5 methods for the detection of new leprosy cases have been implemented in 6 provinces of the central of Vietnam, namely Danang, Khanhhoa, Binhdinh, Lamdong, Ninhthuan and Binhthuan. The results of each method were detailed evaluated and analysed. Contact survey has proved to be effective with the detection rate of 480 per 100.000. While group survey had no good result with the detection rate of 11.94 per 100.000. The method of mass survey was expensive, not so effective (12.07 per 100.000). It should be applied in areas where the prevalence of the disease is high. Notification of patients through general health system was relatively fruitful (152.20 per 100.000). Passive method of detection through health education was very easy to conduct and economic. This method must be carried out in every where
Leprosy ; Leprostatic Agents

A survey on mortality was conducted in December 1997 in Quang Ninh. 60 out of 178 communes were randomly selected for the survey and 60 commune health staffs made the interviews from commune health supervised by 20 physicians from the provincial center for preventive medicine. It was found that the mortality rates of under 1 and under 5 year old children were 23 and 36 per thousand live births respectively. High mortality due to ARI and accidents was recorded. Mortality due to diarrhoea, malnutrition and vaccine preventable diseases was low. 25% of children deaths were recurred at home out
mortality ; Malnutrition ; child

Up to 31st June 2002, the total number of HIV/AIDS infected patients of Khanh Hoa province is 1009. An average of 100 new HIV-positive cases were identified per year. The prevalence is 71.27 cases per 100,000 people, highest in central region. The rate of new infected females gradually increased. The infection rate was also high at 20-to-49-age group, and the rate in drug-addicts was highest. HIV infection rate was also increased among STIs patients, sex-worker, and criminals
HIV ; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Diseases ; epidemiology

A retrospective study was carried out on 66 patients (44 female, 22 male), mean age: 55.8 (31-87 years old) who were undergone laparoscopic cholecytectomy (LC) for acute calculus cholecystitis. Among them, 22 patients (33.3%) had one or more associated internal diseases. 12 patients (18.2%) had gangrenous cholecystitis. LC was successful in 61 patients (92.4%), other 5 patients (7.6) were transferred to open procedure. In 55 patients (83.3%), LC was performed with 3-trocar technique. The mean operative time was 108 ± 41 minutes (from 40 to 295 minutes). The mean hospital stay was 4 ± 1.8 days (range 2 to 11 days). Complications occurred in 10.6% of patients. There was no intraoperative bile duct injury and there was no death in this study
Cholecystitis ; Laparoscopy

Retrospective study was carried out on all patients treated for perforated tuberculous enteritis treated at Gia Dinh Hospital between 1999 and 2004. Definite diagnosis of perforated tuberculous enteritis was based on surgical and histopathological findings. Results: there were 15 patients including 14 males and 1 female with mean age of 39 years (range 20 to 82 years). Noticeable clinical manifestations were: abdominal pain (steadily severe in 5 patients and insidious with exacerbation in 10 patients), fever above 38oC in 5 patients, cachexia in 11 patients, abdominal tenderness and muscular guarding in 15 patients, preoperative shock in 4 patients. 60% of patients experienced tuberculosis and 60% patients had imagines of free gas in abdominal cavities on X-ray films. 6 patients had leucopenia and 5 patients had HIV positive. In operation, perforations were found in ileum and ileocecal region in 86.7% of cases. Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 60% and 46.7%, respectively
Enteritis ; Diagnosis ; Therapeutics ; Surgery

Background: Nha Trang city located in central Viet Nam, has had dramatic economic development in recent years. The economic development has also leads to changes in the environment. Previous studies showed that cancers were closely related to environmental factors, but there was no study on this issue in Nha Trang city. Objectives: The study aimed to describe the cancer cases that were recorded in the cancer registration and the related environmental factors in Vinh Luong commune and the three neighborhood communes of Nha Trang city. Subjects and method: 192 patients who were diagnosed with cancer in the provincial general hospital and other hospitals from 1/1/2000 to 30/9/2006 and have resided in 4 above communes. Water samples collected from 14 water-wells from these communes were tested for chemical pollution and bacteria index. 20 sites in Van Dang village were tested for radioactive pollution levels. Results: Average crude morbidity of cancer per 100,000 inhabitants per year in Van Dang village and Vinh Luong commune and in the 4 communes as a whole, were 64.9, 51 and 53.3, respectively. The rates for male and female were 65.0 and 41.0, respectively. The most common cancers in women were cervical and breast cancers (11.8% and 9.2%, respectively). For men, leading cancers were liver cancer (31.9%) and lung cancer (14.7%). Almost all of the water samples did not meet the hygiene standard for nitrate (NO3) and coliform. Natural radioactive levels in these 4 communes were normal. Conclusion: Van Dang village had the highest cancer prevalence per 100,000 habitants compared to the other villages of Vinh Luong commune, but it was still lower than that of some other provinces. Most of the water samples collected from the water-wells did not met standard for nitrate levels and coliform.
Cancer ; environmental factor ; water pollution

