A study on managers, health staffs in functional divisions in 6 selected district health center (DHC) and health staffs in 12 communes in 3/16 provinces with National health support projects has shown that health staffs were not trained on management, supervision and evaluation of the activities of local health. The health staffs in district and commune levels should be trained on these aspects according to the orientation of 10 contents of the primary health care
Hospitals, District ; education

Medicinal plants play an important role in biodiversity research in Vietnam. The traditional Vietnamese medicine consists of Legitimate Traditional Medicine and Local Hereditary Medicine. The first one is in continual development, while the later one, which is the medicine of the ancient Viet people and the actual ethnic minority groups, is at risk of sinking into oblivion. The Local Hereditary Medicine should therefore at an early date be officially reconized and institutionalized. The investitation of plant resources, genetic conservation, cultivation technology, efficient use, etc... should be boosted toward a sustainable development of the ethno-medicinal plants
Plants ; Plants, Medicinal ; Medicine, Traditional

Background: Heparan-sufate interacting protetin (HIP) has been known to be up-regulated and expressed in various human cancer cell lines at both transcript and protein levels. HIP\u2019s expression was related to the differentiation status and cancer development. Objective: Using a semi-quantitative PCR method to determine HIP transcript levels in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer tissues. Subjects and methods: 30 samples of BPH, 12 samples of high-grade PIN, and 40 samples of prostate cancer were collected from patients at Viet Duc Hospital and Friendship Hospital. Total RNA was extracted from BPH, PIN and prostate cancer tissues; cDNA synthesis by reverse transcript - polymerase chain reaction (RT - PCR); HIP transcript determination using semi-quantitative PCR. Results: There was significant difference in HIP transcript levels. HIP transcript was very highly up-regulated in the prostate cancer tissues. The up-regulation of HIP transcript was lower in PIN, and lowest in BPH. HIP transcript levels in benign samples were 1/2 and 2/3 compared with cancer and PIN samples, respectively (P< 0.05). These indicated that up-regulation of HIP transcript may be an early event in tumorigenesis. Conclusions: Levels of HIP transcript were different between tissues of prostate cancer, PIN, and BPH. HIP may be a marker for pre-cancer of the prostate.
HIP/L29 ; prostate cancer ; Transcript

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is coming into use worldwide. Objective: To analyze clinical characteristics, AFP (alpha - feto protein), imaging features of liver tumors after treated with RFA or with RFA combined with TOCE. Subjects and method: Between August 2002 and October 2006, we ablated 87 HCCs in 76 patients (RFA alone, 41. TOCE - RFA, 35). Results: The mean age of patients was 52.8 \xb1 12. The male/female ratio was 5.9/1. The complication rate was 1.9% (5/254 sessions, 5/76 patients). Significant differences were observed in clinical symptoms: Weigh gain, abdominal pain relief, AFP decreased after treatment. Median survival was 30 \xb1 5.8 months in RFA group and 31 \xb1 5.4 months in TOCE - RFA group. 1 - 2 - 3 years survival rates were 74%; 56.3%; 43.8% in RFA group and 91.3%; 63.4%; 34.6% in TOCE - RFA group. Ablated lesions were of low attenuation with absence of contrast material enhancement and reduced in size. Conclusions: Our study results show that RFA is an effective and safe therapeutic technique for HCC. Good therapeutic effects on clinical symptoms, treated lesion and survival were achieved.
Carcinoma ; Hepatocellular/ therapy ; Alpha-Fetoproteins

Background: Salmonella typhi (S.typhi) is the major cause of human typhoid fever outbreaks. In fact, there were various typhoid fever outbreaks that occurred in China, and India that was caused by S.typhi strain without Vi antigen. Objective: To determine whether the S.typhi strains with mutation of gene encoding Vi antigen exists in Vietnam and the rate of mutation (if they exists). Subject and methods: 450 S.typhi isolates were collected in the Northern, Central and Southern Region of Vietnam during 1995 and 2005. The isolates were analyzed by the PCR method in order to detect mutants by using 2 primer pairs of tviB and DE. Results and Conclusion: There was no clear evidence on the relationship between the widely used Typhi Vi vaccine in Vietnam and the existence and spread of the mutation of gene encoding Vi antigen of S.typhi. 30 out of 450 isolates mutated losing the gene encoding of Vi antigen, making it 6.67%. These isolates were spread out between 1995 and 2005 throughout the Northern, Central and Southern Regions of Vietnam, with a peak in 1999. A noteworthy point was the rate of mutation of S.typhi losing the gene encoding of Vi antigen in Vietnam during the period of study. However, the mutation rate of S.typhi in Vietnam was still higher than the ratio of similar mutations being published in the other countries worldwide and higher than the recommended level of the World Health Organization.
gene mutation ; Salmonella typhi

