Pregnant women & vaccines against emerging epidemic threats: Ethics guidance for preparedness,research, and response

Zika virus, influenza, and Ebola have called attention to the ways in which infectious disease outbreaks can severely – and at times uniquely – affect the health interests of pregnant women and their offspring. These examples also highlight the critical need to proactively consider pregnant women and their offspring in vaccine research and response efforts to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Historically, pregnant women and their offspring have been largely excluded from research agendas and investment strategies for vaccines against epidemic threats, which in turn can lead to exclusion from future vaccine campaigns amidst outbreaks. This state of affairs is profoundly unjust to pregnant women and their offspring, and deeply problematic from the standpoint of public health. To ensure that the needs of pregnant women and their offspring are fairly addressed, new approaches to public health preparedness, vaccine research and development, and vaccine delivery are required. This Guidance offers 22 concrete recommendations that provide a roadmap for the ethically responsible, socially just, and respectful inclusion of the interests of pregnant women in the development and deployment of vaccines against emerging pathogens. The Guidance was developed by the Pregnancy Research Ethics for Vaccines, Epidemics, and New Technologies (PREVENT) Working Group – a multidisciplinary, international team of 17 experts specializing in bioethics, maternal immunization, maternal-fetal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, philosophy, public health, and vaccine research and policy – in consultation with a variety of external experts and stakeholders.     

洛匹那韦/利托那韦联合干扰素治疗新型冠状病毒肺炎的疗效

目的　探讨洛匹那韦/利托那韦联合干扰素治疗新型冠状病毒肺炎（新冠肺炎）的有效性及安全性。方法　选取2020年1月3日—4月7日于我中心住院治疗的62例新冠肺炎确诊患者作为研究对象,并将其分为治疗组（43例）和对照组（19例）,其中对照组采用常规对症支持治疗,治疗组在对照组常规治疗基础上使用洛匹那韦/利托那韦抗病毒治疗;同时,根据患者临床分型对上述患者实施非重症组与重症组亚组分析。比较对照组和治疗组核酸转阴时间、住院时间、退热时间、症状缓解时间及药物不良反应发生情况。结果　在非重症组患者中,治疗组与对照组在退热时间、症状缓解时间、核酸转阴时间及住院时间方面的差异均无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）;而在重症组患者中,治疗组核酸转阴时间显著长于对照组[（23.62±2.12 ）d vs.（9.25±0.95）d],差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。在药物不良反应方面,治疗组腹泻发生率为46.5%,显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,但均为轻到中等程度腹泻,经对症治疗后腹泻症状消失。结论　洛匹那韦/利托那韦联合干扰素治疗新冠肺炎非重症患者效果不明显,治疗重症患者,核酸转阴时间更长,虽临床应用总体安全性较好,但存在腹泻等不良反应,不推荐使用。     

2016—2019 年天津市河北区流行性感冒监测分析

目的 了解 2016—2019年天津市河北区流感流行特征,为有效防控流感提供相应科学依据。方法 对 2016—2019年天津市河北区流感样病例(Influenza-likecases,ILI)监测资料、病原学监测数据及暴发疫情信息进行分析。结果 2016—2019 年共采集IL咽拭子标本 2 962份,流感病毒核酸检测阳性标本为 715份,阳性率为 24.14%;2016—2019年共报告流感样病例暴发疫情 10起,均发生在中小学校。2016—2019 年天津市河北区流感样病例百分比 (IL%)在每年 11 月—次年 2 月出现一个高峰,呈现明显的季节性特征;2016—2019 年流感病原监测结果显示,天津市河北区流行毒株以甲型 H3N2 型和甲型 H1N1型交替出现为主,2017 年甲型与乙型 Yamagata 系混合流行,2019 年甲型 H3N2 型呈优势毒株。结论 2016—2019 年天津市河北区流感病毒以甲型 H3N2 型和甲型 H1N1 型为主,每年的流行毒株各不相同,呈交替或混合流行。应加强监测和流感防控并提高重点人群流感疫苗接种率。     

