Background: Vietnamese herbs are considered as a botanical resource, a precious medicinal source of our country, and are widely used in the residential community in general. Phu Vang district is a coastal plain and lagoon in Thua Thien Hue province, where people’s living standards are not high, health facilities lack equipment. Therefore, the needs for primary health care are necessary to be strengthened, especially in the treatment of common diseases using Vietnamese herbs to reduce costs and improve health for the people. However, the knowledge of the local residents about Vietnamese herbs preventing and treating common diseases at home has not been surveyed. Objectives: (1) To describe the knowledge, attitude and practice on the use of Vietnamese herbs used in the treatment of common diseases of residents in some communes of Phu Vang district. (2) To determine some factors related to the use of Vietnamese herbs in the treatment of common diseases among the residents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 residents representing the heads of households in three communes of Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province, Thua Thien Hue province. Descriptive statistical analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed with SPSS software. Results: Knowledge: Good: 45.2%; Fair: 30.8%; Average: 9.0%; Poor: 2.0%. Attitude: 97.0% of residents preferred using Vietnamese herbs in the treatment of common diseases, and 96.6% of residents agreed to continue using Vietnamese herbs to treat similar diseases later. Practice: Good: 7.8%; Fair: 16.7%; Average: 25.3%; Poor: 50.2%. Receiving information about Vietnamese herbs and growing them at home gardens were two factors related to the use of Vietnamese herbs to treat common diseases (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The practice of using Vietnamese herbs to treat common diseases of the residents in Phu Vang district is still low, it is necessary to strengthen educational propaganda to raise the awareness and practice among residents on the prevention and treatment of diseases with Vietnamese herbs at home.

Introduction: Many people are currently interested in improving and maintaining their health status by changing their dietary habits, like eating more natural foods; thus sprout products are becoming increasingly popular. In this context, sprouted brown rice grains are an excellent example of functional food, because besides their nutritive value, they also lower the risk of various diseases and/or exert healthpromoting effects. In this paper, we focused on the bioactive compound γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in germinated brown rice. GABA is known as an important amino acid that can help reduce hypertension and inhibit cancer cells development. Methods: We investigated the hydration characteristics of brown rice by drying them in a moisture analyser at 130°C until reaching a constant weight. The effects of soaking (duration and pH of soaking solution), as well as incubation conditions (temperature and time) on GABA biosynthesis in MangBuk brown rice of Vietnam were measured. Quantification of GABA was measured using a spectrophotometer. Results: GABA content in MangBuk type 1 brown rice was higher than in type 2. GABA content reached its highest value at 691.88 µg/g for type 1 rice and 596.48 µg/g for type 2 rice when MangBuk brown rice was soaked in a pH 7 water at 30°C for 12 hours, and then incubated at 35°C for 30 hours in aerobic condition. Conclusion: Germination conditions modified the content of biologically active compounds in MangBuk soft and hard rice varieties. GABA was synthesised during germination based on three factors, namely time of incubation, temperature of incubation, and pH of solution.

Anaplasma marginale and A. platys were detected and characterized (16S rDNA sequence analysis) from dairy and indigenous cattle, and the latter in domestic dogs in Vietnam. A phylogenetic tree was inferred from 26 representative strains/species of Anaplasma spp. including 10 new sequences from Vietnam. Seven of our Vietnamese sequences fell into the clade of A. marginale and 3 into A. platys, with strong nodal support of 99 and 90%, respectively. Low genetic distances (0.2–0.4%) within each species supported the identification. Anaplasma platys is able to infect humans. Our discovery of this species in cattle and domestic dogs raises considerable concern about zoonotic transmission in Vietnam. Further systematic investigations are needed to gain data for Anaplasma spp. and members of Anaplasmataceae in animal hosts, vectors and humans across Vietnam.
Anaplasma marginale ; Anaplasma ; Anaplasmataceae ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cattle ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Dogs ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Trees ; Vietnam

Antibiotic resistance is the most important factor leading to the failure of eradication regimens. This review focuses on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori primary and secondary resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and multidrug in Vietnam. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Vietnamese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Vietnamese Biomedical databases from January 2000 to December 2016. The search terms included the following: H. pylori infection, antibiotic (including clarithromycin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and multidrug) resistance in Vietnam. The data were summarized in an extraction table and analyzed manually. Finally, Excel 2007 software was used to create charts. Ten studies (three studies in English and seven in Vietnamese) were included in this review. A total of 308, 412, 523, 408, 399, and 268 H. pylori strains were included in this review to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori primary resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and multidrug resistance, respectively. Overall, the primary resistance rates of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and multidrug resistance were 15.0%, 34.1%, 69.4%, 27.9%, 17.9% and 48.8%, respectively. Secondary resistance rates of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and multidrug resistance were 9.5%, 74.9%, 61.5%, 45.7%, 23.5% and 62.3%, respectively. In Vietnam, primary and secondary resistance to H. pylori is increasing over time and affects the effectiveness of H. pylori eradication.
Amoxicillin ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bismuth ; Clarithromycin ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter ; Humans ; Levofloxacin ; Metronidazole ; Prevalence ; Tetracycline ; Vietnam

