Monkeypox virus isolation from longitudinal samples from four patients to infer risk of onwards transmission: an interim analysis.

Monkeypox virus (mpxv) is a DNA virus in the Orthopoxvirus genus which causes Mpox (previously monkeypox). Symptoms include fever, lymphadenopathy and vesicular lesions. There is limited evidence for the duration of mpxv infectivity. This study used cell culture as a proxy for infectivity. Clinical samples from four patients with Mpox were inoculated into African green monkey kidney (Vero E6) cells and monitored for cytopathic effects (CPE). From one patient, infectious mpxv was recovered 25 days after illness onset. Infectious virus was not isolated from samples with an Orthopoxvirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Ct value over 31.0, nor from urine.

Quality of life measurement in the head and neck cancer radiotherapy clinic: is it feasible and worthwhile?

Quality of Life (QOL) is now a standard end-point in clinical trials. The aim of this non-cohort study was to assess the practical issues surrounding the collection of QOL data in a non-trial setting, and to determine whether it is feasible and worthwhile. Ninety-two patients attending clinics before, or at least 3 months after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer were asked to complete the University of Washington QOL questionnaire (Version 4) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The three most important QOL domains cited by patients after radiotherapy related to saliva production, swallowing and taste. Most patients were able to complete both questionnaires in less than 10 min and reported little difficulty in understanding and completing them. The questionnaires indicated possible clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression in 31% and 16%, respectively. We perceived several benefits of routine QOL data collection in the clinic and this has now been adopted in our own practice.