A New Species of Graphis and New Lichen Records from Vietnam, Including a Second Worldwide Report of Sarcographina cyclospora

Graphis upretii is a new lichen species discovered in Vietnam. The species is characterized by a loosely corticate, rough, whitish grey to greyish green thallus, elongate and irregularly branched lirellae with an apically thin complete thalline margin (negrosina morph), laterally carbonized, entire proper exciple, clear hymenium, hyaline, 16~20 transversely locular ascospores, and about 50~95 x 10~15 microm in size. In addition, members of the taxon produce norstictic and stictic acids. Currently, the lichen flora of Vietnam include Arthonia radiata, Brigantiaea tricolor, Coenogonium implexum, Dirina paradoxa, Herpothallon sipmanii, Pertusaria pertusa, and Sarcographina cyclospora.

Characteristics of social migration, malaria epidemiology anf related risk factors in migrants in Ea Sup district, Dak Lak province, 2002-2004

A study on epidemiological characteristics of migration and malaria was carried out in Ea Sup district, Dak Lak province in 2002-2004. The findings showed that the migrants from the North in 2-5 recent years stayed permanently in the new land (98.8%). The main reason for migration was the economic factor (95.5%). The migrants were exposed to the malaria infection during their 1-2 week moving time and lack of protection means, such as bednets (83.0%) and antimalarial drugs (17%). The living place of the migrants was isolated and closed to the forest with temporary house (97%), and the malaria prevalence and incidence were high. There is no significant difference in malaria infection rates by gender, ethnic and parasite species. The risk factors were due to working and sleeping in the forest (98%), and poor structured houses (86%). The knowledge on malaria of the migrants was higher than local people (77% vs. 52%), but the income was lower (50% and 78%). The lack of bednets was 67% and the use of bednets was 90%. The rates of health care seeking behavior and accessing to health information were low: 36-56% and 27 30%.

Investigation of malaria infection in Krongpac district, Dak Lak province, 2003

Malaria infection rate and epidemiological factors were investigated in 2003 in Krongpac district. A cross-sectional study (3000 samples) was carried out by Giemsa staining microscopy. A total malaria infection rate of 7.8%, out of this 9.6% and 6.4% were found in male and female samples, respectively. The infection rate also varied from the permanently settled ethnic minority groups of Ede, Van Kieu, Se Dang (9.6%) to the newly settled Tay group (7.2%). The infection rate was different between age groups above 15 years old (11.1 %) and under 15 years old (3.3%). P. falciparum was found much higher than P. vivax (76.5% vs 23.5%, respectively). All the comparisons were statistic significant with P < 0.01. Other species or mixed infection were not found. Mixed infection of single trophozoite was 76.5%, The mixed trophozoite and gametocyte was 23.5%. Schizontes were not found.

Testing and evaluation of antimalarial drug quality in Dien Bien, Quang Tri, Dak Lak and Binh Phuoc in 2004

Antimalarial drug samples were collected from different parts of the country for quality investigation in 2004. A total of 129 samples of different batches were collected at three rounds and cross-checked at local, central level and abroad. At the round one, three out of 49 collected samples were found substandard. One of 40 samples of the second round was determined counterfeit (2.5%). The re-analysis of 51 samples at NIDQC revealed two from the first round were substandard and one from the second round was counterfeit

Malaria kap survey in unorganized migrant people in Cu Pui commune, Krong Bong district

A cross-sectional survey using KAP survey was conducted in the Ea Rot hamlet, Cu Pui commune, Krongbong district of Daklak province where there settled a lot of unorganized people and a malaria outbreak occurred in 1997 to determine the malaria prevalence among the migrant people and risk factors for infection. It was found that malaria prevalence among the unorganized migrant people was higher than that of the local ones (7.8% compared to 4.07%) with p0.05, between Thai group and H'mong group (8.94% vs 6.67%) with p>0.05. However, a significant difference of malaria infection rate was found between the forest overnight and non-overnight people (25.61% vs 10.63%) with p<0.05, between the people using and not using mosquito nets (48.78% vs 77.01%) with p<0.05