Haemophilus influenzae is one of the main pathogens of encephalitis in children less than 5 years old. The rate of ampicillin resistant strain is not high. No beta-lactamase-producing and ampicillin-resistant (BLNAR) isolates were found. The PFGE patterns of Hib isolates were highly divergent, but most could be classified into three groups (A, B and C). Hib isolates from the CSF of patients and from nasopharynges of household contacts showed the same PFGE patterns. This observation suggested that household contacts of patients are a possible reservoir of Hib.
Haemophilus influenzae type b ; Orf virus ; Diagnosis

Background: aaP, aggR, and astA have been found to play important roles in diarrheal pathogenecity of EAEC. They may be exist in other diarrheagenic E.coli (DEC). Objectives: To determine the distribution of aaP, aggR, and astA in ETEC, EPEC, EIEC and non-diarrheagenic E.coli. Subjects and method: 75 strains of ETEC, EPEC, EIEC and 100 non-DEC have been screen by PCR with primers specific toaaP, aggR, and astA. Results: aaP, aggR, and astA have been seen in DEC with the prevence from 7 to 72,7%. The highest prevence was in EIEC, 72,7% for aap; 45,5% in EIEC for aggR; and 50% in ETEC for astA. 14% of non-DEC harbored aggR and more than 30% harbored aap and astA. Conclusion: This finding has contributed to understanding the distribution of aap, aggR and astA in ETEC, EPEC, EIEC and non-DEC as well.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli ; Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli ; Escherichia coli ;

Background: VHWs play an important role in primary health care. The Chuongmy district, Hatay province had only 50% of VHWs compared to the national rate of 90%. \r\n', u'Objectives: This study aims to describe the current activities of VHWs in Chuongmy district and identify the related factors. \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study adopted the cross sectional design, combined qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques with VHWs and the leaders of local authority and health facilities. \r\n', u'Results: VHWs play an important role in implementing health programs and health care activities in the villages. Almost all tasks and functions of VHWs were carried out in the villages but with different rate and quality. The major activities that VHWs carried out were preventive medicine and treatment of common diseases. Nevertheless, the quality of many activities should be improved. The performance and stability of VHWs depend on different factors such as training, income, qualification, support monitoring and supervision of local authority and health sectors. \r\n', u'Conclusions: The local authority and health sectors should have policies to provide update training to VHWs, incentives to retain them to work and enhance the supportive supervision of VHWs activities. \r\n', u'
village health works ; influencing factor

Background: There are about 600.000 deaths related to pregnancy and delivery in the world every year. In Vietnam, the rate of maternal death is 165/100.00. The majority of maternity and new born deaths occurred in the first week after delivery, especially 24 hours after delivery. Objective: To investigate the status of delivery and various factors related to home delivery and propose recommendations to reduce the rate of home delivery in Luong Son, Hoa Binh. Subject and method: The cross sectional study using a structured questionnaire with women who gave birth in 2003 was conducted in two communes of Luong Son district. Result: The home delivery rate was high (31.5%) and only 36.1% women decided themselves where to deliver. The main reasons for home delivery was perception related to last home delivery was normal, therefore this delivery should be at home (53.8%). Among 108 women interviewed, only 72% gave birth with the assistance of health professionals and 28% delivered with none health professional assistance. The rate of obstetric complications and new born death was relatively high among those that had homebirths. Conclusion: In order to increase the delivery rate at health care facilities and with the assistance of health professionals, there is required the cooperation of stakeholders for improving infrastructure, economic development, health education for increasing awareness of people on safe delivery. The public should change their perception, custom and behavior toward homebirths. Besides, the health sector should better manage the maternal health care program, monitor the pregnant women, plan the delivery dates and advocate their families (husbands and parent in laws) to take the women to deliver at the health care facilities.
Home delivery ; maternal death ; Hoa Binh province

Background: Fungal keratitis is a serious ocular infection that can cause corneal scarring and blindness. Currently, diagnosis of fungal pathogens remains a difficult problem. Objectives: To investigate the application of semi-nested PCR targeted ITS genes for detection of fungal agents causing keratitis. Material and method: Ten identified fungal strains, 4 bacterial strains, 20 scraping samples from patients with suspected fungal keratitis and 2 scraping samples from patients with suspected bacterial keratitis were tested using semi-nested PCR. Results: Semi-nested PCR showed positive results for the samples of identified fungal strains and for the 20 scraping samples from patients with suspected fungal keratitis. Neither samples of bacterial strains nor scraping samples from suspected bacterial keratitis patients gave positive PCR results. Conclusion: Semi-nested PCR is a robust tool for specific and rapid detection of fungal agents causing keratitis.
Fungal keratitis ; semi-nested PCR

