Objective: To investigate the cause of a foodborne outbreak that occurred in Dong Nai province, Viet Nam, in 2024, and implement control measures. Methods: An initial investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak, which was followed by epidemiological and environmental investigations to find the plausible causative food item. Clinical specimens and food samples were tested to identify the pathogen. Results: A total of 547 symptomatic cases were recorded, of whom two were in severe condition requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventilation, one of whom died. Among 99 interviewed cases, the mean incubation time was 9 hours (range 2–24 hours), with the main symptoms being fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. All patients had eaten banh mi from a local bakery. Salmonella spp. were identified in food samples and clinical specimens. The bakery halted production, and the outbreak ended after 1 week. Discussion: All the patients were exposed to only one food in common, which facilitated the investigation process. This outbreak is a reminder to small retailers and take-away shops of the importance of food safety management in preventing similar future outbreaks. All food handlers must comply with food hygiene principles, especially in hot temperatures, which boosts bacterial growth.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to characterize mental health issues among Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) and to identify related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 990 HCWs in 2021. Their mental health status was measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Results: In total, 49.9%, 52.3%, and 29.8% of respondents were found to have depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The multivariable linear regression model revealed that factors associated with increased anxiety scores included depression scores (β, 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.51) and stress scores (β, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.52). Factors associated with increased depression scores included being frontline HCWs (β, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.10 to 1.10), stress scores (β, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.56), and anxiety scores (β, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.47), while working experience was associated with reduced depression scores (β, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.16 to -0.01). Factors associated with increased stress scores included working experience (β, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.16), personal protective equipment interference with daily activities (β, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.07 to 1.00), depression scores (β, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.59), and anxiety scores (β, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.50), while age was associated with reduced stress scores (β, -0.12; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.05). Conclusions Specific interventions are necessary to enhance and promote the mental health of HCWs so they can successfully cope with the circumstances of the pandemic.

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the workload of healthcare workers (HCWs), impacting their health. This study aimed to assess sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and identify factors associated with poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1000 frontline HCWs were recruited from various healthcare facilities in Vietnam between October 2021 and November 2021. Data were collected using a 3-part self-administered questionnaire, which covered demographics, sleep quality, and factors related to poor sleep. Poor sleep quality was defined as a total PSQI score of 5 or higher. Results: Participants’ mean age was 33.20±6.81 years (range, 20.0-61.0), and 63.0% were women. The median work experience was 8.54±6.30 years. Approximately 6.3% had chronic comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. About 59.5% were directly responsible for patient care and treatment, while 7.1% worked in tracing and sampling. A total of 73.8% reported poor sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between poor sleep quality and the presence of chronic comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 5.24), being a frontline HCW directly involved in patient care and treatment (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.16), increased working hours (OR, 1.84; 95% CI,1.37 to 2.48), and a higher frequency of encountering critically ill and dying patients (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.95). Conclusions The high prevalence of poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to that in other countries. Working conditions should be adjusted to improve sleep quality among this population.

Background: This study was conducted on 93 volunteers with type 2 diabetes to investigate the ability of acetylated wheat starch cake containing 32.1% resistant starch to control postprandial blood glucose levels. Material and methods: The study was designed using a crossover, double-blind trial method. During each testing day, after a minimum of 12 hours of overnight fasting, each participant consumed two identical cakes containing either 80 g of acetylated wheat starch or 80 g natural wheat starch with 330ml of water within 15 minutes. Blood glucose levels were measured at baseline, 60 mins (G1), and 120 mins (G2) after ingestion. The predictive value of factors that contribute to the ability of resistant starch to control postprandial blood glucose was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve based on the combined effect of the cake weight-to-BMI ratio (g/m²BMI) and HbA1c. Results: 60 mins and 120 mins postprandial capillary glucose levels after consuming acetylated wheat starch cake (10.4 ± 1.2 và 9.2 ± 1.2 mmol/L, respectively) were significantly lower compared with natural wheat starch cake (13.3 ± 1.8 và 11.2 ± 1.8 mmol/L, respectively) (p < 0.05). For good control of postprandial blood glucose levels, a maximum of 80 g of acetylated wheat starch can be used per serving for patients with type 2 diabetes with HbA1c ≤ 7.25 without blood glucose-lowering medication is required. Conclusion: acetylated wheat starch has better ontroled of postprandial blood glucose compared with natural wheat starch in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is very suitable in the processing of diets including resistant starch for patients with type 2 diabetes for the purpose of both supporting treatment and improving quality of life.

