ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the Cryptosporidium infection and its epidemiological characteristics in HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea. Methods Stool samples collected from HIV/AIDS confirmed patients with chronic diarrhea who lived in Beijing, Henan and Xinjiang.Samples were concentrated by Formalin-Ethyl Acetate Sedimentation technique and stained by modified acid-fast stain (AFS) for the identification of oocysts by microscopy. CD4+T cells count was performed by Flow Cytometry. Results The overall infection rate of Cryptosporidium in AIDS patients was 12.6％(32/253). The infection rates of oocysts in the area of Beijing, Henan and Xinjiangwere 5.97％ ( 4/67 ), 16.1％ (24/149 ) and 1 0.8％ (4/37) respectively. The infection rate of oocysts in the urban areas was 6.5％(7/104) while in the countryside it was 16.8％(25/149) and the difference was significantly different. However, there were no any differences discovered between the infection rates on patient' s gender or on infection occurred in different seasons. The infectious rates of ooeyst in patients on different stages of the disease were also significantly different (P＜0.01). Conclusion AIDS patients infected by Cryptosporidium were not rarely seen in northern China. The rate of infection was not associated with patient' s gender but was associated with patient' s living environments. Patients living in the countryside, with lower lever of CD4 +T cells counts and at the middle/late stage of the disease, Cryptosporidium infection appeared to be high.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the predictive factors associated with clinical deterioration in SARS patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 60 SARS patients were analyzed by logistic regression and Cox's proportional hazards analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In logistic regression models, both older age (P=0.009) and severe lymphopenia (P=0.004) were significant predictors of clinical deterioration. In Cox's proportional hazard models, severe lymphopenia was significant predictor associated with prolongation of stay in hospital.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Older age and severe lymphopenia seem to be statistically significant for predicting the clinical deterioration in SARS patients.</p>