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Background: Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a severe infectious disease with high mortality rates, but is under-recognized worldwide. In endemic areas, there is a great need for simple, low-cost and rapid diagnostic tools. In a previous study we showed, that a protein multiplex array with 20 B. pseudomallei-specific antigens detects antibodies in melioidosis patients with high sensitivity and specificity. In a subsequent study the high potential of anti-B. pseudomallei antibody detection was confirmed using a rapid Hcp1 single protein-based assay. Our protein array also showed that the antibody profile varies between patients, possibly due to a combination of host factors but also antigen variations in the infecting B. pseudomallei strains. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid test, combining Hcp1 and the best performing antigens BPSL2096, BPSL2697 and BPSS0477 from our previous study, to take advantage of simultaneous antibody detection. Methods and principal findings: The 4-plex dipstick was validated with sera from 75 patients on admission plus control groups, achieving 92% sensitivity and 97–100% specificity. We then re-evaluated melioidosis sera with the 4-plex assay that were previously misclassified by the monoplex Hcp1 rapid test. 12 out of 55 (21.8%) false-negative samples were positive in our new dipstick assay. Among those, 4 sera (7.3%) were Hcp1 positive, whereas 8 (14.5%) sera remained Hcp1 negative but gave a positive reaction with our additional antigens. Conclusions: Our dipstick rapid test represents an inexpensive, standardized and simple diagnostic tool with an improved serodiagnostic performance due to multiplex detection. Each additional band on the test strip makes a false-positive result more unlikely, contributing to its reliability. Future prospective studies will seek to validate the gain in sensitivity and specificity of our multiplex rapid test approach in different melioidosis patient cohorts. Author summary: The Gram-negative environmental pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei, causes the severe disease melioidosis. It is highly endemic in southeast Asia and northern Australia, but recent studies suggest that it is also present in many other parts of the world where it is severely underreported. The latter results from the extremely variable and non-specific clinical manifestations of the disease, lack of clinical recognition, and the global scarcity of good quality laboratories to allow diagnosis from microbiological culture. This is even more unfortunate, as early diagnosis of the disease is indispensable for an effective therapy, since B. pseudomallei is intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics used for empirical treatment in endemic areas. Therefore, the development of new, standardized and sensitive tools is of high importance for both diagnostics and epidemiology. We focused on the development of a dipstick assay, which is based on the detection of serum antibodies against four B. pseudomallei specific protein antigens. Here we present a cost effective, simple and rapid melioidosis assay with improved sensitivity that does not depend on sophisticated laboratory equipment and therefore addresses most of the before mentioned obstacles and is easy to manufacture in large scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to analyze the influence of weather conditions on medical emergencies in a half-marathon, specifically by evaluating its relation to the number of non-finishers, ambulance-required assistances, and collapses in need of ambulance as well as looking at the location of such emergencies on the race course. Seven years of data from the world's largest half marathon were used. Meteorological data were obtained from a nearby weather station, and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index was used as a measure of general weather conditions. Of the 315,919 race starters, 104 runners out of the 140 ambulance-required assistances needed ambulance services due to collapses. Maximum air temperature and PET significantly co-variated with ambulance-required assistances, collapses, and non-finishers (R2 =0.65–0.92; p=0.001–0.03). When air temperatures vary between 15–29°C, an increase of 1°C results in an increase of 2.5 (0.008/1000) ambulance-required assistances, 2.5 (0.008/1000) collapses (needing ambulance services), and 107 (0.34/1000) non-finishers. The results also indicate that when the daily maximum PET varies between 18–35°C, an increase of 1°C PET results in an increase of 1.8 collapses (0.006/1000) needing ambulance services and 66 non-finishers (0.21/1000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To develop a validated and generalized collaborative tool to be utilized by high reliability organizations in order to conduct common resource assessment before major events and mass gatherings. Methods The Swedish resource and risk estimation guide was used as foundation for the development of the generalized collaborative tool, by three different expert groups, and then analyzed. Analysis of inter-rater reliability was conducted through simulated cases that showed weighted and unweight κ -statistics. Results The results revealed a mean of unweight κ -value from the three cases of 0.44 and a mean accuracy of 61% of the tool. Conclusions A better collaboration ability and more accurate resource assessment with acceptable reliability and validity were shown in this study to be used as a foundation for resource assessment before major events/mass-gathering in a simulated environment. However, the result also indicates the challenges of creating measurable values from simulated cases. A study on real events can provide higher reliability but needs, on the other hand, an already developed tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To develop a validated and generalized high reliability organizations collaborative tool in order to conduct common assessments and information sharing of potential risks during mass-gatherings. Methods The Swedish resource and risk estimation guide was used as foundation for the development of the generalized collaborative tool, by three different expert groups, and then analyzed. Analysis of inter-rater reliability was conducted through simulated cases that showed weighted and unweight κ-statistics. Results The results revealed a mean of unweight κ-value from the three cases of 0.37 and a mean accuracy of 62% of the tool. Conclusions The collaboration tool, “STREET”, showed acceptable reliability and validity to be used as a foundation for high reliability organization collaboration in a simulated environment. However, the lack of reliability in one of the cases highlights the challenges of creating measurable values from simulated cases. A study on real events can provide higher reliability but need, on the other hand, an already developed tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]