Comparative pathogenicity of Coxsackievirus A16 circulating and noncirculating strains in vitro and in a neonatal mouse model

An enterovirus 71 (EV71) vaccine for the prevention of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HMFD) is available, but it is not known whether the EV71 vaccine cross-protects against Coxsackievirus (CV) infection. Furthermore, although an inactivated circulating CVA16 Changchun 024 (CC024) strain vaccine candidate is effective in newborn mice, the CC024 strain causes severe lesions in muscle and lung tissues. Therefore, an effective CV vaccine with improved pathogenic safety is needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo safety and in vitro replication capability of a noncirculating CVA16 SHZH05 strain. The replication capacity of circulating CVA16 strains CC024, CC045, CC090 and CC163 and the noncirculating SHZH05 strain was evaluated by cytopathic effect in different cell lines. The replication capacity and pathogenicity of the CC024 and SHZH05 strains were also evaluated in a neonatal mouse model. Histopathological and viral load analyses demonstrated that the SHZH05 strain had an in vitro replication capacity comparable to the four CC strains. The CC024, but not the SHZH05 strain, became distributed in a variety of tissues and caused severe lesions and mortality in neonatal mice. The differences in replication capacity and in vivo pathogenicity of the CC024 and SHZH05 strains may result from differences in the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of viral functional polyproteins P1, P2 and P3. Our findings suggest that the noncirculating SHZH05 strain may be a safer CV vaccine candidate than the CC024 strain.

Las asociaciones de pacientes y el control de la leishmaniasis en el Perú / Patients' associations and the control of leishmaniasis in Perú

La leishmaniasis mucocutánea americana es un grave problema de salud en el Perú, particularmente en la región montañosa de Cuzco, donde se produjeron 25 por ciento de todos los nuevos casos notificados en 1989. El número de casos ha aumentado notablemente desde principios del denenio de 1980, cuando hubo una emigración estacional en gran escala a las zonas endémicas, especialmente a la región forestal de Madre de Dios, debido al descubrimiento de nuevas minas de oro en esa zona y al deterioro económico en el Perú. Ante la falta de respuesta oficial del Gobierno peruano, centenares de enfermos de leishmaniasis en la zona de Cuzco formaron asociaciones de autoayuda con el objetivo de obtener los medicamentos necesarios para tratar su afección. El logro principal de este movimiento que surgió espontáneamente, apoyado por varias instituciones públicas y privadas, fue animar a los enfermos, particularmente a los pacientes con lesiones de las mucosas, a salir del aislamiento. Como resultado, se han reducido mucho la prevalencia e incidencia de la enfermedad en ese territorio

Studies on the transmission potential of surviving microfilaremias after basic control of filariasis.

After filariasis was basically controlled (the microfilarial rate was lower than 1%) in Henan Province in 1987, longitudinal observation of the disease has been carried out in all the province in order to study the regular pattern of growth and decline or the transmission potential of the disease. According to the distribution of filaria species and original microfilarial rate, 7 administrative villages in 7 counties were selected as surveillance sites. From 1988 to 1995, etiological and mosquito vector surveys were made continuously in all sites where no control measure was conducted. 10 surviving microfilaremic individuals became negative gradually over the first 6 years and no new microfilaremia was found. Since then, the microfilarial rate was zero. During the 8 years, 19 vector mosquitos were positive, with a total of 33 filarial larva. Culex pipiens pallens was the predominant mosquito species inside human dwelling in all sites. The man-biting rate of mosquitos for outdoor sleepers fluctuated greatly, the highest was 360.60 mosquitos per man per night and the lowest 7.20. The man-biting rate of mosquitos for sleepers inside mosquito-nets was approximately 1. The proportion of multiparous mosquitos also fluctuated greatly, the highest was 88.10% and the lowest 27.27%. According to the data described above, the man-biting rate of mosquitos which contained filaria L3 was less than 1 mosquito per man per transmission season. It is suggested that after the microfilarial rate was lower than 1%, the surviving microfilaremias became negative gradually in 3-5 years, and the transmission of the disease was blocked. Therefore, in the districts where filariasis was basically controlled, elimination of the disease was attainable.

Nationwide survey of human parasite in China.

A nationwide survey of human parasites in China was conducted during 1988-1992, with a coverage of 30 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities (P/A/M). A total of 2,848 pilot sites in 726 counties were selected by random sampling, and 1,477,742 individuals residing on were surveyed by fecal examination. The status of paragonimiasis, hydatid diseases, cysticercosis and trichinellosis were summarized through data review. The overall infection rate of intestinal parasites was 62.6% whereas at provincial level, the highest infection rate (94.7%) was recovered in Hainan, and the lowest (17.5%) in Heilong-jiang. A high proportion (43.3%) of polyparasitism among the infected population (882,080) was revealed. Altogether 56 species of parasites comprising protozoa (19), trematode (16), cestodes (8), nematodes (12) and thorny-headed worm (1) were discovered. During the survey a new species and several new records were documented. The number of the population infected with common intestinal parasites was estimated. The diversities of parasite distribution were noted in different nationalities as well as in varied occupations.

Morbimortalidad perinatal en el parto instrumentado: estudio de un año / Perinatal morbimortality in the orchestrated childbirth: study of a year

Se realiza la revisión de 222 historias clínicas de los 245 partos instrumentados realizados en el Hospital Ginecobstétrico Provincial Docente Martires de Girón de Cienfuegos, durante el período que comprende enero-diiembre de 1990con el objetivo de investigar las principales causas de morbimortalidad perinatal en el parto instrumentado. Se detectó un índice de instrumentación de 4,0 porciento. Se analizaron las principales causas de morbimortalidad perinatal de forma general y por instrumento utilizado, así como se encontró un 3,6 porciento de hipoxia global a los 5 min. y una mortalidad perinatal del 9,0 por mil nacidos vivos

Macrosomia fetal: repercusión en la morbimortalidad perinatal / Fetal macrosomia: repercussion in it perinatal morbimortality

Se realiza un estudio sobre la mocrosomia fetal en el período comprendido entre 1983-1984 y 1988-1989 elhospital ginecobstétrico docente de Cienfuegos, con un total de 259 recién nacidos macrosómicos, se investigan algunos aspectos relacionados con el parto, peso del recién nacido, así como su resultado perinatal

La paciente obstétrica críticamente enferma. Análisis de la morbimortalidad. Provincia Cienfuegos. Año 1979-1988

Se realiza un estudio de la morbimortalidad materna en el decenio 1979-1988.Se tuvieron en cuenta algunas variables generales y otras específicas como:causas que motivaron el ingreso, edad, estadía hospitalaria y causas de muerte.Se determinó que la enfermedad hipertensiva del embarazo fue la causa directa más frecuente de muerte.La mortalidad general de la serie fue de 20 pacientes, haciéndose necesaria una adecuada identificación del riesgo prenatal y una política consecuente de cuidados progresivos en la maternidad

Interleukin 2 and lymphokine-activated killer cells in the treatment of childhood primary hepatocellular carcinoma--a preliminary report.

Recombinant interleukin-2 (RIL-2) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were administered to 2 boys with the end-stage of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); the efficacy and toxicity were evaluated. Immunologically, the natural killer and LAK activities were enhanced. Clinically, the side effects were similar to those reported for adults but milder. This kind of treatment may be considered for children with the early stages of hepatocellular carcinoma.