At the Mercy of the Artificial Intelligence Algorithm: Discrepant Polymerase Chain Reaction Results.

As pathogen molecular diagnostics technology develops, the software analysis of polymerase chain reaction sigmoidal curves, cycle threshold (Ct) values, and the limit of nucleic acid detection for that assay is not always available when reporting test results. These are critical components in interpreting results and can affect the management of patients. Our view is that all commercial assay providers must ensure that users, as they can with laboratory-developed tests, are able to see the curve and Ct value for all samples.

Severe measles with pneumonitis in an immunocompetent adult.

Measles is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable airborne-transmitted viral infection of which there has been a recent resurgence of cases worldwide over the past year, including in countries such as the UK, which had previously successfully achieved endemic measles elimination through vaccination programmes. Measles is typically a self-limiting illness, but can rarely cause severe, life-threatening disease, particularly when complicated by respiratory or neurological involvement. These severe complications are not typically seen in the absence of immunosuppression.

Monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of malaria: a multi-target approach?

This article discusses the need for novel additional preventative strategies in malaria focusing on the potential role for monoclonal antibodies in disease prevention and putative strategies for their development and use in malaria.

infection in HIV-infected pregnant women: epidemiology and risks of mother-to-child transmission.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infects approximately one third of the world's population. Globally there are an estimated 13.

Increased imported severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria involving hyperparasitaemia (>10%) in a UK hospital following relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions compared to the pre-pandemic period.

We identified and compared patients diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria at a large hospital in London, UK prior to the COVID-19 pandemic versus following relaxation of COVID-19-associated restrictions. We found that parasitaemias, rates of hyperparasitaemia and severe malaria were significantly higher in the period post-relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Sofosbuvir in the Treatment of Hepatitis E virus Infection: A Review of and Evidence.

Chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, which occurs almost exclusively in immunocompromised patients, if untreated may progress to cirrhosis and possibly hepatocellular carcinoma. The reduction of immunosuppression and/or administration of ribavirin is frequently curative but there remain many immunocompromised individuals whose HEV infection is refractory to these therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the haematological toxicity of ribavirin limits its use.

Nosocomial transmission of hepatitis E virus and development of chronic infection: The wider impact of COVID-19.

Background: Transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) within the healthcare setting is extremely rare. Additionally, the development of chronic HEV infection in association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and/or its immunomodulatory therapy has not been reported previously.

Aims: To describe the investigation and management of a nosocomial HEV transmission incident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Acute myocarditis: aetiology, diagnosis and management.

Acute myocarditis is a serious, likely underdiagnosed condition affecting people of all ages and for which the number of UK hospital admissions is rising. A primary diagnosis of myocarditis accounted for 0.04% (36.

Clinical utility of 16S rRNA PCR in pleural infection.

Pleural infections cause major morbidity and mortality, particularly amongst paediatric and elderly populations. The aetiology is broad, but pleural culture fails to yield a causative pathogen in approximately 40 % of cases. Alternative pathogen identification methods are therefore required.