Haemophilus influenzae serotype B (Hib) seroprevalence in England and Wales in 2009.

A national seroprevalence study was performed to determine the prevalence of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) antibodies in England and Wales in 2009, when Hib disease incidence was the lowest ever recorded. A total of 2,693 anonymised residual sera from routine diagnostic testing submitted by participating National Health Service hospital laboratories were tested for Hib anti-polyribosyl-ribitol phosphate (PRP) IgG antibodies using a fluorescent bead assay. Median anti-PRP IgG concentrations were highest in toddlers aged 1–4 years (2.

[Amniocentesis trainer: development of a cheap and reproducible new training model].

Amniocentesis is the most common invasive procedure for prenatal diagnosis. It is essential to master this sampling technique prior to performing more complex ultrasound-guided interventions (cordocentesis, drain insertion). Training is a challenge because of the risks associated with the procedure, as well as the impact on the patient's anxiety.

[Chorionic villus sampling training method].

Objectives: Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in the first trimester of pregnancy has become a major tool in prenatal diagnosis. To increase the safety of CVS during training period, we have built a "BT-Trainer".

Materials And Methods: A medical device has been developed which simulates the in vivo procedure with the various layers to cross.

Interlaboratory comparison of three multiplexed bead-based immunoassays for measuring serum antibodies to pneumococcal polysaccharides.

Serotype-specific IgG, as quantified by a standardized WHO enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is a serologic end point used to evaluate pneumococcal polysaccharide-based vaccine immunogenicity. Antibodies to each vaccine polysaccharide in licensed multivalent vaccines are quantified separately; this is laborious and consumes serum. We compared three bead-based immunoassays: a commercial assay (xMAP Pneumo14; Luminex) and two in-house assays (of the Health Protection Agency [HPA] and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]), using the WHO-recommended standard reference and reference sera (n = 11) from vaccinated adults.

Investigation of different group A immunoassays following one dose of meningococcal group A conjugate vaccine or A/C polysaccharide vaccine in adults.

A double-blind, randomized, controlled phase I study to assess the safety, immunogenicity, and antibody persistence of a new group A conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT) in volunteers aged 18 to 35 years was previously performed. Subjects received one dose of either the PsA-TT conjugate vaccine, meningococcal A/C polysaccharide vaccine (PsA/C), or tetanus toxoid vaccine. The conjugate vaccine was shown to be safe and immunogenic as demonstrated by a standardized group A-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by a serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay using rabbit complement (rSBA).