Investigation and Control of Anthrax Outbreak at the Human–Animal Interface,Bhutan, 2010

In 2010, we investigated anthrax outbreak in Bhutan. A total of 43 domestic animals died, and cutaneous anthrax developed in 9 persons, and 1 died. All affected persons had contact with the carcasses of infected animals. Comprehensive preparedness and response guidelines are needed to increase public awareness of anthrax in Bhutan.     

Risk for Travel-associated Legionnaires’ Disease,Europe, 2009

Legionnaires’ disease is underreported in Europe; notification rates differ substantially among countries. Approximately 20% of reported cases are travel-associated. To assess the risk for travel-associated Legionnaires’ disease (TALD) associated with travel patterns in European countries, we retrieved TALD surveillance data for 2009 from the European Surveillance System, and tourism denominator data from the Statistical Office of the European Union. Risk (number cases reported/number nights spent) was calculated by travel country. In 2009, the network reported 607 cases among European travelers, possibly associated with 825 accommodation sites in European Union countries. The overall risk associated with travel abroad was 0.3 cases/million nights. We observed an increasing trend in risk from northwestern to southeastern Europe; Greece had the highest risk (1.7). Our findings underscore the need for countries with high TALD risks to improve prevention and control of legionellosis; and for countries with high TALD risks, but low notification rates of Legionnaires’ disease to improve diagnostics and reporting.     

生育指数评分对子宫内膜异位症不孕患者术后妊娠方式选择的预测价值

目的：分析不同子宫内膜异位症（endometriosis,EMs）生育指数（endometriosis fertility index,EFI）患者的术后自然妊娠率,探讨EFI评分对腹腔镜术后妊娠方式选择的预测价值。方法：回顾性分析2013年1月-2014年12月于郑州大学第一附属医院就诊并行腹腔镜手术治疗的EMs不孕患者的完整资料,共148例,电话随访其术后的妊娠情况。按EFI评分标准对患者进行评分,计算不同分值患者术后的自然妊娠率,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线评价EFI评分对EMs不孕患者术后妊娠率的预测价值。结果：术后36个月内EMs患者的自然妊娠率与EMs分期呈负相关（rs=-0.535,P＜0.001）,且各期EMs患者术后6个月内的自然妊娠率均高于术后7～12个月、13～24个月及25～36个月。术后36个月EMs患者的自然妊娠率与EFI评分呈正相关（rs=0.617,P＜0.001）,且EFI评分分别为9～10分、7～8分和5～6分的患者,在术后6个月内的妊娠率均高于其他时间段。EFI评分的ROC曲线下面积（AUC）为0.854（95%CI：0.794～0.915,P＜0.001）。通过ROC曲线确定的EFI预测术后1年内自然妊娠的临界值为6.5分（约登指数最大）,其预测的敏感度为73.42%,特异度为82.61%。结论：EFI评分与EMs不孕患者腹腔镜术后的自然妊娠率呈正相关,能够较好地预测EMs不孕患者术后1年内的自然妊娠。术后1年是妊娠的最佳时期,应积极试孕,把握时机。     

Dihydropteroate synthase gene mutations in Pneumocystis and sulfa resistance

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) remains a major cause of illness and death in HIV-infected persons. Sulfa drugs, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and dapsone are mainstays of PCP treatment and prophylaxis. While prophylaxis has reduced the incidence of PCP, its use has raised concerns about development of resistant organisms. The inability to culture human Pneumocystis, Pneumocystis jirovecii, in a standardized culture system prevents routine susceptibility testing and detection of drug resistance. In other microorganisms, sulfa drug resistance has resulted from specific point mutations in the dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene. Similar mutations have been observed in P. jirovecii. Studies have consistently demonstrated a significant association between the use of sulfa drugs for PCP prophylaxis and DHPS gene mutations. Whether these mutations confer resistance to TMP-SMX or dapsone plus trimethoprim for PCP treatment remains unclear. We review studies of DHPS mutations in P. jirovecii and summarize the evidence for resistance to sulfamethoxazole and dapsone.     

