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Blastocystis sp. is a kind of protozoa living in the intestinal tract of human and animals, which will cause intestinal diseases such as diarrhea, abdominal distension and vomiting. This paper was aimed to understand the infection of Blastocystis sp. In golden monkeys and the transmission path in North China. Thirty-seven feces samples from golden monkeys and 116 cockroach samples from Shijiazhuang Zoo were collected from July to October 2019 for PCR analysis of Blastocystis sp. Genetic diversity analysis was further conducted on the samples with positive PCR results. The results showed that the infection rate was 48.7% (18/37) in golden monkeys and 82.8% (96/116) in cockroaches, respectively. The genetic evolution analysis based on small subunit ribosomal RNA demonstrated that three subtypes (ST) of Blastocystis sp. including ST1, ST2, and ST3 existed in the intestinal tract of golden monkeys, while only ST2 was detected in the intestinal tract of cockroaches. This paper may provide supports for the quarantine and control of Blastocystis sp. for the zoo in Northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Little is known about the prevalence of food allergy (FA) in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the disparity of FA between urban and rural areas in southern China. Methods: EuroPrevall questionnaire responses were obtained from 5542 school‐age children in urban Guangzhou and 5319 in rural Shaoguan. A case‐control study enrolled 190 children with adverse reactions (ARs) after food intake as cases and 212 controls in Guangzhou, whereas 116 cases and 233 controls in Shaoguan. These subjects underwent skin prick test (SPT) and serum IgE measurements to food and inhalant allergens. Allergen extracts from shrimp, house dust mite (HDM), and cockroach were prepared for IgE cross‐reactivity testing in 23 Guangzhou and 20 Shaoguan shrimp‐sensitized subjects. Results: The prevalence of ARs to shrimp was higher in Guangzhou than in Shaoguan children (3.5% vs 1.4%, P < .001). However, sensitization rate to shrimp (SPT: 3.7% vs 11.2%, P = .015; IgE: 12.6% vs 36.2%, P < .001) and cockroach (SPT: 5.3% vs 33.5%; IgE: 2.6% vs 27.6%, P < .001) was lower in Guangzhou. A significant correlation between shrimp and HDM/cockroach IgE was found in Shaoguan children. The proportions of positive IgE to tropomyosin (Pen a 1, Der p 10) were lower than 7.4% in both areas. Cockroach allergen has a significantly higher inhibition rate of binding to IgE to house dust mite allergens in Shaoguan sera. Conclusion: Shrimp is a common allergic food in southern China. Higher proportion of shrimp sensitization in rural subjects could be explained by cross‐reactivity to cockroach. Tropomyosin was not a major allergen responding to the cross‐reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species attributed to the genus Parvifuzia Guo & Ren, 2011, Parvifuzia peregrina sp. n., is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China. This new species, with apex of wing almost reaching the end of the abdomen and forewing venation with 30-32 veins at margin, broadens the diversity of Parvifuzia. This new species, with strongly curved cerci, could tightly clasp female and complete copulation more efficiently, same as other members of the family Fuziidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High levels of sensitization to house dust mites have been observed in Chinese allergic patients. This study has measured levels and distributions of mite and cockroach allergens in household dust in Guangzhou. Influences of home characteristics and seasonal changes on allergen levels were also investigated. Methods: Dust samples were collected from bedding and living room from households in Guangzhou. Major allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae, D. microceras, Blomia tropicalis and cockroach allergens were measured by ELISA. Home characteristics were obtained from a questionnaire. Results: Four hundred and four dust samples were collected from 107 homes during October 2006 to November 2007. House dust mite allergen levels were detectable in 99% of the bedding samples. Der f 1 levels were significantly higher than Der p 1 levels. High levels of mite allergens (>10 lg/g) were observed in 88% of all the bedding samples. Cockroach allergens were detected in 93% of households and were higher in living room samples than in bedding samples. Blo t 5 and Der m 1 could not be detected in the dust samples. Having fabric furniture was a predictor of high allergen levels. Der f 1 levels were higher in summer time than in winter time. Cockroach allergens were higher in winter time than in summer time. Conclusion: In Guangzhou, Der f 1 is the predominant mite allergen in dust with very high levels in bedding. Cockroach allergens are also common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe prevalence of asthma and allergic disease has been increasing in Hong Kong and environmental factors are thought to play a major role. AimTo define the distribution of common inhaled allergens and air pollutants inside residential homes in Hong Kong. MethodsForty randomly selected residential homes were visited and surveyed. Dust samples were collected from mattress, bedroom floor, lounge room floor and kitchen floor for assays of Der p 1, Fel d 1, and Bla g 2. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were measured by stationary samplers left in the bedroom, lounge room and kitchen over a 1-week period. ResultAll 40 homes were apartments in high-rise buildings and the mean age of the homes was 7.6 ± 4.8 years. Visible dampness and mould patches were present in 27.5% of homes and the main fuel for cooking was gas (97.5%). Der p 1, Fel d 1 and Bla g 2 were detectable in at least 1 niche in over 85% of homes. In particular, all dust samples from mattress and bedroom floor contained Der p 1, and over 50% had levels ≥ 2 μg/g. The (geometric) mean Der p 1 level in mattress dust was 8.8 (0.3–157.8) μg/g. Fel d 1 and Bla g 2 were present in low levels throughout the homes with respective (geometric) means of 0.3 (0–3.7) μg/g and 0.1 (0–1.1) Unit/g in mattress dust. NO2 was readily detected in all niches but the highest level was in the kitchen with mean exposure of 48.7 ppb which was 1.5 times higher than that in the bedroom and lounge room. ConclusionMajor allergens of mite, cat and cockroach, and NO2 are present in varying quantities in residential homes in Hong Kong. Exposure to these environmental factors could be important in the development of asthma and allergic diseases in susceptible individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blastocystis sp. is a kind of protozoa living in the intestinal tract of human and animals, which will cause intestinal diseases such as diarrhea, abdominal distension and vomiting. This paper was aimed to understand the infection of Blastocystis sp. In golden monkeys and the transmission path in North China. Thirty-seven feces samples from golden monkeys and 116 cockroach samples from Shijiazhuang Zoo were collected from July to October 2019 for PCR analysis of Blastocystis sp. Genetic diversity analysis was further conducted on the samples with positive PCR results. The results showed that the infection rate was 48.7% (18/37) in golden monkeys and 82.8% (96/116) in cockroaches, respectively. The genetic evolution analysis based on small subunit ribosomal RNA demonstrated that three subtypes (ST) of Blastocystis sp. including ST1, ST2, and ST3 existed in the intestinal tract of golden monkeys, while only ST2 was detected in the intestinal tract of cockroaches. This paper may provide supports for the quarantine and control of Blastocystis sp. for the zoo in Northern China.

Background: The objectives of present study were to examine the level of disagreement between self-reported and objective measurement of sensitization to common inhalant allergens, and to explore the potential risk factors that might contribute to this discrepancy., Methods: A total of 215 children were enrolled from pediatric clinics at a tertiary pediatric center in Beijing, China. A survey questionnaires regarding self-perceived sensitization was completed by participants' parents/caregiver, meanwhile, skin prick testing(SPT) was performed as objective assessment of sensitization. Extent of agreement between self-reported versus SPT-measured sensitization to individual allergen was calculated using Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficient. Multivariable regression analyses were used to determine the factors associated with discrepancy between self-reported and objective measurement of sensitization., Results: 119(55.3%) patients have reported to be sensitized to at least one of inhalant allergen, whereas 167(77.7%) patients had a positive skin testing response. Agreement between self-perceived and actual aeroallergen sensitization was moderate for mites(κ = 0.518) and grass pollen mix(κ = 0.451), moreover, fair agreement was observed for mold(κ = 0.316) and cockroach(κ = 0.297), respectively. There was a least agreement between perceived and actual sensitization observed for pet dander, with a kappa coefficient of 0.005. Subjects' age, atopy history, ownership of pet may increase the risk of disagreement, moreover, background factors of informant, like: age, education level, and the relationship with enrolled subjects, were linked to the incidence of disagreement between self-reported sensitization in comparison with SPT results., Conclusion: Questionnaire-based self-assessment is easy way to collect clinical information on allergen sensitization; however, the accuracy of questionnaire-derived information is more likely to be influenced by respondent's background factors. The information from the questionnaire report is considered to be more reliable when in combination with objective assessment of sensitization, including blood IgE testing and SPT.

Background: Allergic diseases are increasing yearly. We aimed to evaluate the difference in allergen sensitization pattern between adults and children in southern China by analyzing a large sample size of real-life data, and to provide the evidence for formulating the prevention and management strategies. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on 39,813 serum allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) results collected in southern China from January to December in 2017. Sensitization patterns and how these allergens could lead to the allergic diseases were analyzed for adults and children respectively. The difference of allergen positive rate between groups was calculated using the Chi square test. Results: The top five most sensitized allergens in southern China were house dust mite (28.1%), cockroach (24.3%), shrimp (19.2%), crab (15.5%) and egg white (9.9%). While cockroach had the highest positive rate in adults (29.2%), the most sensitized allergen in children was house dust mite (29.7%). The positive rates of egg white and cow's milk in children were higher than in adults for the whole year (p < 0.001); whereas for adults, the positive rate to cockroach, shrimp and crab were higher than in children (p < 0.001). The positive rate of house dust mite in coastal cities (32.4%) was higher than that in landlocked cities (24.0%) in children, but in adults, the rate in landlocked cities (31.1%) was higher than that in coastal cities (25.3%). Optimal scaling analysis showed that the sIgEs of crab and shrimp had the closest correlation with cockroach-sIgE (Cronbach's α = 0.891). The positive rate to mold allergens increased from summer to autumn, reaching its plateau in October (6.2%). Patients with skin diseases were found to receive the highest sIgE prescription from doctors (56.9%). Conclusions: Doctors tend to prescribe more sIgE tests for patients with skin disorders in southern China. In addition to house dust mite, cockroach was found to be another important allergen. Adults with multiple sensitization always showed co-sensitization with shrimp, crab and house dust mite. These should be taken into consideration when giving allergen avoidance advice to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]