Diagnostic value of interferon-γ release assay of peripheral blood and pleural effusion for tuberculous pleurisy / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of interferon-γ release assay of blood and pleural effusion for tuberculous pleurisy.Methods Fifty-six adult patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy were enrolled in our study.The blood and pleural effusion interferon-γ release assay were measured by T-SPOT.TB test in 38 pleural tuberculosis patients and 18 nontuberculous pleurisy controls.The diagnostic sensitivity,specificity,predictive value of T-SPOT.TB in pleural effusion mononuclear cells (PE-MC) and peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed.Results The sensitivities and specificities,positive predictive values and negative predictive values,respectively,of the PE-MC and PBMC for diagnosing were as follows:86.5％(95％ confidence interval[CI] 71.2％-95.5％) and 100％(95％CI 90.5％-100％);52.9％(95％CI 27.8％-77.0％) and 35.3％(95％CI 14.2％-61.7％);80.0％(95％CI 64.4％-90.9％) and 77.1％(95％CI 62.7％-88.0％);64.3％(95％CI 35.1％-87.2％) and 100％(95％CI 54.1％-100％).By ROC curve analysis,a cut-off value of 47SFC/2.5 × 105 cells in PE-MC showed a sensitivity of 89.2％ and a specificity of 88.2％.Conclusion T-SPOT.TB in PE-MC could be an accurate diagnostic method for tuberculous pleurisy in TB endemic settings.Moreover,47SFC/2.5 × 105 cells might be the optimal cut-off value for diagnosing tuberculous pleurisy.

Inhibition effect of B7-H1 gene-modified regulatory dendritic cells on thyroid -associated ophthalmopathy in mice / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To construct adenovirus vector expressing mice B7-H1 gene, transfect dendritic cells ( DCs ) , and to study the therapeutic effect of modified DC on thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy ( TAO) in mice. METHODS: We designed and constructed B7-H1 gene adenovirus expression vector, and transfected DCs from mouse bone marrow, tested the phenotype and function of modified DCs, identificated its negative regulation to immune responses. The modified DCs were infected the sicked mice. And then the immunotherapeutic effect of modified DCs to TAO were tested. RESULTS: B7 - H1 gene adenovirus vector was constructed and transfected DCs from bone marrow. The titer of the recombinant adenovirus was 1. 8í109 PFU/mL. B7-H1 gene modified DCs characteristics of regulatory DCs, could inhibit positive immune responses. The inhibition proceeding of TAO into mice infected modified DCs, was obviously prior to the control mice. The gene modified DCs, maybe become the new immunotherapy biological agent to thy TAO. CONCLUSION: We constructed the expression of mouse B7 - H1 gene adenovirus expressed vector successfully, transfected DCs, by vector have properties of regulatory DCs, inhibiting positive immune response and the occurrence and development of thyroid eye disease. Gene modified DCs, reveal potent to the treatment of thyroid eye disease.

Epidemiological characteristics and the strategy of vaccination on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the last 10 years,in China / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics and vaccination strategy of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS)in China.From 1998 to 2007.Methods National data on the prevalence of HFRS during 1998 to 2007 were collected and analyzed.Spatial.time and population distributions of HFRS cases were described.Results HFRS appeared to ramain endemic in the country.while the majority of cases(accounting for 81.76％ of total cases),were located in Shandong, Heilongjiang,Liaoning, Hebei,Shaanxi,Hunan,Jilin and Zhejiang provinces.The occurrence of HFRS appeared to be seasonal,with two peaks in spring season and autumn winter season,with 10.00％ of the cases occurrcd in these peak months.The incidence rates were at a relatively low level because of the continuous decline of HFRS in the recent years.With age distribution,0.97％ were younger than 10,96.71％were between 10 and 70,87.32％ were between 15 and 60,and 2.31％were older than 70.The proportion of male patients accounted for three quarters.Around 70.00％ of the cases were farmers.Young and middle-aged male farmers were at high risk.Conclusion The descriptive study on epidemiological characteristics of HFRS in the recent years had provided scientific evidence for vaccination strategy,suggesting the key regions,sub-populations as well as types of vaccines be determined.

Study on the epidemiological characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Inner Mongolia / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to better understand the epidemiological features of Hantviruses in Inner Mongolia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Epidemiological surveillance data during the period of the past 52 years were analyzed. An epidemiological survey was carried out in the main epidemic areas in 2005.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 8310 hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) cases were reported in Inner Mongolia from 1955 to 2006, and distributed in 61 counties. HFRS cases were mainly distributed in the east part of Inner Mongolia before 1990. However, HFRS cases had occurred in the middle and western parts since 1990. Hulunbeier prefecture, from the eastern part of Inner Mongolia, had been the most severe area being hit by HERS since the first outbreak in 1955, with 7369 cases reported over the past 52 years, and accounted for 88.68% of the total cases in the whole autonomous region. Although no HFRS cases had been reported before 1999 in Bayannaoer which located in the western part of Inner Mongolia, a total of 95 cases were reported in 2005. Hantavirus antigens had been detected in 11 species of rodents so far,including Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Mus Musculus, Cricetulus barabensis, meriones meridianus, Microtus maximowiczii , Clethrionomys rutilus, Apodemus peninsulae, Phodopus roborvskii, Dipus sagitta and Allactaga sibirica.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Results suggested that the epidemics might remain at a relatively high level in the years to come in Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, there might be other types of Hantaviruses in addition to the already identified Seoul viral type in this area.</p>

