Health perception by young adults born very preterm.

AIM: This study assessed the self-reported health perception and use of health care by adults born very preterm before 30 weeks of gestation. METHODS: The participants were part of a cross-sectional observational study that assessed the global health of young adults aged 18-29 years born very preterm in Quebec, Canada. Health perception was explored from 2011 to 2016 using the second Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36v2), and objective health measures were obtained. Further in-depth open-ended questions were asked in 2018. RESULTS: The 101 preterm subjects had similar perceptions of their health to 105 term-born controls, according to the SF-36v2, despite significantly more adverse health conditions. Their healthcare use was similar. However, the later in-depth questionnaire showed that 23% of 45 preterm subjects and 3% of 34 term-born subjects perceived their health as poorer than the general population. Major factors that could improve their respective health were lifestyle habits (74% vs. 81%) and eliminating specific adverse symptoms (52% vs. 27%). Only 10% of preterm individuals had been asked about their perinatal history by physicians. CONCLUSION: Adults born very preterm said their health was poorer than the general population and identified specific factors that should be addressed during routine health monitoring.

Detection of mutations associated with macrolide resistance in thermophilic Campylobacter spp. by real-time PCR.

Two point mutations (A2074C and A2075G) in the 23S rRNA gene of Campylobacter coli and C. jejuni are associated with erythromycin resistance. A real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer PCR assay using a melting curve analysis was developed to identify these two point mutations and the wild-type genotype in thermophilic Campylobacter species such as C. coli, C. jejuni, and C. lari. Concerning these species, 141 strains were tested and a result obtained in 140 (99.3%). A single genotype was detected in 133 cases and two genotypes in seven cases. There was an agreement with the phenotypic methods except for one C. coli strain that was not amplified during the PCR assay. The A2075G mutation was mainly found among the 92 resistant strains tested (95.6%) and the A2074C mutation only twice (2.2%). One C. jejuni strain (1.1%) harbored both mutations on the same 23S rDNA copy. When compared to the phenotypic tests, the new real-time PCR assay was able to detect the correct genotype, in all cases except one (1.1%). This assay is more sensitive and more rapid than other PCR assays, the entire procedure taking less than 2 hr.

PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for detection of point mutations associated with macrolide resistance in Campylobacter spp.

A 23S rRNA gene fragment in domain V was sequenced from 30 clinical isolates of Campylobacter spp., including 22 resistant to macrolides. Two point mutations associated with erythromycin resistance were identified at positions 2074 and 2075 on the 23S rRNA gene (homologous to A2142C and A2143G mutations in Helicobacter pylori) in which an adenine residue is also replaced with a cytosine and a guanine residue, respectively. A combined PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was developed to detect these mutations by using the BsaI and BceAI enzymes.