[Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism: more than 30 years of experience in the Netherlands].

Objective: To describe the Dutch neonatal screening programme for congenital hypothyroidism (CH).

Design: Descriptive study.

Method: Data on neonatal screening for CH in the period 1 January 1981 through 31 December 2011 were obtained from the Department for Vaccine Supply and Prevention Programmes of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), laboratories and paediatricians to whom babies with abnormal screening results were referred.

Cost-effectiveness of newborn screening for cystic fibrosis determined with real-life data.

Background: Previous cost-effectiveness studies using data from the literature showed that newborn screening for cystic fibrosis (NBSCF) is a good economic option with positive health effects and longer survival.

Methods: We used primary data to compare cost-effectiveness of four screening strategies for NBSCF, i.e.

Evolution of an influenza pandemic in 13 countries from 5 continents monitored by protein microarray from neonatal screening bloodspots.

Background: Because of lack of worldwide standardization of influenza virus surveillance, comparison between countries of impact of a pandemic is challenging. For that, other approaches to allow internationally comparative serosurveys are welcome.

Objectives: Here we explore the use of neonatal screening dried blood spots to monitor the trends of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pdm virus by the use of a protein microarray.

Decline of IgG pertussis toxin measured in umbilical cord blood, and neonatal and early infant serum.

Maternal pertussis-specific antibodies are passively acquired by infants during pregnancy. An IgG pertussis toxin (IgG-PT) concentration of >20 U/ml is considered to protect neonates against pertussis. To evaluate the IgG concentration at birth and during the first two months of life, we examined the IgG-PT concentration in the umbilical cord blood and three times during the neonatal and early infant period.

Newborn screening for hunter disease: a small-scale feasibility study.

Hunter disease (Mucopolysaccharidosis type II, MPS II) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS). Two main therapies have been reported for MPS II patients: enzyme-replacement therapy (ERT) and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). Both treatment modalities have been shown to improve some symptoms, but the results with regard to cognitive functioning have been poor.