a valid result is that target organisms may not have been allowed to grow and the true result is compromised.<\/p><h3 id=\"if-25-of-the-plate-is-covered-by-a-spreader-then-the-result-is-not-able-to-be-reported-as-the-spreading-organism-may-have-inhibited-or-grown-over-other-micro-organisms-that-may-have-been-present\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>\u201cIf &gt;25% of the plate is covered by a Spreader then the result is not able to be reported, as the spreading organism may have inhibited or grown over other micro-organisms that may have been present.\u201d<\/em><\/h3><p><em>from Symbio Laboratories\u2019 method \u201cM0.05 Recording Results issue 4\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u2013 Point 5.6 Reject plates where spreaders cover more than 25% of the plate.<\/em><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-80a4dcc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"80a4dcc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f060b0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f060b0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Common Questions About Spreaders<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7830e6d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7830e6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How do spreaders affect different tests?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f5c95a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9f5c95a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Some tests are less affected or not affected at all due to the type of growth media on the agar plate. As an example, Symbio Laboratories is able to still report a valid test result for Legionella but not for Heterotrophic Colony Counts (HCC), if a Spreader has grown over &gt;25% because Legionella is grown on a \u201cselective\u201d media that inhibits the growth of microorganisms other than the target Legionella, whereas the HCC test is performed on a plate full of nutrients that facilitate the growth of as many microorganisms as possible in the sample.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe202d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fe202d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Are spreaders due to unclean\/ unsterilised testing facilities or poor staff handling?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5930163 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5930163\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Spreaders have nothing to do with contamination, and are simply a particular organism already present in the sample that grows and spreads to the point that it covers more than 25% of the surface. This is normal behaviour for microorganisms. Colonies naturally try to take over one another, and as a result in some developing survival strategies such as the production of antibiotics to \u201cfight off\u201d other species.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c976aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1c976aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The samples I submitted are only hours old, how did this organism spread already?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2ee96a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a2ee96a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Microorganisms that may result in Spreaders will already be present in the samples when they are provided. Once the plating of samples takes place, the colonies simply grow.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dacfb2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2dacfb2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What should you do if you have a \u201cSpr\u201d (Spreader) result on a report?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7927e9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7927e9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ultimately it depends on the importance of the given result but it is likely a new sample would need to be taken and re-submitted. It is uncertain as to whether the same Spreader organism would appear on a new sample.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c1ecc4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c1ecc4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Need Guidance with Test Results?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24da73b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24da73b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/contact-us\/\">Contact Symbio<\/a> today if you have any questions or concerns related to testing.<\/p><p>Over 5,900 companies trust Symbio Laboratories to provide the results they need to manage their food quality and safety. We have one of the broadest NATA scopes of any laboratory in Australia, experts at every level of the organisation, and the testing and analysis you need to get your product safely into the market.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A number of factors can affect the microbiological result of a sample submitted for analysis. One such factor that occurs from time to time is the presence of \u201cSpreaders\u201d. What are spreaders? Spreaders are naturally occurring colonies that grow across a plate, including over other bacterial colonies that are present. Spreaders are not contamination, but [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8797,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8795"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8795"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8795\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8806,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8795\/revisions\/8806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symbiolabs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}