Dr. Candido Otero, M.D.

Usually, 24 to 48 hours after the sample have been received in the lab. Thank you.

Normal blood glucose is between 70 – 100 mg/dL or 80 – 110 mg/dL depending on the lab. A blood test is used to check diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c is the test used besides measuring your blood sugar level on empty stomach. Now, I don’t know your medical history and is best to check with your healthcare provider on how often you need to check your blood. Every patient is different and have many different conditions. Thank you.

Depending at what stage and what type of anemia you get. It is a very serious disease. Usually the patient feels tired, fatigue, sometimes unable to do their daily living activity. The complete blood count (CBC) is the most common test used to confirm anemia. It is part of the routine tests done. The complete CBC test the hemoglobin and hematocrit. The hemoglobin is the iron-rich protein part in the red blood cell that carries the oxygen. The hematocrit is a measure how much space the red blood cells take up in your blood. Low level of hemoglobin or hematocrit signify anemia. Everything has to do with the type of anemia and how it was acquired. For example, iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss or due to lack of nutrients, can be corrected by stopping the blood loss and eating food that are reach in iron. Diet: beans, dried fruits, eggs, lean red meat, salmon, iron-fortified bread and cereal, peas, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables (Spanish cucumber, broccoli) among others. No, anemia due to hereditary condition, the etiology (cause) of that condition needs to be assessed to find the right treatment. Severe anemia could be very serious. Loosing blood quickly can be fatal. The three main causes are red blood cell loss, lack of red blood production in the bone marrow or red cell destruction by the immune system. A hematologist would be a great choice. They will send the test to the lab. For analysis. But a complete work up is appropriate to find the etiology of the anemia. Thank you.

I don’t know what you refer as vague but there is a urine stick chemical analysis that is quick. It tells you immediately if you are positive for leukocytes esterase, nitrite, ph, protein, blood, specific gravity, ketones, glucose, and bilirubin. This is a quick test and reliable. Thank you.

There is a rapid test that might produce results in 30 minutes. However, the standard procedure takes 4 – 8 hours Now, H1N1 test can take from 1 to 4 days and as long as seven working days. Thank you.

PCOS – Polycystic ovary syndrome cannot be diagnosed until 2-3 years after a girl’s first menstrual cycle because it can take up to two years for the menstrual cycle to become regular. PCOS is treated with birth control pills (oral contraceptives), insulin-sensitizing medicines, metformin, and antiandrogens. PCOS is usually diagnosed at any age after puberty (between 15-44 years-old). You are born with polycystic ovaries (PCOS), but symptoms often start during puberty although for some people this can be later. Common symptoms are irregular periods or no period at all, difficulty in getting pregnant, excessive hair growth (face, chest, back, buttocks), weight gain, thinning hair or hair loss in the head, and oily skin and acne. There is up to seventy percent of daughters of women with PCOS/PCOD (polycystic ovary syndrome/polycystic ovary disease) also develop it. It is not unusual for a 13-year adolescent to have PCOS symptoms, but not enough to make the diagnosis. Your 14-year-old daughter is in the border line age that PCOS can be diagnosed. However, with some reservation. An Consider an ultrasound scan for definitive diagnosis. Thank you.

The most common reasons are corneal ulcers and pingueculas. White spots on eyeball can vary in severity. Treatment is lubricating eye drop. Consult your ophthalmologist. Thank you.

What happen is that the mononucleosis Titer are still undetectable blood and that’s why maybe is negative. However, how do you know you have mono if you tested negative. Maybe you have another process. The laboratory rarely is wrong and the few occasions that the laboratory was wrong was because of mislabeled of the blood sent to the lab. Thank you.

Things that should not be found in urine are glucose, ketones, proteins, and bilirubin. Also, not normally found in urine is hemoglobin, nitrates, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Thank you.

Yes, blood test can detect the appearance of the atypical, activated lymphocytes.
Epstein-Barr Virus - EBV (infectious mononucleosis) is a gamma group herpes virus that causes a benign, self-limited lymphoproliferative disease, and is characterized by fever, generalized lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly (large spleen), sore throat, and the appearance of atypical lymphocytes in blood. EBV enters the epithelial cell cytoplasm by directly fusing with the plasma membrane. Also, EBV enters the B-cell cytoplasm by directly fusing with the plasma membrane. There are two EBV proteins produced by the virus, the EBNA2 and LMP-1 that occurs in latently infected lymphocytes. Thank you.