大龄单身女性寻求生育力保存的伦理问题探析

近年来,在肿瘤和卵巢相关疾病发生率逐年增加、不少大龄单身女性渴望为自己购买一份“生殖保险”等社会及个人因素催化下,人类对于生育力保存的需求急剧增加,满足这一需求正在或将成为重大挑战。对于寻求进行生育力保存的大龄单身女性来说,在合适的年龄应用玻璃化冷冻技术将其卵母细胞冻存是目前可采用的最佳生育力保存手段。而单身女性卵子冷冻将面临来自伦理道德、社会乃至法律的巨大挑战。本文概述国内外大龄单身女性卵子冷冻的现状,并对其可能涉及的相关伦理问题及解决途径进行综述,以促进理性正视单身女性卵子冷冻问题。     

Widening Rural–Urban Disparities in All-Cause Mortality and Mortality from Major Causes of Death in the USA, 1969–2009

This study examined trends in rural–urban disparities in all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the USA between 1969 and 2009. A rural–urban continuum measure was linked to county-level mortality data. Age-adjusted death rates were calculated by sex, race, cause-of-death, area-poverty, and urbanization level for 13 time periods between 1969 and 2009. Cause-of-death decomposition and log-linear and Poisson regression were used to analyze rural–urban differentials. Mortality rates increased with increasing levels of rurality overall and for non-Hispanic whites, blacks, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Despite the declining mortality trends, mortality risks for both males and females and for blacks and whites have been increasingly higher in non-metropolitan than metropolitan areas, particularly since 1990. In 2005–2009, mortality rates varied from 391.9 per 100,000 population for Asians/Pacific Islanders in rural areas to 1,063.2 for blacks in small-urban towns. Poverty gradients were steeper in rural areas, which maintained higher mortality than urban areas after adjustment for poverty level. Poor blacks in non-metropolitan areas experienced two to three times higher all-cause and premature mortality risks than affluent blacks and whites in metropolitan areas. Disparities widened over time; excess mortality from all causes combined and from several major causes of death in non-metropolitan areas was greater in 2005–2009 than in 1990–1992. Causes of death contributing most to the increasing rural–urban disparity and higher rural mortality include heart disease, unintentional injuries, COPD, lung cancer, stroke, suicide, diabetes, nephritis, pneumonia/influenza, cirrhosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Residents in metropolitan areas experienced larger mortality reductions during the past four decades than non-metropolitan residents, contributing to the widening gap.     

Haemophilus ducreyi Associated with Skin Ulcers among Children,Solomon Islands

During a survey of yaws prevalence in the Solomon Islands, we collected samples from skin ulcers of 41 children. Using PCR, we identified Haemophilus ducreyi infection in 13 (32%) children. PCR-positive and PCR-negative ulcers were phenotypically indistinguishable. Emergence of H. ducreyi as a cause of nongenital ulcers may affect the World Health Organization’s yaws eradication program.     

Reemergence and Autochthonous Transmission of Dengue Virus,Eastern China, 2014

In 2014, 20 dengue cases were reported in the cities of Wenzhou (5 cases) and Wuhan (15 cases), China, where dengue has rarely been reported. Dengue virus 1 was detected in 4 patients. Although most of these cases were likely imported, epidemiologic analysis provided evidence for autochthonous transmission.     

Migratory passerine birds as reservoirs of Lyme borreliosis in Europe

To define the role of birds as reservoirs and disseminators of Borrelia spirochetes, we characterized tick infestation and reservoir competence of migratory passerine birds in Sweden. A total of 1,120 immature Ixodes ricinus ticks were removed from 13,260 birds and assayed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Borrelia, followed by DNA sequencing for species and genotype identification. Distributions of ticks on birds were aggregated, presumably because of varying encounters with ticks along migratory routes. Lyme borreliosis spirochetes were detected in 160 (1.4%) ticks. Borrelia garinii was the most common species in PCR-positive samples and included genotypes associated with human infections. Infestation prevalence with infected ticks was 5 times greater among ground-foraging birds than other bird species, but the 2 groups were equally competent in transmitting Borrelia. Migratory passerine birds host epidemiologically important vector ticks and Borrelia species and vary in effectiveness as reservoirs on the basis of their feeding behavior.     

Salmonella control programs in Denmark

We describe Salmonella control programs of broiler chickens, layer hens, and pigs in Denmark. Major reductions in the incidence of foodborne human salmonellosis have occurred by integrated control of farms and food processing plants. Disease control has been achieved by monitoring the herds and flocks, eliminating infected animals, and diversifying animals (animals and products are processed differently depending on Salmonella status) and animal food products according to the determined risk. In 2001, the Danish society saved U.S.$25.5 million by controlling Salmonella. The total annual Salmonella control costs in year 2001 were U.S.$14.1 million (U.S.$0.075/kg of pork and U.S.$0.02/kg of broiler or egg). These costs are paid almost exclusively by the industry. The control principles described are applicable to most industrialized countries with modern intensive farming systems.     

