Differentiating the extent of cartilage repair in rabbit ears using nonlinear optical microscopy

Nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) was used as a noninvasive and label-free tool to detect and quantify the extent of the cartilage recovery. Two cartilage injury models were established in the outer ears of rabbits that created a different extent of cartilage recovery based on the presence or absence of the perichondrium. High-resolution NLOM images were used to measure cartilage repair, specifically through spectral analysis and image texture. In contrast to a wound lacking a perichondrium, wounds with intact perichondria demonstrated significantly larger TPEF signals from cells and matrix, coarser texture indicating the more deposition of type I collagen. Spectral analysis of cells and matrix can reveal the matrix properties and cell growth. In addition, texture analysis of NLOM images showed significant differences in the distribution of cells and matrix of repaired tissues with or without perichondrium. Specifically, the decay length of autocorrelation coefficient based on TPEF images is 11.2 ± 1.1 in Wound 2 (with perichondrium) and 7.5 ± 2.0 in Wound 1 (without perichondrium), indicating coarser image texture and faster growth of cells in repaired tissues with perichondrium (p < 0.05). Moreover, the decay length of autocorrelation coefficient based on collagen SHG images also showed significant difference between Wound 2 and 1 (16.2 ± 1.2 vs. 12.2 ± 2.1, p < 0.05), indicating coarser image texture and faster deposition of collagen in repaired tissues with perichondrium (Wound 2). These findings suggest that NLOM is an ideal tool for studying cartilage repair, with potential applications in clinical medicine. NLOM can capture macromolecular details and distinguish between different extents of cartilage repair without the need for labelling agents.

Down-regulation of miR-1246 in cervical cancer tissues and its clinical significance

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of mRNAs by binding to their 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs). Accumulating evidences show that miRNAs are involved in tumorigenesis such as lung cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and cervical cancer. In this study, we focused on the expression of miR-1246 in clinical cervical cancer tissues as well as the relationship between miR-1246 and HPV16E6 infection status.

METHODS

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology was used to detect the expression of miR-1246 in 68 cervical cancer tissues and 52 normal tissues. The expression of miR-1246 also was tested in HPV16E6 negative cervical cell line (SiHa) or HPV16E6 positive cell line (C33A). Western blot was performed to detect the expression of DYRK1A after knocking down HPV16E6.

RESULTS

Our data showed that the expression of miR-1246 was dramatically decreased in cervical cancer tissue, compared with normal control group (p=0.0012), and miR-1246 was negatively correlated with clinical stage and HPV16E6 infected status (p=0.0410), but no correlation was observed with age, tumor diameter, cervical invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, or vascular invasion (p>0.05). Knock down of HPV16E6 significantly raised DYRK1A protein expression targeted by miR-1246.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of miR-1246 is negatively correlated with cervical cancer procedure as well as HPV16E6 infection status and the miR-1246 may act as a diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer. In addition, HPV16E6 infection may be a major reason leading to decrease the expression of miR-1246 in cervical cancer. This finding contributes to deep understanding of the miR-1246 function in cervical carcinogenesis.

Profiling B and T cell immune responses to co-infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and hookworm in humans

Background

Humoral and cellular immune responses play protective roles against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. However, hookworm infection decreases the immune response to hookworm and bystander antigens. Currently, immune responses to co-infection of MTB and hookworm are still unknown, although co-infection has been one of the public health problems in co-endemic areas of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and hookworm disease. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate B and T cell immune responses to the co-infection.

Methods

Seventeen PTB cases co-infected with hookworm, 26 PTB cases, 15 patients with hookworm infection, and 24 healthy controls without PTB or hookworm infection were enrolled in the study. Expressions of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD21, CD25, CD27, CD38, FoxP3, and PD-1 were assessed on B and T cell subsets using multicolor flow cytometry.

Results

For the B cell (CD19⁺) subsets, naïve B cells (CD10⁻CD27⁻CD21⁺CD20⁺), plasma cells (CD10⁻CD27⁺CD21⁻CD20⁻), and tissue-like memory B cells (CD10⁻CD27⁻CD21⁻CD20⁺) had higher proportions, whilst resting memory B cells (CD10⁻CD27⁺CD21⁺CD20⁺) had lower proportions in the group co-infected with MTB and hookworm as compared to other groups. Frequencies of activated memory B cells (CD10⁻CD27⁺CD21⁻CD20⁺) did not differ among the four groups. For the T cell (CD3⁺) subsets, frequencies of regulatory T cells (CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺) and exhausted CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells (CD4⁺PD-1⁺ and CD8⁺PD-1⁺) were higher, and frequencies of activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells (CD4⁺CD38⁺ and CD8⁺CD38⁺) were lower in the co-infected group as compared to the other groups.

Conclusion

The change patterns of the cell profile of circulating lymphocytes were indentified in human co-infection of MTB and hookworm, which might indicate that the humoral and cellular immune responses are more suppressed.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-015-0046-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The expression dynamics of transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling in the liver fibrosis experimentally caused by Clonorchis sinensis

Background

Liver fibrosis is a hallmark of clonorchiasis suffered by millions people in Eastern Asian countries. Recent studies showed that the activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway can potently regulate the hepatic fibrogenesis including Schistosoma spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis-caused liver fibrosis. However, little is known to date about the expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and other molecules in TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway which may play an important role in hepatic fibrosis caused by C. sinensis.

Methods

A total of 24 mice were individually infected orally with 45 metacercariae, both experimental mice and mocked-infected control mice were anesthetized at 4 week post-infection (wk p.i.), 8 wk p.i. and 16 wk p.i., respectively. For each time-point, the liver and serum from each animal were collected to analyze histological findings and various fibrotic parameters including TGF-β₁, TGF-β receptors and down-stream Smads activation, as well as fibrosis markers expression.

Results

The results showed that collagen deposition indicated by hydroxyproline content and Masson’s trichrome staining was increased gradually with the development of infection. The expression of collagen type α1 (Col1a) mRNA transcripts was steadily increased during the whole infection. The mRNA levels of Smad2, Smad3 as well as the protein of Smad3 in the liver of C. sinensis-infected mice were increased after 4 wk p.i. (P < 0.05, compared with normal control) whereas the TGF-β₁, TGF-β type I receptor (TGFβRI) and TGF-β type II receptor (TGFβRII) mRNA expression in C. sinensis-infected mice were higher than those of normal control mice after 8 wk p.i. (P < 0.05). However, the gene expression of Smad4 and Smad7 were peaked at 4 wk p.i. (P < 0.05), and thereafter dropped to the basal level at 8 wk p.i., and 16 wk p.i., respectively. The concentrations of TGF-β₁ in serum in the C. sinensis-infected mice at 8 wk p.i. and 16 wk p.i (P < 0.05) were significantly higher than those in the control mice.

Conclusions

The results of the present study indicated for the first time that the activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway might contribute to the synthesis of collagen type I which leads to liver fibrosis caused by C. sinensis.

Control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China: experiences and lessons from a 5-year multi-intervention trial

The current global strategy for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis emphasises periodic administration of anthelminthic drugs to at-risk populations. However, this approach fails to address the root social and ecological causes of soil-transmitted helminthiasis. For sustainable control, it has been suggested that improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene behaviour are required. We designed a 5-year multi-intervention trial in Menghai county, Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Three different interventions were implemented, each covering a village inhabited by 200-350 people. The interventions consisted of (i) initial health education at study inception and systematic treatment of all individuals aged ≥2 years once every year with a single dose of albendazole; (ii) initial health education and bi-annual albendazole administration; and (iii) bi-annual treatment coupled with latrine construction at family level and regular health education. Interventions were rigorously implemented for 3 years, whilst the follow-up, which included annual albendazole distribution, lasted for 2 more years. Before the third round of treatment, the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was reduced by only 2.8% in the annual treatment arm, whilst bi-annual deworming combined with latrine construction and health education resulted in a prevalence reduction of 53.3% (p<0.001). All three control approaches significantly reduced the prevalence of Trichuris trichiura and hookworm, with the highest reductions achieved when chemotherapy was combined with sanitation and health education. The prevalence of T. trichiura remained at 30% and above regardless of the intervention. Only bi-annual treatment combined with latrine construction and health education significantly impacted on the prevalence of Taenia spp., but none of the interventions significantly reduced the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis. Our findings support the notion that in high-endemicity areas, sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminth infections necessitates measures to reduce faecal environmental contamination to complement mass drug administration. However, elimination of soil-transmitted helminthiasis will not be achieved in the short run even with a package of interventions, and probably requires improvements in living conditions, changes in hygiene behaviour and more efficacious anthelminthic drugs and treatment regimens.

