Inflammation is an important component of active atherosclerotic disease. C-reactive protein (CRP)is a non-specific inflammatory marker that is increased in inflammatory conditions. Newer more sensitive assays (high sensitivity CRP) can detect the low levels of inflammation associated with vascular disease. CRP levels can give further risk assessment to individuals beyond predictions from traditional risk factors. This measurement is most useful in helping to discriminate risk in intermediate risk patients such as metabolic syndrome patients. Exercise and weight loss have been shown to significantly lower CRP levels. Lipid lowering therapies, especially with the statin class of medications, also lower CRP levels. A reduction in inflammation may be an important component of plaque stabilization and contribute to cardiovascular risk reduction.

Background: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is common in the plains and mountainous areas in Asia \u2013 Pacific. Japanese encephalitis vaccine shows effectiveness in protecting children from JE in some countries such as Japan and Korea. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination in Thai Binh province during 2003-2007. Subject and Method: Prospective, retrospective and sero-epidemiological methods were carried out on 329 samples collected from viral encephalitis patients and tested by JE MAC-ELISA, the positive average was 41.6% (137/329). Result: It had dramatically dropped from 85.2% in 2003 to 8.5 % in 2007 related to the rate of JE vaccination for children from 1 to 5 years old increasing from 49 % in 2003 to 77 % in 2007. Most of JE confirmed cases were un-vaccinated. Conclusion: JE etiology cause viral encephalitis in children in Thai Binh province was reduced thanks to JE vaccination in EPI program for 1 to 5 year old children. But more than 96% (131/136) of viral encephalitis in 15 years old upward was unknown etiology, the need for further study of the etiology cause viral encephalitis in adults.
Japanese encephalitis ; virus encephalitis ; MAC-ELISA ; Vaccine

Background:\r\n', u'There are two virus known as Nam Dinh Virus, and Colti group B be found in Viet Nam. These viruses have appeared in the South, the Middle and the Highland. They haven\u2019t been reported in the Southern provinces and Can Thoas well. \r\n', u'Objectives: \r\n', u'To identify the circulation of Nam Dinh virus strain, and coltivirus group B strain in Can Tho, Southern Viet Nam, and their existence in nature.\r\n', u'Subjects and method: \r\n', u'Thirty-four mosquito samples (7, 453 individual mosquitoes) from Culex quinque faciatus and Culex pseudovishnui were collected in Can Tho provice, southern Vietnam 2005.\r\n', u'Isolatingviruses on Aedes albopictuc clone C6/36, Vero cells, and using PT- PCR and ELISA Sandwich for identification. \r\n', u'Results:\r\n', u'2 Nam Dinh virus strains, 2 coltivirus group B strains and 1 flavivirus strain (insect flavivirus) were isolated from Culex quinque faciatus, and no virus was isolated from Culex pseudovishnui.\r\n', u'Conclusion: \r\n', u'The identification of the transmission of Nam dinh Virus, and coltivirus group B in Can Tho province by isolating virus from Culex quinque faciatus has shown the evidence for natural vertical transmission of these viruses.\r\n', u'
Viruses ; Coltivirus ; Flavivirus ; Arboviruses ; Culex ;

Freshwater snails of the family Lymnaeidae play an important role in the transmission of fascioliasis worldwide. In Vietnam, 2 common lymnaeid species, Lymnaea swinhoei and Lymnaea viridis, can be recognized on the basis of morphology, and a third species, Lymnaea sp., is known to exist. Recent studies have raised controversy about their role in transmission of Fasciola spp. because of confusion in identification of the snail hosts. The aim of this study is, therefore, to clarify the identities of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam by a combination of morphological and molecular approaches. The molecular analyses using the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA clearly showed that lymnaeids in Vietnam include 3 species, Austropeplea viridis (morphologically identified as L. viridis), Radix auricularia (morphologically identified as L. swinhoei) and Radix rubiginosa (morphologically identified as Lymnaea sp.). R. rubiginosa is a new record for Vietnam. Among them, only A. viridis was found to be infected with Fasciola spp. These results provide a new insight into lymnaeid snails in Vietnam. Identification of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam and their role in the liver fluke transmission should be further investigated.
Animals ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/chemistry/genetics ; Fasciola/*isolation & purification ; Lymnaea/*anatomy & histology/genetics/*parasitology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid ; Vietnam

This article describes Viet Nam Ministry of Health’s (VMoH) activities to prepare for and respond to the threat Zika virus (ZIKV), including the adaptation of existing surveillance systems to encompass ZIKV surveillance.

Objective To characterize viral co-infections among representative hospitalized measles cases during the 2014 Hanoi outbreak. Methods Throat swabs were collected from 54 pediatric patients with confirmed measles, and molecular diagnostics performed for 10 additional viral respiratory pathogens (Influenza A/H1N1pdm09; A/H3N2 and influenza B; Parainfluenza 1, 2, 3; Respiratory Synctial Virus, RSV; human Metapneumovirus, hMPV; Adenovirus and Picornavirus). Results Twenty-one cases (38.9%) showed evidence of infection with other respiratory viruses: 15 samples contained measles plus one additional virus, and 6 samples contained measles plus 2 additional viruses. Adenovirus was detected as a predominant cause of co-infections (13 cases; 24.1%), followed by RSV (6 cases; 11.1%), A/H1N1pdm09 (3 cases; 5.6%), PIV3 (3 cases; 3.7%), Rhinovirus (3 cases; 3.7%) and hMPV (1 case; 1.96%). Conclusions Viral co-infections identified from pediatric measles cases may have contributed to increased disease severity and high rate of fatal outcomes. Optimal treatment of measles cases may require control of multiple viral respiratory pathogens.

Aims: This study was aimed to test the specificity of primers and probes with target genes by using multiplex PCR and multiplex real-time PCR methods. These methods were compared with traditional blood culture methods in detecting five bacteria causing sepsis, including Acinetorbacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Methodology and results: A total of 587 blood samples from patients diagnosed with sepsis and septic shock were collected at Thanh Nhan Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. Each sample was divided into three parts for bacterial culture, multiplex PCR and multiplex real-time PCR to detect the similarity of the two PCR methods with the bacterial culture method. Conditions in multiplex PCR and multiplex real-time PCR were optimized to ensure the successful amplification of target genes. Results showed that the primers and probes were tested completely specific to the target genes and using multiplex PCR and multiplex real-time PCR techniques could detect five pathogens causing sepsis, including A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, E. coli and S. aureus. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Both multiplex PCR and multiplex real-time PCR methods have high similarities with the culture method, showing potential in the application of bacteria detection in sepsis.
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sepsis--microbiology