Travel-associated Diseases,Indian Ocean Islands, 1997–2010

Data collected by the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network for 1,415 ill travelers returning from Indian Ocean islands during 1997–2010 were analyzed. Malaria (from Comoros and Madagascar), acute nonparasitic diarrhea, and parasitoses were the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases. An increase in arboviral diseases reflected the 2005 outbreak of chikungunya fever.     

Molecular analysis of echovirus 13 isolates and aseptic meningitis,Spain

Echovirus 13 (EV13), considered rare, was reported worldwide in 2000, mostly related to aseptic meningitis outbreaks. In Spain, 135 EV13 isolates were identified. The genetic relationships between 64 representative strains from Spain and other reported isolates from the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Sweden were described by analyzing the partial sequence of the major capsid protein (VP1) gene. The strains from Spain were clearly identified as EV13 (79.5% similarity with the EV13 reference strain) and were grouped phylogenetically into two different clusters (by origination on either the Iberian Peninsula or Canary Islands). Isolates from Germany from 2000 clustered with the Canary Islands group. The isolates from other countries obtained before 2000 were genetically distant. Changes in EV13 coding sequence involved several differences in the C-terminal extreme of the VP1 protein. Part of the neutralizing antigenic site III has been described in this genome region in poliovirus and swine vesicular disease virus.     

Long-Term Survival Among Histological Subtypes in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Population-Based Study Using the Surveillance,Epidemiology, and End Results Database

BackgroundActual long-term survival rates for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are rarely reported.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the role of histological subtypes in predicting the prognosis among long-term survivors (≥5 years) of advanced EOC.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of data among patients with stage III-IV EOC diagnosed from 2000 to 2014 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer data of the United States. We used the chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model for the analyses.ResultsWe included 8050 patients in this study, including 6929 (86.1%), 743 (9.2%), 237 (2.9%), and 141 (1.8%) patients with serous, endometrioid, clear cell, and mucinous tumors, respectively. With a median follow-up of 91 months, the most common cause of death was primary ovarian cancer (80.3%), followed by other cancers (8.1%), other causes of death (7.3%), cardiac-related death (3.2%), and nonmalignant pulmonary disease (3.2%). Patients with the serous subtype were more likely to die from primary ovarian cancer, and patients with the mucinous subtype were more likely to die from other cancers and cardiac-related disease. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that patients with endometrioid (hazard ratio [HR] 0.534, P<.001), mucinous (HR 0.454, P<.001), and clear cell (HR 0.563, P<.001) subtypes showed better ovarian cancer-specific survival than those with the serous subtype. Similar results were found regarding overall survival. However, ovarian cancer–specific survival and overall survival were comparable among those with endometrioid, clear cell, and mucinous tumors.ConclusionsOvarian cancer remains the primary cause of death in long-term ovarian cancer survivors. Moreover, the probability of death was significantly different among those with different histological subtypes. It is important for clinicians to individualize the surveillance program for long-term ovarian cancer survivors.     

补体系统在复发性流产中的研究进展

复发性流产是世界性医学难题,其中免疫因素所致的原因不明复发性流产是当前研究者关注的焦点。补体系统作为固有免疫的重要组成部分,在妊娠过程中发挥着复杂而精细的调控作用。一定程度的补体成分激活对于妊娠过程中胎儿及妊娠附属物的正常发育是必需的,然而在母胎界面上补体系统的过度激活可通过影响胎盘发育、介导炎症损伤,调节特有免疫系统等途径导致胚胎丢失。因此,补体系统失调或过度活化是复发性流产的风险因素。本文对补体系统对正常妊娠的支持及病理激活状态下导致复发性流产的病理机制研究进展进行综述,以期为今后提供可行的免疫治疗方向。     

Shigella Infections in Household Contacts of Pediatric Shigellosis Patients in Rural Bangladesh

To examine rates of Shigella infections in household contacts of pediatric shigellosis patients, we followed contacts and controls prospectively for 1 week after the index patient obtained care. Household contacts of patients were 44 times more likely to develop a Shigella infection than were control contacts (odds ratio 44.7, 95% CI 5.5–361.6); 29 (94%) household contacts of shigellosis patients were infected with the same species and serotype as the index patient’s. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that 14 (88%) of 16 with infected contacts had strains that were indistinguishable from or closely related to the index patient’s strain. Latrine area fly counts were higher in patient households compared with control households, and 2 patient household water samples were positive for Shigella. We show high susceptibility of household contacts of shigellosis patients to Shigella infections and found environmental risk factors to be targeted in future interventions.     

