Seroepidemiology of pertussis in Huzhou: A population-based, cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The resurgence of pertussis has occurred around the world. However, the epidemiological profiles of pertussis cannot be well understood by current diseases surveillance. This study was designed to understand the seroepidemiological characteristics of pertussis infection in the general population of Huzhou City, evaluate the prevalence infection of pertussis in the population, and offer insights to inform adjustments in pertussis prevention and control strategies. METHODS: From September to October 2023, a cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted in Huzhou City, involving 1015 permanent residents. Serum samples were collected from the study subjects, and pertussis toxin IgG antibodies (Anti-PT-IgG) were quantitatively measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The analysis included the geometric mean concentration (GMC) of Anti-PT-IgG, rates of GMC≥40IU/mL, ≥100IU/mL, and <5IU/mL. Stratified comparisons were made based on age, vaccination history, and human categories. RESULTS: Among the 1015 surveyed individuals, the geometric mean concentration (GMC) of Anti-PT-IgG was 10.52 (95% CI: 9.96-11.11) IU/mL, with a recent infection rate of 1.58%, a serum positivity rate of 11.43%, and a proportion with <5IU/mL of 40.49%. Among 357 children with clear vaccination history, susceptibility decreased with an increasing number of vaccine doses (Z = -6.793, P < 0.001). The concentration of Anti-PT-IgG exhibited a significant post-vaccination decline over time (Z = -5.143, P < 0.001). In women of childbearing age, the GMC of Anti-PT-IgG was 7.71 (95% CI: 6.90-8.62) IU/mL, with no significant difference in susceptibility among different age groups (χ2 = 0.545, P = 0.909). The annual pertussis infection rate in individuals aged ≥3 years was 9321 (95%CI: 3336-16039) per 100,000, with peak infection rates in the 20-29, 40-49, and 5-9 age groups at 34363 (95%CI: 6327-66918) per 100,000, 22307.72 (95%CI: 1380-47442) per 100,000, and 18020(95%CI: 1093-37266) per 100,000, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In 2023, the actual pertussis infection rate in the population of Huzhou City was relatively high. Vaccine-induced antibodies exhibit a rapid decay, and the estimated serum infection rate increases rapidly from post-school age, peaking in the 20-29 age group. It is recommended to enhance pertussis monitoring in adolescents and adults and refine vaccine immunization strategies.

Analysis of data from two influenza surveillance hospitals in Zhejiang province, China, for the period 2018-2022.

PURPOSE: To assess the epidemiology of seasonal influenza in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, during 2018-2022 and provide insights for influenza prevention. METHODS: Following the National Influenza Surveillance Program, we conducted pathogen surveillance by randomly sampling throat swabs from cases with influenza-like illness (ILI) at two sentinel hospitals. RESULTS: From 2018 to 2022, a total of 3,813,471 cases were treated at two hospitals in Huzhou, China. Among them, there were 112,385 cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), accounting for 2.95% of the total number of cases. A total of 11,686 ILI throat swab samples were tested for influenza viruses, with 1,602 cases testing positive for influenza virus nucleic acid, resulting in a positivity rate of 13.71%. Among the positive strains, there were 677 strains of A(H3N2) virus, 301 strains of A(H1N1) virus, 570 strains of B/Victoria virus, and 54 strains of B/Yamagata virus. The ILI percentage (ILI%) and influenza nucleic acid positivity rate showed winter-spring peaks in the years 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, with the peaks concentrated in January and February. Additionally, a small peak was observed in August 2022 during the summer season. No peak was observed during the winter-spring season of 2020. The highest proportion of ILI cases was observed in children aged 0-4 years, followed by school-age children aged 5-14 years. There was a positive correlation between ILI% and influenza virus nucleic acid positivity rate (r = 0.60, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The influenza outbreak in Huzhou from 2020 to 2022 was to some extent influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures. After the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza outbreak in Huzhou may become more severe. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly assess the influenza outbreak trends based on the ILI% and the positivity rate of influenza virus nucleic acid tests.

