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Objective To investigate the prevalence of Echinococcus infection in small mammals in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province from 2015 to 2020, so as to provide insights into echinococcosis control in Shiqu County. Methods One setting with frequent activity of small mammals was sampled as the survey site from each of 9 townships where human alveolar echinococcosis was hyperendemic, in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province from 2015 to 2020. Two quadrats measuring 50 m × 50 m were assigned in each survey site during the period between July and August from 2015 to 2020 to capture all small mammals in quadrats, and the species of small mammals were identified by morphological characteristics. All captured small mammals were dissected in the field and Echinococcus infection was identified by visual examinations. The affected organs of Echinococcus-infected small mammals were collected, and Echinococcus infection was detected using PCR assay, with Echinococcus species characterized. The prevalence of Echinococcus infection was calculated in small mammals, and the trends in the prevalence of Echinococcus infection were analyzed during the period from 2015 to 2020. In addition, the prevalence of Echinococcus infection was compared in small mammals using visual examinations and PCR assay. Results A total of 2 692 small mammals were captured in the survey sites of Shiqu County from 2015 to 2020, and morphology characterized 1 360 Microtus fuscus (50.52%) and 1 332 Plateau pika (49.48%). The prevalence rates of Echinococcus infection were 35.63%, 19.16%, 21.41%, 8.40%, 7.68% and 4.44% by visual examinations and 18.96%, 5.36%, 5.61%, 4.58%, 3.30% and 0.37% by PCR assay in small mammals in Shiqu County from 2015 to 2020, both showing a tendency towards a decline year by year (χ2 = 215.024 and 117.045, both P values < 0.001). The prevalence of Echinococcus infection was significantly higher in small mammals by visual examinations than by PCR assay during the period from 2015 to 2020 except in 2018 (χ2= 33.597, 21.815, 51.373, 17.268 and 9.537, all P values < 0.01). PCR assay detected a reduction in the prevalence of E. multilocularis infection from 10.21% to 0.37% and a reduction in the prevalence of E. shiquicus infection from 8.75% to 0 in small mammals in Shiqu County from 2015 to 2020, both appearing a tendency towards a decline year by year (χ2 = 117.045 and 43.436, both P values < 0.001). In addition, the prevalence of E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus infections reduced from 15.19% to 0.45% and from 8.23% to 0 in M. fuscus, and the prevalence of E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus infections reduced from 7.76% to 0 and from 9.01% to 0 in P. pika in Shiqu County from 2015 to 2020. Conclusions M. fuscus and P. pika were dominant species of small mammals in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province from 2015 to 2020, and E. multilocularis infection was mainly found in M. fuscus and E. shiquicus infection mainly found in P. pika. The prevalence of Echinococcus infection appeared a tendency towards a decline in both M. fuscus and P. pika year by year during the period from 2015 to 2020.
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Objective To investigate the epidemiology of echinococcosis in Serthar County, Sichuan Province, so as to provide insights into optimization of echinococcosis control measures. Methods The prevalence of human echinococcosis was surveyed among permanent residents living in Serthar County at ages of over 2 years from 2016 to 2019, and the prevalence of Echinococcus infections was surveyed in owned dogs, yaks and rodents in 2019. The epidemiological features of echinococcosis in humans and animals were descriptively analyzed. Results The overall prevalence of human echinococcosis was 3.72% (1 613/43 362) in Serthar County from 2016 to 2019, and the prevalence rates of cystic echinococcosis, alveolar echinococcosis and mixed infections of cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis were 1.72% (745/43 362), 1.98% (860/43 362) and 0.02% (8/43 362), respectively. The prevalence of human echinococcosis was higher in pastoral areas (4.13%, 1 577/38 149) than in semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral areas (0.69%, 36/5 213) (χ2 = 151.82, P < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in the prevalence between men (3.76%, 819/21 787) and women (3.68%, 794/21 575) (χ2 = 0.19, P > 0.05). Cystic echinococcosis was the predominant type in students with echinococcosis (93.78%, 422/450), while alveolar echinococcosis was the predominant type in herders with echinococcosis (72.16%, 801/1 110). There was a significant difference in the constituent ratio of echinococcosis types between students and herders (χ2 = 588.57, P < 0.05). In addition, higher prevalence of echinococcosis was detected in nomadic populations (4.58%, 1 008/22 021) than in community-dwelling populations (2.83%, 605/21 341) (χ2 = 91.88, P < 0.05). The Echinococcus copro-antigen-positive rate was 0.19% (4/2 157) in owned dogs, and the detection rate of echinococcosis was 8.00% (16/200) in yaks and 3.10% (31/1 000) in rodents in 2019. Conclusions Echinococcosis is highly prevalent in Serthar County, Sichuan Province. Sustained management of source of Echinococcus infections, improved treatment of echinococcosis patients and timely health education for nomadic populations are recommended.
