REtrieval And cure of Chronic Hepatitis C (REACH): Results of micro-elimination in the Utrecht province.

Background: The Netherlands is one of the six European countries considered on track to eliminate hepatitis C virus by 2030. To achieve this goal, continuous efforts have to be put into designing efficient case-finding strategies, including the retrieval of previously diagnosed hepatitis C virus-infected who are lost to follow-up.

Aims: To trace and treat all lost to follow-up hepatitis C virus patients in the Utrecht region and create an efficient retrieval strategy that can be used in future (national) retrieval initiatives.

Simultaneous increase of Cryptosporidium infections in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany in late summer season, 2012.

Starting August 2012, an increase in Cryptosporidium infections was reported in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany. It represented a 1.8 to 4.

Reducing the development of antibiotic resistance in critical care units.

Bacteria becoming resistant to an increasing number of antibiotic classes are a major problem at hospitals including critical care units worldwide. Awareness of this problem and the need to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance are very important, especially since very few new antibiotics will become available in the near future. This article gives an overview of the mechanisms of antibacterial resistance and actual resistance data worldwide of the most prevalent Gram positive (MRSA, VISA/VRSE and VRE) and Gram negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp.

Molecular diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infections.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an ubiquitous virus infecting the majority of people worldwide. Primary infection is usually sub clinical, except in a number of cases when it causes infectious mononucleosis. This diagnosis is usually based on serology, however, this may not always be conclusive.

Apparent primary follicle-stimulating hormone deficiency is a rare cause of treatable male infertility.

Objective: To find the underlying defect in a case of primary FSH deficiency and to estimate the beneficial effect of FSH treatment.

Design: Case report.

Setting: University hospital fertility clinic.