Molecular detection of common intestinal parasites: a performance evaluation of the BD Max™ Enteric Parasite Panel.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of agreement of the BD Max™ Enteric Parasite Panel (EPP) with microscopy for the detection of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Entamoeba histolytica in stool samples. A total of 372 stool samples (partly collected on the basis of positive microscopy and partly unselected, consecutive sample submitted for parasite investigation) were tested with EPP according to manufacturer's instructions and also using microscopy according to standard techniques. Discrepant samples were further tested using PCR by the National Parasitology reference laboratory. Levels of agreement and laboratory turnaround times were measured and compared. Overall, positive and negative percent agreement was high between the two methods. However, microscopy resulted in four false positives and one false negative for G. duodenalis and two false positives for Cryptosporidium. Additionally, microscopy could not differentiate between E. histolytica and Entamoeba dispar. Median laboratory turnaround time was 65 hours for microscopy; results from EPP could be available after four hours. Blastocycstis hominis was detected by microscopy in one sample and would have been missed if only EPP was performed. The EPP was a good alternative to microscopy, detecting a small number of additional positives that were missed by microscopy. The assay is significantly faster than microscopy and allows laboratory workflows to be streamlined. The risk of missing parasites that are not included in the EPP appears to be minimal in the studied population; however, there may be certain patient groups who would benefit from microscopic examination of stools.

Severe respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, in a patient transferred to the United Kingdom from the Middle East, September 2012.

Coronaviruses have the potential to cause severe transmissible human disease, as demonstrated by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003. We describe here the clinical and virological features of a novel coronavirus infection causing severe respiratory illness in a patient transferred to London, United Kingdom, from the Gulf region of the Middle East.

The United Kingdom public health response to an imported laboratory confirmed case of a novel coronavirus in September 2012.

On 22 September 2012, a novel coronavirus, very closely related to that from a fatal case in Saudi Arabia three months previously, was detected in a previously well adult transferred to intensive care in London from Qatar with severe respiratory illness. Strict respiratory isolation was instituted. Ten days after last exposure, none of 64 close contacts had developed severe disease, with 13 of 64 reporting mild respiratory symptoms. The novel coronavirus was not detected in 10 of 10 symptomatic contacts tested.

Mapping a nosocomial outbreak of measles, coinciding with a period of sustained transmission in South London in 2018.

A measles outbreak in London is described, involving 34 cases across two hospitals and a local community across two countries. After a single introduction to hospital, spread propagated via unvaccinated retail shop workers to healthcare staff, highlighting the importance of expanding occupational health policies to non-clinical hospital staff. Further spread into an under-vaccinated Traveller community is a reminder that measles can spread in the absence of herd immunity. Subsequently endemic measles transmission has been re-established in the UK.

Trueperella bernardiae: an unusual cause of septic thrombophlebitis in an injection drug user.

The clinical spectrum of human disease caused by Trueperella bernardiae is poorly described, partly as a result of historical difficulties with microbial identification. With the introduction of powerful new technologies, such as matrix-assisted desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, into routine microbiology laboratories, new insights into diseases caused by such organisms are being made. Here we report a case of septic thrombophlebitis with bacteraemia caused by this organism, together with a retrospective description of laboratory isolation of this organism over a period of 6 years in a hospital in London, UK.

Reducing adult cardiac surgical site infections and the economic impact of using multidisciplinary collaboration.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgical site infections (SSIs) have devastating consequences and present several challenges for patients and healthcare providers. Adult cardiac SSI surveillance commenced in 2009 at our hospitals, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, as a patient safety initiative amid reported increased incidence of SSIs. Before this time, infection incidence was unclear because data collection was not standardized. AIM: To standardize SSI data collection and establish baseline SSI rates to facilitate deployment of evidence-based targeted interventions within clinical governance structures to improve quality, safety, and efficiency in line with our organizational targets. METHODS: We standardized local data collection protocols in line with Public Health England recommendations and identified local champions. We undertook prospective SSI surveillance collaboratively to enable us to identify potential practice concerns and address them more effectively through a series of initiatives. Clinical staff completed dedicated surveillance forms intraoperatively and postoperatively. FINDINGS: Overall adult cardiac SSI rates fell from 5.4% in 2009 to 1.2% in 2016 and coronary artery bypass graft rates from 6.5% in 2009 to 1.7% in 2016 (P < 0.001). Gram-negative bacteria were recognized as important SSI causative organisms and were better controlled after introducing stringent infection control measures. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive, evidence-based infection control practices were successfully implemented through a multidisciplinary collaborative approach, which may have great potential to reduce Gram-negative, Staphylococcus aureus, polymicrobial and overall SSI burden and/or associated costs. We now investigate all SSIs using an established SSI detailed investigation protocol to promote continual quality improvement that aligns us perfectly with global efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance.

Hypercalcaemia complicating immune reconstitution in an HIV-infected patient with disseminated tuberculosis.

An HIV positive man being treated for disseminated tuberculosis developed hypercalcaemia 17 days after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Hypercalcaemia resolved with stopping HAART and was thought to be due to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Reduction in Clostridium difficile environmental contamination by hospitalized patients treated with fidaxomicin.

Fidaxomicin is sporicidal and may be associated with a reduced time to resolution of diarrhoea when used to treat patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). This study investigated whether fidaxomicin for treatment of all patients with CDI reduced C. difficile environmental contamination. Surfaces in the rooms of 66 hospitalized patients treated with metronidazole and/or vancomycin and 68 hospitalized patients treated with fidaxomicin were sampled. Patients treated with fidaxomicin were less likely to contaminate their environment (25/68, 36.8%) than patients treated with metronidazole and/or vancomycin (38/66 57.6%) (P = 0.02). Treatment with fidaxomicin was associated with reduced environmental contamination with C. difficile.

The effect of a chimeric mouse-human CD7 antibody on human T, natural killer, and lymphokine-activated killer cell activity in vitro.

A chimeric CD7 antibody has been constructed with mouse variable and human constant regions and is currently being assessed in the prophylaxis of renal graft rejection. In this study we have investigated if this antibody or its murine parental form inhibits the function of a number of immune effector mechanisms involved in host defense against infection and/or malignancy. Most memory T cells and all natural killer cells express the CD7 antigen and could therefore be affected by CD7 antibody. Murine and chimeric CD7 antibodies significantly inhibit the alloproliferation of naive (65 +/- 4% and 66 +/- 8%, respectively) but not memory T cells (86 +/- 2% and 98 +/- 4%, respectively) in a primary mixed lymphocyte reaction relative to the negative control CD10 antibody (P less than 0.001). The memory T cell proliferative response to recall antigen is also largely unaffected by murine and chimeric CD7 antibodies relative to the negative control antibody (91 +/- 12% and 103 +/- 10%, respectively). The CD7 antigen is almost completely modulated from the surface of NK cells after incubation for 24 hr with either the murine or chimeric CD7, but not the CD10, negative control. The modulation of CD7 antigen by antibody, however, does not affect the cytotoxic function of either the NK or lymphokine-activated killer cells significantly. Preincubation with the chimeric antibody however, consistently showed a small inhibition relative to the negative control of 75-80% in NK assays and to 80-90% in LAK assays. These data suggest that both murine and chimeric CD7 antibodies may have a selective effect on alloproliferation but may largely spare a major component of the host's innate immunity as well as memory T cell proliferation to previously encountered antigens.

Herpes simplex virus infection of the central nervous system in human immunodeficiency virus-type 1-infected patients.

We report clinical, radiological and virological data from nine consecutive HIV-infected patients with herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Three patients presented with confusion, two with fever and headache, two with anxiety and depression, one with slow mentation and memory loss and one with expressive dysphasia. Five patients had previous AIDS-defining diagnoses: four of these five patients had previous cutaneous HSV infection. HSV DNA was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in seven patients. HSV infection was diagnosed by brain biopsy (after negative PCR on CSF) in one patient and at autopsy in one patient (after negative CSF PCR and brain biopsy). Seven patients received specific anti-viral therapy; two died of unrelated causes and the other five recovered. Two patients were not treated, in one the diagnosis was made at autopsy and the other recovered spontaneously. HIV-infected patients with CNS HSV infection have a varied presentation. Diagnosis by PCR on CSF identified the majority of cases. With specific treatment the outcome was good.

Escherichia coli bacteraemia: how preventable is it?

Mandatory bacteraemia reporting was extended to include Escherichia coli from June 2011. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the success seen in reducing meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection rates could be duplicated with E. coli. All cases of E. coli bacteraemia occurring at our Trust in 2010 were reviewed. There were 216 episodes of E. coli bacteraemia, of which 63% were community-acquired. Only 19% had a potentially preventable cause identified, the majority (71%) of whom had urinary catheter-associated bacteraemia. These data must be kept in mind should targets to reduce E. coli bacteraemia be set in the future.