AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) is an extract from mycelia of Lentinula edodes, a mushroom of the basidiomycetes family, which is cultivated in liquid media in a large tank. It is one of the most frequently used products in complementary and alternative medicine among cancer patients in Japan. Also in recent studies, it has been reported as efficacious in treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. AHCC has been proved as safe food by various safety evaluations and drug interaction studies have been conducted. The result of a Phase I trial in healthy volunteers concluded that AHCC is safe as a supplement in clinical practice. The present paper reviews the effects of AHCC in ameliorating the side effects of anti-cancer drugs, in modulating the immune system, in reducing inflammation and in infection prophylaxis.

AHCC is a nutritional food that has been broadly adopted in Japan as well as other countries. Several laboratories have demonstrated that AHCC has immune modulating effect. Increasing immunity against bird flu virus, H5N1, may help to prevent the next pandemic. We hypothesize that uptaking AHCC improve immunity against infection with this virus. Administration of AHCC for 7 days effectively improved survival rate by 30%, and this effect can last for 3 to 4 weeks. Our results indicate a potential role of AHCC in helping to build up immunity for preventing the pandemic of bird flu.

Introduction: Vaccine policies have changed in recent years in Japan. In the present study, we assessed practices, recommendations, knowledge, and sources of information among primary care physicians (PCPs) regarding vaccinations in Japan. Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study targeting PCPs in Japan. We used a web-based self-administered questionnaire targeting physicians that were members of the Japan Primary Care Association in 2019. We analyzed respondent administrations, recommendations, knowledge, and sources of information regarding vaccinations. Results: We received responses from 1,084 PCPs (20.1%) and invited 981 participants for the analysis. The rates at which physicians gave routine and voluntary vaccines in their own practices were 23.3-95.5% and 13.2-94.4%, respectively. The active recommendation rates for routine and voluntary vaccines were 41.6-92.0% and 13.6-75.5%, respectively. Furthermore, among routine vaccines, human papillomavirus vaccine was the least administered and recommended. PCPs working at clinics had the most accurate knowledge about vaccinations, and PCPs utilized academic organizations most readily as an information resource. Conclusion: We clarified practices, recommendations, knowledge, and sources of information regarding vaccinations among PCPs in Japan.

A 74-year-old woman visited our hospital complaining of pain in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen. Physical examination revealed tenderness to palpation without peritoneal signs. Blood test results showed elevated inflammatory response. Both ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed an intra-abdominal abscess containing a foreign body (fish bone) immediately below the left inferior abdominal wall. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy conducted under fluoroscopic guidance revealed no intraluminal lesion in the colon adjacent to the abscess, and contrast examination also revealed no communication between the colon and the abscess. Fasting and administration of antibiotics did not improve the symptoms. We planned surgical procedure. Partial resection of the sigmoid colon was performed because of the presence of strong adhesions between the colonic wall and abscess. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on hospital day 12. Histological examination of the resected specimen showed chronic abscess formation, but no communication between the intestinal tract and abscess. Onset was thought to be chronic in this case, because of uncertainty about the history of ingestion of fish bone and failure to verify any communication with the intestinal tract.