Effect of refrigeration, room temperature, and processing time on serum immunofluorescent antibody titers for Sarcocystis neurona.

Background: Evaluating antibody titers for Sarcocystis neurona for the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis from serum samples is a common practice. However, ensuring timely and proper refrigeration is not always possible.

Objectives: To evaluate immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) titers for S.

A fresh look at the SarcoFluor antibody test for the detection of specific antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona for the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a challenging disease to diagnose in horses with neurological signs. To optimize contemporary diagnostic testing, including the use of serum:CSF antibody ratios, the SarcoFluor antibody test for Sarcocystis neurona requires revalidation. The SarcoFluor, a previously validated immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of antibodies specific to S.

Play brick therapy to aid the social skills of children and young people with autism spectrum disorder: the I-SOCIALISE cluster RCT.

Background: Social skills interventions are commonly recommended to help children and young people with autism spectrum disorder develop social skills, but some struggle to engage in these interventions. LEGO (LEGO System A/S, Billund, Denmark) based therapy, a group social skills intervention, aims to be more interesting and engaging.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of LEGO based therapy on the social and emotional skills of children and young people with autism spectrum disorder in school settings compared with usual support.

Whole genome enrichment approach for genomic surveillance of Toxoplasma gondii.

Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa can cause food and waterborne diseases. Surveillance methods must therefore screen for these pathogens at various stages of water distribution and of food from production to consumption. Detection using nucleic acid amplification methods offer rapid identification, but such methods have limited utility for characterizing populations, variant types or virulence traits of pathogens.

A Social Media Survey of US Adolescent Preferences for Menstrual Bleeding Patterns.

Study Objective: To assess preferences for menstrual pattern and acceptability and knowledge about the safety of induced amenorrhea among adolescents and young adults METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of US residents aged 14-24 years at least 1 year post-menarche. Online recruitment was conducted via the social media platform TikTok on a teen reproductive health channel. Survey questions focused on menstrual history, menstrual pattern preferences, and demographic characteristics.

Molecular detection and viability discrimination of zoonotic protozoan pathogens in oysters and seawater.

The presence of foodborne protozoan pathogens including Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Cyclospora cayetanensis in commercial shellfish has been reported across diverse geographical regions. In the present study, a novel multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was validated to simultaneously detect and discriminate these four targeted parasites in oyster tissues including whole tissue homogenate, digestive gland, gills, and hemolymph, as well as seawater where shellfish grow. To differentiate viable and non-viable protozoan (oo)cysts, we further evaluated reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assays through systematic laboratory spiking experiments by spiking not only dilutions of viable parasites but also mixtures of viable and non-viable parasites in the oyster tissues and seawater.

Evidence of intrathecally-derived antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in horses suspected of neurological disease consistent with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.

Among the recognized neurologic diseases in horses, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has been reported around the world and still presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Horses can present with clinical neurologic signs consistent with EPM while testing negative for the two main causative agents, Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi, and may still be clinically responsive to anti-parasitic drug therapy. This context led to our hypothesis that another protozoal parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, which is known to cause toxoplasmosis in other mammalian species, is a potential pathogen to cause neurologic disease in horses.

I-SOCIALISE: Results from a cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the social competence and isolation of children with autism taking part in LEGO based therapy ('Play Brick Therapy') clubs in school environments.

Autism is characterised by keen interests and differences in social interactions and communication. Activities that help autistic children and young people with social skills are commonly used in UK schools. LEGO based therapy is a new activity that provides interesting and fun social opportunities for children and young people and involves building LEGO models together.

The role of [18F]FDG-PET/CT in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteraemia: A systematic review.

Objectives: Bacteraemia is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. [18F]FDG-PET/CT is increasingly used to detect infectious metastatic foci, however there remains international variation in its use. We performed a systematic review assessing the impact of [18F]FDG-PET/CT in adult inpatients with gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteraemia.

Booster Vaccination Against SARS-CoV-2 Induces Potent Immune Responses in People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Background: People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with good CD4 T-cell counts make effective immune responses following vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There are few data on longer term responses and the impact of a booster dose.

Methods: Adults with HIV were enrolled into a single arm open label study.

Implementing the use of objective medication adherence data in routine clinical practice via the digital CFHealthHub platform: situation analysis and strategy development using the theoretical domains framework.

Background: Preventative inhaled treatments preserve lung function and reduce exacerbations in cystic fibrosis (CF). Self-reported adherence to these treatments is over-estimated. An online platform (CFHealthHub) has been developed with patients and clinicians to display real-time objective adherence data from dose-counting nebulisers, so that clinical teams can offer informed treatment support.

Cost-utility analysis of LEGO based therapy for school children and young people with autism spectrum disorder: results from a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of LEGO-based therapy compared with usual support.

Design: Cost-utility analysis alongside randomised control trial.

