Survey of prevalence of hepatitis C in people aged 1-69 years in Henan Province, 2020 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To understand the infection status and epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis C in people aged 1-69 years in Henan Province in 2020. Methods: The estimated sample size was 5 827. From August to December 2020, multistage sampling was used to select 8 counties (districts) in Henan, and two survey sites were selected in each county (district), and a questionnaire survey was conducted in local people aged 1-69 years, blood samples were collected from them for anti-HCV, HCV RNA and genotype detections. Results: A total of 5 165 people aged 1-69 years completed the questionnaire survey. Men accounted for 44.76% (2 312/5 165), women accounted for 55.24% (2 853/5 165). In the people aged 1-69 years, the overall prevalence rates of anti-HCV and HCV RNA were 0.69% (95%CI: 0.68%-0.70%) and 0.20% (95%CI: 0.19%-0.21%) respectively. The prevalence rates of anti-HCV and HCV RNA were 0.48% (95%CI: 0.46%-0.50%), 0.09% (95%CI: 0.08%-0.10%) in men and 0.86% (95%CI: 0.85%-0.87%), 0.30% (95%CI: 0.28%-0.32%) in women. The prevalence rates of anti-HCV and HCV RNA increased with age. The prevalence rates of anti-HCV and HCV RNA were 0.87% (95%CI: 0.86%-0.88%), 0.28% (95%CI: 0.26%-0.30%) in urban residents and 0.53% (95%CI: 0.51%-0.55%), 0.14% (95%CI: 0.13%-0.15%) in rural residents. The genotyping results of 10 HCV RNA positive samples ware genotype 1b (4/10), genotype 2 (3/10), genotype 1b/3 (1/10), genotype 1b/3/6 (1/10) and genotype 2/6 (1/10). Conclusions: The prevalence of hepatitis C was low in Henan in 2020. It is necessary to strengthen hepatitis C surveillance in people aged 40 years and above. The major HCV genotypes were 1b and 2, and mixed genotype infection existed.

Analysis of factors associated with the structure of the gut microbial community in HIV/AIDS patients in some areas of Henan province / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To investigate the related factors associated with the structure of the gut microbial community in HIV infection/AIDS cases (HIV/AIDS) in Henan province. Methods: The convenience sampling method was used to select 122 cases who were receiving Antiviral Treatment (ART) or ART-naive in Henan. Whole blood and stool specimens were collected. Genomic DNA of stool samples was extracted, and the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 high-throughput sequencing system. The analysis was performed mainly at the genus level, and the 30 genera with the highest abundance were selected as a measure of the gut microbial community structure. The correlation between community structure and related factors was analyzed using redundancy analysis and Envfit function. Results: 122 cases were finally completed sequencing and analysis, the average BMI was (23.62±2.78) kg/m2 and the average age was (47±13) years. Among them, male accounted for 66.39% (81/122), and heterosexual transmission route constituted the largest ratio, accounting for 51.64% (63/122). 36 cases were treatment naive (29.51%, 36/122). The top five dominant genera of the total population (122 cases) were Prevotella, Roseburia, Megamonas, Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium and the top five dominant genera of the ART population (86 cases) were Prevotella, Megamonas, Bacteroides, Roseburia and Faecalibacterium. The top five dominant genera of the ART-naive population (36 cases) appeared as Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Bacteroides and Megamonas. In the total population, ART (P<0.001) was the most significant factors of community structure. Other significant factors were: duration of diagnosis (P=0.009), viral load (P=0.022) and anti-HCV (P=0.018). ART was positively correlated with Megamonas and negatively correlated with Prevotella, Roseburia and Faecalibacterium, while the other three factors of duration of diagnosis, viral load and anti-HCV were positively correlated with Prevotella, Roseburia and Faecalibacterium and negatively correlated with Megamonas. In the ART-naive population, duration of diagnosis (P=0.003) were the factors significantly associated with community structure. Duration of diagnosis was positively correlated with Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Megamonas and Prevotella and negatively correlated with Bacteroides. Conclusion: ART and duration of diagnosis were factors significantly associated with gut microbial community structure and had a significant impact on multiple high-abundance genera.

Trend and prediction of hepatitis C cases in children aged 14 years old and younger in Henan province, 2005-2020 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To explore the time series characteristics of hepatitis C cases in children aged ≤14 years old in Henan and predict their epidemic situation with effective model. Methods: Hepatitis C reported data among children aged ≤14 years old in Henan from 2005 to 2020 were collected from China information system for diseases control and prevention. Descriptive and time series analyses were used to demonstrate characteristics of time trend, decomposition methods were used to show the seasonality by using seasonal indices and the long-term trend by using a linear regression model. An auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was established. Results: From 2005 to 2020, a total of 5 355 hepatitis C cases in children were reported in Henan, the seasonal index range of the hepatitis C was lower than 1, and no obvious seasonality characteristics was observed. The average of monthly incidence of 2005-2011 showed increase trend (0.351 case/month), and the incidence of 2012-2020 decreased (-0.474 case/month). The predicted reported case number of hepatitis C in children in Henan from January 2005 to December 2020 fitted by ARIMA model was consistent with the actual number, the RMSE of the number of reported cases in the current year and the existing number of children cases was 10.240, 10.558, the MAPE was 35.566, 0.659, and the MAE was 6.688, 7.156, respectively. Conclusion: Time series analysis on surveillance data is useful for the better understanding of the epidemic situation of hepatitis C in children aged ≤14 years. ARIMA model can be used in the short-term prediction and dynamic analysis of the incidence of hepatitis C in children in Henan.

Mutation analysis of ATP2C1 gene in a Chinese family with Hailey-Hailey disease / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study a Chinese pedigree with Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) and identify the ATP2C1 gene mutation in this family.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All exons of the ATP2C1 gene were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing in all patients of this family and 80 unrelated population-matched controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We identified a nonsense mutation 163C to T, resulting in a premature termination codon in ATP2C1 gene. The mutation was not found in normal individuals of the family and controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mutation can affect the result of transcription and translation of ATP2C1 gene, and it is firstly reported in the Chinese pedigree with HHD.</p>

Mutation analysis of the keratin 9 gene in a pedigree with diffuse epidermolytic plamoplantar keratoderma / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the mutation of the keratin 9 gene (KRT9) in a pedigree with epidermolytic plamoplantar keratoderma (EPPK).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples were obtained from 4 affected and 3 normal individuals in this family. Mutation screening was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A heterozygous nucleotide C to T transition at position 484 in exon 1 of the KRT9 gene was detected in the 3 affected in this family, but was not found in normal individuals in the family and 100 unrelated individuals.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A missense mutation (484 C to T) in the KRT9 gene has been detected in this EPPK family, which is probably one of the molecular bases of the pathogenesis of the disease.</p>