The status of HPV testing of cervical samples is up in the air. There is certainly no consensus of its utility. There are many conflicting claims in the literature as to the utility of testing for HPV. “For HPV testing to be a cost effective option, sensitivity for detection of CIN 2/3 must consistently provide a reassurance that allows triage on the basis of an HPV test result without the requ...

• Diabetes and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Initial testing for albuminuria is preferred to proteinuria as it allows detection of early nephropathy. In patients with established nephropathy there is no evidence that either test is superior. Recommendation: Initial test – urine ACR. Subsequent testing: initial test negative or microalbuminuria – repeat urine ACR initial test macroalbu...

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), a rare disorder characterized by alveolar hypoventilation and autonomic dysregulation, is caused by mutations in the PHOX2B gene. Most mutations occur de novo, but recent evidence suggests that up to 25% are inherited from asymptomatic parents with somatic mosaicism for these mutations. However, to date, germline mosaicism has not been reporte...

Automated testing frameworks, once the preserve of software developers, are now becoming more accessible and useful to the VLE application manager. Automated testing tools which record the clicks and playback tests are just a plugin away. These tools have the capability of allowing ‘front end’ testers to record once and repeat tests in a variety of browsers, ultimately speeding up testing and a...

During susceptibility testing of 743 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to pyrazinamide (PZA) using the Bactec 960 system, 57 (7.7%) isolates showed PZA resistance. Repeat testing of resistant isolates with the Bactec 460 reference method confirmed 33 (4.4%) of these isolates as resistant, and 24 (3.2%) were susceptible. Erroneous results for resistance with the Bactec 960 were confirmed by...

BACKGROUND Repeat HIV testing in late pregnancy has the potential to decrease rates of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by identifying mothers who seroconvert after having tested negative for HIV in early pregnancy. Despite being national policy in Kenya, the available data suggest that implementation rates are low. METHODS We conducted 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews with healthcar...

BACKGROUND In Norway, women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) are followed up after six months in order to decide whether they should undergo further follow-up or be referred back to the screening interval of three years. A high specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the triage test is important to avoid unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. MATER...

BACKGROUND Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is characterized by elevated pressures within a closed space of an extremity muscular compartment, causing pain and/or disability by impairing the neuromuscular function of the involved compartment. The diagnosis of CECS is primarily made on careful history and physical exam. The gold standard test to confirm the diagnosis of CECS is inv...

CONTEXT Every year approximately 2 million US women are diagnosed as having a cervical cytological result of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US). OBJECTIVE To determine the most efficient and cost-effective management strategy for women in the United States diagnosed as having ASC-US. DESIGN AND SETTING Cost-effectiveness analysis of data from clinical trials, pros...

Mycoplasma genitalium is an established cause of sexually transmitted infections. Studies of disease associations are often performed on archived specimens, but little is known about the effect of storage of specimens on the detection of M. genitalium. Genital swab and first-void urine specimens submitted for detection of M. genitalium were tested on the day of receipt. Remnants of positive ori...