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Objective To investigate the effectiveness of a new health education pathway for echinococcosis control among primary school students in regions highly prevalent for echinococcosis in China. Methods Six primary schools were randomly selected from echinococcosis hyper-endemic regions, with 13 classes assigned to the intervention group and 9 to the control group, and all students in these 21 classes were recruited as the study subjects. Echinococcosis health education was performed through the pathway of assessing the current status-strengthening the building of teaching resources-focusing on practices in the intervention group, while routine health education was given in the control group. A questionnaire survey was performed to assess the score of echinococcosis control knowledge (including theoretical knowledge score and mean daily practical capability score) before and after the health education interventions to evaluate the effectiveness of this new health education pathway for echinococcosis control. Results The mean score of echinococcosis control knowledge was 68.86 ± 18.70 points at baseline, with the mean theoretical knowledge score of 40.97 ± 10.75 points, and the mean daily practical capability score of 27.89 ± 12.50 points. Clustering analysis showed three types of populations, including “unsatisfactory”, “learn and apply creatively”, and “rote learning”, which accounted for 24.62% (240/975), 45.74% (446/975) and 29.64% (289/975), respectively. The mean score of echinococcosis control knowledge was 81.08 ± 18.15 points in the intervention group during the final assessment, with the mean theoretical knowledge score of 43.65 ± 9.40 points, and the mean daily practical capability score of 37.43 ± 12.22 points, and both were significantly higher relative to baseline (t = −4.201 and −15.202, both P values < 0.01). The mean score of echinococcosis control knowledge was comparable between at baseline (70.55 ± 19.46 points) and final assessment (71.74 ± 19.37 points) in the control group (t = −0.87, P > 0.05). Conclusions The awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge is fair among primary school students in echinococcosis hyper-endemic regions; however, the capability of combining theoretical learning and practices requires to be improved. The health education mode based on the pathway of assessing the current status-strengthening the building of teaching resources-focusing on practices seems to remarkably improve the understanding of echinococcosis control knowledge among primary school students in echinococcosis hyper-endemic regions.
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Objective To identify the main risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, so as to provide the reference for the formulation of echinococcosis control strategies in Shiqu County. Methods During the period from November 2015 through June 2017, the patients with cystic echinococcosis (case group) and healthy controls (control group) were randomly sampled from Shiqu County as the study subjects. A questionnaire survey was conducted to capture the study subjects’age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, religion, lifestyle, education level, number of household dogs, bovine and sheep, and density of dog feces in the courtyard. The major risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis were identified using a logistic regression model. Results Univariate logistic regression analysis showed 7 risk factors with statistical significance between the case and control groups, and age, lifestyle, number of household bovine, number of household sheep, number of house-hold dogs, and the density of dog feces in the courtyard were included in the multivariate logistic regression model (OR = 1.026, 4.792, 1.067, 1.022, 1.709 and 1.095, respectively). Conclusion High age, pastoral nomadic lifestyle, high number of house-hold bovine, high number of household sheep, high number of household dogs and high density of dog feces in the courtyard are strongly associated with the riks of human cystic echinococcosis in Shiqu County.
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Objective To explore the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017, so as to provide reference for the formulation of echinococcosis prevention and control strategies and for the identification of key areas. Methods The spatial distribution maps of detection of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis were plotted in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017, and the spatial distribution characteristics and epidemic trends were analyzed. Results From 2007 to 2017, the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis appeared a decline in Sichuan Province year by year, and the areas with a high detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis were mainly located in western, northwestern and northern parts of Sichuan Province, while the areas with a low detection rate were predominantly found in the southern and eastern parts of the province. The global Moran’s I values were 0.19, 0.22, 0.17, 0.44, 0.48, 0.31 and 0.16 for the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2016 (all Z scores > 1.96, all P values < 0.05), suggesting spatial aggregation distribution during this period. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that the“high-high”areas and“low-low”areas for the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis all showed an aggregation tendency. Conclusions The detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis decreases in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017 year by year, and shows a spatial aggregation. The echinococcosis control activities should be intensified in Shiqu, Seda, Dege, Ganzi and Baiyu counties.
