Studies on exposure status of inhabitants to water-arsenic valence states in areas with endemic arsenism in the Datong basin in Shanxi

This study aimed to describe the distribution of water-arsenic (As) valence states and its relationship to areas with endemic arsenism in the Datong basin. Drinking water samples of patients with endemic arsenism and a control group were examined using hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). We analyzed the data using SPSS10.0 for Windows. The As(III)/As ratio was 52.1% in the water sample, exceeding the national standard of 0.05 mg/L. The As(III)/As ratio significantly varied among the different stages in the disease-state groups, and with the control group (χ ² = 22.4, P<0.01). The As(III)/As(V) ratio significantly varied in the four groups (χ ² = 26.19, P<0.01), with a tendency to increase along with the seriousness of the disease state. The most common type of drinking water arsenic valence state was As(III) in the endemic disease-areas. Endemic arsenism was positively correlated with As(III). This led us to conclude that the fraction of each water-arsenic valence state should be studied when determining the arsenic content of drinking water. Translated from Chinese Journal of Endemiology, 2006, 25(1): 64–66 [译自: 中国地方病学杂志]     

Changing trends of an endemic trauma

The incidence of severe burn is extremely high in the Low and Middle Income Countries with an estimated 90% of the world incidence of which 50% is in South East Asia. Through an earlier analysis of 11,196 burn admission over 8 years (1993–2000—Phase I) to our burn unit we established the endemic nature of the injury [Ahuja RB, Bhattacharya S. An analysis of 11,196 burn admissions and evaluation of conservative management techniques. Burns 2002;28:555–61]. A continued analysis of 5566 burn admissions over the next 7 years (2001–2007—Phase II) and its comparison with the Phase I reveals a significant change in the epidemiological profile. The average yearly admissions have fallen by 43.14%, from 1399.5 patients in Phase I to 795.14 patients in Phase II. This fall in average yearly admissions is predominant in the age group 16–35 years (52.61% decline) and 36–55 years (46.51% decline). The overall female to male ratio has also changed from 1.26:1 to 0.91:1. However, the overall mean %TBSA burn has reduced only mildly from 49.12% TBSA in Phase I to 44.39% in Phase II. During Phase II there was also a significant decline of 46.93% and 56.25% in the yearly admission of flame and scald burn respectively. Non-intentional incidents still remain the main mode of injury accounting for 87.12% in Phase I and 89.89% in Phase II. But, the yearly admissions of non-intentional burns fell from 1219.25 in Phase I to 714.71 in Phase II, which is a significant drop of 41.38%. Kitchen continues to dominate as the main location for flame incidents, but the yearly admission rate from kitchen accidents dropped from 897.5 patients in Phase I to 368.43 patients in Phase II. At the same time, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) leaks which accounted for only 0.72% of all kitchen accidents in Phase I rose to 10.74% in Phase II. Another redeeming feature is the reduction in overall mortality from 51.8% in Phase I to 40.20% in Phase II. Interestingly, a very significant negative correlation exists (being significant at 0.01 level—2 tailed) between burn admissions and the yearly per-capita income of Delhi, from 1993 to 2005, to prove that the incidence and profile of burns directly reflects the economic development of the society. We see this as the first long term study from a burn unit of a developing country to directly reflect this association of burn incidence and its changing profile with economic prosperity.     

西部开发中的虫媒病传播问题

西部开发地区存在许多虫媒病 ,即昆虫和蜱螨传播的疾病 ,为了保障开发人群的健康 ,首先需要对这些疾病的传播 ,特别是有些疾病的自然疫源地或流行区有所了解。本文列述了 13种虫媒病及其在这个地区的分布 ,对其中值得我们更重视的 4类重要疾病 ,包括鼠疫、莱姆病、疟疾和登革热的病原体传播媒介或有的贮存宿主以及重要性等作了扼要的介绍。本文并提出了这类疾病在开发中和开发后可能产生的危害性 ,以及防止或减少它们危害的建议。作者认为从开发地区的长远利益出发 ,应该重视开发中自然环境改变对上述虫媒病传播影响的研究     

