ESwab challenges influenza virus propagation in cell cultures

Practical Guidance for Clinical Microbiology Laboratories: Diagnosis of Ocular Infections

The variety and complexity of ocular infections have increased significantly in the last decade since the publication of Cumitech 13B, Laboratory Diagnosis of Ocular Infections (L. D. Gray, P. H. Gilligan, and W. C. Fowler, Cumitech 13B, Laboratory Diagnosis of Ocular Infections, 2010). The purpose of this practical guidance document is to review, for individuals working in clinical microbiology laboratories, current tools used in the laboratory diagnosis of ocular infections. This document begins by describing the complex, delicate anatomy of the eye, which often leads to limitations in specimen quantity, requiring a close working bond between laboratorians and ophthalmologists to ensure high-quality diagnostic care. Descriptions are provided of common ocular infections in developed nations and neglected ocular infections seen in developing nations. Subsequently, preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic aspects of laboratory diagnosis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing are explored in depth.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in adults 65 years and older, Denmark, 2015/16 – a rapid epidemiological and virological assessment

In Denmark, both influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B co-circulated in the 2015/16 season. We estimated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the trivalent influenza vaccine in patients 65 years and older using the test-negative case–control design. The adjusted VE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was 35.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 11.1–52.4) and against influenza B 4.1% (95% CI: −22.0 to 24.7). The majority of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 circulating in 2015/16 belonged to the new genetic subgroup subclade 6B.1.