Cross-strait parasitological research priorities arrived at by historical tracking and advanced dialogue

To further enhance dialogue and promote cross-strait cooperation in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases, this paper reviewed the progress and current challenges in the cross-strait control and research of parasitic infections, based on three cross-strait meetings on parasitological research in the last decade. The major outcome of the 3rd Meeting of Cross-Strait Parasitological Research held in April 2013 was identifying the research priorities for parasitological research.

Design of the radiation shielding for the time of flight enhanced diagnostics neutron spectrometer at Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

A radiation shielding has been designed to reduce scattered neutrons and background gamma-rays for the new double-ring Time Of Flight Enhanced Diagnostics (TOFED). The shielding was designed based on simulation with the Monte Carlo code MCNP5. Dedicated model of the EAST tokamak has been developed together with the emission neutron source profile and spectrum; the latter were simulated with the Nubeam and GENESIS codes. Significant reduction of background radiation at the detector can be achieved and this satisfies the requirement of TOFED. The intensities of the scattered and direct neutrons in the line of sight of the TOFED neutron spectrometer at EAST are studied for future data interpretation.

Light output function and assembly of the time-of-flight enhanced diagnostics neutron spectrometer plastic scintillators for background reduction by double kinematic selection at EAST

The 2.5 MeV neutron spectrometer TOFED (Time-Of-Flight Enhanced Diagnostics) has been constructed to perform advanced neutron emission spectroscopy diagnosis of deuterium plasmas on EAST. The instrument has a double-ring structure which, in combination with pulse shape digitization, allows for a dual kinematic selection in the time-of-flight/recoil proton energy (tof/Ep) space, thus improving the spectrometer capability to resolve fast ion signatures in the neutron spectrum, in principle up to a factor ≈100. The identification and separation of features from the energetic ions in the neutron spectrum depends on the detailed knowledge of the instrument response function, both in terms of the light output function of the scintillators and the effect of undesired multiple neutron scatterings in the instrument. This work presents the determination of the light output function of the TOFED plastic scintillator detectors and their geometrical assembly. Results from dedicated experiments with γ-ray sources and quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams are presented. Implications on the instrument capability to perform background suppression based on double kinematic selection are discussed.

Design of a magnetic shielding system for the time of flight enhanced diagnostics neutron spectrometer at Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

The novel neutron spectrometer TOFED (Time of Flight Enhanced Diagnostics), comprising 90 individual photomultiplier tubes coupled with 85 plastic scintillation detectors through light guides, has been constructed and installed at Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. A dedicated magnetic shielding system has been constructed for TOFED, and is designed to guarantee the normal operation of photomultiplier tubes in the stray magnetic field leaking from the tokamak device. Experimental measurements and numerical simulations carried out employing the finite element method are combined to optimize the design of the magnetic shielding system. The system allows detectors to work properly in an external magnetic field of 200 G.

Data acquisition system with pulse height capability for the TOFED time-of-flight neutron spectrometer

A new time-of-flight neutron spectrometer TOFED has been constructed for installation at Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. A data acquisition system combining measurements of flight time and energy from the interaction of neutrons with the TOFED scintillators has been developed. The data acquisition system can provide a digitizing resolution better than 1.5% (to be compared with the >10% resolution of the recoil particle energy in the plastic scintillators) and a time resolution <1 ns. At the same time, it is compatible with high count rate event recording, which is an essential feature to investigate phenomena occurring on time scales faster than the slowing down time (≈100 ms) of the beam ions in the plasma. Implications of these results on the TOFED capability to resolve fast ion signatures in the neutron spectrum from EAST plasmas are discussed.

Monte Carlo simulation of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for application to the determination of neutron field in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak experimental hall

To assess the neutron energy spectra and the neutron dose for different positions around the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) device, a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) was developed at Peking University, with totally nine polyethylene spheres and a SP9 (3)He counter. The response functions of the BSS were calculated by the Monte Carlo codes MCNP and GEANT4 with dedicated models, and good agreement was found between these two codes. A feasibility study was carried out with a simulated neutron energy spectrum around EAST, and the simulated "experimental" result of each sphere was obtained by calculating the response with MCNP, which used the simulated neutron energy spectrum as the input spectrum. With the deconvolution of the "experimental" measurement, the neutron energy spectrum was retrieved and compared with the preset one. Good consistence was found which offers confidence for the application of the BSS system for dose and spectrum measurements around a fusion device.

Exploration of ecological factors related to the spatial heterogeneity of tuberculosis prevalence in P. R. China

Background

The current prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) in the People's Republic of China (P. R. China) demonstrates geographical heterogeneities, which show that the TB prevalence in the remote areas of Western China is more serious than that in the coastal plain of Eastern China. Although a lot of ecological studies have been applied in the exploration on the regional difference of disease risks, there is still a paucity of ecological studies on TB prevalence in P. R. China.

Objective

To understand the underlying factors contributing to the regional inequity of TB burden in P. R. China by using an ecological approach and, thus, aiming to provide a basis to eliminate the TB spatial heterogeneity in the near future.

Design

Latent ecological variables were identified by using exploratory factor analysis from data obtained from four sources, i.e. the databases of the National TB Control Programme (2001–2010) in P. R. China, the China Health Statistical Yearbook during 2002–2011, the China Statistical Yearbook during 2002–2011, and the provincial government websites in 2013. Partial least squares path modelling was chosen to construct the structural equation model to evaluate the relationship between TB prevalence and ecological variables. Furthermore, a geographically weighted regression model was used to explore the local spatial heterogeneity in the relationships.

Results

The latent ecological variables in terms of ‘TB prevalence’, ‘TB investment’, ‘TB service’, ‘health investment’, ‘health level’, ‘economic level’, ‘air quality’, ‘climatic factor’ and ‘geographic factor’ were identified. With the exception of TB service and health levels, other ecological factors had explicit and significant impacts on TB prevalence to varying degrees. Additionally, each ecological factor had different impacts on TB prevalence in different regions significantly.

Conclusion

Ecological factors that were found predictive of TB prevalence in P. R. China are essential to take into account in the formulation of locally comprehensive strategies and interventions aiming to tailor the TB control and prevention programme into local settings in each ecozone.

Implication of polymorphisms in DNA repair genes with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma

We explored the association between 4 XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) and XPD (Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln) polymorphisms with the development and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 218 cases with HCC and 277 healthy controls were included in the study. Genotyping of the XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) and XPD (Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln) polymorphisms was performed in a 384-well plate format on the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. We found that individuals with the XRCC1 399AA genotype had a higher risk of HCC compared with the GG genotype (odds ratio, OR = 1.85, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.03-3.23). Similarly, individuals carrying the XPD 751GG genotype showed a greatly increased risk of HCC (OR = 2.97, 95%CI = 126- 7.38). Cox regression analysis showed that individuals carrying XPD 751Gln/Gln genotypes had a 0.30-fold increased risk of death from HCC. These results suggest that polymorphisms in XRCC1 and XPD may have functional significance in HCC.

Field comparison of circulating antibody assays versus circulating antigen assays for the detection of schistosomiasis japonica in endemic areas of China

BACKGROUND

Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem in affected countries, and routine, highly sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic methods are lacking. We evaluated two immunodiagnostic techniques for the detection of Schistosoma japonicum infections: circulating antibody and circulating antigen assays.