Epidemiological characteristics of notifiable respiratoryinfectious diseases in Huzhou City / 预防医学

Objective @#To understand the epidemiological characteristics of notifiable respiratory infectious diseases in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province from 2017 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of respiratory infectious disease prevention and control strategies.@*Methods@#The data pertaining to notifiable respiratory infectious disease in Huzhou City from 2017 to 2022 were collected through the Infectious Disease Report Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Epidemiological characteristics of notifiable respiratory infectious disease was analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method.@*Results@#@*Conclusions@#A total of 31 314 cases of notifiable respiratory infectious diseases were reported in Huzhou City from 2017 to 2022, with an average annual reported incidence of 169.12/105. The reported incidence of notifiable respiratory infectious diseases appeared a tendency towards a rise in Huzhou City from 2017 to 2022 (P<0.05). The top six reported diseases in terms of case numbers were influenza (20 048 cases), tuberculosis (6 920 cases), COVID-19 (1 893 cases), mumps (1 413 cases), pertussis (475 cases) and scarlet fever (442 cases), accounting for 99.61% of the total cases. The incidence of influenza, COVID-19 and pertussis showed a tendency towards a rise, the incidence of mumps and tuberculosis showed a tendency towards a decline (all P<0.05), and scarlet fever remained at a low-level incidence (P>0.05). Respiratory infectious diseases were mainly reported in winter (January, February and December), with 14 644 cases accounting for 46.77%. There were 15 068 cases reported in schools and kindergartens, accounting for 48.12%. The incidence showed a U-shaped variation with age, with the highest incidence in residents at ages of 10 years and below (987.68/105), and showing a tendency towards a rise in residents at ages of 60 years and above. @*@#The incidence of respiratory infectious diseases in Huzhou City from 2017 to 2022 increased significantly. Influenza, tuberculosis, COVID-19, mumps and pertussis are key notifiable respiratory infectious diseases. Residents at ages of 10 years and below and 60 years and above should be given a high priority for respiratory infectious disease control.

Epidemiological characteristics of pertussis in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2022 / 预防医学

Objective@#To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pertussis in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province from 2012 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of pertussis control measures.@*Methods@#The data of reported pertussis cases in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2022 were collected through the Infectious Disease Report Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, spatial and population distributions of pertussis cases in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2022 were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method.@*Results@#A total of 499 pertussis patients were reported in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2022, with mean annual reported incidence of 1.508/105, and no death was reported. The reported incidence of pertussis remained at a low level in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2021, all below 1/105, and increased to 12.625/105 in 2022. The reported incidence of pertussis appeared an overall tendency towards a rise in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2021 (Z=-29.261, P<0.001). The incidence of pertussis peaked from June to July, and a relatively higher incidence rate of pertussis was reported in Deqing (6.359/105) and Anji counties (1.725/105), while higher incidence was found among children at ages of <1 year (30.566/105), 4 years (31.896/105) and 5 years (29.485/105). @*Conclusion@#The reported incidence of pertussis was at a low level in Huzhou City from 2012 to 2021, and increased sharply in 2022. The incidence of pertussis peaked from June to July, was concentrated in Deqing and Anji counties and higher among infants under one year of age and preschool children at ages of 4 to 5 years.

Surveillance of adverse events following immunization with inactivated influenza vaccines among the elderly in Huzhou City / 预防医学

