Torque teno virus viremia and QuantiFERON-CMV assay in prediction of cytomegalovirus reactivation in R+ kidney transplant recipients.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent infectious complication following solid organ transplantation. Torque teno viruses (TTV) viremia has been proposed as a biomarker of functional immunity in the management of kidney transplant recipients (KTR). The QuantiFERON-CMV (QF-CMV) is a commercially available assay that allows the assessment of CD8 T-cell responses in routine diagnostic laboratories.

Using Discarded Facial Tissues to Monitor and Diagnose Viral Respiratory Infections.

Molecular biology amplification enables sensitive detection of most respiratory viruses through nasopharyngeal swabbing. We developed an innovative approach to detect viral genomes on used facial tissues. In 2 communities of children, used tissues were collected once weekly for 1 year.

In-hospital and midterm post-discharge complications of adults hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus infection in France, 2017-2019: an observational study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among adults hospitalised with influenza-like illness (ILI) and compared against patients admitted for influenza.

Methods: Adults hospitalised with ILI were prospectively included from five French university hospitals over two consecutive winter seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019). RSV and influenza virus were detected by multiplex reverse transcription PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs.

Respiratory Influenza viral load as a marker of poor prognosis in patients with severe symptoms.

Background: The link between influenza virus (IV) viral load (VL) in respiratory samples and disease severity is not clearly established. This study was designed to assess IV-VL in respiratory samples from flu patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Patients admitted to ICU for IV infection, as documented by RT-PCR, with respiratory failure were included in the study during 5 flu-seasons (2014-2018).

Characteristics of human metapneumovirus infection in adults hospitalized for community-acquired influenza-like illness in France, 2012-2018: a retrospective observational study.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence, clinical features and complications of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections in a population of adults hospitalized with influenza-like illness (ILI).

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter cohort study using prospectively collected data from adult patients hospitalized during influenza virus circulation, for at least 24 h, for community-acquired ILI (with symptom onset <7 days). Data were collected from five French teaching hospitals over six consecutive winters (2012-2018).

Non-influenza respiratory viruses in adult patients admitted with influenza-like illness: a 3-year prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: To describe the burden, and characteristics, of influenza-like illness (ILI) associated with non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRV).

Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study of adults admitted with ILI during three influenza seasons (2012-2015). Patients were screened for picornavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), coronavirus, human metapneumovirus, adenovirus, bocavirus, parainfluenza virus, and influenza, by PCR on nasopharyngeal samples.

Hepatitis C subtype distribution in chronically infected patients with mild liver fibrosis in France: the GEMHEP study.

Treatment options for Hepatitis C infection have greatly improved with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combinations achieving high cure rates. Nevertheless, the cost of this treatment is still high and access to treatment in many countries has been preferentially reserved for patients with more severe fibrosis (F3 and F4). In this French nationwide study, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in treatment-naive patients with METAVIR fibrosis stages between F0 and F2 in order to identify patient profiles that became eligible for unrestricted treatment in a second period.

Assessment of blood enterovirus PCR testing in paediatric populations with fever without source, sepsis-like disease, or suspected meningitis: a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study.

Background: Enteroviruses are the most frequent cause of acute meningitis and are seen increasingly in sepsis-like disease and fever without source in the paediatric population. Detection of enterovirus in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens by PCR is the gold standard diagnostic test. Our aim was to assess a method of detecting enterovirus in blood specimens by PCR.

Performance comparison of new Veris and Xpert random access HIV-1 RNA quantification assays.

Background: Recent systems for Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) viral load (VL) monitoring allow one-by-one analysis and fast turn-around-time for results. VL measurement on two rapid recently commercialized systems, GeneXpert (Cepheid) and Veris (Beckman Coulter) was compared to classical methods.

Methods: Plasma specimen from HIV-1 (group M) positive patients (n = 129) initially quantified with Abbott RealTime HIV-1 and Generic HIV-VL Biocentric assays were retrospectively tested with GeneXpert and Veris.

Predominance of G9P[8] rotavirus strains throughout France, 2014-2017.

Objectives: Group A rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. A prospective surveillance network has been set up in France to investigate rotavirus infections and to detect the emergence of potentially epidemic strains.

Methods: From 2014 to 2017, rotavirus-positive stool samples were collected from 2394 children under 5 years old attending the paediatric emergency units of 13 large hospitals.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of respiratory syncytial virus infection among adults hospitalized with influenza-like illness in France.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse characteristics and outcome of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in adults hospitalized with influenza-like illness (ILI).

