Introduction: Hospitals are a key source of information for the early identification of emerging disease outbreaks and acute public health events for risk assessment, decision-making and public health response. The objective of this study was to identify potential facilitators and barriers for event reporting from the curative sector to the preventive medicine sector in Viet Nam. Methods: In 2016, we conducted 18 semi-structured, in-depth interviews, as well as nine focus group discussions, with representatives from the curative and preventive medicine sectors in four provinces. We transcribed the interviews and focus group discussions and used thematic analysis to identify the factors that appeared to affect public health event reporting. Results: We identified five major themes. First, the lack of a legal framework to guide reporting meant hospital staff relied on internal procedures that varied from hospital to hospital, which sometimes delayed reporting. Second, participants stated the importance of an enabling environment, such as leadership support and having focal points for reporting, to facilitate reporting. Third, participants described the potential benefits of reporting, such as support provided during outbreaks and information received about local outbreaks. Fourth, some challenges prohibited timely reporting such as not perceiving reporting to be the task of the curative sector and hesitancy to report without laboratory confirmation. Finally, limited resources and specialist capacities in remote areas hindered timely detection and reporting of unusual events. Discussion: This study identified potential opportunities to promote the detection and reporting of unusual events from health-care workers to the public health sector, and thus to improve the overall health security system in Viet Nam.The influenza virus is a respiratory pathogen that is transmitted through respiratory droplets.1 During seasonal influenza epidemics, high attack rates cause a significant public health burden.2 The infection is usually self-limited in young adults but can lead to severe infections in people in high-risk groups, including elderly people (> 65 years old), pregnant women, children aged 6–59 months and adults with chronic illnesses.3

Objectives: Vertebral fractures are associated with disability and mortality, but most vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of and develop a predictive nomogram for asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese adults. Methods: This cohort study as a part of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study involved 168 men and 287 women aged 50 years and older without a clinically diagnosed vertebral fracture. Their spine x-rays were taken at the recruitment and subsequent 2-year visit. Vertebral fractures were ascertained using the Genant’s semiquantitative method. We employed the Bayesian Model Averaging method to search for the optimal model for predicting asymptomatic vertebral fractures. A predictive nomogram was also developed to facilitate risk prediction. Results: During a median of 2.38 years of follow-up, 13 men and 16 women developed an asymptomatic vertebral fracture, yielding the overall incidence rate of 28 fractures per 1000 person-years, or 33 fractures/1000 personyears in men and 24 fractures/1000 person-years in women, respectively. Most asymptomatic vertebral fractures were moderate, almost 1.5 times more common than mild fractures. The optimal model for predicting incident asymptomatic vertebral fractures included age, male sex and lower femoral neck T-score. The area under the receiver’s operating characteristic curve was 0.91, with 95% CI ranging from 0.86 to 0.96. Conclusions Asymptomatic vertebral fractures were relatively common among adults in Vietnam. A simple model with sex, age and femoral neck T-score is helpful for selective screening of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese individuals.

Objectives: Vertebral fractures are associated with disability and mortality, but most vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of and develop a predictive nomogram for asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese adults. Methods: This cohort study as a part of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study involved 168 men and 287 women aged 50 years and older without a clinically diagnosed vertebral fracture. Their spine x-rays were taken at the recruitment and subsequent 2-year visit. Vertebral fractures were ascertained using the Genant’s semiquantitative method. We employed the Bayesian Model Averaging method to search for the optimal model for predicting asymptomatic vertebral fractures. A predictive nomogram was also developed to facilitate risk prediction. Results: During a median of 2.38 years of follow-up, 13 men and 16 women developed an asymptomatic vertebral fracture, yielding the overall incidence rate of 28 fractures per 1000 person-years, or 33 fractures/1000 personyears in men and 24 fractures/1000 person-years in women, respectively. Most asymptomatic vertebral fractures were moderate, almost 1.5 times more common than mild fractures. The optimal model for predicting incident asymptomatic vertebral fractures included age, male sex and lower femoral neck T-score. The area under the receiver’s operating characteristic curve was 0.91, with 95% CI ranging from 0.86 to 0.96. Conclusions Asymptomatic vertebral fractures were relatively common among adults in Vietnam. A simple model with sex, age and femoral neck T-score is helpful for selective screening of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese individuals.

