The study was conducted to evaluate the acceptability and the adaptability with a new food (yogurt) of young healthy children in community setting. Seventy-nine healthy children who were 6-24 months of old at baseline from a rural commune were selected to involve in this study. The children received 150 ml yogurt each day, six day a week for 13 weeks. The amount of yogurt consumed by children was recorded daily by health workers. In the first week, the 6 to 12, 13 to 18 and 19 to 24-month-old children consumed 68%, 65% and 84% serving portion, respectively. Age was the only factor that affected on the acceptability of the children (p<0.01). The young children adapted well with yogurt within 1-3 weeks. The older children adapted faster than the younger ones. The results showed that the acceptability and adaptability of the young children with new foods was high, although was slower in the younger children.
Yogurt ; child

The cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the treatment and nutritional care for the diarrhea children. The study showed that prevalence of diarrhea among the children with 6-24 months old during previous 2 weeks was 21.2%. Most of the mothers obeyed the treatment protocol of local health worker, however the rate of proper use of medicine was not high. Fat, fish, fruit and vegetables were generally not given to the diarrhea children
diarrhea ; child ; therapeutics ; diet therapy

Background: Food-born bacteria can be present in raw materials or contaminated foods during process and storage. Shrimp paste is a popular food in Viet Nam, but there are no studies on the hygiene and safety of this food. Objectives: To identify the microbial contamination of commercial shrimp paste available in Ha Noi City. Materials and method: A total of 50 shrimp paste samples were collected randomly from markets around Ha Noi City. Enumeration and isolation methods were used to determine the microbial contamination in these samples. Results: 100% of the samples were contaminated with Clostridium perfringens and Candida albicans. 10% of samples were contaminated with Coliform. Other pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae were not found in shrimp paste samples. Conclusion: Evaluation of microbial contamination in popular foods such as shrimp paste should be done regularly to prevent food-born diseases in the community.
Microbial contamination ; Food safety.

Background: Diarrhea is a leading cause of death in children under 5 years old, especially in developing countries. About 12.600 children die because of diarrhea everyday in Asia, Africa and Latin-America. Objective: To identify the main organism that causes diarrhea in children under 5 years old. Subject and Method: The etiology agents of diarrheal children under 5 years old admitted to the Pediatric Hospital in Hai Phong city were studied in the period from September 2006 to August 2007. A total of 968 children were examined for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Campylobacter, these pathogens as being significant bacteria associated with diarrhea. A total of 212 out of 968 cases were positive for bacteria. Result: The main pathogens were diarrheagenic Eschierichiacoli 153 (15.7%), Salmonella 12 (1.24%), Shigella 32 (3.3%). Vibirio paraheamolyticus 1(0.1%), Aeromonas 8 (0.8%), Campylobacter 6(0.6%) from rectal swabs and no Vibrio cholerae was found. The multiplex PCR assays for the identification of DEC was developed. DEC was classified into 6 categories with frequencies of EPEC 3.9%, ETEC 4.4%, EIEC 0.6%, EAggEC 6.7%, DAEC 0.1%, no EHEC was identified. Conclusion: An analysis of incidence of enteropathogens with respect to seasonal variant demonstrated that the frequencies of isolation of etiology agents mainly in July, August and September. This study also showed that diarrheagenic- Escherichia coli is the main organism causing diarrhea in children under 5 years old.
Diarrhea ; enteropathogenic bacteri ; diarrheagenic Eschierichiacoli

Background: Classification of vibriophages has been applied for epidemiological surveillance of cholera, but in Vietnam, there was virtually no knowledge about it. It is very important to determine whether the strains have common origin or different origins.Objectives: To classify vibriophages isolated from environmental surface water samples in Thai Binh in order to monitor cholera outbreaks. Subjects and method: Three vibriophages (84, 87, and 811) were collected from surface water samples in Thai Binh in 2006. Electronic microscopy was used to compare the size and morphology of Vibrio phages. Also, the structures of genomic DNA of vibriophages were compared by hind III digestion pattern and Southern blotting. Results: Vibriophages S4 and S11 isolated from Thai Binh were similar to kappa phage (a phage produced by V. cholerae 01 EI Tor strain), phage IV (a phage produced by V. cholerae 01 classical strain) in term of morphology and genome and were the same shape and DNA dimension of phage 1823 isolated from V. cholerae O139 strain in India and Bangladesh. Conclusion: Phage 84, 81 isolated from Thai Binh were new kinds of vibriophage isolated in Viet Nam. These findings were very useful for supervising and controlling cholera outbreaks in Vietnam.
Classification ; vibriophage ; environment surface water

