Objective To explore the current status of healthcare-associated infection (HAI)and antimicrobial use in a children’s hospital.Methods Prevalence rates of HAI and antimicrobial use among hospitalized patients at 0∶00—24∶00 of May 1 ,2014 were investigated by combination of bedside visiting and medical record reviewing. Results A total of 1 027 patients were investigated,8 patients developed 10 times of infection,prevalence rate of HAI was 0.78%,prevalence case rate was 0.97%.HAI mainly occurred in patients in blood center (n =4),the main infection site was respiratory tract(upper respiratory tract,n=2;lower respiratory tract,n=2),antimicrobial usage rate was 62.12%.Antimicrobial usage rate,purpose of antimicrobial use,and combination use of antimicro-bial agents among different departments were all significantly different(all P <0.05).The departments with top 3 antimicrobial usage rates were neonatal center(89.69%),emergency center(76.00%),and comprehensive depart-ment(73.91 %);except department of ophthalmology-otorhinolaryngology-stomatology (preventive antimicrobial use accounted for 57.89%)and department of surgery(therapeutic antimicrobial use accounted for 26.32%),the other departments mainly used therapeutic antimicrobial agents;department of ophthalmology-otorhinolaryngology-stoma-tology,heart center,and neurological rehabilitation center mainly adopted single medication treatment (all >95%), two-drug combination rate in neonatal center accounted for 48.28%,three-drug combination rate in blood center ac-counted for 30.30%.Conclusion Routine surveillance on departments and sites of high HAI incidence should be in-tensified in children’s hospitals,training on knowledge of HAI among health care workers should be strengthened, and antimicrobial should be used rationally.

Objective To provide scientific evidence to identify and confirm severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) by laboratory detection.Methods Multiple clinical specimens were collected serially and systematically from the 4 suspected SARS patients, which occurred between Dec.2003 to Jan.2004 in Guangdong Province. The samples were tested by serologic and molecular methods.Results IgM or IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV were detectable after 6—8 days of the onset in four patients. The four-fold or greater rising in antibodies was clearly detected in three of the four patients, while the fourth patient’s seroconversion was from negative to positive. The results analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA), immunoflourescence assay (IFA), and neutralization test were highly correlated. SARS-CoV RNA was just detected in 3 throat swab specimens from case 1 by real-time PCR. M, N and S genes were amplified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the positive samples. Sequencing results showed that they were SARS-CoV gene segments, and most closely matched SARS-CoV gene sequences were isolated from civet cats in Guangdong Province. Nevertheless, SARS-CoV was not isolated from any samples of the 4 patients.Conclusion Based on these results, the 4 reported cases were laboratorily confirmed as SARS cases.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus replication, and to lay bases for the future clinical application of siRNA for the treatment of viral infectious diseases.

METHODSVero-E6 cells was transfected with siRNA before SARS virus infection, and the effectiveness of siRNA interference was evaluated by observing the cytopathic effect (CPE) on Vero-E6 cells.

RESULTSFive pairs of siRNA showed ability to reduce CPE dose dependently, and two of them had the best effect.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA may be effective in inhibiting SARS-associated coronavirus replication.

Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; SARS Virus ; drug effects ; Transfection ; Vero Cells ; Virus Replication ; drug effects