METHODS

A total of 1864 individuals (between 6 and 72 years old) residing in five administrative villages in Hubei province were screened by serum examination with an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). The positive individuals (titer ≥20 in IHA) were reconfirmed by stool examination with the Kato-Katz method (three slides from a single stool specimen). Samples of good serum quality and a volume above 0.5 ml were selected for further testing with two immunodiagnostic antibody (DDIA and ELISA) and two antigen (ELISA) assays.

RESULTS

The average antibody positive rate in the five villages was 12.7%, while the average parasitological prevalence was 1.50%; 25 of the 28 egg-positive samples were also circulating antigen-positive. Significant differences were observed between the prevalence according to the Kato-Katz method and all three immunodiagnostic antibody assays (P-value <0.0001). Similar differences were observed between the Kato-Katz method and the two immunodiagnostic antigen assays (P-value <0.0001) and between the antigen and antibody assays (P-value <0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Both circulating antibody and circulating antigen assays had acceptable performance characteristics. Immunodiagnostic techniques to detect circulating antigens have potential to be deployed for schistosomiasis japonica screening in the endemic areas.

Spatial variations of pulmonary tuberculosis prevalence co-impacted by socio-economic and geographic factors in People's Republic of China, 2010

Background

The report of the fifth national tuberculosis (TB) epidemiological survey in P. R. China, 2010, roughly showed that pulmonary TB (PTB) prevalence was higher in western China than in central and eastern China. However, accurately estimating the continuous spatial variations of PTB prevalence and clearly understanding factors impacting on spatial variations of PTB prevalence are important for allocating limited resources of national TB programme (NTP) in P. R. China.

Methods

Using ArcGIS Geostatistical Wizard (ESRI, Redlands, CA), an evaluation was performed to decide that which kriging and cokriging methods along with different combinations of types of detrending, semivariogram models, anisotropy and covariables (socio-economic and geographic factors) can accurately construct spatial distribution surface of PTB prevalence using statistic data sampled from the fifth national TB epidemiological survey in P. R. China, 2010, and then the evaluation results were used to explore factors of spatial variations.

Results

The global cokriging with socio-economic and geographic factors as covariables proved to be the best geostatistical methods for accurately estimating spatial distribution surface of PTB prevalence. The final continuous surfaces of PTB prevalence distribution demonstrated that PTB prevalence were lower in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and southeastern coast China, higher in western and southwestern China, and crossed between low and high in central China.

Conclusions

The predicted continuous surface perspicuously illustrated the spatial variations of PTB prevalence that were co-impacted by socio-economic and geographic factors, which can be used to better allocate the always limited resources of NTP in P. R. China.

[Establishment of A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibody-based ELISA for detecting circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum and its preliminary application]

OBJECTIVE

To establish A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibody-based ELISA for detecting circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum and explore its application value in the field.

METHODS

The characteristics of A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibodies were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The SEA-based ELISA was used to evaluate the titers of A1E3 and B1C4. The orthogonal test was used to determine the best concentration of coating antibody B1C4 and optimal working concentration of A1E3-HRP. Under the optimal conditions, the serum samples of 20 acute schistosomiasis cases, 46 chronic schistosomiasis cases, and 20 control sera were tested to evaluate its detection sensitivity and specificity. Seventy-two antibody positive serum samples from Jiangling County of Hubei Province were detected and compared to a commercially available ELISA kit, to evaluate the detection effects of this method.

RESULTS

The results of SDS-PAGE demonstrated that the purified A1E3 and B1C4 contained a clear heavy chain with molecular weight of 88,000 and 52,000 respectively and had the same light chain with molecular weight of 20,000; while Western blotting demonstrated that A1E3 and B1C4 could be recognized by SEA and serum samples of acute schistosomiasis cases. The SEA-based ELISA demonstrated the titers of B1C4 and A1E3 were 1:10(5) and 1:30,000, respectively. The serum samples from all the acute cases and 86.9% of the chronic cases showed a positive reaction. All of the control sera from healthy persons gave a negative response. The positive rates of the double monoclonal antibody ELISA and commercial ELISA for detecting the circulating antigen were 45.8% and 43.1% respectively, and there was no significant difference between the results of the two methods.

CONCLUSION

A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibody-based ELISA is established successfully. It exhibits a high sensitivity and specificity in detecting circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum.

Effects of the chinese traditional prescription xiaoyaosan decoction on chronic immobilization stress-induced changes in behavior and ultrastructure in rat hippocampus

Xiaoyaosan (XYS) decoction has been widely used as a traditional medicine for treating stress and depression-related disorders in China for thousands of years. Aim of the Study. To observe the potential mechanism of XYS decoction's antidepressant-like effect in α -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors related to synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus rats induced by chronic immobilization stress (CIS). Materials and Methods. Animals were randomly divided into five groups: (1) control group; (2) sham-operated group; (3) CIS group, in which rats were conducted CIS for 21 days; (4) XYS decoction treatment group; (5) 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) positive group, in which the amygdala of CIS rats was unilaterally microinjected with a competitive glutamate receptor antagonist, CNQX. After CIS for 21 days, the open field test (OPT) and elevated plus-maze test (EPM) were measured, the ultrastructure of hippocampus CA1 subregion was observed by the electron microscopy; both the GluR1 and GluR2 mRNA level of AMPA receptor subunits in hippocampus CA1 subregion were detected by real-time qPCR. Results. Rats subjected to CIS exhibited increases in time in central zone and decreases in total distance traveled in the OPT. In the EPM, they also showed decreases in center zone time and entries, open arm time and entries, and an increase in close arm time. Ultrastructural damage in the hippocampus CA1 was also observed. XYS decoction and CNQX showed significant improvement behavioral changes and the ultrastructural damage of the hippocampus CA1; XYS decoction also reversed CIS-induced decreases in GluR2 mRNA and increases in GluR1 mRNA in the hippocampus CA1 as well as CNQX. Conclusions. XYS decoction may effectively produce an antidepressant-like effect, which appears to be involved AMPA receptors related synaptic plasticity of hippocampus.

Intestinal parasite co-infection among pulmonary tuberculosis cases without human immunodeficiency virus infection in a rural county in China

Epidemiologic studies of co-infection with tuberculosis (TB) and intestinal parasites in humans have not been extensively investigated in China. A cross-section study was conducted in a rural county of Henan Province, China. Pulmonary TB (PTB) case-patients receiving treatment for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and healthy controls matched for geographic area, age, and sex were surveyed by using questionnaires. Fecal and blood specimens were collected for detection of intestinal parasites, routine blood examination, and infection with human immunodeficiency virus. The chi-square test was used for univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models were used to adjust for potential confounding factors. A total of 369 persons with PTB and 366 healthy controls were included; all participants were negative for human immunodeficiency virus. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites in persons with PTB was 14.9%, including intestinal protozoa (7.9%) and helminthes (7.6%). The infection spectrum of intestinal parasites was Entamoeba spp. (1.4%), Blastocystis hominis (6.2%), Trichomonas hominis (0.3%), Clonorchis sinensis (0.3%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.5%), Trichuris trichiura (2.2%), and hookworm (4.6%). The prevalence of intestinal parasites showed no significant difference between persons with PTB and healthy controls after adjusting for potential confounding factors. There was no factor that affected infection rates for intestinal parasites between the two groups. Infection with intestinal parasites of persons with PTB was associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-4.17), body mass index ≤ 19 (AOR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.47-6.20), and anemia (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.17-5.03). Infection of healthy controls was only associated with an annual labor time in farmlands > 2 months (AOR = 4.50, 95% CI = 2.03-10.00). In addition, there was no significant trend between rates of infection with intestinal parasites and duration of receiving treatment for infection with M. tuberculosis in persons with PTB. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was not higher in persons with PTB, and there was no evidence that PTB increased susceptibility to intestinal parasites in this study. However, for patients with PTB, women and patients with comorbidities were more likely to be infected with intestinal parasites.