Methods: Patients hospitalized with ILI were included in this prospective, multicentre study carried out in six French hospitals during three consecutive influenza seasons (2012-2015). RSV and other respiratory viruses were detected by multiplex PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs.

Clinical severity and molecular characteristics of circulating and emerging rotaviruses in young children attending hospital emergency departments in France.

Group A rotavirus (RVA) is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. A prospective surveillance network has been set up to investigate the virological and clinical features of RVA infections and to detect the emergence of potentially epidemic strains in France. From 2009 to 2014, RVA-positive stool samples were collected from 4800 children <5 years old attending the paediatric emergency units of 16 large hospitals.

Identification of a duplicated V3 domain in NS5A associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV-1b patients.

Background: The NS5A protein of the hepatitis C virus has been shown to be involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: In a French multicenter study, we investigated the clinical and epidemiological features of a new HCV genotype 1b strain bearing a wide insertion into the V3 domain.

Study Design: We studied NS5A gene sequences in 821 French patients infected with genotype 1b HCV.

Naturally Occurring Resistance-Associated Variants of Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitors in Poor Responders to Pegylated Interferon-Ribavirin.

The pretherapeutic presence of protease inhibitor (PI) resistance-associated variants (RAVs) has not been shown to be predictive of triple-therapy outcomes in treatment-naive patients. However, they may influence the outcome in patients with less effective pegylated interferon (pegIFN)-ribavirin (RBV) backbones. Using hepatitis C virus (HCV) population sequence analysis, we retrospectively investigated the prevalence of baseline nonstructural 3 (NS3) RAVs in a multicenter cohort of poor IFN-RBV responders (i.

African, Amerindian and European hepatitis B virus strains circulate on the Caribbean Island of Martinique.

Ten Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, as well as numerous subgenotypes, have been described in well-characterized ethnogeographical populations. Martinique has been at a crossroads between Africa, Europe, India and the Americas because of the slave trade (17th-19th centuries), followed by an important immigration of Indian and West African workers. In this work, we aimed to study the molecular epidemiology of HBV infection in Martinique according to this unique settlement pattern.

Multicenter quality control of hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor resistance genotyping.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor resistance-associated substitutions are selected during triple-therapy breakthrough. This multicenter quality control study evaluated the expertise of 23 French laboratories in HCV protease inhibitor resistance genotyping. A panel of 12 well-defined blinded samples comprising two wild-type HCV strains, nine transcripts from synthetic NS3 mutant samples or from clinical strains, and one HCV RNA-negative sample was provided to the participating laboratories.

NS3 protease polymorphism and natural resistance to protease inhibitors in French patients infected with HCV genotypes 1-5.

Background: Resistant HCV populations may pre-exist in patients before NS3 protease inhibitor therapy and would likely be selected under specific antiviral pressure. The higher prevalence and lower rate of response to treatment associated with HCV genotype 1 infections has led to drug discovery efforts being focused primarily on enzymes produced by this genotype. Protease inhibitors may also be useful for non-genotype-1-infected patients, notably for non-responders.

Detection of HHV-6 in over a thousand samples: new types of infection revealed by an analysis of positive results.

Background: Clinical manifestations of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) have not been clearly defined, and the role of HHV-6 in human disease remains to be fully elucidated.

Objective: To determine the frequency of HHV-6 infections at Rennes Teaching Hospital and to describe all possible symptoms of such infections.

Study Design: We systematically analyzed in a retrospective study all the samples between May 2003 and December 2004 from patients with HHV-6 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Incidence, etiology, and determinants associated with acute diarrhea among French forces deployed to Chad.

Background: This study assesses, for the first time, the incidence, etiology, and determinants associated with traveler's diarrhea (TD) among French forces deployed to N'Djamena, Chad.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted based on physician consultation for diarrhea during a 5-month French forces mandate. Diarrhea was defined as ≥3 loose stools in a 24-hour period or ≥2 loose stools within the last 8 hours.

Use of hepatitis E IgG avidity for diagnosis of hepatitis E infection.

The diagnosis of acute hepatitis E infection is based on the detection of HEV RNA or specific IgM in immunocompetent patients. Viraemia and excretion of HEV RNA in faeces are not observed in all patients and commercial kits vary in their performance for anti-HEV IgM detection. Additional diagnostic tests must therefore be considered.