Objective To investigate the possibility of using well-differentiated human airway epithelial cells (HAE) to isolate and identify human influenza A virus from a stale respiratory tract specimen.Methods The stale specimen used in this study was a nasopharyngeal swab specimen collected from a patient with unexplained pneumonia in Qinghai in 2010.It was positive for influenza A virus (H3N2) RNA, but negative for hemagglutination.Equal amount of the specimen was inoculated on HAE and on Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells for virus isolation and passage.Cytopathic effects were observed daily after inoculation.Hemagglutination inhibition test was performed at every passage.Electron microscope was used to observe viral morphology.Viral genome was sequenced, followed by molecular evolutionary analysis.Results No progeny virus was isolated in MDCK cells, while a influenza A virus subtype H3N2 strain [A/Qinghai/178/2010(H3N2)] was isolated in HAE with a typical morphology and cytopathic effect of influenza A infection.The hemagglutination inhibition activity was 1∶16.Results of the molecular evolutionary analysis of viral genome showed that the influenza A virus (H3N2) strain was highly homologous to the A/Nanjing/1655/2010(H3N2) strain, which was isolated during the 2010 influenza pandemic in Nanjing.Conclusion HAE can be used for isolation and identification of virus from stale respiratory tract specimens.It is more sensitive than MDCK cells with regard to human influenza virus isolation.

Objective:To investigate the effects of pre-existing antibody on seroconversion rate after influenza vaccination.Methods:This study recruited 1 900 healthy volunteers to receive influenza split vaccines in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region and Yunnan Province from September 2009 to October 2018. Hemagglutinin agglutination inhibition assay was used to detect the titers of specific antibodies in blood samples collected before vaccination and 28 d after vaccination and the effects of pre-existing antibody on the seroconversion to different influenza vaccine components were analyzed.Results:Trend analysis showed that with the increasing titer of pre-existing antibody, the seroconversion rates to A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Victoria and B/Yamagata vaccine components were gradually decreased (χ 2=121.76, P<0.001; χ 2=67.58, P<0.001; χ 2=45.25, P<0.001; χ 2=54.55, P<0.001). After adjusting for factors such as region, gender and age, multivariate logistic regression showed that pre-existing antibody titer equal to or higher than 40 was an independent factor that affected the seroconversion to A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/Victoria vaccine components, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) values were 2.50(2.00-3.13)、1.64(1.35-2.00) and 2.50(1.79-3.45), respectively. Conclusions:The seroconversion rate to each vaccine component was negatively correlated with the pre-existing antibody titer. The factor that pre-existing antibody titer equal to or higher than 40 was detrimental to the seroconversion to A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/Victoria vaccine components, but had no significant influence on B/Yamagata seroconversion.

OBJECTIVE To study th e effects of drug circulation supervision on online drug retailing within different time span，and to provide reference for network drug circulation supervision. METHODS Based on the research hypothesis ，a scale was designed to verify the relationship between variables. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Structure equation modeling （SEM）was applied in verifying relationships between variables after exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis ， which aimed to test reliability and validity. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Result of SEM indicated that drug circulation supervision had a positive significant impact upon online drug retailing within different time spans ，but its intensity varied. Specifically，the influence intensity of drug circulation supervision on retail mode and online prescription decreased with the longer time span ；the influence intensity on the types of online drugs were relatively balanced within different time spans ；the intensity of the impact on the retail cost of online pharmacies increased with the longer time span. Results of further analysis suggested that there were also differences in the weights of observed variables in drug circulation supervision and the weight of information regulation was the lowest. Accordingly，it is suggested to strengthen industry linkage ，standardize retail methods ，coordinate digital supervision system ，strengthen online prescription management ，refine supervision methods ，implement classified supervision ， buffer adverse effects and reduce enterprise costs.

Data based on the antiviral-resistant phenotyping characteristics of 884 influenza B viruses circulating in mainland China from October 2013 to March 2014 were analyzed to assess the susceptibility of influenza B viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors. All 884 viruses were sensitive to oseltamivir; two viruses (0.23%) had reduced sensitivity to zanamivir and all other viruses were sensitive to zanamivir. Among the 38 viruses with a B/Victoria lineage, B/Shandong-Kuiwen/1195/2014 exhibited a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for zanamivir that was elevated by 5. 12-fold (1.78 nM) compared with neuraminidase inhibitors sensitive to the reference virus (0.34 nM), suggesting that it exhibited reduced inhibition by zanamivir. D35G, N59D and S402T (39, 64 and 399 with N2 number) amino-acid substitutions in the NA gene were detected with no previously reported antiviral-resistant substitutions. Among viruses with the 846 B/Yamagata lineage, B/Hunan-Lingling/350/2013 exhibited a 7.99-fold elevated IC50 for zanamivir (2.72 nM) compared with neuraminidase inhibitors sensitive to the reference virus (0.34 nM), suggesting that it exhibited reduced inhibition by zanamivir. D197N (N2 number), a previously reported antiviral resistant-related amino-acid substitution in the NA gene, was detected in B/Hunan-Lingling/350/2013. These data suggest that recently circulating influenza B viruses in mainland China have retained susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors.
Amino Acid Substitution ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Influenza B virus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Neuraminidase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the phenotypic characteristics of antiviral-resistant influenza B viruses circulating in mainland China and to analyze the susceptibility of influenza B viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors ( NAIs) . Methods Antiviral-resistant phenotyping test was performed to analyze the NAI suscep-tibility of 1 386 influenza B viruses isolated in mainland China from April 2014 to March 2015, including the test of susceptibility to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Results All of the 94 B-Victoria lineage viruses were sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Of all 1 292 B-Yamagata lineage viruses tested, 1 virus showed re-duced sensitivity to oseltamivir with NA gene containing I221T amino acid mutation, 10 viruses showed re-duced sensitivity to zanamivir with 4 having D197N amino acid mutation in NA gene, 3 viruses showed re-duced sensitivity to both oseltamivir and zanamivir with NA gene possessing D197N amino acid mutation and 1 virus carrying the A245T amino acid mutation in NA gene showed reduced sensitivity to oseltamivir and highly reduced sensitivity to zanamivir. Conclusion The majority of influenza B viruses circulating in main-land China during 2014 to 2015 were sensitive to NAIs, which indicated that NAIs could be used continually for clinical treatment of patients with influenza. Sustained monitoring of antiviral susceptibility of influenza B viruses should be emphasized for timely detection of antiviral resistant viruses and more attention should be paid to the D197N mutations in NA gene of influenza B viruses.