Objective: To investigate the cause of a botulism outbreak in several provinces in Viet Nam in 2020. Methods: An initial investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak and to form hypotheses about the potential causes, followed by a case–control assessment of the plausible causative food item. Collected food samples were tested to identify the pathogen, and mouse bioassays were performed. Control measures were introduced to stop the outbreak and to prevent similar events in the future. Results: Twelve people in six southern provinces of Viet Nam were identified as having symptoms of botulism, of whom 11 were in critical condition requiring breathing support. A history of foods eaten in the 4 days before illness onset indicated that all the cases had eaten a tinned vegetarian pate, and a case–control assessment showed that this was significantly associated with the outbreak, with an odds ratio of 35.2 (95% confidence interval: 3.4–infinity). Clostridium botulinum type B was detected in three of eight pâté samples collected from the houses of cases. In the mouse bioassay for the toxicity of the pâté samples, all the mice died with clinical symptoms of botulism. Discussion: A tinned vegetarian pate was the plausible cause of a botulism outbreak in Viet Nam in 2020. Revision of food safety regulations to improve quality control of tinned foods to prevent future outbreaks is recommended.

OBJECTIVES: The average alcohol consumption per capita among Vietnamese adults has consistently increased. Although alcohol-related disorders have been extensively studied, there is a paucity of research shedding light on this issue among Internet users. The study aimed to examine the severity of alcohol-related disorders and other associated factors that might predispose individuals towards alcohol usage in a sample of youths recruited online. METHODS: An online cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,080 Vietnamese youths. A standardized questionnaire was used. Respondent-driven sampling was applied to recruit participants. Multivariate logistic and Tobit regressions were utilized to identify the associated factors. RESULTS: About 59.5% of the males and 12.7% of the total youths declared that they were actively using alcohol. From the total sample, a cumulative total of 32.3% of the participants were drinking alcohol, with 21.8% and 25.0% of the participants being classified as drinking hazardously and binge drinkers, respectively. The majority of the participants (60.7%) were in the pre-contemplative stage. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of hazardous drinking was recognized among online Vietnamese youths. In addition, we found relationships between alcohol use disorder and other addictive disorders, such as tobacco smoking and water-pipe usage. Our results highlighted that the majority of the individuals are not receptive to the idea of changing their alcohol habits, and this would imply that there ought to be more government effort towards the implementation of effective alcohol control policies.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Alcohol-Related Disorders ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drinking ; Humans ; Internet ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Vietnam

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To compare the performance of a modified Glasgow Blatchford score (mGBS) to the Glasgow Blatchford score (GBS) and the pre-endoscopic Rockall score (RS) in predicting clinical interventions in Vietnamese patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AN-VUGIB). METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in five tertiary hospitals from May 2013 to February 2014. The mGBS, GBS, and pre-endoscopic RS scores were prospectively calculated for all patients. The accuracy of mGBS was compared with that of GBS and pre-endoscopic RS using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Clinical interventions were defined as blood transfusions, endoscopic or radiological intervention, or surgery. RESULTS: There were 395 patients including 128 (32.4%) needing endoscopic treatment, 117 (29.6%) requiring blood transfusion and two (0.5%) needing surgery. In predicting the need for clinical intervention, the mGBS (AUC, 0.707) performed as well as the GBS (AUC, 0.708; p=0.87) and outperformed the pre-endoscopic RS (AUC, 0.594; p<0.001). However, none of these scores effectively excluded the need for endoscopic intervention at a threshold of 0. CONCLUSIONS: mGBS performed as well as GBS and better than pre-endoscopic RS for predicting clinical interventions in Vietnamese patients with ANVUGIB.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Blood Transfusion ; Cohort Studies* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies* ; ROC Curve ; Tertiary Care Centers