Background: Heparansulfate Interacting Protein (HIP) is up-regulated in various human cancer cell lines at both transcript and protein levels. HIP expression is related to the differentiation status and cancer development. Objectives: To determine HIP in benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer tissues. Materials and method: Western blot method was used to determine HIP expression in 3 different types of prostate tissue, including 11 prostate cancer samples, 2 benign prostatic hyperplasia samples and 11 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia samples. Results. HIP was particularly up-regulated in prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, indicating that up-regulation of HIP expression may be an early event in tumorgenesis. Conclusion: The expression of HIP was different between cancer, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia. HIP may serve as a prognostic marker for prostate carcinoma.
HIP expression ; Prostate cancer ; Prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: A/H5N1 influenza virus spreads from birds to humans and cause influenza diseases with high mortality rate. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect communities from pandemic, reduce morbidity and mortality. The study of creating A/H5N1 influenza vaccines in conformity with Vietnam was the urgent need. Institute of Vaccine\u2019s Achievement (IVAC) studied production of inactivated influenza vaccine for human on egg-grown from reassortants NIBRG-14. Objectives: In order to produce experimentally A/H5N1 influenza vaccine for human in accordance with WHO requirements and set up a viable process for production of the vaccines. Subjects and method: 10 days embryonated eggs and NIBRG-14 strains were served to the study with LAL method to check endotoxin, Kijehdal method to test total protein. Results: IVAC had produced successfully 5 lots of absorbed vaccine A/H5N1 (FLUVAC) using NIBRG-14 strains and embryonated eggs. Initially, production and quality control processes had been set up at IVAC by applying the recommendations of WHO. Conclusion: The success of the study was a basis of the approval of the government to establish a influenza vaccine manufacturing facilities.
Influenza A Virus ; H5N1 Subtype ; Influenza Vaccines ; Humans ; Eggs

Background: Child health care practices in the context of households and community is an important factor to improving the health of children. Some indexes were proposed by the World Health Organization to evaluate these practices. Objectives: To describe the knowledge and practice of pregnant women, under-5-year-old children\u2019s health care and assess the application of the survey toolkit in evaluating various indexes of healthcare practice at family and community levels. Subjects and method: By employing a structured interview, this cross-sectional survey has been conducted in Tu Liem district - Hanoi city and Tien Hai district \u2013 Thai Binh province. 120 mothers of under-5-year-old children participated in the survey. Results:98% of mothers had at least 3 antenatal visits during pregnancy. The rate of complete tetanus vaccination reached 43.3% in Tu Liem and 65% in Tien Hai. Prevalence of infant with low birth weight for age accounted for 8.3% in both districts. The percentage of children given complementary feeding at age of 6 to 9 months as the National Nutrition Program recommendations was only 30%. 65.7% and 68.5% of under-2-year-old children in Tu Liem and Tien Hai were breastfed within the first 30 minutes after delivery. There were a small proportion of mothers who gave complementary food either too early or too late, 8.3% and 8.4% in Tu Liem, 6.7% and 6.6% in Tien Hai, respectively. More than 90% of children were given normal feeding as usual during last their illness, but only 50% of children were given more fluid than usual. 98.2% of mothers knew 2 signs to immediately bring the child to health facilities. The most common injuries in under-5-year-old children were animal bites (62.5%) and falling (31.3%), however only 62.5% of mothers knew at least two measures of injury prevention. Conclusion: The toolkit for collecting data of practical index assessment can be applied at communes.
child health care ; practice ; knowledge

Background: In many years, National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology conducted collection, storage and preservation of malaria parasites species \r\n', u'Objective: to evaluate some results of malaria parasite species collected from Daknong province and analysis of drug resistance in P.Palciparum by the polymerase chain reaction.\r\n', u'Subject and method: Malaria parasite species collected from Daknong province in 2006. Thirty-five isolates were confirmed to be resistant with chloroquin by in vitro test. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment leng polymorphism were used. \r\n', u'Results: 55 Plasmodium jalciparum. 7 Plasmodium vivax. 4 Plasmodium malariae. 1 Plasmodium ovale samples were collected from the malaria patients. A preliminary analysis of drug-resistant mutations in the Plasmodium jalciparum chloroquine resistance transpory (pfcrt) and P Jalciparummulti-drug resistant genes showed that the change of the order of amino-acid of Plasmodium jalciparum was closely correlated to chloroquine resistance in 35 isolates at the mutant allele 76 of pfcrt gene of chloroquine resistant Plasmodiuntjalciparum isolates. \r\n', u'Conclusion: These results contributed to supplement malaria parasite species that were stored in National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology ad Entomology.\r\n', u'
Malaria parasite species ; polymerase chain reaction ; P.Palciparum ; drug resistance

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 ;