HIV and intestinal parasite co-infections among a Chinese population: an immunological profile

BACKGROUND

Parasite infections often result in a switch of the human body's predominant immune reaction from T-helper 1 (Th1)-type to Th2-type. Hence, parasite infections are widely expected to accelerate the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In the People's Republic of China, both parasitic diseases and AIDS are epidemic in certain rural areas, and co-infections are relatively common. However, no population-based studies have yet investigated the frequency of HIV and parasite co-infections, and its effects on immune responses. We studied (1) the immune status of an HIV-infected population, and (2) the effect of co-infection of HIV and intestinal parasites on selected parameters of the human immune system.

METHODS

A total of 309 HIV-infected individuals were recruited and compared to an age-matched and sex-matched control group of 315 local HIV-negative individuals. Questionnaires were administered to all participants to obtain information on sociodemographic characteristics, sanitation habits, family income, and recent clinical manifestations. Two consecutive stool samples and 10 ml samples of venous blood were also collected from each individual for the diagnosis of parasite infections and quantitative measurements of selected cytokines and CD4+ T-lymphocytes, respectively.

RESULTS

During the study period, 79 HIV-infected individuals were not under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and were thus included in our analysis; the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was 6.3% and that of protozoa was 22.8%. The most common protozoan infections were Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) (13.9%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (10.1%). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in HIV-infected individuals was significantly higher than that in HIV negative individuals (P < 0.05). Compared to the non-co-infected population, no significant difference was found for any of the measured immunological indicators (P > 0.05). However, the following trends were observed: IFN-γ levels were lower, but the IL-4 level was higher, in the population co-infected with HIV and helminths. In the population co-infected with HIV and B. hominis, the IL-2 level was higher. The population co-infected with HIV and Cryptosporidium spp. had markedly lower CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts.

CONCLUSION

According to the immunologic profile, co-infection with helminths is disadvantageous to HIV-infected individuals. It was associated with a shift in the Th1/Th2 balance in the same direction as that caused by the virus itself, which might indicate an acceleration of the progress from an HIV infection to AIDS. Co-infection with Cryptosporidium spp. was not associated with a significant change in immune factors but co-infection with Cryptosporidium spp. was associated with a reduced level of CD4 + T-lymphocytes, confirming the opportunistic nature of such infections. Co-infection with B. hominis, on the other hand, was associated with an antagonistic shift in the immunological profile compared to an HIV infection.

An Outbreak of Human Fascioliasis gigantica in Southwest China

Fascioliasis is a common parasitic disease in livestock in China. However, human fascioliasis is rarely reported in the country. Here we describe an outbreak of human fascioliasis in Yunnan province. We reviewed the complete clinical records of 29 patients and performed an epidemiological investigation on the general human population and animals in the outbreak locality. Our findings support an outbreak due to Fasciola gigantica with a peak in late November, 2011. The most common symptoms were remittent fever, epigastric tenderness, and hepatalgia. Eosinophilia and tunnel-like lesions in ultrasound imaging in the liver were also commonly seen. Significant improvement of patients' condition was achieved by administration of triclabendazole®. Fasciola spp. were discovered in local cattle (28.6%) and goats (26.0%). Molecular evidence showed a coexistence of F. gigantica and F. hepatica. However, all eggs seen in humans were confirmed to be F. gigantica. Herb (Houttuynia cordata) was most likely the source of infections. Our findings indicate that human fascioliasis is a neglected disease in China. The distribution of triclabendazole®, the only efficacious drug against human fascioliasis, should be promoted.

[Effect comparison between two ELISA kits in IgG antibody detection of Echinococcus granulosus]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of two ELISA kits on IgG antibody detection of human Echinococcus granulosus.

METHODS

A Total of 134 sera of patients with echinococcosis, paragonimiasis westermani, clonorchiasis sinensis, schistosomiasis japonica, and cysticercosis cellulosae, and normal persons were detected by two IgG ELISA kits produced by different companies. Furthermore, the specificity, sensitivity and cross reactivity were counted and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

The sensitivity and specificity were extremely high of the two kits as 100.00%. The cross-reactivity rates were 25.00% (paragonimiasis westermani), 26.09% (clonorchiasis sinensis), 10.00% (schistosomiasis japonica), and 87.5% (cysticercosis), respectively, by using the kit produced by the Combined Company in Shenzhen; the cross-reactivity rates were 5.00% (paragonimiasis westermani), 13.04% (clonorchiasis sinensis), 20.00% (schistosomiasis japonica), and 93.75% (cysticercosis) respectively, by using the kit produced by Haitai Company in Zhuhai. In addition, there was a significant difference of Paragonimus westermani detection (P < 0.05), but the rests had no statistically significant differences (all P > 0.05) between the two kits.

CONCLUSION

Both ELISA kits on IgG antibody detection of human Echinococcus granulosus have the advantages of a high sensitivity, specificity, convenience and high-speed. However, it is also in urgent need to further solve the cross-reactivity of Echinococcus granulosus with other parasites, in order to improve the accuracy of early diagnosis.

Water-related parasitic diseases in China

Water-related parasitic diseases are directly dependent on water bodies for their spread or as a habitat for indispensable intermediate or final hosts. Along with socioeconomic development and improvement of sanitation, overall prevalence is declining in the China. However, the heterogeneity in economic development and the inequity of access to public services result in considerable burden due to parasitic diseases in certain areas and populations across the country. In this review, we demonstrated three aspects of ten major water-related parasitic diseases, i.e., the biology and pathogenicity, epidemiology and recent advances in research in China. General measures for diseases control and special control strategies are summarized.

[Effect evaluation of three ELISA kits in detection of fasciolasis]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of 3 ELISA kits on detection of human fasciolasis.

METHODS

Twenty-six serum samples from patients with fasciolasis, 180 serum samples from patients with other parasitic diseases as well as 26 serum samples from healthy people were detected by ELISA kits which using soluble antigen of Fasciola gigantica, Fasciola hepatica (Fg-ELISA and Fh-ELISA) as well as IgG antigen ELISA detection kits made by DRG company in Germany. The effects of the 3 kits were evaluated.

RESULTS

The sensitivities of Fg-ELISA, Fh-ELISA, and DRG-ELISA were 100.0%, 80.8% (95% CI: 65.7%-95.9%) and 100.0%, respectively; the specificities of the three were 87.9% (95% CI: 83.5%-92.4%), 85.0%(95% CI: 80.1%-89.9%) and 83.5% (95% CI: 78.4%-88.6%), respectively, and Youden indexes of them were 0.88, 0.66 and 0.84, respectively. The detection rate of Fg-ELISA (100%) was significantly higher than that of Fh-ELISA (80.8%) (P < 0.05). The A absolute value (A/CO) of Fg-ELISA was 1.70, which was also significantly higher than the value of Fh-ELISA (1.18) (P < 0.000 1).

CONCLUSION

Fg-ELISA has a good detection effect and low cost, and is more suitable than Fh-ELISA and DRG-ELISA for clinical sample tests as well as massive screening in fasciolasis endemic areas in southwest China.

Gene expression profile of the hippocampus of rats subjected to chronic immobilization stress

Objective

This study systematically investigated the effect of chronic stress on the hippocampus and its damage mechanism at the whole genome level.

Methods

The rat whole genome expression chips (Illumina) were used to detect gene expression differences in the hippocampus of rats subjected to chronic immobilization stress (daily immobilization stress for 3 h, for 7 or 21 days). The hippocampus gene expression profile was studied through gene ontology and signal pathway analyses using bioinformatics. A differentially expressed transcription regulation network was also established. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to verify the microarray results and determine expression of the Gabra1, Fadd, Crhr2, and Cdk6 genes in the hippocampal tissues.

