Sequencing and phylogenetic characterisation of a fatal Crimean - Congo haemorrhagic fever case imported into the United Kingdom, October 2012

A patient with fever, and haemorrhagic symptoms was admitted to a hospital in Glasgow on 2 October 2012. Since he had returned from Afghanistan, serum samples were sent for diagnosis at the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory, where a real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR diagnosis of Crimean – Congo haemorrhagic fever was made within 3 hrs after receipt of the sample. Hereafter the patient was transferred to a high-security infectious diseases unit in London but died on 6 October.

Sequencing and phylogenetic characterisation of a fatal Crimean – Congo haemorrhagic fever case imported into the United Kingdom, October 2012

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches

Alopecia universalis, hypothyroidism and pituitary hyperplasia: polyglandular autoimmune syndrome III in a patient in remission from treated Hodgkin lymphoma

We herein report a case of a 33-year-old man in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma, who presented with reduced potency and hair loss. Initial endocrine tests revealed autoimmune hypothyroidism. An MRI of his pituitary gland at onset revealed hyperplasia. He tolerated replacement endocrine therapy with good response, but with no improvement in his alopecia universalis. A repeat MRI, 6 months after his initial endocrine manipulation, showed resolution of his pituitary hyperplasia.

Refractive error and visual impairment in school children in Northern Ireland

AIMS

To describe the prevalence of refractive error (myopia and hyperopia) and visual impairment in a representative sample of white school children.

METHODS

The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction study, a population-based cross-sectional study, examined 661 white 12-13-year-old and 392 white 6-7-year-old children between 2006 and 2008. Procedures included assessment of monocular logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), visual acuity (unaided and presenting) and binocular open-field cycloplegic (1% cyclopentolate) autorefraction. Myopia was defined as -0.50DS or more myopic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) in either eye, hyperopia as > or =+2.00DS SER in either eye if not previously classified as myopic. Visual impairment was defined as >0.30 logMAR units (equivalent to 6/12).

RESULTS

Levels of myopia were 2.8% (95% CI 1.3% to 4.3%) in younger and 17.7% (95% CI 13.2% to 22.2%) in older children: corresponding levels of hyperopia were 26% (95% CI 20% to 33%) and 14.7% (95% CI 9.9% to 19.4%). The prevalence of presenting visual impairment in the better eye was 3.6% in 12-13-year-old children compared with 1.5% in 6-7-year-old children. Almost one in four children fails to bring their spectacles to school.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to provide robust population-based data on the prevalence of refractive error and visual impairment in Northern Irish school children. Strategies to improve compliance with spectacle wear are required.