Background: In recent years, some arbo viruses which causes acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) have been identified in serveral countries in the world such as Chandipura virus belonging to Rhabdoviridae family in India, Banna virus belonging to Reoviridae family in China. In Vietnam, apart from Japanese Encephalitis Virus which is considered as main cause of AES, there are a few intestinal viruses like Herpes symplex virus type 1 and 4 and Nam Dinh virus considering other causes of AES. Objective: To identify the hyppothesis that one virus strain parasitizing in mosquito in Gia Lai province causes AES in order to provide more information about virus strains which cause AES in Vietnam. Subjects and method: Aedes albopictus cell line clone C6/36 was used for the isolation of virus in 43 cerebrospinal fluid samples of patients who were treated in Gia Lai hospital, from January/2005 to July/2005. Result and Conclusion: One virus strain from a 3-year old girl in Gia Lai province was isolated in 2005. The virus coded 05VN225 has the morphology similar to other viruses belonging to Reoviridea family.The nucleic acid sequence of the virus was checked with specific primers of alphavirus and flavirus groups, Nam Dinh virus and Conti virus group B (reovirus) of the Reoviridae. The positive result was confirmed with reovirus primers. This member of the Reoviridae family was isolated from acute encephalitis syndrome in Vietnam in 2005. Further study on pathology of the virus is very necessary.
Encephalitis ; Arbovirus/ epidemiology ; pathology ; Reoviridae/ growth & ; development ; pathogenicity ;

Background: DNA biosensor is based on micro-nano technologies aimed at developing a rapid diagnostic device of infectious diseases and diseases related to genetic change. Biosensors are compact size, high sensitivity and low cost\r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate effect of biosensor in detecting specific gene fragments of Herpes Simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV)\r\n', u'Subjects and method: The electrical signals were recognized by means of transducer and from electrochemical detection of the hybridization between the probe 5\ufffd?AT CAC CGA CCC GGA GAG GGA C-3\ufffd?which were covalently immobilised onto the surface of micro electrodessensors in 3-aminopropyltri-ethoxysilance (APTS)-the conducting polymer matrix and the target (specific DNA sequences of HSV in the sample.\r\n', u'Results: The DNA sensor offers a very high sensitivity, a fast response time, less than 1 min with the DNA target concentration up to 1nM in aqueous media at room temperature.However, in order to detect target DNA in the real samples, samples must be extracted DNA, denatured DNA sequences from a double fiber to single fiber. The measurement should be done soon\r\n', u'Conclusion: The results show a large promise to develop quickly DNA sensors for widely application in bio-medical research \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Biosensing Techniques ; CNBP protein ; human ;

Background:The kit Crystal VC is a Lateral Flow Imunochromatographic test for the qualitative determination of Lipopolysacharide (LPS) antigen of both V cholerae 01 and 0139, from stool specimens, using monoclonal antibodies specific to V. cholerae 01 and 0139 LPS. It does not include culturing the specimen and is performed without the need for sophisticated laboratory equipment. \r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate the dipstick kit for detection of V. cholerae 01. Subjects and methods: A total of 65 stool specimens from diarrhea patients were tested to determine V. cholerae 01 by Crystal VC kit. \r\n', u'Results: The sensitivity of the 01 dipstick compared to culture was 93.7%, with a specificity of 87.7%. Crystal VC kit is simple, sensitivity, specific and does not require culturing procedures, making it suitable for direct detection of V. cholerae in clinical specimens. Also, the test only requires 10 minutes to complete.\r\n', u'Conclusions: The dipsticks test may be helpful in confirming clinically suspected cholera cases, especially during the start of an outbreak. Once a cholera outbreak has been confirmed, large scale preventive measures could be mobilized to minimize morbidity and mortality. \r\n', u'
Dipstick kit ; vibrio cholerae 01

Background: To distinguish the different types of pathogenic E. coli with other non-pathogenic E.coli in the intestine is extremely important in diagnosis. Up to date there are at least six types of E. coli that causes diarrhea. Objectives: We have designed a multiplex PCR assay for the direct detection of 6 categories of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Subjects and method: This techniques proved to be specific and rapid for detecting virulence genes from Shiga toxin-producing (stx and eae), enteropathoogenic (eae), enterotoxigenic (elt, est), ennteroinvasive (ipaH), enteroaggregative (aggR), and diffuse adherent (daaE) Esscherichia coli. The technique was applied to 295 clinical stool specimens. Results: The highest prevalence is EAggEC with 51 positive samples.(17.29%), 48 EIEC (16.27%), 17 EPEC (5.76%), 8 ETEC (LT) (2.71%), 5 ETEC (ST) (1.69%), 1 DAEC (0.34%), no STEC positive and 19 mix infections (6.44%). Conclusion: Multiplex PCR assay is a quick and highly accuurate technique. It is not only specific but can also amplify 7 virulence genes of diarrrheagenic E.coli at the same time. This method would offer an effective alternative to traditional culture methods for the identification and differentiation of human diarrhaegenic Escherichia coli.
direct PCR ; E.coli

To investigated the protective potential of ethanol extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis ) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury. Methods: Dried roots of S. baicalensis were extracted with ethanol and concentrated to yield a dry residue. Mice were administered 200 mg/kg of the ethanol extracts orally once daily for one week. Animals were subsequently administered a single dose of LPS (5 mg/kg of body weight, intraperitoneal injection). Both protein and mRNA levels of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 in liver tissues were evaluated by ELISA assay and quantitative PCR. Cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-κB protein levels in liver tissues were analyzed by western blotting. Results: Liver injury induced by LPS significantly increased necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-κB in liver tissues. Treatment with ethanol extracts of S. baicalensis prevented all of these observed changes associated with LPS-induced injury in liver mice. Conclusions: Our study showed that S. baicalensis is potentially protective against LPS-induced liver injury in mice.