葡萄糖酸钙锌口服液联合布拉酵母菌散剂治疗轮状病毒性腹泻的效果

目的　观察葡萄糖酸钙锌口服液联合布拉酵母菌散剂对轮状病毒感染患儿症状控制及胃肠功能的影响,为临床治疗提供参考。方法　选取2017年8月—2019年10月三亚市人民医院收治的120例轮状病毒感染患儿作为研究对象,根据治疗方法分为常规组与联合组,各60例,其中常规组给予饮食指导、合理补液、抗病毒、预防或纠正电解质紊乱等常规治疗,联合组在常规组治疗基础上给予葡萄糖酸钙锌口服液联合布拉酵母菌散剂治疗。记录2组患儿治疗前后粪便标本中肠道菌群含量、血清中胃肠激素水平变化,并统计分析2组患儿临床治疗总有效率、症状改善时间（退热、止泻、止吐、大便性状正常）及住院时间。结果　治疗后,联合组总有效率为93.33%,高于常规组的80.00%（P＜0.05）,退热时间[（1.69±0.42）d]、止泻时间[（2.28±0.45）d]、止吐时间[（1.92±0.44）d]、大便性状正常时间[（2.30±0.45）d]、住院时间[（4.82±1.37）d均短于常规组,差异均有统计学意义（P均＜0.05）。治疗前,2组粪便标本中肠道菌群含量、血清中胃肠激素水平比较,差异均无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）。治疗后,2组粪便标本中双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌含量较治疗前上升,肠杆菌含量及血清中胃泌素、胃动素、血管活性肠肽水平较治疗前下降,且联合组粪便标本中肠道菌群含量改善程度及胃肠激素水平下降幅度均高于常规组（P均＜0.05）。结论　葡萄糖酸钙锌口服液联合布拉酵母菌散剂可促进轮状病毒感染患儿临床症状的消失,改善胃肠激素水平,平衡肠道菌群,提高疗效。     

Screening for Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Illinois

Objective: To determine the incidence of infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a tertiary referral center in Chicago, where a similar study had been performed in 1984, to evaluate cases of disease reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in 1993, and to determine laboratory practices used to detect this infection throughout the state.
Methods: During a 6-month period in 1993, all stool specimens at Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center (RPSLMC) were tested for E. coli O157:H7. Reports of diagnosed E. coli O157:H7 cases investigated by IDPH were also reviewed. A survey of 73 hospitals in the Chicago area was performed to determine routine culturing practices, specifically, the selection of stool specimens for evaluation for this pathogen.
Results: In the RPSLMC survey, two cases were identified among 1985 samples (incidence 0.1%), similar to the 0.08% incidence detected in a similar study conducted at the same institution in 1984. Through passive surveillance, the IDPH received 44 reports of E. coli O157:H7 in 1993. The hospital survey revealed that, in the seven labs testing all stool specimens for E. coli O157:H7, an incidence of 16/8137 specimens (0.2%) was determined.
Conclusions: These data suggest that sporadic E. coli O157:H7 remains uncommon in Illinois and that the incidence may not have changed over a 9-year period. The low yield and substantial cost of culturing all stools suggest that only specimens from patients with bloody diarrhea should be evaluated routinely in areas of low endemicity.     

Molecular characterization and genetic variation of the VP7 gene of human rotaviruses isolated in Paraguay

Rotavirus is the main cause of acute diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide. In Paraguay, acute diarrhea ranks fourth among the causes of mortality in children under 4 years of age. Rotavirus was detected in 93 out of 410 patients admitted to three main hospitals in Asunción, Paraguay from August 1998 to August 2000. Samples from 64 patients were analyzed by RT-PCR for G and P typing. G4P[8] (46.9%; 30/64) was the most common strain detected, followed by G9P[8] (17.2%; 11/64) and G1P[8] (10,9%; 7/64). Since G4 was predominant during the epidemiological peaks of 1998 and 1999, four samples were sequenced and all grouped into sublineage Ic. This sublineage was reported for the first time in 1998 in Argentina, southern border of Paraguay, and it was shown to be responsible for the increased prevalence of G4 during the epidemiological season of 1998 in that country. In addition, Paraguayan G1 strains grouped in different lineages (I and II). However, G9 was predominant during the rotavirus epidemiological peak of 2000, and phylogenetic analysis of five samples grouped into a common emergent/reemergent lineage that circulates worldwide. Since vaccination could reduce the severity and the number of cases of rotavirus disease, this study suggests that a vaccine containing recently isolated variants of the most prevalent types (G1-G4) together with the emerging G9 type, might be sufficient to elicit a protective immune response against the rotavirus types circulating currently in Paraguay.     