Takes to grow about a day for bacteria but it varies depending on the bacteria like E. Coli varies from three to seven days. Thank you.

Oral fluid testing has the ability to detect resent drug use, whereas urine requires the drug to metabolize after consumed which can take up to 6 – 12 hours. Thank you.

Normal platelet count is from 150,000 to 250,000. Platelet count can go as low as 40,000 to 20,000 in dengue. People having dengue fever show a decline in their platelet count at a rapid pace and therefore suffer from a condition called Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). Dengue causes flu-like symptoms and lasts for 2 – 7 days. Dengue fever occurs after an incubation period of 4 – 10 days after the bite of the infected mosquito. Thank you.

A “pus culture” is a culture of the dead debris of the lesion. It is used to identify the presence of pathogenic organism. It is used to confirm the aerobic bacteria’s sensitivity, which infects the human body. Thank you.

Urea as well as creatinine are distributed throughout the total body water. In serum, the concentration of creatinine is a function of the constant production and excretion rates. It may be slightly higher at night than in the morning. Thank you.

It should be checked once a year to two or more a year depending on the stage of CKD (chronic kidney disease) and level of protein in the urine, past patterns of the eGFR (glomerular filtration rate), and creatinine levels, the underlying cause of the CKD, other illnesses and long-term conditions present, and patient wishes. Thank you.

We usually cover with an apron, face shields, and globes. Thank you.

Mass in your neck have different etiologies (causes). It could be an ear or sinus infection, dental infection, strep throat, mumps, or a goiter (hypothyroidism). The most common causes are reactive adenitis(inflammation). Usually bacterial lymph node infection. Neck masses can be benign so they can be a sign of infection or something more serious, such as cancer. A complete medical history and the appropriate test should be investigated. Contact your provider to check and be treated accordingly. Thank you.

The normal values are:
WBC = white blood cells: most of the time indicates that you are fighting infection or inflammation. Normal range is 4,500 to 11,000 WBCs per microliter (4.5 to 11.0 x 109/L).
There are three major classifications of WBCs. The main purpose oof WBCs, are to recognize intruders.
1. Monocytes – They have the longer lifespan than other WBCs. They help to break down bacteria.
2. Lymphocytes – They create antibodies to fight against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders to the body.
3. Granulocytes – They kill and digest bacteria, fungi, and many other things. Neutrophils, 4. Eosinophils and Basophils are a subset of granulocytes. Basophils are mainly responsible for allergens. Eosinophils are responsible for parasitic infections.
RBC = Red blood cells Count: Measures how many red bloods cell count you have in the body. A red blood cell counts higher than 6.1 million RBCs in male and 5.4 million for females, and 5.5 million for children. High RBCs count can be due to multiple etiologies. They are dehydration, heart disease, Polycythemia vera, Bone marrow diseases that causes other etiologies in many other cells that are produced in the bone marrow. Low RBC indicates B12, Folate and B6 deficiency. Also could mean that you are bleeding internally.
HCT= Hematocrit is the percentage by volume of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets suspended in plasma.
MCV = Mean corpuscular volume = measures the average size and volume of red blood cell.
MCHC = Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration is a measurement of hemoglobin in a single red blood cell related to the volume of the cell.
RDW = Red Cell Distribution Width = test the different in volume and size of your RBC.
Platelets = (Thrombocytes), they stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs.
Neutrophils = A type of white blood cell (Leukocytes) that are your first immune response.
Common causes of white blood cell count include cancer treatment, like radiation therapy, antipsychotic medicines, medicines for overactive thyroid, leukemias, infections (HIV, Hepatitis, and autoimmune conditions as rheumatoid arthritis as well as others. Low neutrophil levels, less than 45% of your total white blood cells or 1.5000 neutrophils per microliter is low. When the count goes below these levels the risk of infection is higher. Normal value of lymphocytes is from 20 to 40%. So, your preliminary diagnosis is possibly an infection. Contact you healthcare provider for a complete medical exam. Thank you.

Chlorohexidine-based disinfectant are widely used and are preferred disinfection agent for donors who are sensitive for iodine. Ask if they have any different disinfectant other than the one, they are using. Thank you.