Carriage of Blastocystis spp. in travellers - A prospective longitudinal study.

Introduction: A lack of prospective and longitudinal data on pre- and post-travel carriage of Blastocystis spp. complicates interpretation of a positive test post-travel. Therefore we studied dynamics of Blastocystis carriage in a cohort of Dutch travellers.

The hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3 Q80K polymorphism is frequently detected and transmitted among HIV-infected MSM in the Netherlands.

Objectives: The Q80K polymorphism is a naturally occurring resistance-associated variant in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) region and is likely transmissible between hosts. This study describes the Q80K origin and prevalence among HCV risk groups in the Netherlands and examines whether Q80K is linked to specific transmission networks.

Design And Methods: Stored blood samples from HCV genotype 1a-infected patients were used for PCR and sequencing to reconstruct the NS3 maximum likelihood phylogeny.

Genetic characterization of multiple hepatitis C virus infections following acute infection in HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

Objective: High rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfections among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) following clearance of a primary infection suggest absence of protective immunity. Here, we investigated the incidence of HCV super and reinfections in 85 HIV-infected MSM with incident HCV infection.

Design And Methods: Serial sequencing of a fragment of NS5B and the HCV envelope was used to longitudinally characterize the virus.

Evaluation of persistence of resistant variants with ultra-deep pyrosequencing in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with telaprevir.

Background & Aims: Telaprevir, a hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor has significantly improved sustained viral response rates when given in combination with pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, compared with current standard of care in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infected patients. In patients with a failed sustained response, the emergence of drug-resistant variants during treatment has been reported. It is unclear to what extent these variants persist in untreated patients.

Simplified PCR protocols for INNO-LiPA HBV Genotyping and INNO-LiPA HBV PreCore assays.

Background: INNO-LiPA HBV Genotyping (LiPA HBV GT) and INNO-LiPA HBV PreCore (LiPA HBV PC) are commercially available assays for hepatitis B virus (HBV) characterization. These assays are labor-intensive and may be prone to exogenous DNA contamination due to their use of nested PCR amplification procedures and lack of contamination control measures.

Objective: Standardized, single-round INNO-LiPA PCR amplification protocols incorporating uracil N-glycosylase and automated sample processing by the MagNA Pure LC instrument were evaluated.