Panmicrobial Oligonucleotide Array for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases

To facilitate rapid, unbiased, differential diagnosis of infectious diseases, we designed GreeneChipPm, a panmicrobial microarray comprising 29,455 sixty-mer oligonucleotide probes for vertebrate viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Methods for nucleic acid preparation, random primed PCR amplification, and labeling were optimized to allow the sensitivity required for application with nucleic acid extracted from clinical materials and cultured isolates. Analysis of nasopharyngeal aspirates, blood, urine, and tissue from persons with various infectious diseases confirmed the presence of viruses and bacteria identified by other methods, and implicated Plasmodium falciparum in an unexplained fatal case of hemorrhagic feverlike disease during the Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Angola in 2004–2005

Prenatal dexamethasone treatment for classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Europe

Objective: To assess the current medical practice in Europe regarding prenatal dexamethasone (Pdex) treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Design and methods: A questionnaire was designed and distributed, including 17 questions collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Thirty-six medical centres from 14 European countries responded and 30 out of 36 centres were reference centres of the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions, EndoERN. Results: Pdex treatment is currently provided by 36% of the surveyed centres. The treatment is initiated by different specialties, that is paediatricians, endocrinologists, gynaecologists or geneticists. Regarding the starting point of Pdex, 23% stated to initiate therapy at 4–5 weeks postconception (wpc), 31% at 6 wpc and 46 % as early as pregnancy is confirmed and before 7 wpc at the latest. A dose of 20 µg/kg/day is used. Dose distribution among the centres varies from once to thrice daily. Prenatal diagnostics for treated cases are conducted in 72% of the responding centres. Cases treated per country and year vary between 0.5 and 8.25. Registries for long-term follow-up are only available at 46% of the centres that are using Pdex treatment. National registries are only available in Sweden and France. Conclusions: This study reveals a high international variability and discrepancy in the use of Pdex treatment across Europe. It highlights the importance of a European cooperation initiative for a joint international prospective trial to establish evidence-based guidelines on prenatal diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of pregnancies at risk for CAH

Prenatal dexamethasone treatment for classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Europe

none42siTo assess the current medical practice in Europe regarding prenatal dexamethasone (Pdex) treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.Nowotny, Hanna; Neumann, Uta; Tardy-Guidollet, Véronique; Ahmed, S Faisal; Baronio, Federico; Battelino, Tadej; Bertherat, Jérôme; Blankenstein, Oliver; Bonomi, Marco; Bouvattier, Claire; Brac de la Perrière, Aude; Brucker, Sara; Cappa, Marco; Chanson, Philippe; Claahsen-van der Grinten, Hedi L; Colao, Annamaria; Cools, Martine; Davies, Justin H; Dörr, Helmut-Günther; Fenske, Wiebke K; Ghigo, Ezio; Giordano, Roberta; Gravholt, Claus H; Huebner, Angela; Husebye, Eystein Sverre; Igbokwe, Rebecca; Juul, Anders; Kiefer, Florian W; Léger, Juliane; Menassa, Rita; Meyer, Gesine; Neocleous, Vassos; Phylactou, Leonidas A; Rohayem, Julia; Russo, Gianni; Scaroni, Carla; Touraine, Philippe; Unger, Nicole; Vojtková, Jarmila; Yeste, Diego; Lajic, Svetlana; Reisch, NicoleNowotny, Hanna; Neumann, Uta; Tardy-Guidollet, Véronique; Ahmed, S Faisal; Baronio, Federico; Battelino, Tadej; Bertherat, Jérôme; Blankenstein, Oliver; Bonomi, Marco; Bouvattier, Claire; Brac de la Perrière, Aude; Brucker, Sara; Cappa, Marco; Chanson, Philippe; Claahsen-van der Grinten, Hedi L; Colao, Annamaria; Cools, Martine; Davies, Justin H; Dörr, Helmut-Günther; Fenske, Wiebke K; Ghigo, Ezio; Giordano, Roberta; Gravholt, Claus H; Huebner, Angela; Husebye, Eystein Sverre; Igbokwe, Rebecca; Juul, Anders; Kiefer, Florian W; Léger, Juliane; Menassa, Rita; Meyer, Gesine; Neocleous, Vassos; Phylactou, Leonidas A; Rohayem, Julia; Russo, Gianni; Scaroni, Carla; Touraine, Philippe; Unger, Nicole; Vojtková, Jarmila; Yeste, Diego; Lajic, Svetlana; Reisch, Nicol

Prenatal dexamethasone treatment for classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Europe

Objective: To assess the current medical practice in Europe regarding prenatal dexamethasone (Pdex) treatment of CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Design and Methods: A questionnaire was designed and distributed, including 17 questions collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Thirty-six medical centres from 14 European countries responded and 30 out of 36 centres were reference centres of the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions, EndoERN. Results: Pdex treatment is currently provided by 36 % of the surveyed centres. The treatment is initiated by different specialties i.e. paediatricians, endocrinologists, gynaecologists or geneticists. Regarding the starting point of Pdex, 23 % stated to initiate therapy at 4 to 5 weeks post conception (wpc), 31 % at 6 wpc, and 46 % as early as pregnancy is confirmed and before 7 wpc at the latest. A dose of 20 µg/kg/d is used. Dose distribution among the centres varies between once to thrice daily. Prenatal diagnostics for treated cases are conducted in 72 % of the responding centres. Cases treated per country and year vary between 0.5 to 8.25. Registries for long-term follow-up are only available at 46 % of the centres that are using Pdex treatment. National registries are only available in Sweden and France. Conclusions: This study reveals a high international variability and discrepancy on the use of Pdex treatment across Europe. It highlights the importance of a European cooperation initiative for a joint international prospective trial to establish evidence based guidelines on prenatal diagnostics, treatment and follow up of pregnancies at risk for CAH