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While the World Health Organization strongly recommends HIV self-testing (HIVST) as an approach to HIV testing services, scale up has been minimal in low- and middle-income countries. Vietnam has successfully delivered HIVST at scale for key populations (KP), including men who have sex with men, transgender women, people who inject drugs, female sex workers and their partners. We reviewed data from the USAID/PATH Healthy Markets (2014-2021), including consumer surveys, HIVST usability and performance assessments, and service data to summarize the five stages of HIVST scale-up in Vietnam: 1) Assessing HIVST acceptability, preferences, and willingness to pay (WTP); 2) Piloting HIVST; 3) Developing HIVST policies and assessing products; 4) Facilitating HIVST market authorization; and 5) Implementing differentiated service models. A ‘5A’ approach was employed to shape HIVST markets, i.e., improving affordability, enhancing availability, assuring quality, ensuring appropriate design, and boosting awareness and demand. We assessed key factors related to HIVST supply and demand. In terms of supply, the median price people were willing to pay was US$4.3 per test. HIVST products with stringent regulatory approval successfully obtained free sale certificate registration, and blood-based HIVST products were highly accurate (99%-99.8%). Differentiated HIVST distribution models played a significant role in scaling-up HIVST and ensuring uninterrupted access to essential HIV services, e.g., pre-exposure prophylaxis monitoring during COVID-19 lock-downs. Related to demand and testing uptake, the majority of KPs accessing HIVST were first time HIV testers. Creative online-to-offline behavior change communication increased client awareness, trust, and use of HIVST. HIVST was successful in reaching first-time testers who may not otherwise test or seek facility-based care. HIVST is an effective strategy for reaching undiagnosed individuals and is accepted and preferred by KPs. HIVST scale-up requires enabling policy, intensive demand generation efforts, and differentiated service models.

Introduction: Monitoring the population-level emergence and transmission of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) is necessary for supporting public health programmes. This study provides a nationally representative prevalence estimate of HIVDR in people initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) and estimates of acquired HIVDR and viral load (VL) suppression in people who have received it for 12 or [greater than or equal to]48 months in Vietnam. Methods: The study was conducted between September 2017 and March 2018 following World Health Organization guidance. Thirty ART clinics were randomly sampled using probability proportionalto size sampling from a totalof 367 ART clinics in the country. Results and Discussion: In total, 409 patients initiating ART were enrolled into the survey of pre-treatment HIVDR. The prevalence of any pre-treatment HIVDR was 5.8% (95% CI 3.4-9.5%), and the prevalence of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance was 3.4% (95% CI 1.8-6.2%). Four hundred twenty-nine patients on ART for 12[+ or -]3 months and 723 patients on ART for >48 months were enrolled into the surveys of acquired HIVDR. The prevalence of VL suppression (defined as 48 months was 95.5% (95% CI 91.3-97.8%) and 96.1% (95% CI 93.2-97.8%), respectively. Among individuals with viralnon-suppression, any HIVDR was detected in 11/14 (weighted prevalence 74.3%) of those on ART for 12[+ or -]3 months and in 24/27 (weighted prevalence 88.5%) of those receiving ART for [greater than or equal to]48 months. Conclusions: This nationally representative study of HIVDR found high levels of VL suppression among those on ART for 12 and >48 months. Overall, high levels of VL suppression at both time points suggested good adherence among patients receiving ART and quality of treatment services in Vietnam. Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable Keywords: HIV; viral suppression; surveillance; acquired HIV drug resistance; pre-treatment HIV drug resistance; Vietnam, 1 | INTRODUCTION Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was first introduced in Vietnam in 1996 and is provided free of charge. As of December 2020, there was an estimated 215,000 people living [...]