Background: Vietnam is located in the endemic region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but no data of occult HBV infection was reported at present. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of occult HBV infection in different ethnics of people and generations. Subjects and method: 80 voluteers with HbsAg negative from five different ethnics: Kinh, Tay, Mong, Giay and Dao in a Chino \ufffd?Vietnamses border province (Lao Cai) were enrolled in the study. After HBV-DNA was extracted, nested PCR of S gene and of Core-promoter/Pre-core region were used to detect HBV-DNA. Specifying nucleotide sequence was confirmed by direct sequencing. Results:The prevalence of occult HBV infection in population study was very high 73/80 (91,3%) by nested PCR of Core-promoter/Pre-core, significantly more sensitive than nested PCR of S gene (26,3%) (p<0,0001). The prevalence of occult HBV infection was notdifferent between ethnics of people or between children, adults. Conclusion: Occult HBV infection in Vietnamese is very common; however, nationwide further studies should be carried out to confirm this preliminary results and evaluate the impact of occult HBV infection in Vietnam.
Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ;

Background: Gastric cancer surgery is major surgery and often encountered in surgical. Objectives: To assess the efficacy and the side effect of postoperative patient \ufffd?controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with bupivacaine \ufffd?fentanyl after gastrectomy. Subjects and method:A prospective trial was conducted on 30 patients with gastrectomy because of cancer. Epidural catheter was inserted at level of D7-D9. Postoperative pain relief using PCEA with bupivacaine 0,125% - fentanyl 2\u03bcg/ml: 2ml bolus every 10 min, with basal infusion 2ml/h. VAS during normal tidal ventilation and following cough, the side effects were monitored during 48 hour period. Results: VAS decreased from 6,4 \xb1 1,4 to 2,6 \xb1 0,7, p<0,01 after 15 min. 90% patients had VAS under 2,5 after 1 hour and 100% reached VAS under 2,5 after 8 hours during normal tidal ventilation and following cough as well. Incidence of urinary retention, nausea and pruritus were 13,3; 3,3; and 3,3% respectively. Conclusion: PCEA provided a effective pain control after gastrectomy during normal tidal ventilation and following cough. The side effects remained unusual and minor.
Stomach Neoplasms/ surgery ; Bupivacaine ; Fentanyl ; Pain ; Postoperative/ prevention & ; control ;

Background: Standard treatment for pleural infection includes of drainage and antibiotics. Chest tube drainage often fails if the fluid is loculated by fibrinous adhesions. Intrapleural fibrinolysis may facilitate pleural drainage. Objective: To evaluate the role of Streptokinase (STK) in the treatment of empyema and exudative pleural effusions. Subjects and method: A study included 34 patients (21 patients with exudative pleural effusions, 13 patients with empyema), aged 15-77 years. All patients received intrapleural STK daily with dose of 300.0000-500.000 UI for empyema and 300.000 UI for exudative pleural effusions. Response was assessed by clinical outcome, pleural fluid drainage, chest radiography, pleural ultrasound. Results: Mean pleural fluid drainage after STK instillation was higher in all patients. Pleural fluid drainage was 640 \xb1 494 ml before STK instillation and 823 \xb1 755 ml after STK instillation for empyema; 765 \xb1 691 ml before STK instillation and 1,033 \xb1 757 ml after STK instillation for exudative pleural effusions. The success rate of clinical outcome was 100%. Only 2 patients required decortications. Fever occurred in 3 patients (8.8%) and allergy in 1 patient (3%). Conclusions: Intrapleural STK was safe and effective in the treatment of empyema and exudative pleural effusions. STK prevents pleural adhesions and reduces the risks for surgery.
Streptokinase/ therapeutic use ; Empyema ; Pleural/therapy ; Pleural Effusion/ therapy

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health problem. It is the fourth leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality in the United States, and is projected to rank fifth in 2020 in burden of disease caused worldwide. Objective: To research the epidemiology of COPD in the population of Bac Giang city and finding out the risk factors of COPD. Subjects and method: Cross-sectional survey of general population sample of 2,104 men and women with the age \ufffd?0 years in 30 wards of 11 communes of Bac Giang city. Data on respiratory symptoms, diseases, and risk factors were collected. Lung function tests were performed with Spiroanalyzer snoo, Japan. Results and conclusions: The incidence of COPD was 2.3%; in men 3.0% and in women 1.7%. The incidence of simple chronic bronchitis was 6.4%. People who smoked had higher rate of COPD than the others (OR = 2.8). The incidence of smoking in COPD was 55.9%. The three most important risk factors of COPD was the age \ufffd?0; smoking >15 pack/year and medical history of asthma.
Pulmonary Disease ; Chronic Obstructive/ epidemiology