Background: Dengue Fever/Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DF/DHF) has emerged as one of the most important public health concerns in Viet Nam in recent years. Key breeding containers plays an important role in driving dengue vector control in the public. Objectives: The research was conducted to discover the dengue situation, its vectors and key containers to make relevant recommendations in reducing effectively the vector population. Subjects and methods: Two hundred households in two communes of Nam Dinh province (100 in each studied commune) were selected randomly. Vectors collected from the field were identified using mosquito key. The number of dengue larvae and mosquitoes were directly counted or adjustment methods were used to estimate the true number in each type of water storage facility. Results: In Minh Thuan commune, Ae. albopictus larvae were mainly concentrated in jars (49%) and discards (59%), most of Ae. aegypti was found in cement tanks with a volume more than 500L (72%). In Trung Dong commune, larvae of Ae. albopictus concentrated in jars (40%) and discards (25%) and aquariums (15%), while most of the Ae. aegypti larvae was discovered in cement tanks with volumes more than 500L (86%). Mosquito density index of Ae. albopictus in Trung Dong and Minh Thuan communes was 0.56 and 0.38, respectively. The Aedes larvae, houses for larvae and Breteau index were nearly at the threshold of dengue epidemic occurrence for Ae. aegypti and over a certain threshold for Ae. albopictus. Some recommendations were provided to help reduce the dengue vectors. Conclusion: Investigation of key mosquito larvae in water containers was useful in driving the effective dengue vector control. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact and methods to manage water containers in the local area.
Dengue fever ; mosquito ; vector control

Background: Noise pollution has seriously negative effects on worker\u2019s health, especially their hearing ability. Occupational hearing loss is one of 21 insured occupational diseases. Occupational hearing loss is common in workers in transpostation, construction, energy heavy and light industry areas. Objectives: 1. To determine the degree of noise pollution in Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical Joint Stock Company. 2. To evaluate occupational failing hearing and occupational hearing loss among workers in the company. 3. To promote preventive measures which imnimize occupational failing hearing and occupational hearing loss. Subjects and method:A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in 254 employees in Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical \r\n', u'Joint Stock Company. Results and Conclusion: 72.7% the employees of Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical \r\n', u'Joint Stock Company have exposed to environmental noise at the level higher than the permitted one. The rate of occupational failing hearing among these people is rather high (33.1%), and occupational hearing loss rate is 11.8%. There is a increased rate of occupational hearing loss according to the employee\u2019s age and seniority. Proposed preventive measures should be immediately conducted (P < 0.05).\r\n', u'
Hearing Loss ; Noise-Induced/ epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ;

Background: According to statistical data of the Vietnam Ministry of Health, there were 124,223 people with positive HIV, 23,661 AIDS patients and 13,649 AIDS- related deaths up to April 30th 2007. The major transmission route is injection. Objectives: (1) To compare the characteristics of drug use in users with different time. (2) To describe the health issues and health service access of young male drug users. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional survey was carried out using a combination of medical anthropology and epidemiology methods. 1.115 young male drug users in Ha Noi between September 2004 and September 2005 were divided into 4 groups of the equivalence number, but with different drug using history. Results and conclusion: The newer drug users (within 2 years) started using drug later than the older ones, more of them started using by injecting; they transfer from smoking/sniffing to injecting as well as trying and using more different types of drugs together in shorter time than others. The proportion of HIV (+) infection in these people was higher, which states the necessity of intervention to help them enhance their knowledge to prevent HIV infection amongst themselves. Mental health care is also needed for drug users, the demand for mental health care increases with the time of drug usage.
young male heroin users

