John WA Rossen

Publications (90) View all

• Article: Detection of enterovirus RNA in cerebrospinal fluid: comparison of two molecular assays.

  S C M de Crom, C C Obihara, A M van Loon, A A Argilagos-Alvarez, M F Peeters, A M van Furth, J W A Rossen
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  ABSTRACT: Enterovirus (EV) and human parechovirus (HPeV) are a major cause of infection in childhood. A rapid diagnostic test may improve the management of patients with EV and HPeV infection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of the GeneXpert enterovirus assay (GXEA) for detection of EV RNA compared to a user-developed reverse-transcriptase (RT) quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in routine clinical practice. Also a RT-qPCR assay for detection of HPeV RNA in different clinical samples was developed and evaluated. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 232 patients suspected for meningitis was collected and tested for EV and HPeV using RT-qPCR assays. In parallel an aliquot of the samples was tested using the GXEA and viral culture. EV RNA was detected in 22 (19.0%) and 28 (24.1%) of 116 samples using the GXEA and RT-qPCR assay, respectively. EV was isolated from 10 of 116 (8.6%) samples by viral culture. GXEA had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 82.1%, 100%, 100% and 96.2%, respectively. In this study, molecular assays were superior to viral culture for detecting EV RNA in CSF. GXEA showed a high specificity but a lower sensitivity for the detection of EV RNA compared to the RT-qPCR assay.
  Journal of virological methods 01/2012; 179(1):104-7. · 2.13 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Wilfrid van Pelt

  Article: Norovirus disease associated with excess mortality and use of statins: a retrospective cohort study of an outbreak following a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

  M Rondy, M Koopmans, C Rotsaert, T Van Loon, B Beljaars, G Van Dijk, J Siebenga, S Svraka, J W A Rossen, P Teunis, W Van Pelt, L Verhoef
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  ABSTRACT: Although norovirus infection is generally known to be a mild disease, there is some evidence for severe outcome. An outbreak in a Dutch psychiatric institution, originating from pilgrims returning from Lourdes (France), provided an opportunity for performing a retrospective cohort study in order to identify risk factors for norovirus disease and excess mortality. Relative risks (RR) including 95% confidence intervals (CI) showed that attending the pilgrimage (RR 2·0, 95% CI 1·4-3·0) and age >70 (RR 1·7, 95% CI 1·2-2·2) were risk factors for symptomatic infection. In a subset of patients, for whom more detailed information was available, the use of statins was associated with norovirus disease when adjusted for underlying condition (adjusted odds ratio 3·9, 95% CI 1·2-13·0). Mortality was higher in cases infected during the pilgrimage compared to other residents (RR 20·9, 95% CI 4·7-93·8). Norovirus disease can lead to severe outcome. The newly identified risk of statins for contracting norovirus disease may have considerable consequences for the Western world and needs prospective confirmation.
  Epidemiology and Infection 03/2011; 139(3):453-63. · 2.84 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Louis Bont

  Article: Disease severity and viral load are correlated in infants with primary respiratory syncytial virus infection in the community.

  M L Houben, F E J Coenjaerts, J W A Rossen, M E Belderbos, R W Hofland, J L L Kimpen, L Bont
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  ABSTRACT: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory tract infections in infants, with remarkable variability in disease severity. Factors determining severity of disease in previously healthy infants are still unclear. It was hypothesized that disease severity is correlated with viral load in primary RSV infection. Infants of a healthy birth cohort were included at signs of their first respiratory tract infection. Nasopharyngeal aspirate was obtained within 48-96 hr and disease severity was assessed with a previously published severity scoring model. PCR was applied to test the aspirates in a semi-quantitative way for the presence of 10 respiratory pathogens. In case of multiple infection, the pathogen with the highest load was defined as the primary pathogen. The correlation between disease severity and viral load was analyzed. A total of 82 infants were included over a period of 2 years. Median age at first respiratory tract infection was 3 months. Pathogens were detected in 77 (94%) infants; more than one pathogen was detected in 35 (43%) infants. RSV was present in aspirates of 30 infants; in 16 aspirates RSV was the primary pathogen. A negative correlation between RSV CT-value and disease severity was found in all RSV cases (rho = -0.52, P = 0.003) and in cases with RSV as the primary pathogen (rho = -0.54, P = 0.03). In conclusion, this is the first report on viral loads in previously healthy infants with RSV infection in the community. Disease severity correlated positively with viral load during primary RSV infection.
  Journal of Medical Virology 07/2010; 82(7):1266-71. · 2.82 Impact Factor
• Article: Disease severity and viral load are correlated in infants with primary respiratory syncytial virus infection in the community

  M.L. Houben, F.E.J. Coenjaerts, J.W.A. Rossen, M.E. Belderbos, R.W. Hofland, J.L.L. Kimpen, L. Bont
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  ABSTRACT: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory tract infections in infants, with remarkable variability in disease severity. Factors determining severity of disease in previously healthy infants are still unclear. It was hypothesized that disease severity is correlated with viral load in primary RSV infection. Infants of a healthy birth cohort were included at signs of their first respiratory tract infection. Nasopharyngeal aspirate was obtained within 48–96 hr and disease severity was assessed with a previously published severity scoring model. PCR was applied to test the aspirates in a semi-quantitative way for the presence of 10 respiratory pathogens. In case of multiple infection, the pathogen with the highest load was defined as the primary pathogen. The correlation between disease severity and viral load was analyzed. A total of 82 infants were included over a period of 2 years. Median age at first respiratory tract infection was 3 months. Pathogens were detected in 77 (94%) infants; more than one pathogen was detected in 35 (43%) infants. RSV was present in aspirates of 30 infants; in 16 aspirates RSV was the primary pathogen. A negative correlation between RSV CT-value and disease severity was found in all RSV cases (ρ = −0.52, P = 0.003) and in cases with RSV as the primary pathogen (ρ = −0.54, P = 0.03). In conclusion, this is the first report on viral loads in previously healthy infants with RSV infection in the community. Disease severity correlated positively with viral load during primary RSV infection. J. Med. Virol. 82: 1266–1271, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
  Journal of Medical Virology 06/2010; 82(7):1266 - 1271. · 2.82 Impact Factor
• Article: Transmission of respiratory syncytial virus at the paediatric intensive-care unit: a prospective study using real-time PCR.

  A C van de Pol, J W A Rossen, T F W Wolfs, E K Breteler, J L L Kimpen, A M van Loon, N J G Jansen
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  ABSTRACT: Transmission of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) at a paediatric intensive-care unit (PICU) was examined using a highly sensitive real-time PCR. Twenty-four children with RSV LRTI were admitted during the study period (total days of potential transmission: 239). Forty-eight RSV-negative patients were followed up for RSV acquisition every 5 days (total days of exposure: 683). No single RSV transmission was documented with this highly sensitive diagnostic method. Therefore, routine infection control measures of LRTI patients seem to be adequate to prevent RSV transmission at the PICU.
  Clinical Microbiology and Infection 07/2009; 16(5):488-90. · 4.54 Impact Factor