Introduction: In Viet Nam, key populations (KPs) face barriers accessing HIV services. Virtual platforms can be leveraged to increase access for KPs, including for HIV self‐testing (HIVST). This study compares reach and effectiveness of a web‐based HIVST intervention from pilot to scale‐up in Viet Nam. Methods: A mixed‐methods explanatory sequential design used cross‐sectional and thematic analysis. The pilot launched in Can Tho in November 2020, followed by Hanoi and Nghe An in April 2021. Scale‐up included Can Tho and Nghe An, with 21 novel provinces from April to December 2022. After risk assessment, participants registered on the website, receiving HIVST (OraQuick®) by courier, peer educator or self‐pick‐up. Test result reporting and completing satisfaction surveys were encouraged. Intervention reach was measured through numbers accessing the testing, disaggregated by demographics, and proportion of individuals reporting self‐testing post‐registration. Effectiveness was measured through numbers reporting self‐test results, testing positive and linking to care, and testing negative and using HIVST to manage pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use. Thematic content analysis of free‐text responses from the satisfaction survey synthesized quantitative outcomes. Results: In total, 17,589 participants registered on the HIVST website; 11,332 individuals ordered 13,334 tests. Participants were generally young, aged <25 years (4309/11,332, 38.0%), male (9418/11,332, 83.1%) and men who have sex with men (6437/11,332, 56.8%). Nearly half were first‐time testers (5069/11,332, 44.9%). Scale‐up participants were two times more likely to be assigned female at birth (scale‐up; 1595/8436, 18.9% compared to pilot; 392/3727, 10.5%, p < 0.001). Fewer test results were reported in scale‐up compared with pilot (pilot: 3129/4140, 75.6%, scale‐up: 5811/9194, 63.2%, p < 0.001). 6.3% of all tests were reactive (pilot: 176/3129, 5.6% reactive compared to scale‐up: 385/5811, 6.6% reactive, p = 0.063); of which most linked to care (509/522, 97.5%). One‐fifth of participants with a negative test initiated or continued PrEP (pilot; 19.8%, scale‐up; 18.5%, p = 0.124). Thematic analysis suggested that community delivery models increased programmatic reach. Live chat may also be a suitable proxy for staff support to increase result reporting. Conclusions: Web‐based self‐testing in Viet Nam reached people at elevated risk of HIV, facilitating uptake of anti‐retroviral treatment and direct linkage to PrEP initiations. Further innovations such as the use of social‐network testing services and incorporating features powered by artificial intelligence could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hericium erinaceus is a species of mushroom with high nutritional value that is used mainly as food in tropical countries. Phytochemical study of H. erinaceus led to the isolation of an undescribed compound, named as hericium VN (1), together with nine known compounds, 1-(2-formyl-1-pyrrolyl)butanoic acid (2), herierin III (3), 5′-(methylthio)adenosine (4), adenosine (5), nicotinic acid (6), (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (7), 5α,8α-peroxycerevisterol (8), (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxy-egosta-6,22-diene 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (9), and cerevisterol (10) based on extensive analyses of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by experimental combined with calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Compound 7 exhibited cytotoxic effects against brain tumor cell line CCF-STTG1 with the IC50 value of 15.50 µM, compared to that of the positive control compound, doxorubicin, which showed IC50 value of 15.84 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new rotenoids, named derieliptosides A-C (1–3), were isolated from the stems of Derris elliptica (Wall.) Benth. Their structures were determined by HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopic methods. Absolute configurations of them were elucidated by analysis of ECD spectra in comparison with TD-DFT calculation. Compounds 1–3 inhibited the growth of fungus Candida albicans and selectively inhibited bacterial strains. Of these, compound 1 showed selective inhibition on the growth of Enterococcus faecalis (MIC: 37.5 µM and IC50: 10.6 µM), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 75 µM and IC50: 22.7 µM), and C. albicans (MIC: 37.5 µM and IC50: 11.2 µM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, dual-emission carbon dots (DE-CDs) were synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal method. DE-CDs exhibited two well-separated peaks at 433 and 513 nm under ultraviolet excitation. The prepared DE-CDs offer selective detection of Fe3+ ions via inner filter effect (IFE) and Pb2+ ions via aggregation-induced enhancement (AIE). The obtained DE-CDs showed a good affinity for both Fe3+ and Pb2+ ions in the presence of various interfering ions. The limits of detection were 0.797 ppm and 4.739 ppm for Pb2+ and Fe3+, respectively. The finding reveals the huge potential of DE-CDs for the selective detection of multiple targets in one solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dengue is a major public health challenge and a growing problem due to climate change. The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a novel form of vector control against dengue. However, there remains a need to evaluate the benefits of such an intervention at a large scale. In this paper, we evaluate the potential economic impact and cost-effectiveness of scaled Wolbachia deployments as a form of dengue control in Vietnam–targeted at the highest burden urban areas. Methods: Ten settings within Vietnam were identified as priority locations for potential future Wolbachia deployments (using a population replacement strategy). The effectiveness of Wolbachia deployments in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue cases was assumed to be 75%. We assumed that the intervention would maintain this effectiveness for at least 20 years (but tested this assumption in the sensitivity analysis). A cost-utility analysis and cost-benefit analysis were conducted. Results: From the health sector perspective, the Wolbachia intervention was projected to cost US$420 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted. From the societal perspective, the overall cost-effectiveness ratio was negative, i.e. the economic benefits outweighed the costs. These results are contingent on the long-term effectiveness of Wolbachia releases being sustained for 20 years. However, the intervention was still classed as cost-effective across the majority of the settings when assuming only 10 years of benefits Conclusion: Overall, we found that targeting high burden cities with Wolbachia deployments would be a cost-effective intervention in Vietnam and generate notable broader benefits besides health gains. Author summary: Dengue is a major public health challenge and a growing problem due to climate change. The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a novel form of vector control against dengue. However, there remains a need to evaluate the health and economic benefits of such an intervention at a large scale, as well as its value for money. In this paper, we evaluate the potential economic impact and cost-effectiveness of scaled Wolbachia deployments as a form of dengue control in Vietnam–targeted at the highest burden urban areas. Ten settings within Vietnam were identified as priority locations for potential future Wolbachia deployments (using a population replacement strategy). We assumed that the effectiveness of Wolbachia deployments in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue cases would be 75%. We found that targeting high burden cities with Wolbachia deployments would be a cost-effective intervention in Vietnam and generate notable broader benefits besides health gains. Overall, this work highlights the value of investment in the scaled implementation of Wolbachia deployments as an effective and cost-effective tool for dengue control in Vietnam, and more generally for addressing the global challenge of dengue control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]