[Epidemic situation of imported malaria in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2016].

Objective To understand the malaria epidemic situation in Chengdu City, so as to provide the evidence for effectively carrying out the malaria elimination work. Methods The data of imported malaria in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2016 were collected from the Disease Surveillance Information Reporting System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and analyzed respectively. Results A total of 240 imported malaria cases were reported in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2016. In detail, 68.75% of the cases were falciparum malaria cases, 20.41% were vivax malaria cases, 2.50% were quartan malaria cases, 6.25% were ovale malaria cases, and 2.08% were mixed Plasmodium infections. Among them three patients died, with a mortality of 1.25%. All of the cases were infected overseas, among which 224 patients returned from Africa and 16 patients from Southeast Asia. The annual average morbidity was 0.28/100 000, and there was a significantly difference among annual average morbidities (χ2 = 23.87, P < 0.001). There were malaria cases reported in every month, and no significantly difference among seasons (χ2 = 0.833, P > 0.05). Conclusion The number of overseas imported malaria in Chengdu City increases year by year. The effective measures to control the overseas imported malaria should be strengthened to consolidate the achievements of malaria elimination.

Hydroxymethylglutaryl co-enzyme A reductase inhibition attenuates endotoxin-mediated inflammatory responses.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of hydroxymethylglutaryl co-enzyme A reductase attenuates leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions and alters expression of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) following exposure to endotoxin. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pravastatin + LPS groups (seven per group). Pravastatin sodium was gavaged at 0.4 mg per kg per day for 5 days, after which LPS 15 mg/kg was administered via the jugular vein. Intravital microscopy was used to determine leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions. RESULTS: Following the administration of LPS there was a significant reduction in leucocyte rolling velocity at 10 min (mean(s.e.m.) 69(3) versus 102(6) per cent of baseline value; P = 0.041), an increase in the number of adherent leucocytes at 10 min (4.5(0.5) versus 2.8(0.3) per 100 microm; P = 0.044) and an increase in the number of leucocytes undergoing transendothelial migration at 30 min (4.2(0.4) versus 1.7(0.4) per field; P = 0.008) compared with controls. Pretreatment with pravastatin significantly attenuated LPS-induced leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions (rolling velocity 89(6) per cent at 10 min, P = 0.038; adherent leucocytes 3.0(0.5) per 100 microm at 10 min, P = 0.038; migrating leucocytes 1.9(0.5) per field at 30 min, P = 0.001). This endothelial protection was associated with maintenance of ecNOS and reduced iNOS expression within mesenteric tissues. CONCLUSION: These data show that pravastatin produces anti-inflammatory effects in response to injurious stimuli by attenuation of leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions.

Paragonimiasis in Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province, China: clinical, parasitological and karyotypic studies on Paragonimus westermani.

Paragonimiasis in Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province, China, has been of such public health concern that a specialized Institute for Paragonimiasis Control has been established there. The study reported here involved both parasitological research on Paragonimus westermani in the endemic areas and a clinical analysis of 94 cases of paragonimiasis. Eggs were found in sputum, feces and brain tissue in 45 cases. Twenty patients, 19 of whom where children under 10 years of age, showed hepatic injury. Treatment with praziquantel or bithionol had satisfactory results in all cases. Dimensions of the parasite eggs, metacercariae from freshwater crabs and adult flukes suggested that the form of P. westermani in Yongjia is the 'small type': a suggestion supported by karyotypic studies on gonad cells from adult flukes collected from experimentally infected animals as all were found to be diploid. In conclusion, the 'small type' or diploid form of P. westermani is the cause of paragonimiasis pulmonary symptoms in Yongjia.

Effect of pirenzepine on gastric endocrine cell kinetics during lansoprazole administration.

We studied the effect of pirenzepine on gastric secretion kinetics in rats in a hypochlorhydric state induced by lansoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor. Pirenzepine was administered intramuscularly at a dosage of 20 mg/kg twice daily; and lansorprazole, subcutaneously at 50 mg/kg once daily, both every day for 4 weeks. After the 4-week treatment, serum gastrin and plasma somatostatin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. In addition, gastrin cells, somatostatin cells, and enterochromaffin-like cells were immunostained and counted. Serum gastrin levels were elevated, and gastrin and enterochromaffin-like cell numbers increased in the group on lansoprazole alone, compared with these values in the control group (which received distilled water). In the group on the lansoprazole and pirenzepine combination, serum gastrin levels decreased, and gastrin and enterochromaffin-like cell numbers were significantly decreased, compared with the respective variables in the group on lansoprazole alone, while the number of somatostatin cells increased in the group on the combination. Plasma somatostatin levels did not vary significantly in any group. It was thus demonstrated that pirenzepine corrects the abnormal gastric secretion kinetics resulting from treatment with lansoprazole alone, such as hypergastrinemia and gastrin and enterochromaffin-like cell hyperplasia.

Emerging and reemerging helminthiases and the public health of China.

Despite great strides in their control throughout the People's Republic of China, helminth infections remain an important public health problem. The Institute of Parasitic Diseases of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, under the guidance of the Chinese Ministry of Health, completed a nationwide survey of more than 1 million people that showed the high prevalence and intensity of intestinal nematode infections; prevalence can sometimes exceed 50% in the Yangtze River valley provinces. Schistosoma japonicum is also a major cause of illness in this region. Attempts to control Chinese helminthic diseases with conventional anthelminthic drugs have been partially thwarted by high posttreatment rates of reinfection. Recently, several new human trematode pathogens have been identified. Novel approaches to chemoprophylaxis and vaccination may alleviate the public health problem caused by Chinese helminths. However, recombinant helminth vaccine development will depend on first cataloguing the extensive genetic diversity of Chinese helminths and candidate vaccine antigens. Evidence from biogeography, genetics, and systematics suggests that the genetic diversification of Chinese helminths and their vectors is an ongoing evolutionary process that began 12 million years ago near the convergence of major Asian river systems. Construction of the Three Gorges Super Dam on the Yangtze River may promote the emergence and reemergence of new helminths and their snail vectors

Meniscus-like synovial fold in the atlantoaxial (C1-C2) joint.

Some of the synovial joints in the human body have a fibrocartilaginous disc interposed between the joint surfaces to absorb or evenly distribute loads. Examples of fibrocartilagenous discs include the intervertebral disc, knee joint meniscus, and triangular fibrocartilages in the distal radioulnar joint and the acromioclavicular joints. The joint capsule and the surrounding tissue from nine cervical spines (18 C1-C2 joints) were dissected and prepared for gross examination and histology. We found meniscus-like synovial folds in 13 of the 18 atlantoaxial joints. These folds were located at the anteromedial and posteromedial aspect of the joint. Each synovial fold was of semilunar shape, with a thickened outer edge and thin inner edge giving a wedge-shape cross section. In one case, the synovial fold was grossly similar in appearance to a knee joint meniscus, and on histological examination there was evidence of cartilagenous metaplasia in part of the fold. The findings are compared with the limited data reported in the literature.