Hepatitis E seroprevalence and viremia rate in immunocompromised patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Background and aims Hepatitis E is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Immunocompromised patients present a particular risk group, as chronification of hepatitis E leading to life-threatening cirrhosis occurs when these patients are infected. Therefore, this study aims to estimate and compare the anti-HEV seroprevalence and the rate of HEV RNA positivity in transplant recipients and patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis involved a literature search (PubMed, Scopus; 1,138 studies) including 120 studies from 1996 to 2019, reporting anti-HEV seroprevalence and/or HEV-RNA positivity. Statistical a…

Second follow-up of a German cohort on childhood cancer incidence after exposure to postnatal diagnostic x-ray.

Studies on children exposed to ionizing radiation by computed tomography (CT) indicate an increased risk of leukemia and central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Evidence of the risks associated with diagnostic X-ray examinations, the most frequent examination in pediatric radiology, in which the radiation dose is up to 750 times lower compared to CT examinations, is less clear.a#13; This study presents results of the second follow-up for the risk of childhood cancer in a cohort of children (alt;15 years) with diagnostic X-ray exposure at a large German hospital during 1976-2003 followed for additional 10 years until 2016.a#13; With a latency period of six months, 92,998 children contributed 79…

Investigation of superspreading COVID-19 outbreak events in meat and poultry processing plants in Germany: A cross-sectional study.

Since May 2020, several COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred in the German meat industry despite various protective measures, and temperature and ventilation conditions were considered as possible high-risk factors. This cross-sectional study examined meat and poultry plants to examine possible risk factors. Companies completed a self-administered questionnaire on the work environment and protective measures taken to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for the possibility to distance at least 1.5 meters, break rules, and employment status was performed to identify risk factors associated with COVID-19 cases. Twenty-two meat and poultry plants with 1…

Prevalence of Cardiac Disease in Breast Cancer Patients at Time of Diagnosis Compared to the General Female Population in Germany.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Advances in oncological therapy have significantly improved breast cancer survival; therefore comorbid conditions are becoming more relevant. We investigated the prevalence of prior cardiovascular diseases and risk factors in patients with breast cancer compared to those in the general female population in Germany. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The PASSOS heart study is a retrospective multicenter cohort study on cardiac late effects in breast cancer patients treated between 1998 and 2008. We analyzed the frequencies of cardiac diseases and cardiovascular risk factors in patients from this cohort as documented in anesthesia …

Performance of a rapid diagnostic test for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in African children admitted to hospital with diarrhea

Background Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes mild to severe diarrhoeal disease in humans. To date, several commercial companies have developed rapid immunoassays for the detection of Cryptosporidium infection. However, the challenge is to identify an accurate, simple and rapid diagnostic tool for the estimation of cryptosporidiosis burden. This study aims at evaluating the accuracy of CerTest Crypto, a commercialized rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for the detection of Cryptosporidium antigens in the stool of children presenting with diarrhoea. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in four study sites in Sub-Saharan Africa (Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, and Tanzania), from…

Understanding cultural influences on back pain and back pain research

Low back pain is highly prevalent and places a considerable burden on individuals, their families and communities. This back pain burden is unequally distributed around the world and within populations. Clinicians and researchers addressing back pain should be aware of the cultural, social and political context of back pain patients and how this context can influence pain perception, disability and health care use. Culture, which influences the beliefs and behaviour of individuals within a social group, could be considered an important contributor to the unequal distribution of back pain. However, there is paucity of high-quality research exploring the influence of culture on the experience…

Reply to ‘Comment on: Baaken D, Hammer GP, Seidenbusch MC, Schneider K, Spix C, Blettner M, Pokora R and Lorenz E 2019 Second follow-up of a German cohort on childhood cancer after exposure to postnatal diagnostic x-ray J. Radiol. Prot. 39 1074–91’

Cluster-Randomized Studies.

Background Cluster-randomized trials (CRT) are needed to compare interventions that are allocated to entire groups of subjects, rather than to individuals. Publications about CRT have become steadily more common over the past decade. Readers of such publications should be able to categorize and interpret the findings of CRT correctly while considering the methodological requirements applicable to this type of study. Methods This review is based on a selection of pertinent literature and on the authors' expertise. CRT-specific methodological aspects of the planning, performance, and interpretation of studies are discussed. Results Readers of publications on CRT should check whether due consi…

Regional Variation of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Enterobacterales, Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Salmonella enterica and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Febrile Patients in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) thwarts the curative power of drugs and is a present-time global problem. We present data on antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance determinants of bacteria the WHO has highlighted as being key antimicrobial resistance concerns in Africa, to strengthen knowledge of AMR patterns in the region. Methods: Blood, stool, and urine specimens of febrile patients, aged between ≥ 30 days and ≤ 15 years and hospitalized in Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, and Tanzania were cultured from November 2013 to March 2017 (Patients > 15 years were included in Tanzania). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for all Enterobacterales and Staphylococcus aur…

Covariate-constrained Randomization Routine for Achieving Baseline Balance in Cluster-randomized Trials

In cluster-randomized trials, groups or clusters of individuals, rather than individuals themselves, are randomly allocated to intervention or control. In this article, we describe a new command, ccrand, that implements a covariate-constrained randomization procedure for cluster-randomized trials. It can ensure balance of one or more baseline covariates between trial arms by restriction to allocations that meet specified balance criteria. We provide a brief overview of the theoretical background, describe ccrand and its options, and illustrate it using an example.