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Objective To identify the main risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, so as to provide the reference for the formulation of echinococcosis control strategies in Shiqu County. Methods During the period from November 2015 through June 2017, the patients with cystic echinococcosis (case group) and healthy controls (control group) were randomly sampled from Shiqu County as the study subjects. A questionnaire survey was conducted to capture the study subjects’age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, religion, lifestyle, education level, number of household dogs, bovine and sheep, and density of dog feces in the courtyard. The major risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis were identified using a logistic regression model. Results Univariate logistic regression analysis showed 7 risk factors with statistical significance between the case and control groups, and age, lifestyle, number of household bovine, number of household sheep, number of house-hold dogs, and the density of dog feces in the courtyard were included in the multivariate logistic regression model (OR = 1.026, 4.792, 1.067, 1.022, 1.709 and 1.095, respectively). Conclusion High age, pastoral nomadic lifestyle, high number of house-hold bovine, high number of household sheep, high number of household dogs and high density of dog feces in the courtyard are strongly associated with the riks of human cystic echinococcosis in Shiqu County.
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Objective To explore the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017, so as to provide reference for the formulation of echinococcosis prevention and control strategies and for the identification of key areas. Methods The spatial distribution maps of detection of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis were plotted in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017, and the spatial distribution characteristics and epidemic trends were analyzed. Results From 2007 to 2017, the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis appeared a decline in Sichuan Province year by year, and the areas with a high detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis were mainly located in western, northwestern and northern parts of Sichuan Province, while the areas with a low detection rate were predominantly found in the southern and eastern parts of the province. The global Moran’s I values were 0.19, 0.22, 0.17, 0.44, 0.48, 0.31 and 0.16 for the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2016 (all Z scores > 1.96, all P values < 0.05), suggesting spatial aggregation distribution during this period. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that the“high-high”areas and“low-low”areas for the detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis all showed an aggregation tendency. Conclusions The detection rate of cases with newly diagnosed echinococcosis decreases in Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2017 year by year, and shows a spatial aggregation. The echinococcosis control activities should be intensified in Shiqu, Seda, Dege, Ganzi and Baiyu counties.
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Objective To design and construct a patient-doctor interaction system for echinococcosis treatment. Methods The in-depth interview and brainstorming method were used to determine the main functional modules of the system based on the server/client model. Results An echinococcosis patient-doctor interaction system was successfully constructed in Sichuan Province and got through preliminary debugging. The system contained four functions, namely quick consultation, treatment supervision, health education, and other auxiliary functions. Conclusion The patient-doctor interaction system of echinococcosis treatment is hopeful to enhance the management effectiveness on echinococcosis patients, and to provide more convenient and quick medical consultation and health information for patients.
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Objective To design and construct a patient-doctor interaction system for echinococcosis treatment. Methods The in-depth interview and brainstorming method were used to determine the main functional modules of the system based on the server/client model. Results An echinococcosis patient-doctor interaction system was successfully constructed in Sichuan Province and got through preliminary debugging. The system contained four functions, namely quick consultation, treatment supervision, health education, and other auxiliary functions. Conclusion The patient-doctor interaction system of echinococcosis treatment is hopeful to enhance the management effectiveness on echinococcosis patients, and to provide more convenient and quick medical consultation and health information for patients.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the epidemiological and biological features of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-triple-negative breast cancer (non-TNBC) to provide reference for devising individualized therapy and making prognostic evaluation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 5-year follow-up data were collected from 231 patients with pathologically established diagnosis of breast cancer treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and Yinchuan People's Hospital between Jan. 2002 and Dec. 2004. The epidemiological and clinicopathological characteristics as well as the recurrence, metastasis and 5-year survival were compared between TNBC group and non-TNBC group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TNBC accounted 17.3% of the total breast cancer cases enrolled in this study. The tumor size and rates of recurrence and metastasis (especially visceral metastasis) were significantly greater in TNBC group than in non-TNBC group (P<0.05). The TNBC patients showed significantly lower 3- and 5-year survival rates than the non-TNBC patients (P<0.05), and TNBC patients with positive lymph nodes in clinical stage II had also a lower 5-year survival (P<0.05). Cox regression model analysis identified the patients' age, primary tumor size, clinical stages and triple-negativity as the independent risk factors for breast cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared to non-TNBC patients, patients with TNBC have higher rates of local recurrence and invasion, visceral metastasis and poorer prognosis, and a lower rate of 5-year survival. The triple negativity represents an independent factor for prognosis evaluation of breast cancer.</p>