Objective@# To investigate the incidence of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) with inactivated influenza vaccine among the elderly in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into safety monitoring and evaluation of inactivated influenza vaccines.@*Methods@#Data pertaining to surveillance on AEFI with inactivated influenza vaccines among the elderly at ages of 60 years and older in Huzhou City from 2020 to 2022 were collected from the AEFI Monitoring Information Management System of the Immunization Planning System of Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System, including demographics, time of AEFI occurrence, classification of AEFI and clinical syndromes, and the reported incidence and epidemiological features of AEFI with inactivated influenza vaccines were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. @*Results@#Totally 84 elderly cases at ages of 60 years and older were reported with AEFI with inactivated influenza vaccines in Huzhou City from 2020 to 2022, with a reported incidence rate of 9.83/105 doses, and the reported incidence rates of AEFI with trivalent and quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines were 9.74/105 doses and 48.71/105 doses, respectively. The reported incidence rates of general, abnormal, coincidence and psychogenic reactions were 7.96/105 doses, 1.52/105 doses, 0.23/105 doses and 0.12/105 doses, respectively, and no vaccine quality accidents or wrong vaccine administered were reported. The cases with AEFI included 52 women and 32 men, and most cases were aged from 60 to 69 years (44 cases, 52.38%). The highest incidence of AEFI was reported in Nanxun District (17.94/105 doses), and there were 79 cases (94.05%) with AEFI within 24 hours following vaccination. The clinical symptoms mainly included fever, local redness and swelling, and local induration, with reported incidence rates of 2.22/105 doses, 3.74/105 doses, and 1.99/105 doses, respectively.@*Conclusions@#The reported incidence of AEFI with inactivated influenza vaccines is low among the elderly at ages of 60 years and older in Huzhou City, with general reactions as predominant AEFI, and most AEFI occurs within 24 hours following vaccination.

Two new species from Sulawesi and Borneo facilitate phylogeny and taxonomic revision of Engelhardia (Juglandaceae).

Engelhardia, a genus of Juglandaceae (the walnut family), is endemic to tropical and subtropical Asia. The rich Cenozoic fossil records and distinctive morphological characters of the living plants have been used to explore the evolutionary history and geographic distribution of Juglandaceae. However, the taxonomy of this genus has been suffered from a lack of in-depth investigation and good specimens across its distribution ranges. Species delimitation of Engelhardia was defined with seven species in 2020, but detailed information on the circumscription of the species still remains poorly understood. In this study, two new species are described from Sulawesi and Borneo, Engelhardia anminiana and E. borneensis. We also revised and reconstructed the phylogeny within Engelhardia using morphological, molecular (plastid and ribosomal), and distribution data. We sampled 787 individuals in 80 populations, and all the samples were genotyped using plastid regions, trnS-trnG, rps16, trnL-trnF, psbA-trnH, and rpl32-trnL; one ribosomal region, nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS). The all datasets were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships. Then, the molecular analyses were combined for 738 sheets of specimens with 15 morphological characteristics to further explore the morphological clusters of Engelhardia. Cluster analysis using morphological data confirmed the delimitation of nine Engelhardia species. Also, phylogenetic analysis based on molecular data (i.e., plastid and ribosomal) supported the monophyly of Engelhardia and generated phylogenetic trees that included E. fenzelii, E. roxburghiana, E. borneensis, E. hainanensis, E. anminiana, E. serrata, E. villosa, E. apoensis and the varieties of E. spicata (i.e., E. spicata var. spicata, E. spicata var. rigida, E. spicata var. aceriflora, and E. spicata var. colebrookeana). Our comprehensive taxonomic revision of Engelhardia will provide an insight into understanding the plant diversity in tropical and subtropical Asia.

Uric acid fluctuation had no effect on renal function among gout patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the effects of serum uric acid (SUA) level and its fluctuation on renal dysfunction in gout patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on gout patients was collected from Huzhou city electronic medical record system data sharing platform, and information about relevant diagnoses, prescriptions, biochemical indexes and imaging characteristics was extracted. The gout patients with baseline normal renal function were enrolled in this analysis, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was defined as renal dysfunction. The generalized estimating equation and Cox regression analysis were used. A total of 1009 patients with gout were enrolled. Compared with the reference group (normal baseline SUA with endpoint SUA to be < 6 mg/dL), endpoint SUA ≥ 10 mg/dL was associated with an increased risk of renal dysfunction (baseline normal SUA group: HR [95% CI] = 3.28 [1.21, 8.91]; baseline high SUA group: HR [95% CI] = 3.01 [1.43, 6.35]). Subgroup analysis of 771 SUA stable gout patients demonstrated that SUA levels at 8-10 (excluding 10), and ≥10 mg/dL were significantly associated with an increased risk for renal dysfunction, with HR [95%CI] to be 1.99 [1.05, 3.77], and 2.98 [1.38, 6.43], respectively. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the baseline SUA level, SUA >10 mg/dL was a significant risk factor for renal dysfunction. SUA between 6 and 10 mg/dL was a potential risk factor for renal dysfunction. No significant correlation of SUA fluctuation and renal function was found.