Results

Compared to the control group, 602 differentially expressed genes were detected in the hippocampus of rats subjected to stress for 7 days, while 566 differentially expressed genes were expressed in the animals experiencing stress for 21 days. The stress significantly inhibited the primary immune system functions of the hippocampus in animals subjected to stress for both 7 and 21 days. Immobilization activated the extracellular matrix receptor interaction pathway after 7 day exposure to stress and the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway. The enhanced collagen synthesis capacity of the hippocampal tissue was the core molecular event of the stress regulation network in the 7-day group, while the inhibition of hippocampal cell growth was the core molecular event in the 21-day group. For the Gabra1, Fadd, Crhr2, and Cdk6 genes, RT-PCR results were nearly in line with gene chip assay results.

Conclusion

During the 7-day and 21-day stress processes, the combined action of polygenic, multilevel, and multi-signal pathways leads to the disorder of the immunologic functions of the hippocampus, hippocampal apoptosis, and proliferation disequilibrium.

[Rapid risk assessment on the import of American trypanosomiasis to China]

American trypanosomiasis, as one of the "neglected tropical diseases", is a zoonosis induced by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is endemic in 18 countries in the Central and South America, especially in rural areas. A rapid risk assessment was carried out to analyze the potential threat of imported cases to China, which would provide information to policy makers in health authorities.

[Establishment of the experimental animal model of Babesia microti]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the experimental animal model for the study of Babesia microti.

METHODS

BALB/c mice, immunosuppressive BALB/c mice, SCID mice and NOD-SCID mice were inoculated with B. microti-infected red blood cells (RBC) by intraperitoneal injection respectively. After inoculation, thin blood smears were prepared every day, stained with Giemsa staining and examined for the presence of parasitemia. Three mice were dissected to examine the infectivity in bone marrow, brain, spleen, heart, lung, kidney and liver tissues. The infection rate of erythrocytes in different tissues was recorded, and the relationship between the infectivity of tissues and infection rate in peripheral blood was analyzed. Blood samples infected with B. microti were preserved in liquid nitrogen with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 2 months. The thawed parasitized blood was injected into the BALB/c mice by same route and the parasitemia was monitored.

RESULTS

The four kinds of mice were all infected by B. microti with parasitemia. The percentage of parasitized red blood cells from peripheral blood were 82.4% (BALB/c mice, d7), 73.2% (immunosuppressive BALB/c mice, d5), 86.4% (SCID mice, d8) and 72.5% (NOD-SCID mice, d8) at the maximum, respectively. Parasitemia decreased rapidly in BALB/c mice, whereas decreased slowly in immunosuppressive BALB/c mice. Only the parasitemia in SCID mice and NOD-SCID mice decreased significantly and tended to picking up again. The parasites were observed in RBCs from bone marrow, brain, spleen, heart, lung, kidney and liver tissues. The infection rate of erythrocytes in tissues increased with an increase of infection in peripheral blood. After cryopreservation, the parasites proliferated in BALB/c mice. Parasitemia appeared after inoculation with frozen infected blood two days later than that of fresh infected blood. The infection rate reached its peak after inoculation with frozen infected blood one day later than that of fresh infected blood.

CONCLUSION

The experimental animal model of B. microti has been established. The infection rate of erythrocytes is related to the immune status of the host mice.

[Field evaluation of IgG antibody detection kits of Schistosoma japonicum and quality control analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the application effect of an ELISA kit for detection of IgG antibody to Schistosomajaponicum in endemic areas.

METHODS

In two schistosomiasis endemic villages of Eryuan County, Yunnan Province, there were 505 permanent residents enrolled in the study. Fecal examinations were carried out by using the nylon screen bag-egg concentration method. In paralleled testing, the ELISA kit was used for the villagers to detect the IgG antibody to S. japonicum. The assay was performed daily for 20 consecutive days, and the data were analyzed by comparison with the parasitological examination and by using the L - J quality control chart method.

RESULTS

In 505 examinees, 290 were positive by ELISA, with a positive rate of 57.43%. The L-J chart analysis showed that the deviation of A450 value between the quality control sera A and B was within the controllable range. The fecal examination found 20 positives with a positive rate 3.96%. Compared with the fecal examination, the positive consistency rate of the ELISA method reached to 90.00%.

CONCLUSION

The ELISA kit for detection of IgG antibody to S. japonicum is stable, reliable and suitable for the screening of schistosomiasis in the field.

Frontiers of parasitology research in the People's Republic of China: infection, diagnosis, protection and surveillance

Control and eventual elimination of human parasitic diseases in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) requires novel approaches, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, mathematical modelling, monitoring, evaluation, surveillance and public health response. A comprehensive effort, involving the collaboration of 188 scientists (>85% from P.R. China) from 48 different institutions and universities (80% from P.R. China), covers this collection of 29 articles published in Parasites & Vectors. The research mainly stems from a research project entitled “Surveillance and diagnostic tools for major parasitic diseases in P.R. China” (grant no. 2008ZX10004-011) and highlights the frontiers of research in parasitology. The majority of articles in this thematic series deals with the most important parasitic diseases in P.R. China, emphasizing Schistosoma japonicum, Plasmodium vivax and Clonorchis sinensis plus some parasites of emerging importance such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Significant achievements have been made through the collaborative research programme in the following three fields: (i) development of strategies for the national control programme; (ii) updating the surveillance data of parasitic infections both in human and animals; and (iii) improvement of existing, and development of novel, diagnostic tools to detect parasitic infections. The progress is considerable and warrants broad validation efforts. Combined with the development of improved tools for diagnosis and surveillance, integrated and multi-pronged control strategies should now pave the way for elimination of parasitic diseases in P.R. China. Experiences and lessons learned can stimulate control and elimination efforts of parasitic diseases in other parts of the world.

[A cross analysis on the capability of examining helminths: national technique competition for parasitic disease diagnosis in 2011]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the comprehensive capability of helminth detection among professionals at different level of parasitic disease control institutions and promote the overall strength of diagnosis.

METHODS

Four professionals from each parasitic diseases control institutions were selected as contestant (age < 45 and at least two contestant from county-level institution). The content of contest included making stool slides with Kato-Katz method (five slides in thirty minutes, a total score of 15 and 9 as passing score) and identification of eleven common helminth eggs with microscopy (ten slides, five minutes per slide, a total score of 60, 36 as passing score).

RESULTS

The average score of making slides in 119 contestants from 30 provinces was 11.4, and 119 contestants passed accounted for 93.3%. The average score of film-reading was 22.0, and 20 contestants passed accounted for 16.8%. There were no statistically significant differences between the results in different gender, age (< or = 30, 31-40, > 40), job title (the junior, intermediate, and senior), institution level (provincial, municipal, and county level) (P > 0.05). By Kato-Katz slide-making and film-reading, the scores in contestants from provinces with schistosomiasis control task (12.1 +/- 1.7, 32.1 +/- 11.5, respectively) were better than contestants from other provinces (11.1 +/- 1.8, 18.1 +/- 10.5, respectively). The scores in contestants from western (18.4 +/- 11.4) were lower than those from eastern (25.2 +/- 12.4) and central (24.1 +/- 13.1) for film-reading.

CONCLUSION

The overall capability of parasitic disease examination is unbalanced among regions, and evidently there is a need to strengthen the capacity of pathogen detection in the disease control programs.

Development and evaluation of Chinese medicine fire-heat syndrome scale in oral cavity for measuring Chinese herb toothpaste

OBJECTIVE

To formulate the standard measuring tool for the evaluations on fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity by means of Chinese medicine (CM).

METHODS

The measuring scale for fire-heat syndrome in the oral cavity by means of CM was investigated by symptom collection, item pool formulation, item selection, pre-investigation, evaluations on the reliability, validity and reactivity of the measuring scale, according to the principles for measuring scale design and under the guidance of CM theories.