Objective: To evaluate the antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo of saponin–phospholipid complex of Panax notoginseng. Methods: The in vitro cytotoxic effect of saponins extract and saponin–phospholipid complex against human lung cancer NCI-H460 and breast cancer cell lines BT474 was examined using MTS assay. For in vivo evaluation of antitumor potential, saponin and saponin–phospholipid complex were administered orally in rats induced mammary carcinogenesis by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, for 30 days. Results: Our data showed that saponin–phospholipid complex had stronger anticancer effect compared to saponin extract. The IC50 values of saponin–phospholipid complex and saponin extract for NCI-H460 cell lines were 28.47μg/mL and 47.97μg/mL, respectively and these values for BT474 cells were 53.18μg/mL and 86.24μg/mL, respectively. In vivo experiments, administration of saponin, saponin–phospholipid complex and paclitaxel (positive control) effectively suppressed 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene-induced breast cancer evidenced by a decrease in tumor volume, the reduction of lipid peroxidation level and increase in the body weight, and elevated the enzymatic antioxidant activities of su-peroxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase in rat breast tissue. Conclusions: Our study suggests that saponin extract from Panax notoginseng and saponin–phospholipid complex have potential to prevent cancer, especially breast cancer.

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

Background: Currently, tracking, monitoring insecticide resistance of mosquitoes transmitting disease is an urgent need.\r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate resistance to insecticide of three mosquito species: Aedes Aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and culex tritaenyorhynchus in Ha Noi\r\n', u'Subject and method: Aedes Aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus culex tritaenyorhynchus mosquito species was collected from some districts of Ha Noi city. These mosquito species was tested sensitivity with 4 insecticides: permethrin 0.75%, lambda-cyhalothrin 0.05%, alpha-cypermethrin 30mg/m2 and DDT 4.0%.\r\n', u'Results: Three main vectors of Dengue fever, Japanese Encephalic and Filariasis mosquitoes were found in a very high density in some areas of Ha Noi City. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the districts of Thanh Xuan (TX), Dong Da (DD) and Hoang Mai (HM) was found highly resistant to permethrin, alpha - cypermethrin, lambda - cyhalothrin and DDT with the mortalities rates of 51 % (TX) and 59%(DD); 70%(HM); 90%, 82% and 96%; 74%, 54% and 59%; 1 %, 8% and 32%, respectively. \r\n', u'Culex tritaenyorhynchus was found also highly resistant to permethrin with the mortality rate of 29%, alphacypermethrin - 18%, lambdacyhalothrin - only 3% and DDT x36%. Culex quinquefasciatus was found also highly resistant to those insecticides. \r\n', u'Conclusion: Other insecticides should choose to replace the chemicals used in this experiment to control, kill mosquitoes when epidemics occur.\r\n', u'
Insecticides ; resistance ; Aedes Aegypti ; Culex quinquefasciatus ; culex tritaenyorhynchus

Background: Bronchoscopy is an essential technique for diagnosis of some lung diseases by taking samples for histological and cytological tests. Objective: To assess the role of transbronchial lung biopsy procedure in diagnosis some parenchymal pulmonary diseases. Subjects and method: A retrospective study conducted in 50 patients with diffuse and localized lung diseases, who were admitted to the Department of Respiratory in Bach Mai Hospital, from January 2003 to December 2005. Results: Transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in 30 of 50 (60%) cases; with localized malignant lesions (12%), diffuse lung disease (16%), tuberculosis (28%), and cystic fibrosis (4%). Following transbronchial lung biopsy, two patients had pneumothorax (1 patient had chest tube drainage) and five patients had hemoptysis but no of them required further treatment. Conclusions: Transbronchial lung biopsy offer good diagnostic accuracy and low complication rate.
Bronchoscopy/ contraindications ; Lung Diseases/ diagnosis

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3-fatty acid, modulates multiple cellular functions. In this study, we addressed the effects of DHA on human umbilical vein endothelial cell calcium transient and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation under control and adenosine triphosphate (ATP, 100 µM) stimulated conditions. Cells were treated for 48 h with DHA concentrations from 3 to 50 µM. Calcium transient was measured using the fluorescent dye Fura-2-AM and eNOS phosphorylation was addressed by western blot. DHA dose-dependently reduced the ATP stimulated Ca²⁺-transient. This effect was preserved in the presence of BAPTA (10 and 20 µM) which chelated the intracellular calcium, but eliminated after withdrawal of extracellular calcium, application of 2-aminoethoxy-diphenylborane (75 µM) to inhibit store-operated calcium channel or thapsigargin (2 µM) to delete calcium store. In addition, DHA (12 µM) increased ser1177/thr495 phosphorylation of eNOS under baseline conditions but had no significant effect on this ratio under conditions of ATP stimulation. In conclusion, DHA dose-dependently inhibited the ATP-induced calcium transient, probably via store-operated calcium channels. Furthermore, DHA changed eNOS phosphorylation suggesting activation of the enzyme. Hence, DHA may shift the regulation of eNOS away from a Ca²⁺ activated mode to a preferentially controlled phosphorylation mode.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adenosine ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium Channels ; Calcium ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Phosphorylation ; Thapsigargin ; Umbilical Veins