Publications by authors named "Georgina McAllister"

Background: The widespread global access to antiretroviral drugs has led to considerable reductions in morbidity and mortality but, unfortunately, the risk of virologic failure increases with the emergence, and potential transmission, of drug resistant viruses. Detecting and quantifying HIV-1 drug resistance has therefore become the standard of care when designing new antiretroviral regimens. The sensitivity of Sanger sequencing-based HIV-1 genotypic assays is limited by its inability to identify minority members of the quasispecies, i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Enteroviruses (EV) can cause severe neurological and respiratory infections, and occasionally lead to devastating outbreaks as previously demonstrated with EV-A71 and EV-D68 in Europe. However, these infections are still often underdiagnosed and EV typing data is not currently collected at European level. In order to improve EV diagnostics, collate data on severe EV infections and monitor the circulation of EV types, we have established European non-polio enterovirus network (ENPEN).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The development of a vaccine for norovirus requires a detailed understanding of global genetic diversity of noroviruses. We analysed their epidemiology and diversity using surveillance data from the NoroNet network.

Methods: We included genetic sequences of norovirus specimens obtained from outbreak investigations and sporadic gastroenteritis cases between 2005 and 2016 in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Dried blood spots (DBS) are a useful specimen collection tool in situations where venous access is problematic, however, detection of biomarkers from this specimen type is subject to variation depending on storage conditions and storage time.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HCV from DBS after storage.

Study Design: DBS specimens were stored at -70°C, -20°C, 4°C, 22 to 28°C and 37°C either with or without desiccant.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

HIV avidity can measure the incidence of recent infections within the population. The aim of this study was to evaluate an HIV avidity assay, initially from a clinically defined group of patients and then apply the assay to a prospective study to determine the false recency rate and mean duration of recency for the assay. The assay is a commercial ELISA modified with 7 M urea.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Dried blood spot (DBS) testing for hepatitis C (HCV) was introduced to Scotland in 2009. This minimally invasive specimen provides an alternative to venipuncture and can overcome barriers to testing in people who inject drugs (PWID).

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine rates and predictors of: exposure to HCV, attendance at specialist clinics and anti-viral treatment initiation among the DBS tested population in Scotland.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Government policy has precipitated recent changes in the provision of harm reduction interventions - injecting equipment provision (IEP) and opiate substitution therapy (OST) - for people who inject drugs (PWID) in Scotland. We sought to examine the potential impact of these changes on hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among PWID.

Methods And Findings: We used a framework to triangulate different types of evidence: 'group-level/ecological' and 'individual-level'.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: An estimated 130-170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HCV.(1) In Europe the highest prevalence of HCV infections is in the IDU population.(2) As traditional HCV screening relies on the detection of HCV antibody or HCV RNA in blood, screening in high-risk groups such as IDU is difficult due to poor venous access caused by damaged veins.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF