Publications

BACKGROUND: An increase of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in HIV negative men who have sex with men is reported in several European countries including Belgium before the implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

SETTING: The epidemiological characteristics of the male rectal LGV epidemic in Belgium were explored before and after the introduction of PrEP.

METHODS: Segmented regression models were used to examine a change ...

BACKGROUND: Many tropical clinics offer post-travel screening for parasitic infections in asymptomatic travellers. However, literature on attack rates and incidence rates of parasitic infections is scarce.

METHOD: All military personnel returning from a tropical region during the year 2018 were tested for the presence of antibodies against Strongyloides stercoralis, Schistosoma and Entamoeba histolytica. Test results were compared with ...

BACKGROUND: Epidemic arbovirus transmission occurs among humans by mosquito bites and the sylvatic transmission cycles involving non-human primates (NHPs) still exists. However, limited data are available on the extent in NHPs infections and their role. In this study, we have developed and validated a high-throughput serological screening tool to study the circulation of multiple arboviruses that represent a significant threat to human ...

Large-scale serosurveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) will only be possible if serological tests are sufficiently reliable, rapid and affordable. Many assays are either labour-intensive and require specialised facilities (e.g. virus neutralization assays), or are expensive with suboptimal specificity (e.g. commercial ELISAs and RDTs). Bead-based assays offer a cost-effective alternative and allow ...

BACKGROUND: Strongyloides stercoralis, a nematode endemic in all (sub)tropical regions, can cause life-threatening disease, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Many countries with high HIV-prevalence rates are also highly S. stercoralis endemic, and co-infection may occur.

METHODS: Retrospective study based on serological testing for S. stercoralis in all HIV-infected migrants followed at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, ...

We sequenced the envelope gene of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2-E) in samples from an outbreak reported in 2018, in Yurimaguas, Peru. The strain belongs to lineage 2 of the American/Asian genotype. We report a variant with two novel mutations (I379T and V484I) located in domain III of DENV2-E.

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis of repeat syphilis and its follow-up remains challenging. We aimed to investigate if IgM testing may assist in the diagnosis of syphilis reinfection/relapse and its treatment follow-up.

METHODS: This substudy was conducted in the context of a syphilis biomarker discovery study (ClinicalTrials.gov Nr: NCT02059525). Sera were collected from 120 individuals with a new diagnosis of syphilis (72 with repeat ...

Infections with arthropod-borne viruses are increasing globally as a result of climate and demographic changes, global dispersion of insect vectors, and increased air travel. The similar symptomatology of arboviral diseases and the cocirculation of different arboviruses in Africa, Asia, and South America complicate diagnosis. Despite the high sensitivity and specificity of molecular diagnostic tests, their utility is limited to the short ...