Objective A suspected strain of Brucella canis isolated in Hebei Province in 2015 was identified and its genetic characteristics were analyzed.Methods After conventional identification of the bacteria strain,multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) were conducted to determine its species and genetic characteristics.Results The strain was identified as Brucella canis by conventional subtyping and M-PCR.Using Panel 1,the strain was genotype 3,using Panel 2A,the strain was genotype 28.It was closely clustered with Brucella canis,and differences of repeated numbers at variablenumber tandem-repeat (VNTR) loci Bruce04,Bruce07,Bruce09 and Bruce16 were also displayed.Conclusions The conventional subtyping and molecular methods can improve the stability and accuracy of the identification.Genetic characteristics of the strain is closely related to that of Brucella canis.

Objective A suspected Brucella strain, isolated from the first case of mink breeder in Hebei Province was identified and genetic characteristics were analyzed.Methods Blood sample of the patient with brucellosis was collected at brucellosis laboratory of Hebei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention;anti-Brucella antibody was tested and Brucella was isolated by two phase culture bottles.Conventional methods were used to identify the isolated strain, the genetic characteristics were analyzed by multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA).Results Anti-Brucella antibody was tested positive.The isolated strain was identified as Brucella melitensis biovar 1 using the conventional methods.Using Pannel 1, the strain was genotype 42 clustering to the East Mediterranean Brucella Melitensis group.It was closely clustered with Brucella melitensis biovar 3, and difference of repeated numbers at variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) loci bruce19 was also displayed.Conclusion The case is the first brucellosis case of mink breeder in Hebei Province, the isolated strain from this patient is identified as Brucella melitensis biovar 1 and the genetic characteristics of the strain are closely related to those of Brucella melitensis biovar 3.

Objective To type Streptococcus pneumoniae(S.pneumoniae) isolated from children, and provide scientific basis for the correct selection of S.pneumoniae vaccine.Methods 182 strains of S.pneumoniae were collected from Children's Hospital of Hebei Province in 2014, species of strains were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), types of strains were analyzed with multiplex PCR.Results PCR detection showed that cpsA gene amplification of 182 strains were all positive;multiplex PCR detection revealed that except 8 strains were not typed, the main types of the remaining 174 strains were 19 F (n=68, 37.36%), 19A(n=33, 18.13%), and 6A/6B (n=26,14.28%), the other types were 35B, 14, 6C/6D, 23F, 15B/15C, and so on.Conclusion The main types of 182 strains of S.pneumoniae are 19 F, 19A, and 6A/6B, which provide scientific basis for the correct selection of S.pneumoniae vaccine for this province.

Objective To analyze the brucellosis epidemic and genotyping characteristics of Brucella strains isolated from Hebei Province,and to provide scientific basis for brucellosis control and prevention.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis (including region,population,and time distribution characteristics) was performed using individual data of human brucellosis in Hebei Province from the National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting Information System of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016,Brucella strains were isolated by phase culture bottles in Brucellosis Lab from Hebei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) was used to identify the genotyping characteristics of the isolates.Results There were 3 774 reported cases in 2016,and 11 cities in the province had reported the cases.The cases were found mainly in Zhangjiakou,Chengde and Tangshan.And 95.98％ (167/174) of all counties were reported brucellosis cases.Vocational high risk population was farmers and herdsmen engaged in livestock and processing of animal products,accounting for 90.22％ (3 405/3 774).Male had the highest incidence,accounting for 74.38％ (2 807/3 774).The onset time was concentrated in January-August,accounting for 83.67％ (3 161/3 774).Twenty-one strains of Brucella were isolated,twenty isolates were Brucella melitensis biovar 3,and one isolate was Brucella abortus biovar 3.Panel 1 (MLVA-8) identified three genotypes 42,43,and 114,with genotype 42 representing 85.00％ (17/20);Panel 1 + Panel 2A (MLVA-11) identified three genotypes 116,122,291,with genotype 116 representing 85.00％ (17/20),which were identified as belonging to the East Mediterranean group.Panel 1 (MLVA-8) identified the genotype 36,Panel 1 + Panel 2A (MLVA-11) identified the genotype 72 of one Brucella abortus strain.It was identified as belonging to abortus C.Conclusions The brucellosis epidemic in Hebei is relatively severe,the pathogenic bacteria is mainly Brucella melitensis.The MLVA assay is a very practical and important molecular genotyping tool,it provides a basis for tracing the source of brucellosis infection.