RESULTS

The measuring scale was composed of two integrative parts: the self-filling section and the interview section. As far as the reliability was concerned, the total Cronbach α coefficient of the measuring scale was 0.866, the total test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.726 and the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.851. As far as the validity was concerned, the scores for the subjects of fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity and healthy people in their oral cavity in the items of symptoms were statistically different (P<0.01); three common divisors were extracted according to the theoretical dimensions, the accumulated contribution rate was 63.468%. As far as the reactivity was concerned, the difference between the symptom scores before and after the test in which 31 subjects used the Chinese herb toothpaste was statistically significant (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

This measuring scale has relatively good reliability, validity and reactivity, and it can be used in an objective quantitative evaluation on patients suffering from fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity, and thus lay the foundations for the evaluations on the therapeutic effects of Chinese herb toothpaste on fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity.

[Survey on Blastocystis hominis infection in HIV positive individuals in Fuyang City, Anhui Province]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the epidemiological characteristics of co-infection of HIV and Blastocystis hominis and its risk factors.

METHODS

A total of 309 people with HIV positive in the development zone of Fuyang City were recruited, and the face to face questionnaires were conducted to collect the information of behavioral characteristics and sociodemographic data of the participants. Meanwhile, the samples of stool and blood were collected to test B. hominis, cytokines and CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocyte. The influencing factors of co-infection of HIV and Blastocystis hominis were analyzed by the single factor analysis and Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Among the 309 people involved, 302 accepted feces examinations, 286 accepted the questionnaire investigation, and 263 accepted both of them. The infection rate of B. hominis was 17.11%, that of the female was 21.90%, which was significantly higher than that of the male (11.90%) (P < 0.05). The results from the multivariate Logistic regression model showed that good nutrition was significantly associated with the co-infection of HIV and B. hominis (OR = 0.263, 95% CI: 0.073, 0.945).

CONCLUSIONS

The infection rate of B. hominis is high in people with HIV positive, and the nutrition situation of individuals may be one of the important risk factors associated with co-infection.

[Survey on co-infection with HIV and intestinal parasites in high prevalence areas of HIV/AIDS, China]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the co-infection status of HIV and intestinal parasites in a HIV/AIDS highly endemic area in China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in two villages in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, and the infection status of HIV and intestinal parasites were investigated by blood and fecal examinations.

RESULTS

A total 769 individuals were enrolled in the investigation, and 720 of whom were participated in stool examinations for intestinal parasite infections. The infection rates of parasites were as follows: 0.56% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 4.03% for Hookworm, 0.28% for Trichuris trichiura, 0.42% for Clonorchis sinensis, 21.39% for Blastocystis hominis, 3.89% for Giardia lamblia, 1.67% for Entamoeba spp., 4.44% for Cryptosporidium spp.. The overall infection rate of intestinal worms and protozoan were 4.72% and 24.31%, respectively. The prevalence rate of anemia was 34.68%. The prevalence rate of HIV was 8.10%. The co-infection rate of HIV and intestinal helminthes was 2.17%, and that of HIV and intestinal protozoan was 28.26%, of which the co-infection rate of Blastocystis hominis and HIV were 19.57%. There was a significant difference between the infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp. in the HIV-positive group (13.04%) and HIV-negative group (4.70%) (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The infection rate of intestinal protozoan is higher than that of intestinal helminthes in local residents. The HIV-positive population is more susceptible to the infection of Cryptosporidium spp.

[Progress of research on clinical manifestations and diagnosis of human pentastomiasis]

Human pentastomiasis is an unusual parasitic zoonosis caused by wormlike pentastomids. Of the many pentastome species, 10 are known to infect humans in the world, and among them, Armillifer armillatus and Linguatula serrata are the main pathogenic species which can account for most human infections. According to the location in human body and clinical symptoms of the main pathogenic species, human pentastomiasis can be divided into two parasitic types clinically, the visceral type and nasopharyngeal type. The methods for diagnosing pentastomiasis is based on the morphology, histopathological and imageology examinations combined with clinical manifestations and epidemiology, but the relational serological and molecular tests are rarely reported. In this article, we aim to provide a basic review of human pentastomiasis on the pathogen, clinical manifestations, endemic areas and primary diagnostic methods.

Co-infection of HIV and intestinal parasites in rural area of China

BACKGROUND

Intestinal parasite infections (IPIs) are among the most significant causes of illness and disease of socially and economically disadvantaged populations in developing countries, including rural areas of the People's Republic of China. With the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among rural Chinese populations, there is ample scope for co-infections and there have been increasing fears about their effects. However, hardly any relevant epidemiological studies have been carried out in the country. The aim of the present survey was to assess the IPI infection status among a representative sample of HIV-positive Chinese in rural Anhui province, and compare the findings with those from a cohort of non-infected individuals.

METHODS

A case control study was carried out in a rural village of Fuyang, Anhui province, China. Stool samples of all participants were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites. Blood examination was performed for the HIV infection detection and anemia test. A questionnaire was administered to all study participants.

RESULTS

A total of 302 HIV positive and 303 HIV negative individuals provided one stool sample for examination. The overall IPI prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among HIV positives was 4.3% (13/302) while it was 5.6% (17/303) among HIV negatives, a non-significant difference. The prevalence of protozoa infections among HIV positives was 23.2% while the rate was 25.8% among HIV negatives. The species-specific prevalences among HIV positives were as follows: 3.6% for hookworm, 0.7% for Trichuris trichiura, zero for Ascaris lumbricoides, 0.3% for Clonorchis sinensis, 1.3% for Giardia intestinalis, 16.2% for Blastocystis hominis, 1.7% for Entamoeba spp. and 8.3% for Cryptosporidium spp.. Cryptosporidium spp. infections were significantly more prevalent among HIV positives (8.3%) compared to the HIV negative group (3.0%; P < 0.05). Among people infected with HIV, Cryptosporidium spp. was significantly more prevalent among males (12.6%) than females (4.4%; P < 0.05). According to multivariate logistic regression, the factors significantly associated with parasite infections of the people who were HIV positive included sex (male: OR = 6.70, 95% CI: 2.030, 22.114), younger age (less than 42 years old: OR = 4.148, 95% CI: 1.348, 12.761), and poor personal hygiene habits (OR = 0.324, 95% CI: 0.105, 0.994).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV positive individuals are more susceptible to co-infections with Cryptosporidium spp. than HIV negative people, particularly younger males with poor personal hygiene habits, indicating a need for targeted hygiene promotion, IPI surveillance and treatment.

Chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) for detecting circulating antigens of Schistosoma japonicum

BACKGROUND

IgY isolated from egg yolk has been widely used in immunodiagnostic tests, including tests to detect circulating antigen (soluble egg antigen or SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum.

RESULTS

A sandwich ELISA was established using a combination of anti-S. japonicum SEA-IgY polyclonal antibodies and IgM monoclonal antibodies. To explore sensitivity and specificity of the sandwich ELISA, serum samples from 43 patients infected with S. japonicum were tested. All acute cases and 91.3% of the chronic cases showed a positive reaction. Only 5% of the control sera from healthy persons gave a positive response. Cross-reactions with antibodies to nine other parasites were rare.

CONCLUSION

The developed immunoassay is reasonably sensitive and specific. It could be used for field research and treatment efficacy assessments.

[Cross-section study on co-infection of HIV and Cryptosporidium]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the co-infection status of HIV and Cryptosporidium, and explore the influencing factors associated with the co-infection.

METHODS

A total of 309 people with HIV positive in Fuyang City of Anhui Province were recruited and their fecal and blood samples were collected for examinations of Cryptosporidium spp. infection and the levels of hemoglobin, cytokines and CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes. Meanwhile, the questionnaire survey was conducted.

RESULTS

Among 302 people involved in fecal examinations, the infection rate of Cryptosporidium spp. was 8.28%, and the difference between infection rates of the male (13.49%) and the female (2.92%) was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression model showed that 4 factors were significantly associated with the coinfection of HIV and Cryptosporidium spp, including male (OR = 6.700, 95% CI: 2.030, 22.114), younger than 42 years old (OR = 4.148, 95% CI: 1.348, 12.761), level of IL-2 below 77 pg/ml (OR = 0.226, 95%CI: 0.076, 0.674) and personal hygiene habits (OR = 0.324, 95% CI: 0.105, 0.994).