Epidemiologic survey and genetic analysis of endemic hepatitis C virus infection in a Japanese town with a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers

Mass screening for hepatitis C virus antibody was carried out in 875 inhabitants (313 men and 562 women) of a town in Japan with a high rate of hepatitis B virus infection. The overall rate of positivity for anti-HCV was 8.8% (6.4% in men and 10,1% in women). The rate of positivity for hepatitis B virus surface antigen was 11.2%. Five subjects (0.6%) were positive for both markers. HCV-RNA was detected in 65 (88.4%) of 77 individuals who were positive for anti-HCV and in 1 (1.5%) of 60 individuals negative for anti-HCV. The genotype of the HCV genome was determined by PCR analysis using type-specific primers in 60 individuals. HCV type 1b was detected in 51 subjects (85%), type 2a in 3 subjects (5%), and type 2b in 6 subjects (10%). None of the individuals was infected with more than one genotype. The nucleotide sequences of the partial nonstructural 5 region of HCV type 1b genotype obtained from 6 individuals showed at least 92.0% homology in the nucleotide sequence, and 94.8% homology in the amino acid sequence. Homology among these clones was greater than their homology with previously described type 1 b sequences. The findings suggest that there was a specific local origin of HCV infection, although it was not possible to identify any single source of HCV infection. The results also indicate the presence of asymptomatic HCV carriers. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

2010年福建省碘缺乏病高危地区重点调查结果分析

目的 调查福建省碘缺乏病高危地区新发地方性克汀病(简称地克病)、地方性甲状腺肿流行现况及防治措施落实情况,为制订有针对性的防治策略措施提供科学依据.方法 2010年,在碘盐监测覆盖率较低的秀屿区、翔安区、平潭县、东山县各抽取3个乡(镇),进行10岁以下新发地克病病例搜索;在每个乡(镇)抽取2所小学,每所小学抽取40名8～ 10岁儿童进行甲状腺B超检查,同时采集尿样,用砷铈催化分光光度法测定尿碘;在小学所在村抽取20名18 ～40岁育龄妇女,采集食用盐样和尿样,用半定量法测定盐碘,砷铈催化分光光度法测定尿碘.结果 病例搜索未发现新发地克病及疑似地克病病例;8 ～ 10岁儿童总体甲状腺肿大率为3.6％ (37/1027),但东山县为5.4％( 13/240),超过国家消除碘缺乏病标准(＜5％);8～10岁儿童和18～40岁育龄妇女的尿碘中位数分别为175.3、152.7 μg/L;碘盐覆盖率为82.7％ (382/462).结论 福建省碘缺乏病高危地区未发现新发地克病及疑似地克病病例,人群尿碘中位数处于适宜水平.     

郑州市饮水型地方性砷中毒调查

目的掌握郑州市居民饮水砷状况以及是否存在地方性砷中毒。方法根据饮水型地方性砷中毒分布规律，在全市重点地区选择调查点进行饮水砷测定及砷中毒情况调查。结果全市6个县(市)34个乡(镇)286个自然村共采集测定水样622份，水砷在0—0．1860mg/L之间。首次在位于郑州市东部平原地区的中牟县检测出高砷水井6眼，水砷最高为0．1860mg／L，最低为0．056mg/L，高砷水埋深26—40m。其他县(市)水砷均在0．05mg／L以下，全部在国家规定标准以内。在对水砷超标的重点乡走访调查中，未发现砷中毒病人。结论郑州市存在高砷地区，但是尚未发现地方性砷中毒的流行。     

洞庭湖区居民接触疫水行为方式与社会经济因素的关系探讨

目的 研究洞庭湖区居民接触疫水行为方式与社会经济因素的关系. 方法 在洞庭湖区常德市、岳阳市、益阳市三地,采取随机抽样方法,对当地居民及医院血吸虫病患者进行个人问卷调查,收集年龄、性别、职业、学历、家庭收入、家庭居住区域等个人及家庭基本情况,了解其接触疫水的季节、地点、具体途径等行为方式.利用SPSS软件,应用logistic回归模型分析居民接触疫水行为方式与社会经济因素的关系. 结果 回收有效调查问卷148份.Logistic回归分析显示：从事农业生产的群体如农渔民,常使用传统、改造性不强的厕所、以及年龄较大的群体通过生产劳动接触疫水的频率更高;女性,学历较低,常使用传统、改造性不强的厕所,以及年龄较大的群体更容易在生活中接触疫水;男性,从事非农化职业如公务员、学生等,学历越高,以及年龄较小的群体通过娱乐方式接触疫水的情况更多. 结论 洞庭湖区居民接触疫水行为方式受当地的社会经济因素影响.     

Study of induction of activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a non-activating form of anti-CD3 MoAb in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD).

Anti-CD3 (OKT3) MoAb is a mitogenic agent which activates lymphocytes. We have studied the effects of murine anti-human OKT3 MoAb (IgG1) alone or in combination with IL-2, human thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroperoxidase (TPO) antigens on the proliferation of whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (including monocytes) or subtypes (T, CD4+, CD8+, B) as measured by tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. B cell differentiation was studied by measuring numbers of IgG-secreting cells and specific anti-TPO/anti-Tg-secreting cells by SPOT ELISA. PBMC or lymphocyte subtypes, obtained from 45 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 40 Graves' disease (GD) and 51 normal controls were cultured in 96 microtitre plates for 6 days in the presence of OKT3 MoAb at final concentrations 25-250 ng/ml, IL-2 15 U/ml, Tg and TPO (1 micrograms/ml). Then cultures were pulsed with 0.2 microCi 3H-TdR/well and incorporation was measured after 18 h. IgG and anti-TPO/Tg-secreting cells were detected at 7 days. Higher proliferative responses from whole PBMC preparations in response to any of the combinations including OKT3 MoAb were observed in the HT preparations, while the basal values were the lowest. IL-2 alone increased these responses markedly, but equally in all groups. IL-2 in combination with OKT3 had an additive effect on proliferation, with higher responses in HT. Tg and TPO antigens did not change these responses. Most HT preparations responded with their maximum proliferation to the lowest concentration of OKT3 MoAb (25 ng/ml), whereas in GD and control preparations of PBMC these responses were shifted to higher concentrations (250 ng/ml); even with those, proliferation was not so enhanced in controls when compared with HT and GD preparations. In contrast, the proliferative responses of T cells alone and subpopulations of CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic cells were decreased in HT preparations compared with controls. Monocytes were necessary for proliferation. In the subpopulation of B cells (> 95% pure) and CD4+ helper/inducer cells, differences did not reach significance. In spite of the effect on proliferation, OKT3 MoAb only mildly but significantly increased the numbers of IgG-secreting cells in HT and GD preparations and did not stimulate synthesis of specific antibodies. Our data suggest that the increased proliferative responses of whole PBMC to OKT3 MoAb in HT preparations might be due to insufficient activation of T suppressor/cytotoxic cells.     

安徽省学生隐孢子虫感染特征的研究

目的 调查安徽省学生隐孢子虫感染情况、流行特点及主要临床表现，为在学生中防治隐孢子虫病的感染提供依据。方法采集安徽省各地市不同教育层次学生粪便标本共4048份，采用金胺-酚染色法和改良抗酸染色法检查隐孢子虫卵囊。结果隐孢子虫感染率为1．33％（54／4048）。幼儿、小学生、中学生和大学生隐孢子虫的感染率分别为3．15％（28／889）、0．82％（9／1098）、0．82％（9／1092）和0．83％（8／969），幼儿与其他学生相比均有显著性差异（P〈0．01）。男生与女生隐孢子虫的感染率分别为1．49％（28／1880）和1．20％（26／2168），差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。城、乡学生隐孢子虫检出率分别为0．75％（13／1740）和1．78％（41／2308），差异有显著性（P〈0．01）。隐孢子虫感染以亚临床感染为主，主要临床表现为间断性轻度腹痛、轻度腹泻、稀便。结论安徽省学生隐孢子虫感染以幼儿多见，农村较城市多见；隐孢子虫病缺乏特异的临床表现，亚临床感染是其主要表现形式，易误诊和漏诊。