OBJECTIVETo observe the serological features of hepatitis G virus (HGV or GBV) in selected population of Shaanxi, Qinghai and Xinjiang Provinces (region).

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine IgG antibody against GBV (anti-GBV IgG) in serum specimens of 1469 individuals from the 3 provinces (region).

RESULTSThe positivity rate of serum GBV-IgG antibody in ethnic minorities (4.11% in Tibetan, 5.36% in Mongolian, 4.55% in Uigur, 4.00% in Hui population) was slightly higher than that in Han population (1.36%-1.73%), but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). The positivity rate of serum GBV-IgG antibody in drug abusers (11.30%, 34/301) was remarkably higher than that of the normal population (2.44%,18/736) (P<0.01). The positivity rate of serum GBV-IgG antibody in blood donors was 1.02%-7.68%.

CONCLUSIONSThe positivity rates of serum GBV-IgG antibody among ethnic groups in the 3 provinces (region) had no significant differences; blood-borne transmission seemed to be an important transmission route of GBV, therefore supervision of blood donors and drug abusers should be intensified.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flaviviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; GB virus C ; immunology ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Substance-Related Disorders ; virology

Objective:To explore the characteristics and patterns of gene mutations in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and their relationship with TKI-resistant CML.Methods:A retrospective case series study was performed. Clinical data and next-generation sequencing results from TKI-resistant CML patients in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University and Yuebei People's Hospital of Shantou University Medical College from August 2018 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and the gene mutations of the patients in general and at different disease stages were analyzed.Results:Sixty patients were enrolled, with the age [ M ( Q1, Q3)] of 41.5 years old (32 years old, 53 years old); 38 cases (63.33%) were male and 22 cases (36.67%) were female; 43 cases were in the chronic stage, and 17 cases were in the progression stage (3 cases were in the accelerated stage and 14 cases were in the blast stage). non-ABL1 mutations were detected in 30 patients (50.00%) including 45 times of 15 non-ABL1 genes. The number of non-ABL1 mutation gene was 1 (0, 2) in 60 patients. Of the 60 patients, 21 (35.00%) had ASXL1 mutations, 5 (8.33%) had DNMT3A mutations, 5 (8.33%) had RUNX1 mutations, and 3 (5.00%) had SETBP1 mutations; the proportions of patients with 1 and ≥2 non-ABL1 mutations were 33.33% (20/60) and 16.67% (10/60), respectively. The total detection rates of non-ABL1 mutations were 52.94% (9/17) and 48.84% (21/43), and the detection rates of ≥2 non-ABL1 mutations were 23.53% (4/17) and 13.95% (6/43) in patients with progression and patients with chronic disease, and the differences were not statistically significant ( χ2 = 0.08, P = 0.774; χ2 = 0.80, P = 0.370). Seventeen of 60 patients (28.33%) had mutations in the ABL1 kinase region, of which 14 (82.35%) had non-ABL1 mutations; of these 17 cases, 6 patients with progressive disease all had non-ABL1 mutations, in 11 patients with chronic disease, 8 patients had non-ABL1 mutations, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.452). Conclusions:Patients with TKI-resistant CML have high frequencies of non-ABL1 mutations, and there is a trend for higher mutation rates in patients with progressive disease than in patients with chronic disease, and these may be related to the abnormal activation of ABL1 kinase by BCR-ABL1 fusion gene in patients with drug-resistant CML, which leads to the genome-level and epigenome-level mutations, and driving disease progression from chronic phase to accelerated or blast phase.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and next generation sequencing (NGS) results of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients dying early.Methods:A retrospective case series study was performed. The clinical data of 49 AML patients dying early in the Affiliated Yuebei People's Hospital of Shantou University Medical College from January 2016 to May 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into 10 cases in the very early death group (death occurred within 3 d after diagnosis) and 38 cases in the non-very early death group (death occurred within 4-30 d after diagnosis). NGS was used to detect 196 mutant genes related to hematological malignancies.Results:The white blood cell count, creatinine level, lactate dehydrogenase level, bone marrow original cells proportion in the very early death group were higher than those in the non-very early death group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Among 48 AML patients dying early, 34 cases had NGS results, among which the very early death occurred in 5 cases and the non-very early death occurred in 29 cases. Gene mutations were detected in 34 patients; finally 32 mutant genes were detected and 33 cases (97.06%) harbored more than 2 gene mutations, and the median number [ M ( Q1, Q3)] of gene mutations was 3 (2, 4). Conclusions:AML patients dying early harbor more than 2 gene mutations involving multiple signaling pathways. The clinical characteristics of AML patients in the very early death group are different from those of patients in the non-very early death group.

