Purpose: Although some immune protection from close contact with individuals who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been documented, there is limited data on the seroprevalence of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals who were in lockdown with confirmed COVID-19 cases. This study investigated immunogenicity against SARS-CoV-2 in household members and people who lived near home-quarantined patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during the community-based care that took place during lockdowns in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from July to September 2021. SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels were determined in index cases of COVID-19, household contacts, and a no-contact group from the same area. Results: A total of 770 participants were included (355 index cases, 103 household contacts, and 312 no contacts). All index cases were unvaccinated, but >90% of individuals in the household and no-contact groups had received ≥1 vaccine dose. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) were present in >77% of unvaccinated index cases versus 64%/65.4% in the householdo-contact groups (p=0.001). Antibody concentrations in unvaccinated index cases were significantly higher than those in household contacts and no contacts, with no difference between the latter groups. In all cases, antibody levels declined markedly ≥6 weeks after infection, and failed to persist beyond this time in the household and no-contact groups. Conclusion Community-based care may have helped to create community immunogenicity, but Nabs did not persist, highlighting a need for vaccination for all individuals before, or from 6 weeks after, infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Background: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is the cornerstone of bacterial identification. The performance of a new MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry VITEK MS PRIME (VMS-P) system was compared with that of the MALDI Biotyper Microflex LT (MBT) system, which is routinely used in our laboratory. Methods: Sixteen bacterial and yeast reference strains cultured in 20 different media were analyzed over 10 consecutive rounds using both systems. Bacterial and yeast isolates from the routine workflow were processed using both systems. Microcolonies were identified after a 4-hour agar subculture from positive blood culture bottles, without extraction. Results: To determine the repeatability based on the reference strains, 1,190 spots were processed using each system. Correct identification was achieved for 94.0% (MBT) and 98.4% (VMS-P; P<0.01) of spots. Among these, 83.0% (MBT) and 100.0% (VMS-P) were identified with a high degree of confidence. For 1,214 spots from routine isolates, species identification was achieved for 90.0% (MBT) and 91.4% (VMS-P; P=0.26) of spots. For 69.8% (MBT) and 87.4% (VMS-P) of the spots, identification was achieved with a high degree-of-confidence score. When identification was performed using both systems, the agreement between them was 97.9%. The identification of microcolonies from positive blood culture bottles was achieved for 55.5% (MBT) and 70.2% (VMS-P; P=0.01) of spots. Conclusions The MBT and VMS-P systems perform similarly in routine daily practice. The new VMS-P system shows high repeatability, better confidence scores for identification, and promising ability to identify microcolonies.

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam undertook a series of measures in response to the fourth and largest wave of COVID-19. The care pathway was continuously reconfigured through leadership from all levels of government and engagement of the community. This resulted in a shift towards integrated severity-based care consisting of multiple levels of health-care facilities and home care. This flexible approach based on the rapidly changing local context enabled Ho Chi Minh City to limit the extent to which health-care capacity was overwhelmed.

Study on 54 cerebral stroke- induced hemiplegia, ≥40 year-old patients at the first time, treated by movement massage approach in Hue Traditional Medical Hospital from August 2002. The results: massage and movement method in rehabilitation of hemiplegia patients achieved good results: 78% could lift up the arm, 74% could lift up the leg, 29% recovered movement of the hand. The effectiveness of the method were similar to that of electro-acupuncture method (p<0.01)
Stroke ; Stroke/rehabilitation ; Encephalomalacia