辅以钙剂治疗急性腹泻52例临床疗效观察

目的：探讨在常规综合治疗基础上辅以钙剂治疗急性腹泻的疗效。方法：采用随机单盲平行对照方式,１０４例急性腹泻患者按病后诊治顺序随机分为两组,对照组５２例给常规综合治疗,治疗组５２例在常规综合治疗基础上加用钙剂治疗３天（１０％葡萄糖酸钙针剂２０ｍｌ,缓慢ｉｖ,ｑｄ）。结果：经ｘ＾２检验,两者疗效有显著性差异（Ｐ〈０．０５）。结论：在常规综合治疗基础上钙剂治疗急性腹泻可提高疗效。     

A Clinicopathologic Series of 22 Cases of Tonsillar Granulomas

Objectives Tonsils are uncommonly affected by granulomatous inflammation, often with an obscure cause. This study attempts to elucidate the nature of tonsillar granulomatous inflammation. Design Retrospective clinicopathologic review. Methods Twenty‐two cases of tonsillar granulomas diagnosed between 1940 and 1999 were retrieved from the files of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. H&E slides and a series of histochemical stains were reviewed, and patient follow‐up was obtained. Results There were 11 males and 11 females, aged 7 to 64 years (mean, 29.9 y). Most of the cases presented bilaterally (n = 19) with sore throat, dysphagia, and/or nasal obstruction. The clinical differential included chronic tonsillitis, tuberculosis, nonspecific infection, sarcoidosis, and a neoplasm. Histologically, the granulomas were focal and scattered, or diffuse, identified in the interfollicular zones (n = 16) and/or the germinal centers (n = 13), and occasionally associated with necrosis (n = 6). Based on histochemical and clinical follow‐up information, the etiology of the granulomas included sarcoidosis (n = 8), tuberculosis (n = 3), Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 2), toxoplasmosis (n = 1), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1), and no specific known cause (n = 7). Twelve patients were either alive at last follow‐up or had died with no evidence of disease (mean, 12.4 y), and 9 were either alive at last follow‐up or had died with disease (mean, 24.9 y). One patient was alive with unknown disease status (lost to follow‐up after 13.3 y). Conclusions Although a cause for tonsillar granulomas is frequently identified, a number may not develop an identifiable etiology, with the granulomas probably representing an exaggerated immune response to chronic tonsillitis. However, a careful work‐up must be conducted to exclude specific causes and avoid clinical mismanagement.     

Helicobacter pylori-induced diarrhea post-ileogastrostomy

A retrospective study of all ileogastrostomy procedures (n=26) performed in 1993 by one surgeon (IGMC) was carried out to investigate the hypothesis that Helicobacter pylori may be implicated in certain severe cases of postoperation nausea and diarrhea. Ten of 26 persons (38.5%) displayed nausea and notable diarrhea (greater than or equal to ten bowel movements per day), seven of which warranted upper GI investigation. One hundred per cent (seven of seven) of these persons were found to possess H. pylori upon C-14 breath test. In four of six cases eradication therapy (1 g amoxicillin b.i.d./20 mg omeprazole b.i.d. for 2 weeks) corresponded with a resolution of severe nausea and diarrhea (one additional case involved omeprazole use only), suggesting that H. pylori should be considered as a possible cause of these symptoms post-ileogastrostomy. Additionally, in four of seven cases persons were re-tested (C-14 breath analysis) at least 1 month post-therapy and in this group three persons were found to be free of the organism. All three cases of notable diarrhea and nausea resolved with treatment, providing the strongest evidence for a possible association between infection and these symptoms.     

陕西省眉县健康教育干预5岁以下儿童腹泻效果评价

为了探讨适合我国农村社区的健康教育方法,陕西省眉县被确定为西北地区的试点。本文运用格林模式,采取健康教育、改水、改厕三位一体方法,通过２年的健康教育综合性干预,实验乡５岁以下儿童腹泻发病率较对照乡及干预前均有明显下降,儿童母亲防治儿童腹泻的知、信、行水平也显著提高（Ｐ＜００１）,进一步证实综合干预在农村社区健康教育中运用的可行性。同时,初步探索出了一些适合我国农村社区的健康教育实施经验。