Malaria Control and Elimination,Venezuela, 1800s–1970s

Venezuela had the highest number of human malaria cases in Latin American before 1936. During 1891–1920, malaria was endemic to >600,000 km² of this country; malaria death rates led to major population decreases during 1891–1920. No pathogen, including the influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic, caused more deaths than malaria during 1905–1945. Early reports of malaria eradication in Venezuela helped spark the world’s interest in global eradication. We describe early approaches to malaria epidemiology in Venezuela and how this country developed an efficient control program and an approach to eradication. Arnoldo Gabaldón was a key policy maker during this development process. He directed malaria control in Venezuela from the late 1930s to the end of the 1970s and contributed to malaria program planning of the World Health Organization. We discuss how his efforts helped reduce the incidence of malaria in Venezuela and how his approach diverged from World Health Organization guidelines.     

Effects of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health

Dietary fiber and whole grains contain a unique blend of bioactive components including resistant starches, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. As a result, research regarding their potential health benefits has received considerable attention in the last several decades. Epidemiological and clinical studies demonstrate that intake of dietary fiber and whole grain is inversely related to obesity, type two diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Defining dietary fiber is a divergent process and is dependent on both nutrition and analytical concepts. The most common and accepted definition is based on nutritional physiology. Generally speaking, dietary fiber is the edible parts of plants, or similar carbohydrates, that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine. Dietary fiber can be separated into many different fractions. Recent research has begun to isolate these components and determine if increasing their levels in a diet is beneficial to human health. These fractions include arabinoxylan, inulin, pectin, bran, cellulose, β-glucan and resistant starch. The study of these components may give us a better understanding of how and why dietary fiber may decrease the risk for certain diseases. The mechanisms behind the reported effects of dietary fiber on metabolic health are not well established. It is speculated to be a result of changes in intestinal viscosity, nutrient absorption, rate of passage, production of short chain fatty acids and production of gut hormones. Given the inconsistencies reported between studies this review will examine the most up to date data concerning dietary fiber and its effects on metabolic health.     

Naturally Acquired Antibodies against Haemophilus influenzae Type a in Aboriginal Adults,Canada

In the post-Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine era that began in the 1980''s, H. influenzae type a (Hia) emerged as a prominent cause of invasive disease in North American Aboriginal populations. To test whether a lack of naturally acquired antibodies may underlie increased rates of invasive Hia disease, we compared serum bactericidal activity against Hia and Hib and IgG and IgM against capsular polysaccharide between Canadian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal healthy and immunocompromised adults. Both healthy and immunocompromised Aboriginal adults exhibited significantly higher bactericidal antibody titers against Hia than did non-Aboriginal adults (p = 0.042 and 0.045 respectively), with no difference in functional antibody activity against Hib. IgM concentrations against Hia were higher than IgG in most study groups; the inverse was true for antibody concentrations against Hib. Our results indicate that Aboriginal adults possess substantial serum bactericidal activity against Hia that is mostly due to IgM antibodies. The presence of sustained IgM against Hia suggests recent Hia exposure.     

Vitamin K2 Holds Promise for Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of vitamin K2 (VK2) in human health. However, there have been no clinical studies investigating the role of VK2 in the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a debilitating disease for which currently there is no cure. In reviewing basic science research and clinical studies that have connected VK2 to factors involved in AD pathogenesis, we have found a growing body of evidence demonstrating that VK2 has the potential to slow the progression of AD and contribute to its prevention. In our review, we consider the antiapoptotic and antioxidant effects of VK2 and its impact on neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cognition, cardiovascular health, and comorbidities in AD. We also examine the link between dysbiosis and VK2 in the context of the microbiome’s role in AD pathogenesis. Our review is the first to consider the physiological roles of VK2 in the context of AD, and, given the recent shift in AD research toward nonpharmacological interventions, our findings emphasize the timeliness and need for clinical studies involving VK2.