Publications by authors named "Afke Brandenburg"

Introduction: Public health measures aimed at controlling transmission of SARS-CoV-2, otherwise known as "lockdown" measures, had profound effects on circulation of non-SARS viruses, many of which decreased to very low levels.  The interrupted transmission of these viruses may have lasting effects. Some of the influenza clades seem to have disappeared during this period, a phenomenon which is described as a "funnel effect".

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A retrospective study assessed the effectiveness of nine serological assays for diagnosing Lyme borreliosis (LB) using sera from 74 LB cases and 122 controls.
  • Sensitivity of these tests varied significantly, with higher detection rates in cases like Lyme neuroborreliosis compared to early Lyme cases, and overall performance was adequate across both early and late forms of LB.
  • The study concluded that while serological assays are essential for diagnosing LB, IgM testing did not enhance diagnostic accuracy beyond IgG testing, and a two-tier testing approach is recommended to minimize false positives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Serology is a crucial part of the public health response to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Here, we describe the development, validation and clinical evaluation of a protein micro-array as a quantitative multiplex immunoassay that can identify S and N-directed SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies with high specificity and sensitivity and distinguish them from all currently circulating human coronaviruses. The method specificity was 100% for SARS-CoV-2 S1 and 96% for N antigen based on extensive syndromic (n=230 cases) and population panel (n=94) testing that also confirmed the high prevalence of seasonal human coronaviruses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) and selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) are prophylactic antibiotic regimens used in intensive care units (ICUs) and associated with improved patient outcome. Controversy exists regarding the relative effects of both measures on patient outcome and antibiotic resistance.

Objective: To compare the effects of SDD and SOD, applied as unit-wide interventions, on antibiotic resistance and patient outcome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Enterovirus 68 (EV68) belongs to species Human enterovirus D. It is unique among enteroviruses because it shares properties with human rhinoviruses. After the first isolation in 1962 from four children with respiratory illness, reports of (clusters of) EV68 infections have been rare.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In The Netherlands, the incidence of Lyme borreliosis is on the rise. Besides its causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hard ticks have been identified as important vectors of rickettsiae causing the spotted fever syndrome. Tick-borne rickettsiae are considered to be emerging, but only limited data are available about their presence in Western Europe, their natural life cycle and their reservoir hosts. Ixodes ricinus, the most prevalent tick species, were collected and tested from different vegetation types and from potential reservoir hosts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Enteroviruses (EV) and parechoviruses (HPeV) are the most common causes of aseptic meningitis, encephalitis and sepsis-like syndrome in neonates. Detection by nucleic acid amplification methods improves patient management.

Objective: Development of a real-time PCR assay on a LightCycler for simultaneous detection of EV, HPeV and an internal control to monitor inhibition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF