ObjectiveTo investigate the current status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among the elderly population in rural areas of Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, and to provide an evidence for the development of LTBI prevention and control measures. MethodsBetween January and May 2024, elderly individuals participating in urban and rural residents’ health checkups were screened for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection using a domestically produced interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) kit. Individuals tested positive by IGRA but without active tuberculosis were classified as LTBI cases. The prevalence of LTBI among the participants was subsequently analyzed. ResultsAmong the 6 765 subjects, 637 tested positive by IGRA, including one identified active tuberculosis patient, resulting in a LTBI prevalence rate of 9.40%. There was a statistically significant difference in positivity rates across different IGRA methodologies (χ²=35.530, P<0.001). Higher LTBI rate was observed in males, individuals with a history of diabetes mellitus, and those with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, exhibiting statistically significant differences (χ²=32.401, P<0.001; χ²=5.789, P=0.020; χ²=39.248, P<0.001, respectively.) No statistically significant difference in LTBI rate was found across different age groups (χ²=0.238, P=0.971). ConclusionThe prevalence of LTBI among the elderly rural residents in Changxing County is relatively low. Male, individuals with a history of diabetes mellitus, and those with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis have an increased risk of LTBI, warranting targeted risk monitoring and timely interventions.

Objective To study the relationship between monoeyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1)-2518A/G polymorphism and lung cancer in Han nationality of North China. Methods One hun-dred and thirty-four unrelated consecutive patients with lung cancer(112 with NSCLC, 22 with SCLC)and 82 healthy individuals were studied. The polymorphisms of MCP-1-2518A/G were detected with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP). Results The distribution of AA, AG and GG genotypes of MCP-1-2518 was significantly different in lung cancer patients compared with controls (X~2=8. 486,P=0. 014). There was a significant increase in the frequency of the AA genotype (OR=2. 645, X~2=6. 532, P=0.011) and a significant decrease in the frequency of the GG genotype (OR=0.519, X~2=4.929, P=0. 026)in the lung cancer patients, compared with controls. In the NSCLC patients the fre-quency of the AA genotype was higher than controls(OR=3. 138, X~2=8. 905, P=0.003) and the frequency of the GG genotype was lower than controls(OR=0. 516 ,X~2=4. 613, P=0. 032). The frequencies of AA, AG and GG genotypes in SCLC patients and controls had no difference. Conclusion This preliminary study showed that MCP-1-2518A/G polymorphism was associated with NSCLC but not SCLC.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESerum tumor markers play important roles in diagnosis, response and prognosis monitoring for lung cancer. The clinical significance of serum level of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) was investigated in diagnosis, response monitoring and prognosis in patients with lung cancer, compared with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), precursor of gastrin-releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) and cytokeratin-19-fragments (CYFRA21-1).

METHODSBlood samples of eighty-two patients with lung cancer before treatment and some after chemotherapy were measured by ELISA for four tumor markers.

RESULTSCompared with lung benign diseases group and health control group, the positive rates and levels of TPS, CEA and Pro-GRP in patients with lung cancer were higher, with statistically significant difference. TPS in extensive-small cell lung cancer was significant higher than that in limited-small cell lung cancer. The positive rates and levels of TPS, CEA and Pro-GRP in patients after treatment had significant decreases compared with before treatment. TPS was an independent prognostic factor of non-small cell lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONTPS is valuable to diagnosis, response monitoring for patients with lung cancer, moreover, it maybe a useful factor of prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptides ; blood ; Prognosis ; Protein Precursors ; blood ; ROC Curve

COVID-19 ; Humans ; Inflammation/genetics* ; Lung ; Pneumonia ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Serologic Tests