Background: In Viet Nam, there were many researches on determining lead level in blood, food and environment. But until now, there were not researches on determining lead level in fishermen community. Objectives: Determine trace amount of lead by von-ampe dissolve anot using electrode BiFE. Analysis on trace amount of lead in blood and urine of fishermen in Canh Duong village. Propose solutions for preventing lead poisoning in studied community. Subjects and method: Fishermen in Canh Duong village, Phu Loc, Thua Thien Hue province. The method differential pulse-anodic stripping voltametry (DP-ASV) using Bismuth Film Electrodic in situ was successfully applied to measure lead levels in blood and 24h urine of fishermen in Canh Duong village. Results: The mean level of lead in blood of the suspected group (fishermen) in Canh Duong village (34,7 \xb5g/dL) was higher than that of the control group (16,3 \xb5g/dL). For both groups, 37 out of 40 blood samples (92,5%) had lead level higher than WHO\u2019s recommended level (10 \xb5g/dL). Especially, 6 of 40 blood samples (15%) had lead level higher than 50 \xb5g/dL. The lead level in 24h urine of suspected group had slightly higher (about 1,2 times) than that in the control group. The lead level of the two groups was much higher than the normal level. Conclusion: The method DP-ASV/BiFE in situ was applied successfully to determine lead level in blood and 24h urine. The investigative results of related information showed that: the risk of chronic lead poisoning in studied community very high.
Lead/ adverse effects ; chemistry ; antagonists & ; inhibitors ;

Conjoined twins are rare, and each set of conjoined twins has a unique conjoined anatomy. It is necessary to perform separation to increase the chance of patient survival. Tissue expansion is an advanced technique for providing sufficient soft tissue and skin for wound closure. We report the successful application of rapid tissue expansion in 10-month-old xipho-omphalopagus conjoined twins in Vietnam. A tissue expander was placed on the anterior body between the sternum and umbilicus with a baseline of 70 mL sterile saline (0.9% NaCl). The first injection into the tissue expander began on the 6th day after expander insertion, and injections continued every 2 days with approximately 30–70 mL per injection according to the expansion of the skin. The expander reached 335 mL after six injections and within 10 days. In order to prepare for surgical separation, expansion was completed on the 15th day after insertion. The expanded skin area was estimated to be 180 cm2, which was sufficient to cover both patients’ skin deficiencies. The twins presented for surgical separation 6 days following the completion of tissue expansion. Both babies were discharged in good health 1 month after separation.

Conjoined twins are rare, and each set of conjoined twins has a unique conjoined anatomy. It is necessary to perform separation to increase the chance of patient survival. Tissue expansion is an advanced technique for providing sufficient soft tissue and skin for wound closure. We report the successful application of rapid tissue expansion in 10-month-old xipho-omphalopagus conjoined twins in Vietnam. A tissue expander was placed on the anterior body between the sternum and umbilicus with a baseline of 70 mL sterile saline (0.9% NaCl). The first injection into the tissue expander began on the 6th day after expander insertion, and injections continued every 2 days with approximately 30–70 mL per injection according to the expansion of the skin. The expander reached 335 mL after six injections and within 10 days. In order to prepare for surgical separation, expansion was completed on the 15th day after insertion. The expanded skin area was estimated to be 180 cm2, which was sufficient to cover both patients’ skin deficiencies. The twins presented for surgical separation 6 days following the completion of tissue expansion. Both babies were discharged in good health 1 month after separation.

Background: Viet Nam confirmed its first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on 23 January 2020 among travellers from Wuhan, China, and experienced several clusters of community transmission until September. Viet Nam implemented an aggressive testing, isolation, contact tracing and quarantine strategy in response to all laboratory-confirmed cases. We report the results of SARS-CoV-2 testing during the first half of 2020 in northern Viet Nam. Methods: Between January and May 2020, 15 650 upper respiratory tract specimens were collected from 14 470 suspected cases and contacts in northern Viet Nam. All were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR. Individuals with positive specimens were tested every three days until two tests were negative. Positive specimens from 81 individuals were cultured. Results: Among 14 470 tested individuals, 158 (1.1%) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were confirmed; 89 were imported and 69 were associated with community transmission. Most patients (122, 77%) had negative results after two tests, while 11 and 4 still tested positive when sampled a third and fourth time, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from 29 of 81 specimens (36%) with a cycle threshold (Ct) value <30. Seven patients who tested positive again after testing negative had Ct values >30 and negative cultures. Conclusion Early, widespread testing for SARS-CoV-2 in northern Viet Nam identified very few cases, which, when combined with other aggressive strategies, may have dramatically contained the epidemic. We observed rapid viral clearance and very few positive results after clearance. Large-scale molecular diagnostic testing is a critical part of early detection and containment of COVID-19 in Viet Nam and will remain necessary until vaccination is widely implemented.

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.