ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the development and clinical characteristics of nail changes in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). METHODS: A telephone survey was conducted with the parents of patients diagnosed with HFMD in the Fourth General Hospital of Nanhai from June to August 2013 to document nail changes within 3 months of diagnosis of HFMD. RESULTS: Valid survey results were obtained from 273 cases. Definitive nail changes were identified in 56 patients (20.5%). More boys (25.8%) than girls (10.6%) (p < 0.01) showed changes. The age distribution ranged from 1 to 5 years, and nail changes were rare in children younger than 1 year of age (p < 0.01). Nail changes were usually seen 1 to 2 months after the onset of HFMD and lasted for 1 to 8 weeks, most for approximately 4 weeks. Toenails or fingernails could be affected and the changes were more likely to occur synchronously. Fingernails were more commonly involved than toenails. When both fingernails and toenails were involved, this typically occurred synchronously. Although there were cases with all toenails and fingernails involved (16.1%), we did not encounter any instances involving 13 to 19 nails. The nail changes mainly presented as onychomadesis. Spontaneous recovery without special treatment was the course for all patients. No relapse or new nail involvement was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Nail change associated with HFMD usually occurs within 1 to 2 months after onset, mainly presents as onychomadesis, and is a self-limited process. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
Subject(s)
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease/complications , Nail Diseases/etiology , Age Distribution , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Female , Health Surveys , Humans , Infant , Male , Nails , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the antigenic and genetic characteristics of influenza A (H3N2) virus in the 2009 influenza epidemics in Chengdu. METHODS: The influenza virus strains were isolated with MDCK cells from 4869 samples taken from the sentinel surveillance in 2009 in Chengdu. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and RT-PCR reaction tests were performed to guide the extraction of viral RNA from the culture fluid of the influenza A (H3N2) virus. The hemagglutinin gene was obtained by RT-PCR and sequenced. RESULTS: The separation rates of swine influenza H1N1, H3N2, H1N1, and B were 25.2%, 7.2%, 4.5%, and 1.5% respectively. The epidemic peaked in summer and autumn. Four amino acids changed in A, B, and D antigenic and receptor binding sites: site160N>K, site174K>R/N, site189K>Q, site277R>Q. Glycosylation sites were inserted to sitel60 or absent at site181 in some isolated strains. CONCLUSION: Swine influenza H1N1 viruses dominated the 2009 Chengdu epidemic, with H3N2, H1N1, and B strains coexisting. The influenza A(H3N2) viruses had gene variations due to antigenic drift.
Subject(s)
Genetic Variation , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/genetics , Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/genetics , Influenza, Human/virology , China/epidemiology , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/immunology , Humans , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , RNA, Viral/genetics , Sequence Analysis, RNAABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To predict the possibility of epidemic outbreak of meningitis by testing Neissria Meningitides in a healthy population in the Mianzhu post-earthquake residential area. METHODS: A simple random sampling strategy was adopted to collect 887 throat swabs from a healthy population in the Mainzhu post-earthquake residential area. The TaqMan assay were performed to detect Neissria Meningitides. RESULTS: Three positive samples were identified. CONCLUSION: The carrying rate of Neissria Meningitides is not high enough to bring about an epidemic outbreak of Meningitis. However, efforts to maintain a hygienic environment in the post-earthquake residential area should be continued.
