Search

Over 200 different serogroups of Vibrio cholerae based on O-polysaccharide specificity have been described worldwide, including the two most important serogroups, O1 and O139. Non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae serogroups generally do not produce the cholera-causing toxin but do sporadically cause gastroenteritis and extra-intestinal infections. Recently, however, bloodstream infections caused by non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae are being increasingly reported, and these infections are associated with high mortality in immunocompromised hosts. We describe a case of non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae bacteremia in a patient with autoimmune pancreatitis and stenosis of the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts. The clinical manifestations of bacteremia were fever and mild digestive symptoms. The blood cultures showed V. cholerae, which was identified as a non-O1, non-O139 serogroup by slide agglutination tests and PCR. The bloodstream infection of the patient was likely caused by the consumption of contaminated seafood at a banquet. The patient recovered after the administration of a third-generation cephalosporin. Non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae infection presents with or without gastrointestinal manifestations; close attention should be paid to the possibility of disseminated non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae infection in high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is not a rare complication during anti-tuberculosis treatment in some patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). We aimed to develop a risk prediction model for early recognition of patients with PTB at high risk for AKI during anti-TB treatment. This retrospective cohort study assessed the clinical baseline, and laboratory test data of 315 inpatients with active PTB who were screened for predictive factors from January 2019 to June 2020. The elements were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. A nomogram was established by the results of the logistic regression analysis. The prediction model discrimination and calibration were evaluated by the concordance index (C-index), ROC curve, and Hosmer-Lemeshow analysis. A total of 315 patients with PTB were enrolled (67 patients with AKI and 248 patients without AKI). Seven factors, including microalbuminuria, hematuria, cystatin-C (CYS-C), albumin (ALB), creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs), body mass index (BMI), and CA-125 were acquired to develop the predictive model. According to the logistic regression, microalbuminuria (OR = 3.038, 95%CI 1.168–7.904), hematuria (OR = 3.656, 95%CI 1.325–10.083), CYS-C (OR = 4.416, 95%CI 2.296–8.491), and CA-125 (OR = 3.93, 95%CI 1.436–10.756) were risk parameter, while ALB (OR = 0.741, 95%CI 0.650–0.844) was protective parameter. The nomogram demonstrated good prediction in estimating AKI (C-index= 0.967, AUC = 0.967, 95%CI (0.941–0.984), sensitivity = 91.04%, specificity = 93.95%, Hosmer-Lemeshow analysis SD = 0.00054, and quantile of absolute error = 0.049). Microalbuminuria, hematuria, ALB reduction, elevated CYS-C, and CA-125 are predictive factors for the development of AKI in patients with PTB during anti-TB treatments. The predictive nomogram based on five predictive factors is achieved good risk prediction for AKI during anti-TB treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: H7N9 avian influenza is an infection of public health concern, in part because of its high mortality rate and pandemic potential. Aims: To describe the clinical features of H7N9 avian influenza and the response to treatment. Methods: Clinical, radiological and histopathological data, and treatment‐related of H7N9‐infected patients hospitalised during 2014–2017 were extracted and analysed. Results: A total of 17 H7N9 patients (three females; mean age, 58.4 ± 13.7 years) was identified; of these six died. All patients presented with fever and productive cough; four patients had haemoptysis and 13 had chest distress and/or shortness of breath. Early subnormal white blood cell count and elevation of serum liver enzymes were common. Multilobar patchy shadows, rapid progression to ground‐glass opacities, air bronchograms and consolidation were the most common imaging findings. Histopathological examination of lung tissue of three patients who died showed severe alveolar epithelial cell damage, with inflammatory exudation into the alveolar space and hyaline membrane formation; widened alveolar septae, prominent inflammatory cell infiltration; and hyperplasia of pneumocytes. Viral inclusions were found in the lung tissue of two patients. All patients received antiviral drugs (oseltamivir ± peramivir). Four patients carried the rs12252‐C/C interferon‐induced transmembrane protein‐3 (IFITM3) genotype, while the others had the C/T genotype. Conclusions: H7N9 virus infection causes human influenza‐like symptoms, but may rapidly progress to severe pneumonia and even death. Clinicians should be alert to the possibility of H7N9 infection in high‐risk patients. The presence of the IFITM3 rs12252‐C genotype may predict severe illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported the complete mitochondrial genome sequencing of an important Lung cancer model inbred rat strain for the first time. The total length of the mitogenome was 16,312 bp. It harbored 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and 1 non-coding control region. The mutation sites were analyzed by comparing with the reference BN strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphism in Lahu ethnic of Yunnan, China was the first time investigated using high resolution PCR-SBT method, which is based on sequences of HLA-DRB1 Intron 1 and Intron 2 and with our improvement. From 55 individuals of Lahu ethnic 16 DRB1 alleles were detected. The three most common alleles were HLA-DRB1 * 12021(30.909%), 09012(15.455%), 15011(13.636%), and they covered 60% of the total alleles detected from Lahu ethnic.HLA-DRB1 * 1413, * 11081, * 1312, * 1418, * 1504 were the first time detected in the Chinese, and were very rare in worldwide ethnic groups. With comparison of HLA-DRB1 gene frequencies between various ethnic groups we analyzed the characteristics of HLA-DRB1 gene distribution in worldwide populations,and constructed the phylogenetic tree by Neighbor-joining method and Nei measure of genetic distance. The result showed Lahu ethnic obviously belong to the Chinese South ethnic groups and can't trace its origin from northern groups with the HLA-DRB1 genetic data. The preliminary explanations about the contradiction were given in this paper.