Publications by authors named "W M Irving"
Background: Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) is an intervention designed to proactively reduce the amount of known and unknown pathogens in donated blood. As current screening for known pathogens is highly effective, some previous evaluations have found that the value of PRT largely hinges on a previously unknown pathogen, most likely a novel virus, emerging and entering the blood supply. In such situations, the risk of emergence can and should be modeled and presented transparently in the cost-effectiveness results for deliberation by decision-makers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has become increasingly clinically relevant as a cause of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) globally since 2008. However, most laboratories do not routinely determine the enteroviral type of positive samples. The non-pharmaceutical measures introduced to curb transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic may also have perturbed CVA6 epidemiology.
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- The introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) offers hope for eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, but some patients (2%-12%) experience treatment failure, potentially due to existing drug resistance.
- A systematic review of 56 studies found a high prevalence of hepatitis C resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) among patients with virological failure after DAA treatment, ranging from 78% to 100% depending on the specific treatment regimen.
- The findings highlight the importance of monitoring DAA-associated resistance and understanding its implications for future treatment strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) screening is used in blood establishments worldwide to help prevent the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV), especially from donors with occult HBV infection (OBI).
- A survey conducted revealed varied practices in HBV screening across 30 responses from 25 countries, with some establishments screening all donations for anti-HBc and HBV DNA, while others had different approaches, leading to inconsistencies in donor deferral strategies.
- The findings highlight the need for improved confirmation of anti-HBc results to minimize unnecessary donor deferrals while balancing the risk of transmission from anti-HBc negative OBI donors, particularly in high-endemic regions where sensitive HBV DNA testing is crucial.
Article Synopsis
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of liver cancer that is becoming more common and is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, especially in people with liver cirrhosis.
- The study aims to find early signs of HCC in patients with cirrhosis by using better tests and involves tracking around 3,000 patients over several years.
- The research is approved by ethics boards, and the findings will be shared publicly to help improve cancer detection and treatment.