Objective To investigate the species and hosts of Paragonimus and its infection rate in eastern part of Zhenghe County,Fujian Province,so as to determine the local foci of Paragonimus. Methods The snails,crabs and stools of wild cats were collected for the examinations of cercariae,metacercariae and eggs of Paragonimus. The geographical and environmental conditions of the areas were also investigated. Results A total of 4 890 Pseudobythinella jianouensis snails and 1 035 Semisul?cospira liberlina snails were examined,and the cercariae of Paragonimus were only found in P. jianouensis,with an infection rate of 0.10%(5/4 890). Bottapotamon zhengheensis sp. nov. as the second intermediate host of P. skrjabini,were examined, and the infection rate was 85.29%(29/34)and the average numbers of metacercariae per crab and per gram of crab tissues were 3.85 and 0.62,respectively. Thirty?six Sinopotamun fujianensis crabs,as the second intermediate host of P. westermani,were examined,and the infection rate was 38.89%(14/36)and the average numbers of metacercariae per crab and per gram of crab tissues were 6.43 and 0.03,respectively. The eggs of Paragonimus were detected in 1 of 2 muck specimens of wild cats. Conclu?sion The data suggest that there is a focus of middle?to?high level of infection caused by P. westermani and P. skrjabini in the eastern part of Zhenghe County.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association between homocysteine level and prethrombotic status and long-term thromboembolic events in patients with primary hypertension.

METHODSResults between 110 hypertensive patients with elevated homocysteine (HCY) level were compared with 110 hypertensive patients with normal HCY level which were enrolled from October 2003 to November 2009. Fibrinogen (FIB), viscosity, thrombomodulin (TM), granule membrane protein (GMP-140), prethrombin F1+2 fragment (F1+2), D-dimer fragment (D-Dimer) and antithrombin III (AT-III) were measured and correlated to HCY and prethrombotic state. The endpoints of the study were arterial and venous thromboembolic events. The variables linked with arterial and venous thromboembolic events were included in Cox proportional hazard models. The event-free survival was illustrated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared by the Log-rank test.

RESULTSThe patients were followed up for 8-122 months (median follow-up time was 85 months). Compared with hypertensive patients with normal HCY, the plasma level of TM ((4.8±1.2) µg/L vs. (4.5±1.0) µg/L, P = 0.045), GMP-140 ((18.8±3.2) µg/L vs. (17.1±4.3) µg/L, P = 0.001), F1+2 ((1.2±0.4) nmol/L vs. (1.0±0.6) nmol/L, P = 0.004) were significantly higher while the plasma level of AT-III ((95.3±10.4) % vs. (98.6±10.6)%, P = 0.021) was significantly lower in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY level. FIB, viscosity of plasma and D-dimer were similar between the two groups. Multiple regression analyses indicated that HCY level was negatively correlated with AT-III (β = -0.199, P = 0.011) and positively correlated with age (β = 0.217, P = 0.04), female gender (β = 5.667, P = 0.001) and TM (β = 2.341, P = 0.003). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age and HCY level were independent prognostic risk factors of thromboembolic events (OR 1.046, 95% CI 1.013-1.082, OR 1.052, 95% CI 1.027-1.078, respectively) (all P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that there was a significant difference in the event-free survival between the two groups (Log-rank test, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with normal HCY hypertensive patients, the levels of plasma prothrombin activators such as TM, GMP-140 and F1+2 were significant increased and anti-thrombin factor such as AT-III was significant decreased in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY. Old age and high HCY level were independent prognostic risk factors of thromboembolic events. The event-free survival in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY is lower than in hypertensive patients with normal HCY level.

Case-Control Studies ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; P-Selectin ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Thromboembolism ; complications