what is HUGO?

HUGO™ is a unique software program from Hardy Diagnostics that serves as an encyclopedia and technical manual for microbiologists.

This software is offered to microbiologists as a valuable reference source. It will provide quick and easy access to important up-to-date information regarding culture media, quality control, safety, antimicrobials, agency regulations, new products, rapid methods, and other topics of interest to microbiologists.

what can I find in HUGO?

HUGO contains over 4,000 pages of valuable reference material for the microbiologist. Within HUGO you can rapidly find information on a multitude of topics including:

• Technical data on each culture media product; i.e., plates, tubes, and bottles. Each document is written in the NCCLS recommended format.
• A complete description of each genus of bacteria and fungus of medical importance.
• A complete glossary of microbiology terms; the most extensive ever assembled. Includes parasitology, mycology, bacteriology, and epidemiology terms. Abbreviations included.
• Trade name and generic cross-reference chart for all antimicrobials.
• How to comply with State, CLIA, CAP, HCFA, JCAHO, and OSHA requirements.
• Current taxonomy changes.
• Troubleshooting chart for disk diffusion testing problems.
• A directory of organizations and agencies that relate to the microbiology laboratory, including proficiency testing programs. Phone numbers and websites included.
• Drug of choice listed with each pathogen.
• Organisms listed by body site with the degree of pathogenicity.
• Specimen collection and transport guidelines and procedures.
• List of commonly used reagents and how often QC should be performed.
• OSHA guidelines and universal precautions to be used in the laboratory.
• Information on stains, dyes, and pH indicators used in microbiology.
• Reportable infectious diseases and their incidence in the U.S.
• Normal reference values of laboratory tests.
• Explanations of statistical terms used in QC.
• Recommended procedures for QC performance and sterility testing.
• List of common stock organisms and how to efficiently maintain them.
• Information on microbiology stains and control slides for QC.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous materials.
• List of media that does not require QC by end user according to NCCLS guidelines.
• List of websites and email addresses of interest to microbiologists.
• Suggested antimicrobial disks to use when testing clinical isolates.
• Chart of recommended media to use when setting up incoming specimens.
• Answers to frequently asked questions regarding culture media.
• Measurement conversion chart, for metric and standard. listing of stock organisms that are used for QC
• Procedures and data on each reagent, stain, disk, rapid test method, or any other product manufactured at Hardy Diagnostics. list of reference books and software that is useful for the microbiologist
• CPT reimbursement codes for microbiology.
• A complete list of all “Kwik Stik®” control organisms by MicroBioLogics; with procedures.
• Technical inserts for Meridian Diagnostics, Etest, Alexon/Trend-Seradyn, Oxoid, Quidel, and MBL products.
• Food and water testing procedures and media recommendations.
• A description of common disinfectants, their mechanism of action, and recommended use.
• Numerous color brochures on products of interest to microbiologists.

can I locate information on each microorganism?

HUGO™ also serves as an encyclopedia of information on each type of bacteria or fungus of clinical significance. Within these documents on each genus you will learn about the:

• Microscopic appearance, gram stain morphology, and size
• Macroscopic appearance on culture media
• Key biochemical reactions for identification
• Normal habitat and source of infection
• Pathogenicity and diseases produced
• Recommended media for growth and isolation
• Incubation temperature, time, and atmosphere required
• Reference sources

what can be found in the technical documents?

HUGO™ provides immediate access to all the technical data sheets for over 1,000 products manufactured by Hardy Diagnostics. Each of these documents, which are written in the recommended NCCLS format, include:

• Product Name and Number
• Summary and History
• Storage and Shelf Life
• Precautions and Safety Considerations
• Physical Appearance
• Packaging Configurations
• Quality Control Procedures, Expected Results
• Intended Use
• Formula and pH
• Procedure
• Limitations and Notes
• Materials Required
• References

As a valuable time-saver, these documents can easily be printed and included in your lab’s procedure manual. All of the documents in HUGO™ are written in NCCLS format and may be utilized directly in your own procedure manual. Other than adding a custom header to your HUGO™ document, these files may not be copied, changed, or manipulated in any way.

You can save hundreds of hours by letting HUGO™ write your procedure manual!

how can I locate the information I need?

There are two ways of finding the documents you need in HUGO™. You may click on any of the categories on the left side of the screen to obtain a listing of the Document titles, or you can enter a key word or words into the search box. HUGO™ will search over 850 documents to find those that contain your key word. The search results will then be listed and prioritized. Within each document your search word will appear in red type.

will I get current updates?

Periodically, Hardy Diagnostics will send you an updated version, since new documents and current information are continually being added.

how does HUGO work?

HUGO™ documents are viewed using one of two different programs. The regular text documents, written in HTML are viewed on your favorite web browser, such as Netscape® or Microsoft's Internet Explorer®. The color brochures are viewed using Adobe® Acrobat's® PDF reader. The HUGO™ CD comes with both of these programs. The browser contains a search engine that performs word searches on HUGO's™ 850 documents for quick and easy retrieval. HUGO™ can be installed on your hard drive or accessed from the CD if your drive space is limited.

what kind of hardware do I need?

To run HUGO™, you will need a Macintosh® or PC computer with a Pentium® 100MHZ processor or greater, and at least 32MB of RAM. HUGO™ will require about 30MB of space on your hard drive. The software is offered on CD-ROM only. HUGO™ runs on Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, or XP. HUGO™ cannot be installed on the hard drive of a Macintosh®, but can be run from the CD.

how can I get assistance?

HUGO™ is extremely simple to use and requires no documentation other than installation instructions. For general questions, your web browser has a help menu. For technical assistance, please call (800) 266-2222, extension 5658. A microbiologist will gladly help you in any way possible.

To order, call 800.266.2222 and ask for your copy of HUGO™ version 6 on CD-ROM for your PC or Mac.

Cat. no. HUGO6 $69.00 plus tax, shipping, and handling

“Windows” and “Internet Explorer” are registered trade marks of Microsoft Corporation. “”Pentium” is a registered trade mark of Intel Corporation. “Macintosh” is a trade mark of Apple Computer, Inc. “Adobe Acrobat” is a registered trade mark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. “Netscape” is a registered trade mark of Netscape Communication Corporation.

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