Nucleotide Sequence Diversity of the bexA Gene in Serotypeable Haemophilus influenzae Strains Recovered from Invasive Disease Patients in Canada▿ †

The bexA genes of 36 Haemophilus influenzae isolates were sequenced to reveal their nucleotide sequence diversity, which divided them into two groups, similar to clonal divisions I and II. This sequence diversity may lead to false-negative PCR results for H. influenzae infections if bexA is the chosen gene target

Use of Monoclonal Antibodies To Serotype Bordetella pertussis Isolates: Comparison of Results Obtained by Indirect Whole-Cell Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Bacterial Microagglutination Methods

Sixty-one Bordetella pertussis isolates were tested blindly in two laboratories to determine their serotype nature by monoclonal antibodies using two independent methods: the standard bacterial microagglutination assay and an indirect whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both methods gave concordant results in 60 of the 61 isolates

Polymorphisms of the Fimbria fim3 Gene of Bordetella pertussis Strains Isolated in Canada

The fim genes which code for the fimbria protective antigens present in both the inactivated whole-cell and acellular vaccines were analyzed in 86 Canadian Bordetella pertussis isolates. At least one of the novel mutations identified was found to involve a surface epitope that has been mapped by serum antibodies from infected or vaccinated subjects

Patient-reported outcomes at discontinuation of anti-angiogenesis therapy in the randomized trial of chemotherapy with bevacizumab for advanced cervical cancer: an NRG Oncology Group study.

INTRODUCTION: To describe patient-reported outcomes and toxicities at time of treatment discontinuation secondary to progression or toxicities in advanced/recurrent cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with bevacizumab. METHODS: Summarize toxicity, grade, and health-related quality of life within 1 month of treatment discontinuation for women receiving chemotherapy with bevacizumab in GOG240. RESULTS: Of the 227 patients who received chemotherapy with bevacizumab, 148 discontinued study protocol treatment (90 for disease progression and 58 for toxicity). The median survival time from treatment discontinuation to death was 7.9 months (95% CI 5.0 to 9.0) for those who progressed versus 12.1 months (95% CI 8.9 to 23.2) for those who discontinued therapy due to toxicities. The most common grade 3 or higher toxicities included hematologic, gastrointestinal, and pain. Some 57% (84/148) of patients completed quality of life assessment within 1 month of treatment discontinuation. Those patients who discontinued treatment due to progression had a mean decline in the FACT-Cx TOI of 3.2 points versus 2.2 in patients who discontinued therapy due to toxicity. This was a 9.9 point greater decline in the FACT-Cx TOI scores than those who discontinued treatment due to progression (95% CI 2.8 to 17.0, p=0.007). The decline in quality of life was due to worsening physical and functional well-being. Those who discontinued treatment due to toxicities had worse neurotoxicity and pain. DISCUSSION: Patients who discontinued chemotherapy with bevacizumab for toxicity experienced longer post-protocol survival but significantly greater declination in quality of life than those with progression. Future trial design should include supportive care interventions that optimize physiologic function and performance status for salvage therapies

Genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility loci for acute myeloid leukemia

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy with an undefined heritable risk. Here we perform a meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies, with replication in a fourth study, incorporating a total of 4018 AML cases and 10488 controls. We identify a genome-wide significant risk locus for AML at 11q13.2 (rs4930561; P = 2.15 x 10(-8); KMT5B). We also identify a genome-wide significant risk locus for the cytogenetically normal AML sub-group (N = 1287) at 6p21.32 (rs3916765; P = 1.51 x 10(-10); HLA). Our results inform on AML etiology and identify putative functional genes operating in histone methylation (KMT5B) and immune function (HLA). Genome wide association studies in cancer are used to understand the heritable genetic contribution to disease risk. Here, the authors perform a genome wide association study in European patients with acute myeloid leukemia and identify loci associated with risk of developing the disease.Peer reviewe