Genetic testing and spending on that testing have grown rapidly since the mapping of the human genome in 2003. However, it is not widely known how many tests there are, how they are used, and how t...

The Mycobacterium fortuitum third biovariant complex (sorbitol-negative and sorbitol-positive) contains unnamed taxa first characterized in 1991. These organisms can cause respiratory infections, a spectrum of soft tissue and skeletal infections, bacteraemia and disseminated disease. To evaluate this group of organisms, clinical reference isolates and the type strains of M. fortuitum third biovariant complex sorbitol-negative (n=21), M. fortuitum third biovariant complex sorbitol-positive (n=3), M. fortuitum (n=3), Mycobacterium peregrinum (pipemidic acid-susceptible) (n=1), Mycobacterium porcinum (n=1), Mycobacterium senegalense (n=2) and Mycobacterium septicum (n=1) were characterized by using conventional phenotypic (morphological, physiological and antimicrobial susceptibilities), chemotaxonomic (HPLC and cellular fatty acids) and genotypic [RFLP of the rRNA gene (ribotyping), PCR-RFLP of a 439 bp segment of the 65 kDa hsp gene (PCR restriction analysis) and 16S rRNA gene sequence] analysis, DNA G+C content and DNA–DNA relatedness analyses. The results of these studies indicated that the strains comprised M. porcinum (n=13), M. septicum (n=1) and four novel closely related genetic groups within the M. fortuitum third biovariant complex: Mycobacterium boenickei sp. nov. (n=6), Mycobacterium houstonense sp. nov. (n=2), Mycobacterium neworleansense sp. nov. (n=1) and Mycobacterium brisbanense sp. nov. (n=1), with type strains ATCC 49935^T (=W5998^T=DSM 44677^T), ATCC 49403^T (=W5198^T=DSM 44676^T) ATCC 49404^T (=W6705^T=DSM 44679^T) and ATCC 49938^T (=W6743^T=DSM 44680^T), respectively.

Purpose: There is uncertainty about when personalized medicine tests provide economic value. We assessed evidence on the economic value of personalized medicine tests and gaps in the evidence base. Methods: We created a unique evidence base by linking data on published cost–utility analyses from the Tufts Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry with data measuring test characteristics and reflecting where value analyses may be most needed: (i) tests currently available or in advanced development, (ii) tests for drugs with Food and Drug Administration labels with genetic information, (iii) tests with demonstrated or likely clinical utility, (iv) tests for conditions with high mortality, and (v) tests for conditions with high expenditures. Results: We identified 59 cost–utility analyses studies that examined personalized medicine tests (1998–2011). A majority (72%) of the cost/quality-adjusted life year ratios indicate that testing provides better health although at higher cost, with almost half of the ratios falling below $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained. One-fifth of the results indicate that tests may save money. Conclusion: Many personalized medicine tests have been found to be relatively cost-effective, although fewer have been found to be cost saving, and many available or emerging medicine tests have not been evaluated. More evidence on value will be needed to inform decision making and assessment of genomic priorities. Genet Med 2014:16(3):251–257

CDC eugonic oxidizer group 2 (EO-2) is a group of unclassified gram-negative bacterial strains isolated from various human sources. As determined by biochemical tests and analyses of fatty acid compositions, these organisms form a homogeneous group that appears to be distinct from but related to other Paracoccus species. Molecular studies were performed on a set of 13 EO-2 strains from various clinical sources and geographic locations in the United States and Canada to determine their relationship to the Paracoccus genus. Control strains were Paracoccus denitrificans ATCC 17741 ^T , P. versutus ATCC 25364 ^T , P. aminophilus ATCC 49673 ^T , P. solventivorans ATCC 700252 ^T , and Psychrobacter immobilis ATCC 43116 ^T , which are phenotypically similar to EO-2. Nearly complete (1,500-base) 16S rRNA gene sequencing of eight EO-2 strains showed a high level of sequence similarity (>99.3%) within the group, and a BLAST search of GenBank placed the EO-2 cluster in close proximity to Paracoccus species (95 to 97% similarity). DNA-DNA hybridization studies of 13 of the EO-2 strains showed all to be related at the species level, with >70% relatedness under stringent conditions and a divergence within the group of less than 2%. None of the Paracoccus control strains hybridized at >54% with any of the EO-2 strains. These results indicate that EO-2 represents a new Paracoccus species, the first isolated from human clinical specimens. A new species, Paracoccus yeeii , is proposed for the EO-2 strains. The type strain of P. yeeii is CDCG1212 (ATCC BAA-599 and CCUG 46822), isolated in Pennsylvania from dialysate of a 77-year-old male with peritonitis.