Collaborative national multicenter for the identification of conversion factors from copies/mL to international units/mL for the normalization of HCMV DNA load.

The present multicentric (n = 11 laboratories) study aimed to identify conversion factors from copies/mL to international units (IU)/mL for the normalization of HCMV DNA load using the first WHO International Standard for HCMV nucleic acid amplification techniques and to enhance interlaboratory agreement of HCMV DNA quantification methods. Study protocols for whole blood and plasma (extraction and amplification) were performed to calculate conversion factors from HCMV DNA copy number to IU. The greatest variability was observed in samples with lower HCMV concentrations (3.

Neonatal pertussis diagnosis: low procalcitonin level and high lymphocyte count are able to discriminate pertussis from bacterial and viral infections.

Pertussis is quite frequent and severe among infants; therefore, rapid diagnosis and timely targeted therapy are essential. Although a molecular test for etiological diagnosis is now available, it may not be available everywhere, and therefore adjunctive diagnostic tests are still useful for presumptive diagnosis. We describe the use of procalcitonin (PCT) and lymphocyte count to discriminate among pertussis, bacterial and viral infections.

KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae gut decolonisation following ceftazidime/avibactam-based combination therapy: A retrospective observational study.

Objectives: KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) gut colonisation is a major risk factor for developing systemic infection. Ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) may have a role as decolonisation therapy in special situations.

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, multicentre study.

Nation-wide measure of variability in HCMV, EBV and BKV DNA quantification among centers involved in monitoring transplanted patients.

Background: Inter-laboratory variability in quantifying pathogens involved in viral disease following transplantation may have a great impact on patient care, especially when pre-emptive strategies are used for prevention.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the variability in quantifying CMV, EBV and BKV DNA from 15 virology laboratories of the Italian Infections in Transplant Working Group (GLaIT) involved in monitoring transplanted patients.

Study Design: Panels from international Quality Control programs for Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD, year 2012), specific for the detection of CMV in plasma, CMV in whole blood (WB), EBV and BKV were used.

Viability of pegIFNα-RBV for CHC in the direct acting antiviral era: a practical algorithm between efficacy and cost containment.

The classical pegylated interferon α (peg-IFNα) and ribavirin (RBV) treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is progressively being replaced by new direct acting antivirals, whose costs remain a major barrier to widespread use. Using baseline data and viral kinetics, we developed a predictive algorithm to allocate to DAA patients who are not going to respond to peg-IFNα/RBV. This prospective study evaluated 205 CHC patients treated with peg-IFNα/RBV.

Differential antiviral effects of pegylated interferon-α2a and pegylated interferon-α2b in chronic hepatitis C.

Background And Objectives: Pegylated interferon (peg-IFN)-α2a and -α2b show different pharmacokinetic properties but are used interchangeably for hepatitis C treatment in traditional dual combinations and with newer agents. We assessed whether peg-IFN antiviral effects vary with peg-IFN subtype, affecting viral response in a differential manner.

Methods: Chronic hepatitis C patients treated with ribavirin combined with peg-IFN-α2a (N = 109) or -α2b (N = 114) were studied.

Vaccine effectiveness against severe laboratory-confirmed influenza in children: results of two consecutive seasons in Italy.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing Emergency Department (ED) visits and hospitalisations for influenza like illness (ILI) in children.

Methods: We conducted a test negative case-control study during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons. Eleven paediatric hospital/wards in seven Italian regions participated in the study.

Clinico-pathological significance of hepatitis C virus core antigen levels in chronic infection.

Hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCVcoreAg) may be measured in serum with a sensitive, recently validated assay. Beyond its value as a marker of viral infection, there are little data on its relation with clinical, histological, and virological parameters. In this study, the significance of HCVcoreAg levels was studied in a prospective cohort of 114 patients with chronic hepatitis C.