Objective:To analyze the spatial-temporal epidemiological characteristics of pertussis from 2013 to 2022 in Hebei Province and to provide a reference for improving prevention and control measures.Methods:Based on the data of pertussis reported in Hebei Province during 2013-2022 to analyze the popular characteristic, the ArcGIS 10.8 software was used to construct a ring map and to perform spatial autocorrelation analysis; the SaTScan 10.1 software was used for spatial-temporal scan statistics.Results:There were 6 715 cases of the cumulative report in Hebei Province from 2013 to 2022 without death. The annual report incidence was 0.90/100 000. The overall incidence rate showed an upward trend from 2013 to 2019, and during 2020-2021, it showed a sharp decline, but in 2022, it showed a sharp increase. Summer and autumn are the peak seasons of the epidemic. The incidence was highest in age group <1 year (48.67%), and the lowest age group in age group ≥15 years (0.45%) and mainly scattered children (78.03%); the incidence about men is higher than women. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the onset of pertussis has spatial clustering, and high-high clusters were found in Langfang, Baoding, and Cangzhou, the top three countries with reported incidence. The area covered by a low-low cluster was consistent with the distribution of the corresponding low-incidence areas in this study. Space-time scan detects five statistically significant areas, and three zones were concentrated in 2022.Conclusions:The incidence of pertussis in Hebei had obvious season, population, and area-specific differences. There was obvious spatiotemporal and clustering, so the control of key areas should target the characteristics of time and space.

Objective:To describe the population and area distribution differences in the prevalence of urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly adults in 10 areas in China.Methods:A total of 24 913 participants aged 45-95 years who completed the third resurvey of China Kadoorie Biobank during 2020-2021 were included. The prevalence of urinary incontinence was assessed by an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and urinary incontinence was classified as only stress urinary incontinence, only urgency urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence. The prevalence of urinary incontinence and its subtypes were reported by sex, age and area, and the severity of urinary incontinence and treatment were described.Results:The average age of the participants was (65.4±9.1) years. According to the seventh national census data in 2020, the age-standardized prevalence rates of urinary incontinence was 25.4% in women and 7.0% in men. The age-standardized prevalence rates of only stress, only urgency and mixed incontinence were 1.7%, 4.2% and 1.2% in men and 13.5%, 5.8% and 6.1% in women, respectively. The prevalence rates of urinary incontinence and all subtypes in men and the prevalence of urinary incontinence and all subtypes except only stress urinary incontinence in women all increased with age ( P<0.001). After adjusting for age, the prevalence of urinary incontinence in both men and women were higher in rural area than in urban area ( P<0.001). The treatment rates in men and women with urinary incontinence were 15.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusions:The prevalence of urinary incontinence was high in middle-aged and elderly adults in China, and the prevalence rate was higher in women than in men, but the treatment rate of urinary incontinence was low.

Objective:To investigate the carriage status of Neisseria meningitidis ( Nm) among the healthy population in Hebei Province for the prevention and control of meningitis. Methods:From 2015 to 2022, throat swabs were collected from health people, which were selected by cluster random sampling in 11 cities of Hebei.The positive rate of Nm was detected by bacterial culture. The serogroups of isolated strains were identified.The laboratory detection results of Nm strains, combined with epidemiological survey data, were synthetically analyzed. Results:A total of 20 245 people were investigated; 249 strains of Nm were isolated; the overall Nm carriage rate was 1.23%. The carriage rate was significantly higher in men than in women(χ 2=28.831, P<0.05). The positive rates of Nm in different age groups were significantly different(χ 2=428.018, P<0.05), with the highest rates in the 15-19 year-old group(4.90%, 149/3 042). The positive rates of Nm were significantly different in different regions(χ 2=177.512, P<0.05), with the highest positive rate of Nm in Xingtai, Shijiazhuang, Chengde and Baoding city in sequence. Among the isolated Nm strains, ungroupable serogroups, serogroup B, serogroup C, and serogroup W accounted for 71.49%(178/249), 13.65%(34/249), 6.83%(17/249) and 4.42%(11/249), respectively. Conclusions:The carriage rate of Nm among healthy population is generally low in Hebei Province. It is recommended to continue to strengthen monitoring, pay attention to the changes and distribution characteristics of Nm, and formulate scientific and targeted prevention and control measures of meningococcal disease.