An epidemiologle investigation of hantaviruses carried by rodent hosts in Hunan province / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the hantavirus infection and their genotype in rodents in Hunan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hantavirus antigens in the rat lungs from Hunan province were detected by immunofluorescence assay. Partial S and M segment in antigen-positive samples were amplified by RT-PCR, and then sequenced. The phyologenetic trees were constructed for the analysis of genetic characters of hantavirus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 344 rats were trapped in the main epidemic area of Hunan province, and hantavirus antigens were found in 6 of the 344 rats( 1.74% ).The phylogenetic trees constructed by partial S segment( nt 620-990) or partial G2 segment (nt 2001- 2301) showed that the hantaviruses carried by Rattus norvegicus, R . flabipectus and R. rattoides from Xiangxiang district were genetic subtype SEOV4. The virus carried by R. norvegicus in Ningyuan district was phylogenetically different from the known SEOV. The hantavirus carried by Mus musculus from Shimen district was genetic subtype HTNV4.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The hantaviruses in the main epidemic areas in Hunan province mainly belonged to SEOV, and R. flabipectus and R. rattoides carried the same genotype of SEOV as R. norvegicus.</p>

Isolation and characterization of Hantavirus carried by rodents in Huludao, Liaoning province / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the Hantavirus infection and their genotype in rodents in Huludao.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rodents were collected from the main epidemic areas to detect antigen of Hantavirus in rat lungs by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Antigen-positive samples were inoculated onto cultures of confluent Vero E6 cells for the isolation of virus. The genotypes of viruses in all antigen-positive samples were identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>200 rats were collected in the main epidemic areas, and 11 Hantavirus-positive samples were tested. The positive rate of Hantavirus in rats was 5.5%. Three strains of Hantavirus were isolated in Vero E6 cell culture. Data from the phylogenetic trees constructed by partial S segment (620-999 nt) or partial G1 segment (180-580 nt) showed that the three isolates carried by rats from Huludao were all genetic subtype SEOV 3. Furthermore, the phylogenetic tree constructed by partial G2 segment (2003-2302 nt) divided SEOV strains into 7 genetic subtypes, and the three isolates were having a closer evolutionary relationship with isolates CP211, ch302 and dc501 from Beijing, and the isolates SD10 and SD227 form Shandong.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Data indicated that the rate of carrying virus was high and the main genetic subtype of Hantavirus was S3 of Seoul virus in Huludao area.</p>

Genetics subtypes and distribution of Seoul virus in Henan / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the sub-genotypes and distribution ot Seoul virus in Henan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rodents were collected in the major epidemic areas and rats lungs were studied by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Partial M and S segments were amplified with nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using Hantavirus genotype-specific primers, sequenced, analyzed and compared with other known sequences.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Hantavirus carried by Rattus norvegicus, Rattus flavipectus and Mus musculus were all belonged to Seoul virus in the main epidemic areas of Henan. We constructed two phylogenetic tree based on the partial M and S segment sequences while phylogenetic analysis distinguished three genetic subtypes (S1, S2 and S3). S1 and S3 were found main subtypes in Henan.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicated that the genetic subtypes of Hantavirus were complicated and widely distributed in Henan.</p>

Using geographic information system to study on the association between epidemic areas and main animal hosts of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the association between types of epidemic areas and proportion of main animal hosts of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data on serotype of HFRS patients from 122 regions and species as well as number of animal hosts from 41 national surveillance sites were collected and managed. The map of the types of epidemic areas from 1991-1999 in China was produced using inverse distance weighted technique in the ArcGIS 8.1 software. The map of the proportion of host animals was then overlapped on it and the surveillance sites of HFRS were clustered in terms of the proportion of host animals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Variance in spatial distribution of the types of epidemic areas was observed. Two epidemic area types, namely Hantaan-dominant mixed epidemic areas and Soul-dominant mixed epidemic areas seemed to have transferred from the north-east to south-west of China in turns. There were more species of HFRS animal hosts in fields than those of in residential areas. The diversity of rodent species in fields was higher than that of the residential areas which predominant harbored rodent species of 2-3 kinds. Types of surveillance sites classified by cluster analysis of proportion of main animal hosts were consistent with the serotypes of HFRS patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Through employment of spatial analysis technique based on GIS databases, the HFRS types of main epidemic area in China could be well predicted by surveillance data.</p>

Study on the application of geographic information system in spatial distribution of hemorrhage fever with renal syndrome in China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the spatial distribution of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in China by geographic information system, and to draw up a map on HRFS risk areas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A set of database was set up using the information collected and linked to electronic maps of China in a software ArcGIS 8.01 from 41 HFRS surveillance sites during 1995 - 1998. A HFRS spatial distribution model was developed using inverse distance weighted interpolation of ArcGIS's spatial analysis method. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in each HFRS surveillance site was extracted from SPOT4 satellite vegetation imagery. Correlation analysis was performed through SPSS 10.0 to analyze the association between NDVI and HFRS incidence, HFRS risk areas were mapped under different colors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Spatial distribution model from HFRS surveillance sites showed that HFRS foci mainly presented in the Heilongjiang River drainage, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Jinghang grant Canal-Huaihe River drainage. It was consistent with HFRS distribution map derived from national infectious disease reporting system. Correlation analysis indicated that HFRS incidence rates were significantly associated with NDVI (r = 0.417, P < 0.01). The HFRS risk areas was mapped according to NDVI of each surveillance site.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is promising to apply GIS technology in predication of the distribution of HFRS by establishing this prediction model.</p>

Typing of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome by cluster analysis / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To make an inquiry into method of typing of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Average monthly rates were calculated on the basis of data from 1995 to 1999, then cluster analysis was carried out to type out endemic areas.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the results of 36 surveillance spots from 1980 to 1992, twenty-four surveillance spots had the same results (66.7%). Twenty-three surveillance spots had the same results with the original data in 1999 (82.1%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HFRS incidences increased in spring or in summer, but decreased in autumn or in winter. Cluster analysis seemed to be a supplementary method in distinguishing the epidemic types for HFRS.</p>