To analyze the antigenic and genetic characteristics of the influenza A (H3N2) virus in mainland China during the surveillance year of 2013-2014, the antigenic characteristics of H3N2 virus were analyzed using reference ferret anti-sera. The nucleotide sequences of the viruses were determined by Sanger dideoxy sequencing, phylogenetic trees were constructed with the neighbor-joining method, and the genetic characteristics of the viruses were determined in comparison to current vaccine strains. The results showed that most of the H3N2 viruses were antigenically closely related to the A/Victoria/361/2011 vaccine strain cell-propagated prototype virus (99.6%). Using the A/Texas/50/2012 egg isolate as the reference antigen, 15.1% of the viruses were found to be closely antigenically related to it, while 11.9% of strains were closely antigenically related to the egg-propagated epidemic strain, A/Shanghai-Changning/1507/2012. Phylogenetic analysis of HA genes indicated that the A(H3N2) viruses in this surveillance year were in the same clade, but no drug resistant mutation was identified in the NA genes. During the 2013-2014 influenza surveillance year, no significant genetic change was detected in either the HA or NA genes of the A(H3N2) viruses, while significant mutations were found in egg isolates resulting from their adaptation during propagation in eggs. The antigenic and genetic changes should be investigated in a timely manner to enable the selection of an appropriate vaccine strain in China.
Animals ; Antigenic Variation ; Base Sequence ; Chick Embryo ; China ; Genetic Variation ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Phylogeny

The quality control process throughout the Ebola virus nucleic acid detection in Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory (SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab) was described in detail, in order to comprehensively display the scientific, rigorous, accurate and efficient practice in detection of Ebola virus of first batch detection team in SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab. Firstly, the key points of laboratory quality control system was described, including the managements and organizing, quality control documents and information management, instrument, reagents and supplies, assessment, facilities design and space allocation, laboratory maintenance and biosecurity. Secondly, the application of quality control methods in the whole process of the Ebola virus detection, including before the test, during the test and after the test, was analyzed. The excellent and professional laboratory staffs, the implementation of humanized management are the cornerstone of the success; High-level biological safety protection is the premise for effective quality control and completion of Ebola virus detection tasks. And professional logistics is prerequisite for launching the laboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus. The establishment and running of SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab has landmark significance for the friendship between Sierra Leone and China, and the lab becomes the most important base for Ebola virus laboratory testing in Sierra Leone.
China ; Ebolavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Laboratories ; manpower ; standards ; Laboratory Infection ; Quality Control ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Sierra Leone

OBJECTIVETo analyze the susceptibility of influenza A (H3N2) viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors during 2011-2012 in Mainland China.

METHODSAll the tested viruses were obtained from the Chinese National Influenza Surveillance Network, which covers 31 provinces in mainland China, including 408 network laboratories and 554 sentinel hospitals. In total 1 903 viruses were selected with isolation date from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012 in Mainland China, among these viruses, 721 were confirmed to be influenza A (H3N2) virus by Chinese National Influenza Center and tested for the susceptibility to oseltamivir and zanamivir using chemiluminescence-based assay. The neuraminidase inhibitor sensitive reference virus A/Washington/01/2007 (119E) and oseltamivir resistant virus A/Texas/12/2007 (E119V) were used as control in this study. The t -test was used to compare the difference of NAI susceptibility of viruses isolated from different years.

RESULTSThe half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of A/Washington/01/2007 for oseltamivir and zanamivir was (0.10 ± 0.02) and (0.30 ± 0.05) nmol/L, respectively. The IC₅₀ of A/Texas/12/2007 for oseltamivir and zanamivir was (4.27 ± 1.60) and (0.20 ± 0.03) nmol/L, respectively. Among the 721 influenza A (H3N2) viruses, 132 influenza A (H3N2) viruses were isolated in 2011 and 589 influenza A (H3N2) viruses were isolated in 2012. The IC50 for oseltamivir ranged from 0.04 to 0.62 nmol/L for viruses isolated in 2011 and ranged from 0.02 to 0.95 nmol/L for viruses in 2012, and the IC₅₀ of all the viruses tested was within 10-fold IC₅₀ (1.0 nmol/L) of the neuraminidase inhibitor sensitive reference virus A/Washington/01/2007. The IC50 of zanamivir ranged from 0.12 to 0.80 nmol/L for viruses in 2011 and ranged from 0.04 to 0.72 nmol/L for viruses in 2012, and was within 10-fold IC₅₀ (3.0 nmol/L) of the neuraminidase inhibitor sensitive reference virus A/Washington/01/2007.

CONCLUSIONThe influenza A(H3N2) viruses isolated during 2011-2012 in Mainland China were tested to be sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Antiviral Agents ; China ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; Neuraminidase ; Oseltamivir ; Zanamivir