The document discusses laboratory diagnosis of bacterial infections. It describes how automated systems can identify bacteria faster and more accurately than conventional methods. Several automated systems are highlighted, including BacT/ALERT and VITEK, which continuously monitor blood culture bottles for microbial growth. MALDI-TOF enables rapid bacterial identification by examining ribosomal protein patterns. VITEK 2 and other automated systems can identify bacteria and perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing in a single system within a day. Overall, the document outlines the benefits of automation for improving the efficiency and accuracy of bacterial diagnostics.