Screening anti- HCV for blood donors has been done in Vietnam since 1995. However up to now, many blood transfusion centers at provincial and district levels still have not been able to screen HCV for blood donors due to lack of equipment and test kits. Besides that, there are a few studies on the more studies on that area, especially for blood donors. In this study, we had identified anti-HCV for four subject groups by using ELISA technique with diagnostic tests of GBC company. The results showed that percentage of anti-HCV positive among donors who had more than one time blood donation at NIHBT is lower than that among first -time blood donors (0.47 vs 1.53) with a statistical significance P<0.01. This difference can be explained that donors who have more than one-time blood donation at NIHBT have been screened for HCV at NIHBT before. On the other hand, prevalence of HCV infection among patients who had received blood many times are very high (more than 50%). It also shows that excluding blood samples with HCV infection is very important
Hepatitis C ; Blood Transfusion

We identified anti HIV, anti HCV and HBsAg in 397 blood disease patients (160 males: 237 females with their age rank 16-80) were treated in National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion during two year(1998-1999). The results showed that: - The proportion of HBsAg, anti HIV at blood disease patients were: 7.05%; 3.02%; 0.05%, respectively.- The proportion of HbsAg, anti HCV and anti HIV at male and female patients were:+ HBsAg: male: 11.25%; Female: 4.21%+ Anti HCV: male: 3.75%; female: 2.53%+ Anti HIV: male: 0.62%; female: 0.42%. The percentage of anti HCV is highest in hemophilia patients (51.7%).- The percentage of HBsAg is higher in MDS patients (16.2%) and hemolytic patients (14.58%).- The percentage of anti HCV(+) in patients polytransfusion is: 5.6%.- The percentage of anti HCV is highest in Kahler and lymphoma patients (19.04%). -The percentage of HBsAg is higher in MDS patients 15.7%).
Hematologic Diseases ; HIV ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepacivirus

Background: Blood is a very special product to use for patients treatment. In order to have better plan to supply enough blood and on time according to the needs of clinics, studying to explore the trend, the needs of using blood and its products in clinics are very necessary. Objective: to identify needs using blood and blood products for patients with blood-related diseases at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion from 4/2005 - 03/2006. Subjects and methods: The retrospective study was carried out on all of the data about using blood and blood products for patients with blood- related diseases about: Name of patient, age, diagnosis. Kind of blood products, blood group, the time using blood and blood products. Result: The trend using of blood and blood products of clinics has increased (increased 1.64 times) from 2,132 units in April 2005 to 3,499 units in March 2006. Blood products are used 100%.T consumption seemed to increase during months at the end and earlier of year, especially March 2006. Red cell concentrate used mostly. 0 blood type was used most often. Conclusion: Identifying needs using blood for patients with blood-related disease in clinics are base in order to National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion has planned to collect, screen and make blood products to assure supplying blood and blood products enough and safety. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Blood

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains with positive cagA gene can induce an advanced severe condition of atrophic gastritis and a higher risk of gastric carcinoma than those without cagA gene. Objective: To carry out the full sequence of cagA gene and preliminary analysis, classify cagA protein in H. pylori strains in Vietnamese patients. Subjects and method: 5 patients with H. pylori strains from Ho Chi Minh city were enrolled in the study. H. pylori was cultured and determined by PCR before sequencing full cagA gene. Analyzing cagA gene and constructing phylogenetic tree using biometrics and bioinformatics software. Results: The length of open reading frame of cagA gene of H. pylori strains in Vietnamese patients was 3480-3588 base-pairs, the number of amino acid in relavant cagA protein was 1159-1195 amino acids and all cagA protein molecules belonged to East Asian cagA, none of them was Western cagA. Even with the same classification of East Asian cagA, the Japanese H. pylori strains and Vietnamese strains were located in different cluster in phylogenetic tree. Conclusion: The study suggested that H. pylori cagA proteins in patients from Ho Chi Minh city belonged to East Asian cagA.
Helicabacter pylori ; H. pylori ; cagA

