Epidemiological and pathogenic features of a bacillary dysentery outbreak in a boarding school caused by Shigella sonneri / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the etiologic and epidemiologic features of an infectious diarrhea outbreak in a boarding school in Fuyang city, Anhui province.@*Methods@#Traceability hypothesis of this study was tested according to the epidemiological characteristics of the cases. Feces, anal swabs, water samples and food residues related to the patients and chefs were collected for pathogen isolation and detection. Biochemical identification, virulence gene detection, drug susceptibility test, PFGE and multilocus sequence typing were performed.@*Results@#The incidence rate (3.41%) of different dormitory buildings within the water supply area by shallow wells was higher than that (0.98%) of the deep wells, with statistical significance (χ2=17.215, P<0.001). Sixteen strains belonged to the Shigella Sonneri family were isolated from the patient’s samples, and all carrying the ipaH gene. Seven strains belonged to sen and ial genes. Set1 gene that did not appear in all the 16 strains were highly resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, compound xinnomine, cefazoline, cefotaxime, gentamicin, naphthidinic acid and streptomycin, including 9 strains to doxycycline. The pulse field pattern of the 16 strains of Shigella sonneri appeared the same, with the ST type as ST152.@*Conclusion@#When combined data from the etiological and epidemiological investigation, it was confirmed that Shigella sonneri was the pathogen of this outbreak, and water from the shallow wells might be responsible for the source of infection.

Gender differences in the prevalence and impact factors of hysterical tendencies in adolescents from three eastern Chinese provinces

BACKGROUND@#Few studies have attempted to compare the differences in the prevalence and impact factors of hysterical tendencies (HTs) in adolescents. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine gender differences in the prevalence and impact factors of adolescents' HTs across three eastern Chinese provinces (Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang).@*METHODS@#A multicenter, school-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in three provinces (Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang) in China in 2014. The sample included 10,131 middle-school students aged 13-18 years who were randomly selected using a multiphase, stratified, cluster sampling technique. A two-stage appraisal procedure was used to determine the adolescents' HTs. We also designed a multicenter, school-based, case control (1329 cases with 2661 control individuals) study to collect data on the common factors affecting this population using a common protocol and questionnaire.@*RESULTS@#An overall positive rate of HTs among adolescents across the three eastern Chinese provinces studied was found at 13.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.5-13.8%), at 14.5% (95% CI 13.3-15.7%) for females, and at 12.2% (95% CI 11.1-13.4%) for males. Gender-stratified, multiple conditional regression analyses revealed that superstitious beliefs pertaining to life, somatotype, teacher-student satisfaction, and family achievement orientation were significantly linked to HTs only in males, while left-behind adolescents, emotional and social adaptation, teacher-student support, family cohesion, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - depression scores were significantly associated with female HTs only. The models indicated that of all the independent variables studied, family medical history was the strongest impact factor for both male HTs (adjusted matched odds ratio (amOR) = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.84-4.86) and female HTs (amOR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.59-4.98).@*CONCLUSIONS@#HTs are prevalent among adolescents in the three eastern Chinese provinces studied. Gender differences in the prevalence and impact factors of HTs are significant in adolescents, and HTs seem to affect more females than males. Therefore, sex-specific intervention programs against HTs in adolescents should be considered to reduce HT prevalence in adolescents by modifying influential social, school, and family factors.

The status of anxiety and its influential factors of preschool children in rural areas / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To know the anxiety status of preschool children in rural areas and to explore its influential factors. Methods Subjects of 1363 rural preschool children aged 3-6 years were selected from Anhui Province( Changfeng and Feixi county of Hefei city; Qianshan county of Anqing city; Funan county of Fuyang city) . The primary caregivers of preschool children were investigated by Chinese version of Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale (SPAS),Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Preschoolers (DECA-P2) ,Neglect Norms for Children Aged 3 to 6 Years in Rural Areas of China,Adaptation Partnership Growth Affection Resolve (APGAR),Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Self-rating depression (SDS). Result-s Among the 1363 preschool children,the positive rate of anxiety was 14. 7％. Physical injury fears score was highest (1. 24±0. 84),followed by social phobia anxiety (0. 86±0. 75) and separation anxiety (0. 85± 0. 74) . Except for obsessive compulsive disorder,the other four types of anxiety and total anxiety scores were negatively correlated with the total protective factors of mental resilience (r=-0. 054- -0. 070,P<0. 05). Besides,all anxiety scores were positively correlated with behavioral problems(r=0. 121-0. 237,P<0. 05)and neglect degree (r=0. 157-0. 269,P<0. 05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis of different anxiety types showed that gender,family type,family income status,parental rearing pattern was consistent or inconsistent,children' s neglect degree,behavior problem and anxiety/depression status of primary caregivers were the main factors affecting the anxiety level of preschool children in rural areas. Conclusions In order to reduce or avoid anxiety of preschool children,it is necessary to establish a good family environment,im-prove parents' upbringing level,and take effective education intervention.