Comparison of the Awareness and Knowledge of Scrub Typhus between Case and Control Groups / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: To survey the awareness of patient to scrub typhus to provide data for education and communication concerning scrub typhus. METHODS: Patients with scrub typhus (case group, n=299) and people without scrub typhus within the previous 2 years (control group, n=598) were matched for age (within 5 years), gender, and occupation (farmer or non-farmer). The participants were recruited from 15 study areas between October and December 2006. RESULTS: The awareness rate of scrub typhus was 75.1%, and was significantly higher than in the case group (79.4% vs. 66.6%, respectively; p<0.01). The major routes of awareness were from 'past history of scrub typhus in family members or neighbors' (54.9%), 'television' (28.3%), and their past history of scrub typhus (5.5%). The average correct rate of scrub typhus was 48.4%, and the correct response rate of cases was significantly higher than controls (p<0.01). Especially, the correct rate of etiology, incubation period, route of transmission, and acquired immunity was <40%. Through conditional logistic regression test, the factor significantly associated with awareness in case group was age (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.98). And the factors associated with awareness in control group were female (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.03-2.36) age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99), family history of scrub typhus (OR, 10.18; 95% CI, 1.37-75.99), history of receiving prevention education (OR, 8.47; 95% CI, 1.14-63.00). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of awareness was relatively low in study population. Thus, effective working guidelines and educational program to prevent scrub typhus must be developed, and publicity activities about the prevention of scrub typhus are needed for high-risk groups.

Hygienic State and Awareness of Drink Vending Machines in a City / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the hygienic state and awareness of drink vending machines in a city. METHODS: Twelve of the most frequently used vending machines in various areas were selected in October 2008. As soon as fresh samples of milk coffee and adlay tea were collected in sterile containers from each machine, the temperature was measured. The samples were carried on ice to the laboratory to test total plate counts and Escherichia coli contamination. College students were inquired about drink vending machine hygiene by implementing self-developed questionnaires. RESULTS: The temperature of 6 milk coffee samples (50.0%) and 8 adlay tea samples (66.7%) turned out to be inadequate. The total plate counts of milk coffee samples were all adequate, although 9 adlay tea samples (75.0%) were inadequate. All the beverage samples were negative for E. coli. In questionnaires obtained from 74 users of coffee vending machines, only 2 (2.7%) expected the hygienic state of vending machines to be good. There were 27 people (33.3%) that knew the existence of hygiene-related laws for vending machines. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that the hygienic state of drink vending machines insufficiently reaches the standard for the hot beverage and that most people are not aware of importance of vending machine hygiene. It is necessary to make improvement in the hygiene of vending machines and public awareness in this city.

Changes of Interleukin-10 and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Children with Aseptic Meningitis

PURPOSE: Interleukin(IL)-10 is an antiinflammatory cytokine produced by monocytes/macrophages. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF) plays an important role, not only as a hemopoietic factor but also as a regulating factor for a biologic defense system by neutrophils, in the foci of infection. We studied G-CSF and IL-10 levels in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) of patients with aseptic meningitis and investigated the relationship of G-CSF and IL-10 with other inflammatory cells. METHODS: We measured IL-10 and G-CSF levels in the serum and CSF of children with or without aseptic meningitis using ELISA and compared them with other inflammatory cells in the CSF. RESULTS: CSF levels of IL-10 & G-CSF on admission were significantly higher in the aseptic meningitis group than in the control group. IL-10 and G-CSF levels in the CSF were higher than those in the serum(P<0.001). Mean CSF IL-10 & G-CSF levels during the recovery stage decreased significantly compared to those of the symptomatic stage(P<0.001). Significant correlations were found between CSF IL-10 levels and mononuclear cell counts(r=0.26, P<0.05), and between G-CSF levels and neutrophil counts in the CSF(r=0.44, P<0.005). CSF levels of G-CSF were highest on the 1st day of the illness, although CSF IL-10 levels reached its peak on the 3rd day of the illness. CONCLUSION: IL-10 and G-CSF are produced in the CSF of patients with aseptic meningitis and may play an immunoregulatory role by recruiting inflammatory cells from the peripheral blood at the initial stage of aseptic meningitis.

Changes of Interleukin-10 and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Children with Aseptic Meningitis

PURPOSE: Interleukin(IL)-10 is an antiinflammatory cytokine produced by monocytes/macrophages. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF) plays an important role, not only as a hemopoietic factor but also as a regulating factor for a biologic defense system by neutrophils, in the foci of infection. We studied G-CSF and IL-10 levels in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) of patients with aseptic meningitis and investigated the relationship of G-CSF and IL-10 with other inflammatory cells. METHODS: We measured IL-10 and G-CSF levels in the serum and CSF of children with or without aseptic meningitis using ELISA and compared them with other inflammatory cells in the CSF. RESULTS: CSF levels of IL-10 & G-CSF on admission were significantly higher in the aseptic meningitis group than in the control group. IL-10 and G-CSF levels in the CSF were higher than those in the serum(P<0.001). Mean CSF IL-10 & G-CSF levels during the recovery stage decreased significantly compared to those of the symptomatic stage(P<0.001). Significant correlations were found between CSF IL-10 levels and mononuclear cell counts(r=0.26, P<0.05), and between G-CSF levels and neutrophil counts in the CSF(r=0.44, P<0.005). CSF levels of G-CSF were highest on the 1st day of the illness, although CSF IL-10 levels reached its peak on the 3rd day of the illness. CONCLUSION: IL-10 and G-CSF are produced in the CSF of patients with aseptic meningitis and may play an immunoregulatory role by recruiting inflammatory cells from the peripheral blood at the initial stage of aseptic meningitis.