Objectives: Vertebral fractures are associated with disability and mortality, but most vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of and develop a predictive nomogram for asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese adults. Methods: This cohort study as a part of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study involved 168 men and 287 women aged 50 years and older without a clinically diagnosed vertebral fracture. Their spine x-rays were taken at the recruitment and subsequent 2-year visit. Vertebral fractures were ascertained using the Genant’s semiquantitative method. We employed the Bayesian Model Averaging method to search for the optimal model for predicting asymptomatic vertebral fractures. A predictive nomogram was also developed to facilitate risk prediction. Results: During a median of 2.38 years of follow-up, 13 men and 16 women developed an asymptomatic vertebral fracture, yielding the overall incidence rate of 28 fractures per 1000 person-years, or 33 fractures/1000 personyears in men and 24 fractures/1000 person-years in women, respectively. Most asymptomatic vertebral fractures were moderate, almost 1.5 times more common than mild fractures. The optimal model for predicting incident asymptomatic vertebral fractures included age, male sex and lower femoral neck T-score. The area under the receiver’s operating characteristic curve was 0.91, with 95% CI ranging from 0.86 to 0.96. Conclusions Asymptomatic vertebral fractures were relatively common among adults in Vietnam. A simple model with sex, age and femoral neck T-score is helpful for selective screening of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese individuals.

Objectives: Vertebral fractures are associated with disability and mortality, but most vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of and develop a predictive nomogram for asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese adults. Methods: This cohort study as a part of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study involved 168 men and 287 women aged 50 years and older without a clinically diagnosed vertebral fracture. Their spine x-rays were taken at the recruitment and subsequent 2-year visit. Vertebral fractures were ascertained using the Genant’s semiquantitative method. We employed the Bayesian Model Averaging method to search for the optimal model for predicting asymptomatic vertebral fractures. A predictive nomogram was also developed to facilitate risk prediction. Results: During a median of 2.38 years of follow-up, 13 men and 16 women developed an asymptomatic vertebral fracture, yielding the overall incidence rate of 28 fractures per 1000 person-years, or 33 fractures/1000 personyears in men and 24 fractures/1000 person-years in women, respectively. Most asymptomatic vertebral fractures were moderate, almost 1.5 times more common than mild fractures. The optimal model for predicting incident asymptomatic vertebral fractures included age, male sex and lower femoral neck T-score. The area under the receiver’s operating characteristic curve was 0.91, with 95% CI ranging from 0.86 to 0.96. Conclusions Asymptomatic vertebral fractures were relatively common among adults in Vietnam. A simple model with sex, age and femoral neck T-score is helpful for selective screening of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese individuals.

Objectives: Vertebral fractures are associated with disability and mortality, but most vertebral fractures are asymptomatic. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of and develop a predictive nomogram for asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese adults. Methods: This cohort study as a part of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study involved 168 men and 287 women aged 50 years and older without a clinically diagnosed vertebral fracture. Their spine x-rays were taken at the recruitment and subsequent 2-year visit. Vertebral fractures were ascertained using the Genant’s semiquantitative method. We employed the Bayesian Model Averaging method to search for the optimal model for predicting asymptomatic vertebral fractures. A predictive nomogram was also developed to facilitate risk prediction. Results: During a median of 2.38 years of follow-up, 13 men and 16 women developed an asymptomatic vertebral fracture, yielding the overall incidence rate of 28 fractures per 1000 person-years, or 33 fractures/1000 personyears in men and 24 fractures/1000 person-years in women, respectively. Most asymptomatic vertebral fractures were moderate, almost 1.5 times more common than mild fractures. The optimal model for predicting incident asymptomatic vertebral fractures included age, male sex and lower femoral neck T-score. The area under the receiver’s operating characteristic curve was 0.91, with 95% CI ranging from 0.86 to 0.96. Conclusions Asymptomatic vertebral fractures were relatively common among adults in Vietnam. A simple model with sex, age and femoral neck T-score is helpful for selective screening of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in Vietnamese individuals.

This article describes Viet Nam Ministry of Health’s (VMoH) activities to prepare for and respond to the threat Zika virus (ZIKV), including the adaptation of existing surveillance systems to encompass ZIKV surveillance.

Aims: Microorganisms play a vital role in the breakdown of natural organic compounds and are valuable objects for worldwide enzyme production. The aim of this study was to identify favorable production conditions for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens D19 protease, followed by the purification and chemical characterization of this novel enzyme to assess its potential applications in various fields. Methodology and results: In this study, favorable conditions of protease production from B. amyloliquefaciens D19 were determined using a medium containing soluble starch (1.5%), earthworm extract (1.0%), yeast extract (0.5%), NaCl (1.0%), at pH 7.0-8.0, 37 °C for 36 h with 150 rpm shaking condition. The protease was purified and had a molecular weight of about 23 kDa. The optimum condition for casein hydrolysis was at 40 °C and pH 6.5-7.0 in the presence of 1.0 mM Na+ or 5.0 mM Zn2+. The enzymatic activity was maintained at 75-100% at 30-50 °C and in pH 6.0-10.0. The values of Vmax and KM were also determined as 1547 U/mg and 6.33 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The identified optimal conditions will serve as the foundation for the production of the 23 kDa B. amyloliquefaciens D19 protease, one of the smallest proteases within the Bacillus genus. Moreover, its notable heat resistance, broad pH tolerance, high substrate catalysis and moderate substrate binding affinity make this enzyme a promising candidate for various applications in the food-feed and brewing industries.