A population-based cohort study on pediatric infectious diseases was established at Khanh Hoa Province, central Vietnam in 2006, to determine the etiology and risk factors for severe pediatric infectious diseases (SPID) such as acute respiratory infection (ARI), diarrhea and dengue which are the major causes of under 5 mortality. A population census survey was conducted in Nha-Trang and Ninh-Hoa to collect demographic, social-behavioral data and disease burden on SPID. The study site covered a population of 353,525 residing in 75,826 households with 24,781 children less than 5 years. Hospital databases from two hospitals covering the region were obtained. Linking the census and hospital databases, we were able to investigate on a variety of SPID such as environmental tobacco smoking exposure and increased risked of pediatric pneumonia hospitalization, population density, water supply and risk of dengue fever and animal livestock and risk of hospitalized diarrhea. To determine incidence, viral etiology and risk factors for pediatric ARI/pneumonia, we setup a population based prospective hospitalized Pediatric ARI surveillance at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, Nha-Trang in February 2007. The study has revealed RSV, rhinovirus and influenza A as major viral pathogens, role of multiple viral infection and its interaction with bacteria in the development of pneumonia. In addition, we are also conducting a birth cohort study to investigate the incidence of congenital infection and its impact on physical-neurological development, and role of host genetic polymorphism on SPID hospitalization in Vietnam. Population mobility, high cost of regular census update and low mortality are the challenges.

A population-based cohort study on pediatric infectious diseases was established at Khanh Hoa Province, central Vietnam in 2006, to determine the etiology and risk factors for severe pediatric infectious diseases (SPID) such as acute respiratory infection (ARI), diarrhea and dengue which are the major causes of under 5 mortality. A population census survey was conducted in Nha-Trang and Ninh-Hoa to collect demographic, social-behavioral data and disease burden on SPID. The study site covered a population of 353,525 residing in 75,826 households with 24,781 children less than 5 years. Hospital databases from two hospitals covering the region were obtained. Linking the census and hospital databases, we were able to investigate on a variety of SPID such as environmental tobacco smoking exposure and increased risked of pediatric pneumonia hospitalization, population density, water supply and risk of dengue fever and animal livestock and risk of hospitalized diarrhea. To determine incidence, viral etiology and risk factors for pediatric ARI/pneumonia, we setup a population based prospective hospitalized Pediatric ARI surveillance at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, Nha-Trang in February 2007. The study has revealed RSV, rhinovirus and influenza A as major viral pathogens, role of multiple viral infection and its interaction with bacteria in the development of pneumonia. In addition, we are also conducting a birth cohort study to investigate the incidence of congenital infection and its impact on physical-neurological development, and role of host genetic polymorphism on SPID hospitalization in Vietnam. Population mobility, high cost of regular census update and low mortality are the challenges.

Background: Shigella-induced diarrhea has been considered a major health problem leading to high morbidity and mortality. This disease can lead to dire consequences; however, the true burden of the disease, including the costs and sequalae associated with shigellosis is not yet known. Objectives: (1) To describe the health seeking behavior and the way of payment of population when suffering Shigella; (2) To identify and analyze the direct household costs associated with the treatment of diarrhea due to Shigella. Subjects and method: 290 patients of all ages with positive Shigella diarrhea admitted to public health facilities in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province in the period from August 2002 to January 2004 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three age groups, the first 0-5, second 5-18 and the last one was over 18 years old. Patients and their relatives were interviewed at three stages - day 7, day 14 and day 90 - to obtain all the required information. Results: 134 of 290 patients (47%) paid for using the other health care services before admission to the study\u2019s facilities. The average direct cost per episode for the patients at group aged 0-5 was 129,000 VND, group aged 6-18 was 59,267 VND and over 18 years old was 173,531 VND; it was 131.960 VND for three groups. Comparison with the average household expenditure for health care, it was higher in the poorer group and it was lower three times than the richest group. The average direct medical cost per episode was higher the average direct non-medical cost per episode for all groups. Conclusions: The average direct cost per episode of Shigellosis treatment was rather high especially the average direct cost for the treatment at the health facility. It was also high compared with the average expenditure for health per capita so that it becomes large economic burden for households.
Direct cost ; Shigella ; treatment