The diagnostic gains of repeat testing for Clostridium difficile by enzyme immunoassay and PCR (i.e., initial negative result followed by positive result) within a 7-day period were 1.9 and 1.7%, respectively. There is little value of repeat testing for C. difficile by enzyme immunoassay or PCR.

High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing has a higher sensitivity but lower specificity than cytology for detection of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). To avoid over-referral to colposcopy and overtreatment, hrHPV-positive women require triage testing and/or followup. A total of 25,658 women (30-60 years) enrolled in a population-based cohort study had an adequate baseline Pap ...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection, especially among young, sexually active individuals. As persistent infection with oncogenic types may lead to cervical cancer, HPV testing is a useful tool to screen for women at risk for subsequent development of cervical cancer. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) ...

BACKGROUND HIV counselling and testing (HCT) services can play an important role in HIV prevention by encouraging safe sexual behaviours and linking HIV-infected clients to antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, regular repeat testing by high-risk HIV-negative individuals is important for timely initiation of ART as part of the 'treatment as prevention' approach. AIM To investigate HCT use du...

BACKGROUND The utility of two-step tuberculin skin testing among adolescents in high tuberculosis prevalence settings is not well established. OBJECTIVES To determine the proportion and determinants of a 0-4 mm response to an initial standard tuberculin skin test (TST) and evaluating 'boosting' with repeat testing. METHODS Adolescents between 11 and 18 years attending schools/colleges under...

Background. The electronic health record (EHR) has been promoted as a tool to improve quality of patient care, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. There is little data to confirm that the use of EHR has reduced duplicate testing. We sought to evaluate the rate of performance of repeat transthoracic echocardiograms before and after the adoption of EHR. Methods. We retrospectively examined the ...

BACKGROUND Following HIV-1 acquisition, many individuals develop an acute retroviral syndrome and a majority seek care. Available antibody testing cannot detect an acute HIV infection, but repeat testing after 2-4 weeks may detect seroconversion. We assessed the effect of appointment reminders on attendance for repeat HIV testing. METHODS We enrolled, in a randomized controlled trial, 18-29 y...