Epidemiological characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in Huzhou / 预防医学

Objective@#To learn the epidemiological characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019（COVID-19）in Huzhou,so as to provide reference for prevention and control of COVID-19.@*Methods@#All the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Huzhou,diagnosed according to the COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Plan（Sixth Version Trial）and reported from January 25 to February 7,2020,were recruited. The process of diagnosis and treatment,clinical manifestation,exposure history and close contacts were collected to analyze the epidemiological characteristics. @*Results@#On January 25,the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Huzhou was reported. By February 7,totally 10 confirmed cases were reported and no asymptomatic infection was found. They were all imported,including three Wuhan residents,two with a trip to Wuhan,three with a trip to Suizhou,one with a trip to Hangzhou and one with a trip to Thailand（two Wuhan passengers on the same flight）. The ratio of male to female cases was 1∶1. The median age was 32 years old. Seven cases were found when they went to a doctor by themselves,and three cases were found during the quarantine. The main clinical manifestations were fever,dry cough and fatigue. The median time from onset to diagnosis was 3 days. By March 3,all the cases were discharged,with median course of 24 days. There were 312 close contacts,and all of them were released after 14 days of quarantine. @*Conclusions @#To prevent imported cases from outside and stop spread inside taken by Huzhou government was proved to be effective. All the COVID-19 cases in Huzhou were imported,mostly from Wuhan. No local cases were reported.

Two out of one: revising the diversity of the epiphytic fern genus Scleroglossum (Polypodiaceae, Grammitidoideae) in southern China.

Our understanding of the flora of China has greatly improved during the last 100 years but effective management of the rich biodiversity and unique natural resources requires resolving the taxonomic limitations of existing treatments. Here, we focus on the epiphytic genus Scleroglossum with special emphasis on the occurrences in Hainan and Yunnan of mainland China. By combining fieldwork, herbarium studies, and DNA barcoding we test the hypothesis that this genus is represented by more than one species in China. Our integrative results show the Yunnan accessions are distinct from those in Hainan in both phenotypic and genotypic variation. The Yunnan accessions belong to S. pusillum, whereas the Hainan accessions represent a distinct species displaying the morphological characteristics of S. sulcatum. Genotypic evidence suggests the occurrence of cryptic diversity among accessions with the morphology of S. sulcatum. In summary, the study contributes to the crucial assessment of the plant diversity in Yunnan and illustrates the importance of integrating collection efforts and DNA barcoding approaches to enable effective assessment of the epiphytic diversity of Yunnan.

[An investigation and analysis on an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by genogroup I and II norovirus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cause of an outbreak characterized by diarrhea and vomit in a middle school in Huzhou City. METHODS: Comprehensive analysis was conducted based on field epidemiological study, clinical characteristics of the cases and laboratory test. RESULTS: 578 cases of acute gastroenteritis were found. The attack rate was 23.58%. The most frequently observed clinical symptoms were diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and nausea. Some few had fever. Most cases had slight clinical symptom with a course from 1 to 3 days. The cases were distributed in every class, showing no phenomenon of clustering. Norovirus were detected in 11 out of 15 stool samples by using RT-PCR. 6 were genogroup II norovirus. 3 were genogroup I norovirus. enogroup I and II norovirus were detected at the same time in 2 stool samples (the same student with 2 tests). Case-control study showed that drinking unheated bottled water was risk factor (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.19-5.23), and had a dose response relation with the disease (chi = 24.8 P < 0.01). The epidemic was controlled soon through isolating patients during treatment, providing boiled water, disinfecting and health education. CONCLUSION: This was an infectious diarrhea outbreak caused by norovirus. The suspected transmission ways were drinking unheated bottled water and contact daily.