Enterovirus D68 disease and molecular epidemiology in Australia

BackgroundEnterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has received considerable recent attention as a cause of widespread respiratory illness. Neurological syndromes such as acute flaccid paralysis following EV-D68 infection have also been reported in a small number of cases.ObjectivesTo summarize the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of laboratory confirmed EV-D68 cases in Australia.Study designWe combined EV-D68 data acquired through laboratory surveillance in Western Australia with cases from national enterovirus surveillance and regional acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance. Clinical data was obtained for EV-D68 cases and capsid protein sequences were used for phylogenetic analysis.ResultsSporadic cases of EV-D68 were recorded in Australia since 2008, with peaks in activity during 2011 and 2013. EV-D68 was primarily associated with respiratory disease, but was also detected in cerebrospinal fluid of one patient and faeces of two patients presenting with AFP.ConclusionsEV-D68 has been circulating in Western Australia and is likely to have also been present in the wider region for a number of years, causing primarily respiratory disease. Detection of EV-D68 in cerebrospinal fluid of one patient and in faeces of two AFP cases reinforces the association between EV-D68 and neurological disease.     

湖南省结核病实验室网络建设现状调查

目的了解湖南省各级结核病实验室人力资源、设备装备、工作开展和工作质量情况,为"十二五"湖南省结核病实验室网络建设提供决策依据。方法向地市级和县级结核病实验室发放调查表,回收后对调查表进行统计分析。结果省级结核病实验室开展国家要求的各项工作,地级只开展盲法复检,县级大部分只开展结核菌涂片工作;人力资源,全省各级结核病实验室共有工作人员199人,学历以大专及以上为主,占69.8%;职称以初、中级为主,分别为44.2%、31.7%;专业以医学检验为主,占79.9%;全省具有主要设备生物安全柜、凝固器、培养箱、冰箱、高压蒸汽灭菌器实验室的比例分别只有28.37%、0.71%、36.88%、48.94%、37.59%。结论现有的结核病实验室人员、设备和开展的工作不能满足国家规划要求,在"十二五"期间,需要加大实验室资金投入,加强实验室网络建设,达到规划要求。     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病及哮喘重叠综合征患者临床特征及其区别分析

目的探讨慢性阻塞性肺疾病(Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,COPD)以及哮喘重叠综合征(asthma COPD overlap syndrome,ACOS)患者临床特征及其区别。方法前瞻性选取2016年2月~2017年2月我院收治的COPD患者60例以及ACOS患者60例,统计对比两组患者临床特征、肺功能及实验室指标方面的区别。结果两组患者的性别无明显差异(P0.05),ACOS患者的年龄、BMI指数以及外周血嗜酸性粒细胞百分比高于COPD患者(P0.05);ACOS患者的FEV_1、FCV以及FEV_1/FCV低于COPD患者,同时Dlco-SB、Fe NO高于COPD患者(P0.05);实验室检查结果对比方面,ACOS患者PaO_2低于对照组,同时WBC、CRP等指标高于对照组(P0.05)。结论ACOS患者的典型特征为气流受限,同COPD患者较为类似,因此需要分辨二者临床特征以及实验室指标等方面的区别,从而准确鉴别并为患者提供针对性治疗。