Background: From the first case of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam on December 1990, up to June 30th 2007, there were 126,543 cases of HIV infections, 24,788 AIDS patients and 13,874 AIDS-related deaths. Strong political commitments were given by the government to develop HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs. Objectives: To discover the current state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and HIV/AIDS prevention as well as control in a number of northern provinces and to discover various related factors. Subjects and method: An analytic cross-sectional study was carried out from 2006 to 2007 on the leaders of local authorities, health facilities and HIV-infected people in 7 northern provinces. The documents and reports related to HIV/AIDS prevention and control were reviewed. Results: HIV/AIDS epidemic is not the problem of only the health system; it was increasing as a complex problem. HIV infection rate was higher in Quang Ninh, Ha Noi, and Son La. Among HIV-infected people, drug-injected users accounted for 93%. The prevention of HIV/AIDS has been planed, carried out in all communities, but is not very efficient and it requires high-quality solutions that should be widened to control and reduce this disease. Conclusion: The efficacy of current HIV/AIDS prevention and control program was not proficient.
HIV/AIDS epidemic ; prevention ; control

Background: Neglected clubfoot is a common congenital abnormality of uncertain aetiology. It presents with abnormal foot, adductus, varus and equinus of the foot. In Vietnam, the number of people with clubfoot rather high.\r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate the results of using compression distraction counter direction threaded rod (CDCTR) and complications in clubfoot orthopedic surgery for older children and adults.\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: We studied and treated 118 severe clubfeet in older children and adults by compression distraction counter direction threaded rod (CDCTR) combined with minimal operative intervention.\r\n', u'The mean age of patients at the time of the surgery was 28.5 years (with the range of 3.5-54 years) and the mean follow-up time was 7.2 years (6 months-14 years). \r\n', u'Results: All cases achieved a plantigrade foot with better walking ability and great satisfaction with the results. There were no complications of note. The gradual correction by CDCTR combined with minimal operative intervention to treatment neglected clubfoot in the older children and adults achieved satisfactory results for functional and aesthetic aspects of the foot. \r\n', u'Conclusion: The role of physical therapy after clubfeet orthopedic surgery is very important in recovering the shape and function of the foot.\r\n', u'
Neglected clubfoot ; compression distraction counter direction threaded rod (CDCTR)

Background: There are many methods used in epidemiological studies of tuberculosis (TB) bacteria but Spoligotyping method is widely used with high accuracy, simple procedure, and carried out on strains containing a little of IS6110 segment \r\n', u'Objectives: To improve Spoligotyping technique and apply this technique to classify Mycobacterium tuberculosis\r\n', u'Subjects and method: Subjects and methods: The study included 12 medical waste samples collected at Thai Binh Hospital of Tuberculosis and 19 samples obtained from the The Hanoi Institute for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases. Spoligo model of 31 samples were analyzed based on Spotclust and SpoIDB4 database and divided up into family and subfamily.\r\n', u'Results: Spoligotyping technique has good results with the PCR product amplified 40 cycles and presented the film in 18 hours. Obtained results in 31 medical waste samples belong to 4 families: Beijing, EAI, T1 and H3-LAM9. EAI and Beijing are dominant families with 45.16% and 38.7%), respectively. T1 and H3-LAM9 are 12.9% and 3.22%, respectively. The number of samples in the study is little but the obtained rate of different spoligo models of strains are quite diversified (41.9%)\r\n', u'Conclusion: This result is relatively appropriate with previous studies on the distribution of EAI and Beijing families in Vietnam and the world. Spligotyping technique distinguished samples belonging to Beijing or non-Beijing families, which support for clinical treatment and development of new vaccines.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis

Several factors presumed to facilitate the transmission of Taenia spp. were reported in Vietnam. We conducted a cross-sectional study taking questionnaires from 1,185 participants, and collecting 1,151 sera and 1,036 stool samples in northern Vietnam. Sera were examined for circulating antigens of Taenia solium cysticerci using ELISA, stools for Taenia eggs by Kato-Katz smear, and copro-antigens by ELISA. Ag-ELISA revealed 4.6% antigen positivity, indicating infection with viable cysticerci. Taenia eggs were detected in 1.5% of participants. Copro-antigens were found in 2.8% of participants. Eating raw meat and/or vegetables was significantly associated with the presence of copro-antigen (OR=8.6, 95% CI: 1.16-63.9, P=0.01). Considering the high taeniasis prevalence and the associated threat, public health attention should be given to treat the tapeworm carriers in the projected areas.

Several factors presumed to facilitate the transmission of Taenia spp. were reported in Vietnam. We conducted a cross-sectional study taking questionnaires from 1,185 participants, and collecting 1,151 sera and 1,036 stool samples in northern Vietnam. Sera were examined for circulating antigens of Taenia solium cysticerci using ELISA, stools for Taenia eggs by Kato-Katz smear, and copro-antigens by ELISA. Ag-ELISA revealed 4.6% antigen positivity, indicating infection with viable cysticerci. Taenia eggs were detected in 1.5% of participants. Copro-antigens were found in 2.8% of participants. Eating raw meat and/or vegetables was significantly associated with the presence of copro-antigen (OR=8.6, 95% CI: 1.16-63.9, P=0.01). Considering the high taeniasis prevalence and the associated threat, public health attention should be given to treat the tapeworm carriers in the projected areas.