Whole genome sequencing shows sleeping sickness relapse is due to parasite regrowth and not reinfection.

Bezlotoxumab (BEZ) for Prevention of Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) Recurrence (rCDI): Distinguishing Relapse from Reinfection with Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)

Multilocus parasite gene polymorphism and/or parasite-selected mutations in host genome may discriminate between relapse and reinfection in the failure of miltefosine treatment in visceral leishmaniasis.

TO THE EDITOR—In their comprehensive cohort study, Rijal and colleagues have explored the occurrence of failure in miltefosine treatment in 120 visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients in Nepal; they observed an initial cure rate of 95.8% with an alarming relapse rate of 10.8% and 20.0% at 6 and 12 months, respectively [1]. Similar studies in India have reported declines in the success rate of milt...

Recurrence due to Relapse or Reinfection With Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Whole-Genome Sequencing Approach in a Large, Population-Based Cohort With a High HIV Infection Prevalence and Active Follow-up

BACKGROUND Recurrent tuberculosis is a major health burden and may be due to relapse with the original strain or reinfection with a new strain. METHODS In a population-based study in northern Malawi, patients with tuberculosis diagnosed from 1996 to 2010 were actively followed after the end of treatment. Whole-genome sequencing with approximately 100-fold coverage was performed on all availab...

Whole-Genome Sequencing Demonstrates That Fidaxomicin Is Superior to Vancomycin for Preventing Reinfection and Relapse of Infection With Clostridium difficile

Whole-genome sequencing was used to determine whether the reductions in recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection observed with fidaxomicin in pivotal phase 3 trials occurred by preventing relapse of the same infection, by preventing reinfection with a new strain, or by preventing both outcomes. Paired isolates of C. difficile were available from 93 of 199 participants with recurrences (28 ...

Whole genome sequencing distinguishes between relapse and reinfection in recurrent leprosy cases

BACKGROUND Since leprosy is both treated and controlled by multidrug therapy (MDT) it is important to monitor recurrent cases for drug resistance and to distinguish between relapse and reinfection as a means of assessing therapeutic efficacy. All three objectives can be reached with single nucleotide resolution using next generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of Mycobacterium leprae...