CONCLUSION

The co-infection rate of Cryptosporidium spp. and HIV is high, the key targets of control are the people who are male, younger than 42 years old, with high level of IL2 and poor personal hygiene habits.

Template for preparation of papers for IEEE sponsored conferences & Symposia

Rotary blood pumps which have contact-less suspension are small, durable and widely used for left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). In order to design a total artificial heart (TAH) with rotary blood pumps, two pumps one for each ventricle, are controlled independently. Some of the challenges for the development of a TAH includes the requirement of a small size and the anatomical fitting of inlets and outlets which should be arranged closely on the circumference in the same direction. And they should be combined into a unit. In this paper, a helical flow total artificial heart (HFTAH) combing two centrifugal pumps with helical inlet in face is proposed in order to achieve a smaller TAH. To examine the pump performance, a preliminary test model for left ventricle was built, the size of the pump was 69.0mm in diameter and 45.0mm height. The size of the impeller was 44.0mm in diameter and 23.0mm height including a 15.0mm-height hydrodynamic bearing. The pump was externally driven by a direct current motor. 5.0L/min flow rate against 100mmHg pressure difference was obtained, where the total power consumption was 5.0W, the system efficiency was 23% with a rotational speed of 2070rpm. In this system, maximum pressure head, flow rate and efficiency were 420mmHg, 15.0L/min and 26%, respectively. In acute animal experiments with three healthy adult goats, the total biventricular bypass assist system using the pumps was able to maintain the maximum aortic flow at approximately 5.0L/min, and the pulmonary arterial flow at approximately 4.6L/min, the mean aorta pressure was 105mmHg, and the mean pulmonary artery pressure was 51mmHg. The development of the control method is undergoing, and a driving system and the pump aiming at the chronic animal experiments will be developed.

Tools to support policy decisions related to treatment strategies and surveillance of Schistosomiasis japonica towards elimination

Background

Appropriate diagnostics to monitor disease trends and assess the effectiveness and impact of interventions are essential for guiding treatment strategies at different thresholds of schistosomiasis transmission and for certifying elimination. Field validation of these assays is urgently needed before they can be adopted to support policy decisions of the national programme for control and elimination of schistosomiasis in P.R. China. We compared the efficacy and utility of different immunoassays in guiding control strategies and monitoring the endemic status of S. japonicum infections towards elimination.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in seven villages with different transmission intensities settings to assess the performance and utility of three immunoassays, e.g., an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA_JX), an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA_SZ), and a dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA_SH). 6,248 individuals aged 6–65 years old who gave consent and supplied their stool and blood samples were included for data analysis. Results showed that ELISA_SZ performed significantly higher sensitivity (95.45%, 95%CI: 92.94–97.97%) than IHA_JX (87.59%, 95%CI: 83.51–91.49%) and DIGFA_SH (79.55%, 95%CI: 74.68–84.41%), especially in subgroups with very low infection intensity. The specificity of ELISA_SZ, IHA_JX, DIGFA_SH in 6–9 year olds with occasional exposure was nearly 90%. DIGFA_SH performed the highest screening efficacy for patients among three assays with overall positive predicative value of 13.07% (95%CI: 11.42–14.72%). We found a positive correlation of antibody positive rate of IHA_JX with results of stool examination in age strata (r = 0.70, P<0.001). Seropositivity of IHA_JX in children aged 6–9 years old showed an excellent correlation with prevalence of schistosome infection in the seven communities (r = 0.77, P<0.05).

Conclusions/Significance

Studies suggest that ELISA_SZ could be used to guide selective chemotherapy in moderate or low endemic regions. IHA_JX could be used to as a surveillance tool and for certifying elimination of schistosomiasis through monitoring children as a sentinel population.

Immunodiagnostic assays are widely applied in the field to control schistosomiasis in P.R. China as the prevalence and infection intensity of schistosome infections decrease. Field evaluations are urgently needed before they can be adopted to support policy decisions of the national programme for the control and elimination of schistosomiasis in P.R. China. We carried out a large scale cross-sectional survey in field settings with different transmission situations to validate immunodiagnostic tools that can be used to formulate new schistosomiasis elimination strategy in P.R. China. Regarding stool examination as gold reference, the validity and screening efficacy of each immunodiagnostic kit were calculated and compared with each other. The association of the prevalence of schistosomiasis and antibody positive rates determined by immunoassays were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient values. The study indicates that which test to use with the elimination strategy is dependent on the purpose of testing, the endemic status of community and the resources available. And more sensitive methods need to be explored and used to target infected individuals for treatment or to eliminate schistosomiasis.

Efficacy of single-dose and triple-dose albendazole and mebendazole against soil-transmitted helminths and Taenia spp.: a randomized controlled trial

Background

The control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections currently relies on the large-scale administration of single-dose oral albendazole or mebendazole. However, these treatment regimens have limited efficacy against hookworm and Trichuris trichiura in terms of cure rates (CR), whereas fecal egg reduction rates (ERR) are generally high for all common STH species. We compared the efficacy of single-dose versus triple-dose treatment against hookworm and other STHs in a community-based randomized controlled trial in the People's Republic of China.

Methodology/Principal findings

The hookworm CR and fecal ERR were assessed in 314 individuals aged ≥5 years who submitted two stool samples before and 3–4 weeks after administration of single-dose oral albendazole (400 mg) or mebendazole (500 mg) or triple-dose albendazole (3×400 mg over 3 consecutive days) or mebendazole (3×500 mg over 3 consecutive days). Efficacy against T. trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Taenia spp. was also assessed.

Albendazole cured significantly more hookworm infections than mebendazole in both treatment regimens (single dose: respective CRs 69% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 55–81%) and 29% (95% CI: 20–45%); triple dose: respective CRs 92% (95% CI: 81–98%) and 54% (95% CI: 46–71%)). ERRs followed the same pattern (single dose: 97% versus 84%; triple dose: 99.7% versus 96%). Triple-dose regimens outperformed single doses against T. trichiura; three doses of mebendazole – the most efficacious treatment tested – cured 71% (95% CI: 57–82%). Both single and triple doses of either drug were highly efficacious against A. lumbricoides (CR: 93–97%; ERR: all >99.9%). Triple dose regimens cured all Taenia spp. infections, whereas single dose applications cured only half of them.

Conclusions/Significance

Single-dose oral albendazole is more efficacious against hookworm than mebendazole. To achieve high CRs against both hookworm and T. trichiura, triple-dose regimens are warranted.

Trial Registration

www.controlled-trials.comISRCTN47375023

Prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis infection in dogs and cats in subtropical southern China

BACKGROUND

Clonorchiasis, caused by Clonorchis sinensis, is one of the major parasitic zoonoses in China, particularly in China's southern Guangdong province where the prevalence of C. sinensis infection in humans is high. However, little is known of the prevalence of C. sinensis infection in its reservoir hosts dogs and cats. Hence, the prevalence of C. sinensis infection in dogs and cats was investigated in Guangdong province, China between October 2006 and March 2008.

RESULTS

A total of 503 dogs and 194 cats from 13 administrative regions in Guangdong province were examined by post-mortem examination. The worms were examined, counted, and identified to species according to existing keys and descriptions. The average prevalences of C. sinensis infection in dogs and cats were 20.5% and 41.8%, respectively. The infection intensities in dogs were usually light, but in cats the infection intensities were more serious. The prevalences were higher in some of the cities located in the Pearl River Delta region which is the most important endemic area in Guangdong province, but the prevalences were relatively lower in seaside cities.

CONCLUSIONS

The present investigation revealed a high prevalence of C. sinensis infection in its reservoir hosts dogs and cats in China's subtropical Guangdong province, which provides relevant "base-line" data for conducting control strategies and measures against clonorchiasis in this region.

