Epidemiological characteristics of HIV/AIDS in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2010-2017 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective@#To understand the characteristics of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi) with a purpose to accurately provide scientific basis for prevention and control measures, 2010-2017.@*Methods@#Data were retrieved from case reporting cards of Guangxi during 2010 to 2017 through National HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System. Data was analyzed using epidemiological methods such number of cases, proportion and rate. χ2 test was used for statistical analysis.@*Results@#The HIV positive rate was 12.53 per ten thousand (85 182/67 959 000) in Guangxi during 2010 to 2017. The number of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases and the number of death yearly respectively increased by 22.34%(2 602/11 648) and 32.83% (952/2 900) in 2011 compared with 2010, and both showed a six-year continuous downward trend (the number of newly diagnosed cases respectively 12 229 cases, 10 877 cases, 9 460 cases, 9 190 cases, 8 848 cases, 8 680 cases, and the number of death respectively 3 888 cases, 3 316 cases, 2 914 cases, 2 717 cases, 2 595 cases, 2 600 cases) from 2012 to 2017. But proportion of late discovery remained above 50.00% (50.53%-57.06%) for eight-years continuously. The ratio of male and female was 2.47 ∶ 1 (60 639/24 543). The ratio of males and females aged 50 and over was 2.71∶1 (28 654/10 557). Proportion of the cases in 25-49 years old group and 50 years old group accounting for 47.40%(40 377/85 182) and 46.03% (39 211/85 182) respectively. The occupation was farmers accounting for 68.40% (58 262/85 182), housekeeping, housework and unemployment accounting for 11.21% (9 546/85 182), student accounting for 0.86% (729/85 182). Heterosexual transmission accounted for 90.60% (77 171/85 182, homosexual transmission accounted for 3.13% (2 669/85 182), injection drug use transmission accounted for 4.60%(3 924/85 182) and mother-to-child transmission accounted for 0.73% (619/85 182).@*Conclusions@#The number of newly diagnosed cases and the number of death yearly showed a continuous downtrend for six-years from 2012 to 2017. However, proportion of late discovery remained above 50.00% for eight-years. The major route of infection was heterosexual transmission. With the change of HIV/AIDS newly epidemic mode in Guangxi, there are many new challenges for HIV/AIDS prevention and control work. Strategy of targeted intervention modes should be innovated for a new breakthrough.

Investigation of current cognition of occupational exposure to HIV in healthcare workers in Liuzhou, China / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the current cognition of occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the personal occupational protection awareness in healthcare workers in Liuzhou, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 270 healthcare workers were selected from 10 hospitals in Liuzhou by stratified random sampling for a cross-sectional study. And a self-administered questionnaire of occupational exposure to HIV was designed to conduct a survey. The descriptive analysis of data was carried out by Excel. And a logistic regression analysis was done to analyze the effects of different factors on healthcare workers' cognition of occupational exposure to HIV using the statistical analysis software SPSS 19.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 260 usable questionnaires (96.3%) were returned. Among them, 220 healthcare workers (84.6%) had received the trainings on occupational exposure to HIV; 223 healthcare wofkers (85.8%) were aware of the rules and regulations on prevention of occupational exposure to HIV and the operation procedures in their hospitals. The healthcare workers who had not received the trainings or had not known the rules and regulations and the operation procedures were mainly from primary or secondary hospitals. A total of 106 healthcare workers (40.8%) had directly contacted patients' blood or body fluids; 154 healthcare workers (59.2%) were injured by sharp instruments, and most were hollow needle stick injuries (98/154, 63.6%). A total of 168 healthcare workers (68.08%) had better cognitive awareness of occupational exposure to HIV, and 76 healthcare workers (29.2%) had moderate cognitive awareness. Some healthcare workers had poor knowledge in the common sense of AIDS/HIV and occupational exposure to HIV, the personal protection awareness of occupational exposure, or the disposal measures after occupational exposure. The univariate analysis using chi-square test showed that occupation and professional title were significantly correlated with the cognition (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the doctors (OR3.8; P<0.05), nurses (OR3.04, P<0.05), and laboratory technicians (OR=9.51, P<0.05) had better awareness compared with the others. The healthcare workers with a primary or lower professional title had poorer awareness compared with the healthcare workers with a higher professional title (OR=0.47, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Healthcare workers have the risk of occupational exposure to HIT. They do not have comprehensive and systematic knowledge related to occupational exposure to HIV, and they have a high demand for training.</p>