Problem: The paper tools used to monitor outreach work in all major cities in Viet Nam had substantial writing requirements for each contact with difficulty maintaining confidentiality. Action: This paper describes the development of a Unique Identifier Code (UIC), a field data collection notebook (databook)and a computer data entry system in Viet Nam. The databook can document 40 individual clients and has space forcommodity distribution, group contacts and needles/syringe collection for each month. Outcome: Field implementation trials of the UIC and databook have been undertaken by more than 160 peer outreachworkers to document their work with people who inject drugs (PWID) and sex workers (SW). Following an expanded trialin Hai Phong province, there have been requests for national circulation of the databook to be used by peer educators documenting outreach to PWID, SW and men who have sex with men. The standardized UIC and databook, in a variety of locally adapted formats, have now been introduced in more than 40 of the 63 provinces in Viet Nam. Discussion: This development in Viet Nam is, to our knowledge, the first example of the combination of a confidential UIC and an innovative, simple pocket-sized paper instrument with associated customized data-entry software for documenting outreach.

OBJECTIVESTwo assay methods, namely the neutral Comet assay andterminal desoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) assay, were carried out for comparison to investigate the capability of using the neutral Comet assay as an alternative for detection of apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODSChinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO-K1) cells were exposed to gamma-rays with different doses and then the frequencies of apoptotic cells were determined at given points of time using the neutral Comet assay andTdT assay.

RESULTSApoptotic frequency of CHO-K1 cells after gamma-irradiation is dependent on both time after irradiation and radiation dose using either the neutral Comet assay orTdT assay. There are differences between the data obtained using the neutral Comet assay andTdT assay (p<0.01, Student's t-test).

CONCLUSIONSThe neutral Comet assay appears to be an appropriate tool for detection of radiationinduced apoptosis at the early stage of the process. Compared to the other methods such as theTdT assay, the neutral Comet assay is a rapid, simple and economical method for detection of apoptosis.

Three yeast strains (Hue-1, Hue-8, and Hue-19) with strong heavy metal tolerance were isolated from mangosteen from Hue city, Vietnam. They exhibited identical phenotype and phylogeny. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region demonstrated that the closest relative of these strains is Papiliotrema sp. with 2.12% and 3.55–3.7% divergence in the D1/D2 domain, and ITS domain, respectively. Based on the physiological, biochemical, and molecular data, the three strains belong to a novel species of Papiliotrema genus, for which the namePapiliotrema huenov sp. nov. is proposed. These strains are highly tolerant of heavy metals compared to other yeasts, being able to grow in the presence of 2 mM Pb (II), 2 mM Cd (II), and up to 5 mM Ni (II), but no growth was observed in the presence of 1 mM As (III).

Background: Monitoring antimalarial drug quality should be conducted regularly in locals to enhance the effect of treatment for malaria \r\n', u'Objective: to study and analyze antimalarial drug quality\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study was carried out in 2007 for 5 provinces supported by the Global Fund: Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri and Gia Lai. Material were malaria drugs: artesunat, chloroquin, quinine, mefloquin, fansidar\u2026etc\r\n', u'Results and conclusion: The strict supervision on the anti-malarial drug quality by the National Malaria Control Program was very good and no substandard antimalarial drugs were detected. Evaluation of antimalarial drug quality and control was made for finding out the counterfeit drugs through sentinel sites in both private and public sectors. A total of 268 samples were collected, of which 13 samples were found substandard drugs (8 samples collected in private and 5 samples in public sectors). No counterfeit drugs were found. \r\n', u'
Antimalarial drug ; quality ; monitoring