Genetic characterization, species differentiation and detection of Fasciola spp. by molecular approaches

Liver flukes belonging to the genus Fasciola are among the causes of foodborne diseases of parasitic etiology. These parasites cause significant public health problems and substantial economic losses to the livestock industry. Therefore, it is important to definitively characterize the Fasciola species. Current phenotypic techniques fail to reflect the full extent of the diversity of Fasciola spp. In this respect, the use of molecular techniques to identify and differentiate Fasciola spp. offer considerable advantages. The advent of a variety of molecular genetic techniques also provides a powerful method to elucidate many aspects of Fasciola biology, epidemiology, and genetics. However, the discriminatory power of these molecular methods varies, as does the speed and ease of performance and cost. There is a need for the development of new methods to identify the mechanisms underpinning the origin and maintenance of genetic variation within and among Fasciola populations. The increasing application of the current and new methods will yield a much improved understanding of Fasciola epidemiology and evolution as well as more effective means of parasite control. Herein, we provide an overview of the molecular techniques that are being used for the genetic characterization, detection and genotyping of Fasciola spp..

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China

BACKGROUND

In recent years, surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China. However, little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Northwest China. In the present study, the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Lanzhou, China was investigated using the modified agglutination test (MAT).

RESULTS

In this survey, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 of 259 (10.81%) pet dogs, with MAT titers of 1:20 in 14 dogs, 1:40 in nine, 1:80 in four, and 1:160 or higher in one dog. The prevalence ranged from 6.67% to 16.67% among dogs of different ages, with low rates in young pet dogs, and high rates in older pet dogs. The seroprevalence in dogs >3 years old was higher than that in dogs ≤1 years old, but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05). The seroprevalence in male dogs was 12.50% (17 of 136), and in female dogs it was 8.94% (11 of 123), but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of T. gondii infection was found in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China, which has implications for public health in this region. In order to reduce the risk of exposure to T. gondii, further measures and essential control strategies should be carried out rationally in this region.

Genetic diversity and relatedness of Fasciola spp. isolates from different hosts and geographic regions revealed by analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences

The present study examined sequence variability in a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (pcox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 4 and 5 (pnad4 and pnad5) among 39 isolates of Fasciola spp., from different hosts from China, Niger, France, the United States of America, and Spain; and their phylogenetic relationships were re-constructed. Intra-species sequence variations were 0.0-1.1% for pcox1, 0.0-2.7% for pnad4, and 0.0-3.3% for pnad5 for Fasciola hepatica; 0.0-1.8% for pcox1, 0.0-2.5% for pnad4, and 0.0-4.2% for pnad5 for Fasciola gigantica, and 0.0-0.9% for pcox1, 0.0-0.2% for pnad4, and 0.0-1.1% for pnad5 for the intermediate Fasciola form. Whereas, nucleotide differences were 2.1-2.7% for pcox1, 3.1-3.3% for pnad4, and 4.2-4.8% for pnad5 between F. hepatica and F. gigantica; were 1.3-1.5% for pcox1, 2.1-2.9% for pnad4, 3.1-3.4% for pnad5 between F. hepatica and the intermediate form; and were 0.9-1.1% for pcox1, 1.4-1.8% for pnad4, 2.2-2.4% for pnad5 between F. gigantica and the intermediate form. Phylogenetic analysis based on the combined sequences of pcox1, pnad4 and pnad5 revealed distinct groupings of isolates of F. hepatica, F. gigantica, or the intermediate Fasciola form irrespective of their origin, demonstrating the usefulness of the mtDNA sequences for the delineation of Fasciola species, and reinforcing the genetic evidence for the existence of the intermediate Fasciola form.

[Efficacy of tribendimdine in treatment of hookworm infection]

OBJECTIVE

To study the efficacy of tribendimdine in the treatment of hookworm infection.

METHODS

Forty-seven cases of hookworm infection detected in a cross-sectional study were selected and randomly divided into two groups, one was experimental group (23 cases) treated with tribendimdine and the other was control group (24 cases) treated with albendazole. The negative conversion rates and the incidence rates of adverse effects in the two groups were observed and compared.

RESULTS

The negative conversion rates and the incidence rates of adverse effects of the two groups were 95.65% and 95.83%, 8.70% and 8.33%, respectively, there were no statistical differences (both P values > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of tribendimdine in the treatment of hookworm infection is similar to albendazole.

Evaluation of immunoassays for the diagnosis of Schistosoma japonicum infection using archived sera

BACKGROUND

With a national program initiated recently to reduce transmission of Schistosoma japonicum in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China), there is an urgent need for accessible, quality-assured diagnostics for case detection, surveillance, and program monitoring of chemotherapy efficacy and other control interventions in areas of low endemicity. We compared the performance of nine immunodiagnostic tests developed in P.R. China for detection of antibodies against S. japonicum and established their priority for further assessment in field settings.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Using the Kato-Katz technique as the reference standard, 240 well-characterized archived serum specimens (100 positive and 140 negative) were evaluated in nine immunological tests developed in P.R. China. The enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot assay (EITB), which uses an adult worm extract of S. japonicum, supplied by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, USA, was also evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of each test were determined and the reproducibility of each test was assessed by evaluating operator-to-operator and run-to-run variation. In addition the simplicity of use for the end-user was evaluated. All tests showed good sensitivities ranging from 92.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 86.7-97.3%) to 98.0% (95% CI: 95.3-100.0%). The test specificities varied from 70.0% (95% CI: 62.4-77.6%) to 97.1% (95% CI: 94.4-99.9%). All tests showed excellent reproducibility with a discordant rate in the range of 0-10.0% for operator-to-operator variation and run-to-run variation. All tests, except one magnetic particle-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were found to be easy to use, especially the dot immunogold filtration assays.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Most evaluated tests had acceptable performance characteristics and could make an impact on the schistosomiasis control programs in P.R. China. Three tests with the highest sensitivity, specificity and greatest ease of use, were selected for further evaluation in field settings.

Sensitive and rapid detection of Paragonimus westermani infection in humans and animals by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)

In the present study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated for the detection of Paragonimus westermani adults, metacercariae, and eggs in human and animal samples. The LAMP amplification can be finished in 45 min under isothermal condition at 60°C by employing a set of four species-specific primer mixtures and the results can be checked by naked-eye visualization. No amplification products were detected with deoxyribunucleic acid (DNA) of related trematode species including Fasciola hepatica, Fasciola gigantica, Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Schistosoma mansoni, and Schistosoma japonicum. The method was further validated by examining P. westermani DNA in intermediate hosts including freshwater crabs and crayfish, as well as in sputum and pleural fluid samples from patients of paragonimiasis. These results indicated that the LAMP assay was highly specific, sensitive, and rapid, and it was approximately 100 times more sensitive than conventional specific PCR. The LAMP assay established in this study provides a rapid and sensitive tool for the detection of P. westermani DNA in freshwater crabs, crayfish, sputum, and pleural fluid samples, which has important implications for effective control of human paragonimiasis.

Seroprevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in humans in China

A seroepidemiological survey was carried out in China during 2009-2010 to determine the extent of circulating antigens (CAg) for Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the Chinese population using the gold immunochromatographic assay, with the objective of elucidating the nationwide prevalence of angiostrongyliasis in China. A total of 1,730 blood samples was collected and assayed from the general adult population (the "general group"), and those involved in aquaculture or processing of snails Achatina fulica and Pomacea canaliculat (the "occupational group") from 5 provinces (Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Zhejiang) and 1 municipal city (Beijing). The overall seroprevalence for the "occupational group" was 7.4% (40/540), which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of the "general group" (0.8%, 9/1,190). The seroprevalence in males (9.5%) was significantly higher than in females (4.2%) (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that angiostrongyliasis represents a significant zoonotic disease in China, requiring the strengthening of food safety for control of this food-borne disease.