Setting: Mainstream primary and secondary schools in the UK.

Quantification of viable protozoan parasites on leafy greens using molecular methods.

Protozoan contamination in produce is of growing importance due to their capacity to cause illnesses in consumers of fresh leafy greens. Viability assays are essential to accurately estimate health risk caused by viable parasites that contaminate food. We evaluated the efficacy of reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), propidium monoazide coupled with (q)PCR, and viability staining using propidium iodide through systematic laboratory spiking experiments for selective detection of viable Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia enterica, and Toxoplasma gondii.

Associations between faecal pathogen detection, E. coli concentrations and youth exhibitor biosecurity practices at California county fairs.

Interactions with livestock in public settings such as county and state fairs can expose people and other livestock to faecal material capable of spreading zoonotic enteric pathogens. The goal of this study was to understand these risks by screening livestock faeces (n = 245) and livestock bedding (n = 155) for common zoonotic pathogens (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella and Campylobacter spp.) and by measuring faecal indicator, Escherichia coli, concentrations in drinking water (n = 153), feed containers (n = 124) and bedding material (n = 157) in four livestock species (cattle, sheep, goats and swine) from county fairs in California, USA.

Molecular detection of Sarcocystis neurona in cerebrospinal fluid from 210 horses with suspected neurologic disease.

An ante-mortem diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is presently based on clinical presentation, immunodiagnostics performed on serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and ruling out other neurological disorders. Molecular techniques introduce a novel and promising approach for the detection of protozoal agents in CSF. Hypothesizing that real-time PCR (rtPCR) can be a useful complement to EPM diagnostics, 210 CSF samples from horses suspected of neurological disease with EPM included as a differential diagnosis were tested using rtPCR to detect Sarcocystis neurona DNA and immunodiagnostics targeting antibodies against the same pathogen, performed on serum and CSF samples.

Is hyperpolarised gas magnetic resonance imaging a valid and reliable tool to detect lung health in cystic fibrosis patients? a cosmin systematic review.

This paper systematically reviewed the literature reporting the validity and reliability of hyperpolarised gas MRI as a marker of lung health in cystic fibrosis (CF). MEDLINE, EMBASE and grey literature were searched for studies assessing the measurement properties of hyperpolarised helium-3 or xenon-129 MRI. The COSMIN risk of bias tool was used to critically appraise eligible studies.

Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia miyamotoi seroprevalence in California blood donors.

The western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, an important vector in the western United States of two zoonotic spirochetes: Borrelia burgdorferi (also called Borreliella burgdorferi), causing Lyme disease, and Borrelia miyamotoi, causing a relapsing fever-type illness. Human cases of Lyme disease are well-documented in California, with increased risk in the north coastal areas and western slopes of the Sierra Nevada range. Despite the established presence of B.

Outcome of Hospitalization for COVID-19 in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease. An International Multicenter Study.

The impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) has not been established. To assess outcomes in patients with ILD hospitalized for COVID-19 versus those without ILD in a contemporaneous age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched population. An international multicenter audit of patients with a prior diagnosis of ILD admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 between March 1 and May 1, 2020, was undertaken and compared with patients without ILD, obtained from the ISARIC4C (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium) cohort, admitted with COVID-19 over the same period.

Type X strains of Toxoplasma gondii are virulent for southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) and present in felids from nearby watersheds.

Why some Toxoplasma gondii-infected southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) develop fatal toxoplasmosis while others have incidental or mild chronic infections has long puzzled the scientific community. We assessed robust datasets on T. gondii molecular characterization in relation to detailed necropsy and histopathology results to evaluate whether parasite genotype influences pathological outcomes in sea otters that stranded along the central California coast.

Simultaneous detection of four protozoan parasites on leafy greens using a novel multiplex PCR assay.

Pathogen contamination of fresh produce presents a health risk for consumers; however, the produce industry still lacks adequate tools for simultaneous detection of protozoan parasites. Here, a simple multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay was developed for detection of protozoan (oo)cysts and compared with previously published real-time PCR assays and microscopy methods. The assay was evaluated for simultaneous detection of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Cyclospora cayetanensis, and Toxoplasma gondii followed by parasite differentiation via either a nested specific PCR or a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay.

Financial interests of patient organisations contributing to technology assessment at England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: policy review.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of financial interests among patient organisations contributing to health technology assessment at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England and the extent to which NICE's disclosure policy ensures that decision making committees are aware of these interests.

Design: Policy review using accounts, annual reports, and websites of patient organisations; payments declared by pharmaceutical manufacturers on their websites and a centralised database (Disclosure UK); declarations of interests by nominated representatives of patient organisations; and responses from patient organisations.

Setting: Appraisals of medicines and treatments (technologies) for use in the English and Welsh National Health Service.