[Seasonal pattern and phylogenetic analysis with human isolates of genotype-IV hepatitis E virus in swine herds, eastern China].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the seasonal prevalence of genotype-IV hepatitis E virus (HEV) in swine herds in Eastern China and explore the phylogenetic relationship between swine HEV and human HEV in the situation that zoonotic features of HEV had been confirmed. METHODS: From September 2007 to June 2008, a total of 1200 swine bile specimens were collected from three slaughter houses located in Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu, the Eastern China, and detected for HEV RNA by using nested RT-PCR. The positive PCR products were sequenced. Then the swine HEV were phylogenetically determined with human HEV isolated in Eastern China. RESULTS: The positive rate for HEV RNA in swine herds was 4.5% totally. Significant differences of HEV detection were not observed among seasonal pattern (Sep - Oct: 6%, Dec - Jan: 4.33%, Mar - Apr: 4.33%, May - Jun: 3.33%) but in geographic distribution (Jiangsu: 6%, Anhui: 5%, Zhejiang: 2.5%). Regardless of isolation from different areas,swine and human genotype-IV HEV shared a high similarity. Phylogenetically, there were 80% - 100% and 96% - 100% identities within swine genotype-lV HEV at the nucleotide and amino acid levels respectively. Between swine HEV and human HEV, there were also similarities of 76% -99% and 95% - 100%. It was noted that some human and swine isolates were clustered with bootstrap values of > 90%. CONCLUSION: Genotype-IV HEV is widely prevalent in swine herds in Eastern China and original common ancestor of evolution and transmission was implied. The sustaining prevalence within swine herds should have a probable influence on the epidemic situation of hepatitis E in human beings.

[Low back pain prevalence of female workers in flat-grained veneer wood industry].

OBJECTIVE: To study the low back pain(LBP) and its cause on female workers in flat-grained veneer wood industry. METHODS: Bending posture was analyzed by observation and the prevalence of low back pain was investigated by physical examination and questionnaire among 299 female workers. RESULTS: The prevalence of fatigue compliant in selecting, remending and sticking workers was 68.8%, 66.7% and 59.0%, respectively, which mainly involved in the part of low back. The prevalence of low back pain in selection (53.8%) and remending (58.7%) workers was higher than that in sticking workers (30.1%), which was in accordance with the tenderness between L4/L5 or L5/L6 and on the psoas major. Posture analysis indicated that the biggest bending range of selecting and remending workers (80 degrees ) was larger than that of sticking workers (60 degrees ), as well as the daily bending times[(4396+/-817), (1696+/-286), (1094+/-476)] and the time they kept bending[(6.5+/-0.6), (6.2+/-1.3), 4.5+/-0.9) h]. CONCLUSION: Bending posture is common among female workers especially those who work in selecting and remending and might be the major causes for the high prevalence of LBP in flat-grained veneer wood industry.

[A cost-effectiveness study on a case-finding program of tuberculosis through screening those suspects with chronic cough symptoms in the rich rural areas].

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a case-finding program on tuberculosis (TB) in richer rural areas. METHODS: Screening was implemented every three months for a total period of 9 months, in rural areas with high case notification rates. Three villages, each with ten thousand population, were selected to carry out a household screening program. A suspect was defined as who coughed for more than 3 weeks. The suspect was then referred to further diagnosis in county TB dispensary to undergo chest X-ray and sputum test. RESULTS: Of the 86,168 community population screened, 26 TB patients were identified with 7 of them were smear positive. The ratio of effectiveness vs. cost decreased on the second but slightly increased on the third screening program. The direct costs for the 3 screening programs were 6,312,397 and 1637 RMB respectively. Of total direct cost, 5.9% was paid by TB patients, whereas 35.9% was through financing of the county itself. CONCLUSION: The community household screening program could achieve higher case detection rate than passive case-finding approach which could be used in richer areas with low case detection rate in China.

[Detection and analysis of partial sequences isolated from human and swine in rural area of southern China].

OBJECTIVE: To study the genotype of swines isolated from humans and their relationships with hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the rural areas of southern China. METHODS: Specimens collected from normal people with HEV-IgM positive, acute hepatitis E patients and from swine in the same area were detected for HEV RNA using RT-nPCR with ORF2 primers. The positive PCR products were cloned and sequenced. RESULTS: 13 out of the 132 samples from swine stool, 4 of 26 HEV-IgM positive sera of normal people and 1 of 4 acute hepatitis E patients' stool sample and sera were tested positive for HEV RNA. Data from sequence analysis showed that the identity at nucleotide level was 89.3%-100.0% among the 10 isolates which shared 78.7% - 84.7%, 83.3% - 85.3%, 76.0% - 80.0% and 84.7% - 95.3% nucleotide sequence identity with HEV genotype I, II, III and IV respectively in the region (nt6317- 6466). CONCLUSION: HEV circulating in humans and swine in the area belonged to genotype IV.