Objective To summarize the clinical and electroencephalogram features of neuronal ceroid lipofus-cinosis (NCL). Methods A retrospective analysis of the clinical phenotypes and electroencephalogram features of pa-tients diagnosed with NCL in Department of Pediatrics,Peking University First Hospital from February 2000 to August 2015 were conducted. Results Among the 30 patients,18 were male and 12 were female. The age of onset was between 9 months to 7 years old. The first symptoms included seizure in 22 patients,psychomotor developmental delay or regre-ssion in 7 cases,and visual loss in 1 case. Clinical manifestations included psychomotor regression in 29 cases,epilepsy in 28 cases,visual impairment in 19 cases,ataxia in 20 patients,and positive pyramidal tract sign in 13 cases. Twenty-one patients accepted fundus oculi examination. Seven patients were found with macular degeneration,8 cases with optic nerve atrophy,2 cases with retinal pigment degeneration,and 8 patients were normal. Brain atrophy were found in all 30 cases,including diffuse brain atrophy in 14 cases,only cerebellar atrophy in 6 cases,and cerebral atrophy with periven-tricular T2W high signal in 10 cases. Video electroencephalogram(EEG)examination was performed in 27 patients and their backgrounds were diffuse slow waves. Seven patients didn't have physiological vertex sharp waves or sleep spin-dles. Generalized epileptiform discharges were captured in 6 cases,focal epileptiform discharges in 15 cases. Both of generalized and focal epileptiform discharges were captured in 6 cases. Generalized slow wave burst in 4 cases,and in-termittent photic stimulation evoked epileptiform discharges in 3 cases. Ten patients were observed with clinical sei-zures,including 4 cases of myoclonic episodes,3 cases of atypical absences,3 cases of focal seizures,1 case of atonic and one of tonic spasms. Peripheral blood enzyme examination was taken in 13 patients,among whom 8 patients were identified with tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1)deficiency and 1 patient with palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) deficiency. Twenty-eight patients accepted skin and/or muscle electron microscope examination. Osmiophilic granular was found in 2 cases,curvilinear bodies in 15 cases,fingerprint profiles in 2 cases,curvilinear and linear bodies in 1 case,fingerprint profiles and osmiophilic granular in 1 case. NCL-related gene detection was conducted in 3 patients, with 1 patient identified with CLN6 compound heterozygous mutations and 2 patients with TPP1 homozygous mutations. Thirty patients were classified into 3 groups based on the onset age,enzymatic examination results and pathological examination of skin and muscle,including 5 cases of infantile NCL,20 cases of late-infantile NCL,and 5 cases of juvenile NCL. Conclusions The clinical features of NCL included multiple types of epileptic seizures (among which myoclonus was the most common type),psychomotor developmental delay or regression,vision loss,ataxia,and positive pyramidal tract sign. Its MRI was characterized with brain atrophy. EEG showed diffuse slow wave activity,with focal and/or generalized epileptiform discharges. Specific enzyme examination,and skin or muscle pathology or gene test could help to make diagnosis.

Objective:To analyze the sensitivity and specificity of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in 20 348 close contacts of COVID-19 cases in different prevention and control stages in Guangzhou and to provide scientific evidence for optimizing epidemic response strategies.Methods:A total of 20 348 close contacts of COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou were traced between February 21 and September 22,2020. All the close contacts were tested for the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2. The sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid testing and diagnosis in the different prevention and control stages were compared.Results:In 20 348 close contacts, 12 462 were males (61.24%), the median ( P 25, P 75) of age of them was 31.0 years (23.0,43.0), the median number ( P 25, P 75) of nucleic acid testing for them was 2.0 (1.0,3.0), and the median ( P 25, P 75) of their quarantine days was 12.0 (8.0,13.0) days, respectively. A total of 256 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the close contacts after seven nucleic acid tests. In the 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd and 7 th nucleic acid testing, the sensitivity and specificity were 69.14% and 99.99% (177 cases confirmed), 89.84% and 99.99% (230 cases confirmed), 97.27% and 99.99% (249 cases confirmed), and 100.00% and 99.98%, respectively. In the three stages of COVID-19 prevention and control in China: domestic case stage, imported case stage, and imported case associated local epidemic stage, the sensitivity of the 1 st nucleic acid testing was 70.68%, 68.00% and 67.35%, and the specificity was 99.98%, 100.00% and 100.00%, respectively. Conclusions:The sensitivity of nucleic acid testing in the close contacts at the different stages were consistent with slight decrease, which might be related to the increased proportion of asymptomatic infections in the late stage of epidemic prevention and control with COVID-19 in Guangzhou. It is suggested to give three nucleic acid tests to improve the sensitivity and reduce false negative risk.