[New animal hosts of rabies virus in mountain areas in Zhejiang province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the prevalence of rabies among wild animals and the animal species in rabies epidemic areas of Zhejiang province. METHODS: One hundred and sixty samples were collected from the brain tissues of cats, stoats, Apodemus agrarius, Moschus chinensis, and Sus scrofa in Lishui and Chunan cities of Zhejiang province. Each sample was divided into four parts: cerebrum, mesencephali, cerebellum and gyms hippocampi which were used to determine the positive samples by detection of rabies virus specific antigens and nucleotides, using DFA and RT-PCR methods. RESULTS: Positive slides in the tests contained a glaring, apple green brilliance fluorescence using rabies virus specific monoclonal antibody against nucleoprotein. Using Nested-PCR method targeted at part of N gene, five positive samples were identified which consisting of four positive samples from stoats with positive ratio as 8.33% (4/48) and one positive sample from Apodemus agrarius with positive ratio as 1.75% (1/57). However, no positive result was found from cats, Moschus chinensis, and Sus scrofa samples. CONCLUSION: Rabies virus positive samples were identified from stoats and Apodemus agrarius in the mountain areas, with biological diversity in Lishui and Chunan cities of Zhejiang province, indicating that stoats and Apodemus agrarius might have played a role in human rabies and acted as host of rabies virus. In order to effectively prevent and control rabies virus under these complicated geographical and ecological environment, we must understand and evaluate the infection situation among animals in these regions.

[Epidemiological analysis on rubella cases in Songyang County in 2004].

OBJECTIVE: To know the epidemiological characteristics of rubella case reported in Songyang County in 2004, and to know new ways of rubella control. METHOD: To analyze the epidemiology on the rubella cases reported in Songyang County in 2004. RESULTS: In 2004, 195 rubella cases were reported, and the reported rubella incidence was 84.42/100,000. The rubella cases were mainly primary and middle school students,which were 180 cases. The rubella cases occurred from January to June, and 64.10% cases occurred in April. There were 12 rubella outbreaks with 181 cases in the rural areas. For the immunity history of rebulla vaccine of 181 cases, 48.07% cases were unvaccinated, 51.93% cases were unknown. The immunization coverage rate of rubella vaccine of students in rural areas (20%) was obviously lower than that of students in the urban areas (92%). CONCLUSION: The main reasons of the high rubella incidence in Songyang County in 2004 were the low coverage rate of rubella vaccine and poor living accommodation for the primary and middle school students in the rural areas, and it was effective to adopt comprehensive measures such as emergent vaccination to control rubella outbreak.