Immune responses of silicotic rats to the antigen of sheep red blood cells / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the immune response of silicotic rats to sheep red blood cells(SRBC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Silicotic rats were immunized with SRBC by tracheal instillation(Group 1) or intraperitoneal injection (Group 2), and non-silicotic rats were immunized by tracheal instillation as normal control(Group 3). The levels of serum hemolytic index(HC50) were measured on 7, 12, 20, 25, and 32 days after primary immunization and 5, 12, 15 days after the second immunization. Special anti-SRBC IgG was measured with ELISA(A490 nm) on 12, 20, 25, 32 days and 5, 12, 15, 27 days respectively. Delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH) to SRBC was measured 20 days after second immunization and DTH reaction was determined at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after administration. Total cell count and cell populations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), lung associated lymph node(LALN) and spleen weight, special IgG secreted from spleen cells were measured at the end of the experiment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The HC50 of Group 1(47.4 +/- 1.0, 52.2 +/- 4.6, 31.1 +/- 11.9, 43.8 +/- 3.5, 33.6 +/- 16.8, 49.0 +/- 2.3, 92.9 +/- 20.2, 87.7 +/- 5.2) were statistically higher than those of Group 3(40.4 +/- 10.6, 2.8 +/- 2.5, 0.8 +/- 0.6, 6.6 +/- 5.8, 1.4 +/- 0.1, 36.5 +/- 16.5, 53.0 +/- 33.2, 2.6 +/- 2.2). The special anti-SRBC IgG response in Group 1(1.67 +/- 0.19, 1.98 +/- 0.36, 1.12 +/- 0.50, 1.38 +/- 0.30, 2.75 +/- 0.15, 2.60 +/- 0.28, 2.86 +/- 0.10, 2.50 +/- 0.20) were much stronger than those in Group 3 (0.59 +/- 0.30, 0.56 +/- 0.21, 0.21 +/- 0.16, 0.22 +/- 0.01, 0.81 +/- 0.25, 0.74 +/- 0.25, 0.69 +/- 0.26, 1.38 +/- 0.41). Furthermore, the results of DTH showed positive response and the ratios for diameter of skin rash > 5 mm at 24, 48, 72, 96 h were 16/16, 16/16, 16/16, 15/16 respectively in Group 1, while those in Group 3 were 8/15, 1/15, 1/15, 1/15 respectively. Total cell count in the BALF, LALN and spleen weight, and special IgG secreted from spleen cells in Group 1 were higher too. Group 2 expressed almost of the same but with mild immunologic responses as Group 1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Silicosis-induced extremely strong DTH and over-response of humoral immunity to some antigens may contribute to the likelihood of silicosis complicated with tuberculosis.</p>

Nucleotide sequence analysis of new genotype of hepatitis G virus in population at high risk for HCV infection in Guangxi / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the prevalence and the sequence of the genes of new genotypes of hepatitis G virus (HGV) in Guangxi, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum samples were collected from 85 intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs), 80 patients with liver diseases (PLDs) and 50 blood donors (BDs). All sera (n=215) were tested by using EIA for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV, and by using nested PCR for HGV RNA. In 62 subjects positive for HGV, HGV RNA was sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed for analyzing genotypes of HGV.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HGV RNA was detected in 85 of 215 serum samples (39.53%). The positivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were 39.07%, 42.79% and 0, respectively. First, 11 nucleotide sequences were determined and the isolates were grouped into three clusters with HGV. 5 of 11 HGV isolates clustered in a distinct phylogenetic branch (genotype Asia) which was different from the described GBV-C and HGV sequences, suggesting the presence of a new genotype of HGV in this locality. Second, 51 nucleotide sequences were determined and analyzed for their genotypes of HGV, and showed genotype GBV-C (3.23%), genotype HGV 30-65% and new genotype (genotype Asia) 64.51%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There were subgenotypes in 3 genotypes of HGV; The predominant genotypes of HGV were genotype Asia and genotype HGV among IVDAs, PLDs, and BDs patients in Guangxi, China.</p>

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus precore mutant isolated from asymptomatic carriers in Guangxi / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to understand the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore mutants isolated from asymtomatic carriers in Guangxi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplification of HBV DNA precore in 77 carrier sera, followed by HBV DNA nPCR products sequencing using direct sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>50.7% of 77 carriers was positive for HBV DNA with a prevalence of mutants 22.1% (17/77). HBV DNA positive rate in the southern part of the autonomous region was 55.6% (20/36). Six of them were mutants, counting for 30%. The common mutation in the southern part was seen T-->C at nt1858 while nt1896 stop mutation was discovered in one sample only, which was accompanied by point mutation at nt1837 (A-->G). HBV DNA positive rate in the northern part was 46.3% (19/41) with 11 of them were mutants, counting for 57.9%. The common mutation in that area stopped at nt1896. Among samples with stopped mutation, 4 samples had mutation at nt1846 (A-->T), 2 samples at nt1862 (G-->T). Both mutation at nt1856 (C-->T) and nt1858 (T-->C) could be seen in sample 734.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The prevalence of HBV precore mutant in asymptomatic carriers in Guangxi was at the average level in China. Further study is needed to determine the difference between the southern and the northern part of the region in the common type of mutation exists.</p>

Content of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Mainstream Smoke of Chinese Cigarettes / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To analyze the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mainstream smoke of 20 brands of Chinese cigarette. Methods Mainstream smoke of 20 brands of Chinese cigarettes were collected by ASM51 smoking machine. Both tar and nicotine were analysed in the same time. Nine kinds of PAHs, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(g, h, j)perylene and dibenzo(a, h)anthracene, in mainstream smoke from each brand were determined with HPLC. Results Total PAHs ranged from 404.1 to 1 085 ng per cigarette with an average of 714.8 ng per cigarette. Non-carcinogenic PAHs accounted for 93% of total PAHs. Carcinogenic PAHs ranged from 49.4 to 117.7 ng per cigarette, averaging 89.4 ng per cigarette. Content of tar, not nicotine, was significantly related to either total PAHs or carcinogenic PAHs. Conclusion Significant correlation between tar and PAHs suggests that tar may be a predictor of carcinogenic PAHs in mainstream smoke of Chinese cigarettes and a parameter to assess the impact of Chinese cigarettes on health.