Introduction: Laboratory capacity is needed in central Viet Nam to provide early warning to public health authorities of respiratory outbreaks of importance to human health, for example the outbreak of influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in 2009. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures established as part of a capacity-building process were used to conduct prospective respiratory surveillance in a region where few previous studies have been undertaken. Methods: Between October 2008 and September 2010, nose and throat swabs from adults and children (approximately 20 per week) presenting with an acute respiratory illness to the Ninh Hoa General Hospital were collected. Same-day PCR testing and result reporting for 13 respiratory viruses were carried out by locally trained scientists. Results: Of 2144 surveillance samples tested, 1235 (57.6%) were positive for at least one virus. The most common were influenza A strains (17.9%), with pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 and seasonal H3N2 strain accounting for 52% and 43% of these, respectively. Other virus detections included: rhinovirus (12.4%), enterovirus (8.9%), influenza B (8.3%), adenovirus (5.3%), parainfluenza (4.7%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (3.9%), human coronavirus (3.0%) and human metapneumovirus (0.3%). The detection rate was greatest in the 0–5 year age group. Viral co-infections were identified in 148 (6.9%) cases. Discussion: The outbreak in 2009 of the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic strain provided a practical test of the laboratory’s pandemic plan. This study shows that the availability of appropriate equipment and molecular-based testing can contribute to important individual and public health outcomes in geographical locations susceptible to emerging infections.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dravet syndrome is a rare and severe type of epilepsy in infants. The heterogeneity in the overall intellectual disability that these patients suffer from has been attributed to differences in genetic background and epilepsy severity. METHODS: Eighteen Vietnamese children diagnosed with Dravet syndrome were included in this study. SCN1A variants were screened by direct sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Adaptive functioning was assessed in all patients using the Vietnamese version of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and the results were analyzed relative to the SCN1A variants and epilepsy severity. RESULTS: We identified 13 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants, including 6 that have not been reported previously. We found no correlations between the presence or type of SCN1A variants and the level of adaptive functioning impairment or severity of epilepsy. Only two of nine patients aged at least 5 years had an adaptive functioning score higher than 50. Both of these patients had a low frequency of convulsive seizures and no history of status epilepticus or prolonged seizures. The remaining seven had very low adaptive functioning scores (39 or less) despite the variability in the severity of their epilepsy confirming the involvement of factors other than the severity of epilepsy in determining the developmental outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study expands the spectrum of known SCN1A variants and confirms the current understanding of the role of the genetic background and epilepsy severity in determining the developmental outcome of Dravet syndrome patients.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Child* ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic* ; Epilepsy ; Genetic Background ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Characteristics ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus ; Weights and Measures

The optimal condition for Moringa oleifera root barks extraction was determined using response surface methodology and Box-Behnken Design. The actual optimal condition of the factors was 65 o C, ethanol 60%, 40 (mL/g) liquid-to-solid ratio with 240 minutes extraction time. The enrichment of phenolic compounds sharply affected the antioxidant, and inhibitions of α-amylase enzyme, as well as, the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract from M. oleifera root barks. The extract in the optimal condition exhibited better 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and α-amylase inhibitory activities than those of positive controls.Also, the extract showed weak hydroxyl free radical scavenging and nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effects. These revealed a simple and promising method for the preparation of bioactive products from the root bark of M. oleifera.

As authorities braced for the arrival of the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), infrastructure investments and government directives prompted action in central Viet Nam to establish capacity for genomic surveillance sequencing. From 17 November 2021 to 7 January 2022, the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang sequenced 162 specimens from 98 150 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in the region collected from 8 November to 31 December 2021. Of these, all 127 domestic cases were identified as the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, whereas 92% (32/35) of imported cases were identified as the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant, all among international flight passengers. Patients were successfully isolated, enabling health-care workers to prepare for additional cases. Most (78%) of the 32 Omicron cases were fully vaccinated, suggesting continued importance of public health and social measures to control the spread of new variants.