Abstract Objective: The World Health Organization’s guidelines on viral hepatitis testing and treatment recommend prioritizing high prevalence groups. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection disproportionately affects people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men, but data on female sex workers (FSW) are limited. The study aimed to determine active HCV infection and risk factors associated with HCV exposure among Vietnamese FSW. Methods: We surveyed 1886 women aged ≥ 18 years from Haiphong, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City who had sold sex in the last month. We tested for HCV antibody and HCV core antigen as markers for exposure to HCV and active infection, respectively. Results: Across these provinces, high prevalence of HCV exposure (8.8–30.4%) and active infection (3.6–22.1%) were observed. Significant associations with HCV exposure were HIV infection (aOR = 23.7; 95% CI: 14.8–37.9), injection drug use (aOR = 23.3; 95% CI: 13.1–41.4), history of compulsory detention (aOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.4–4.2) and having more than 10 sex clients in the last month (aOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2–3.2). Among FSW who reported never injecting drugs, HIV infection (aOR = 24.2; 95% CI: 14.8–39.4), a history of non-injection drug use (aOR = 3.3, CI: 1.8–5.7), compulsory detention (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.2–4.0) and having over 10 sex clients in the last month (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3–3.7) were independently associated with HCV exposure. Discussion: FSW have elevated HCV risks through sex- and drug-related pathways. These findings highlight the need to offer FSW-targeted HCV interventions and ensure their access to HIV prevention and treatment.

In this report we describe a new approach in HIV sentinel surveillance that was piloted in Viet Nam in 2009 and is currently being rolled out in all provinces. It comprises a brief behavioural questionnaire added to the HIV sentinel surveillance surveys conducted routinely among people who inject drugs, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Timely reporting of data from this system has resulted in improvements to HIV prevention efforts for most at-risk populations.

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.

Introduction: The need for gama \u2013 globulin, especially gama - globulin - anti \u2013 HBs, is huge in Vietnam. A number of patients cannot to afford use them due to the high price as they are imported. Meanwhile, Vietnam has high quality input sources for producing gama \u2013 globulin. \r\n', u'Objectives: To study the production process of gama - Globulin from Human Plasma and Standard gama - Globulin with Rich of Anti \u2013 HBs. \r\n', u'Subjects and method: 168 samples of human plasma from voluntary blood donors, which had been screened with for transfusion transmittable infections (TTLs), were chosen as plasma with rich of anti - HBs. The plasma with anti - HBsAg was precipitated with ethanol 25%, pH 6,9 to gain gama - globulin with rich anti - HBs, which was dried by Dutch Ly - 3 - TTE machine. Activation of anti - HBs gama - globulin was identified by a standard method of the degree of antibody specific for anti - HBsAg kit of BIORAD, \r\n', u'Results: The purity of the gama - globulin achieved was 93%, which was almost equal with the results of some foreign researchers (7.8), the activation of anti - HBs was 1:128 dilution degree. The productivity of gama - globulin gaining from 1 litter plasma was 6.0 gram. This new issue was first demonstrated in Vietnam. \r\n', u'Conclusion: We can domestically produce anti-Bs gama - globulin with high degree of activeness (1:128) from human plasma by the precipitating method with ethanol, pH and low temperature. \r\n', u'
Human plasma ; gama - globulin - anti - HBs ; Precipitation of ethanol ; pH and low temperature

Background: Beer is produced to meet people\u2019s demands. Sanitation, old technology, poor knowledge on hygiene and safety of workers is still limited. Objectives: This study aims to learn the real situation and solution to improve the practical knowledge on food hygiene and the safety of workers at beer-producing enterprises in Ha Noi. Subjects and method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study on wokers at beer-producing enterprises in Ha Noi.The data were collected from designed questionaires and analysed by Epi.infor 6.04 software. Results: The general knowledge rate on hygiene food safety of workers is 42.5%; In there, the knowledge rate on environmental hygiene of workers is 45.6%; the knowledge rate on work instrument hygiene of workers is 46.4%; the knowledge rate on personal hygiene of workers is 37.7%; the knowledge rate on food hygiene of workers is 50.9%; the knowledge rate on food poisoning of workers is 76.3%; Conclusion: There is a relationship between the practical knowledge on hygiene food safety, age and work duration.
practical knowledge ; food hygiene safety ; beer-producing enterprises

Background: Worldwide, the beer industry has developed from 2% to 8% per year during 1990 and 2000 and the number of production surpassed 140 billion liters per year in 2001. Beer is not widely recommended for the population but the fact is consumption is on the increase. Objective: To evaluate the real situation of food safety conditions and hygiene safety requirements for beer at beer production enterprises in Hanoi and study various related factors to propose appropriate solutions to improving the food safety hygiene. Subject and methods: A cross-sectional, analysis investigation was conducted in 70 private beer-production enterprises in Hanoi in 2007. Results and Conclusion: The general rate with good food hygiene safety condition was 68.6%. Among them, the good environmental hygiene condition was 82.9%; good drainage condition was 75.7%; the work area hygiene condition meeting requirements was about 74.3% (with wall and floor hygiene regulation at 57.1%); food hygiene condition meet requirement about 95.7%; good work instrument hygiene condition was 72.9% and the lowest rate of work instrument hygiene regulation was 68.8%; good personal hygiene was 80%. The bad personal hygiene and environmental hygiene condition increased the risk of food hygiene quality that did not meet the requirement by ten-folds and thirteen-folds, respectively. The bad personal hygiene condition increased the risk of tool hygiene that did not meet the requirement by 5.5 folds.
food safety ; food safety hygiene ; beer-production enterprises

Background: Soc Son is mountainous, poorest district of Ha Noi, the rate of malnourished children was highest level (28,2% in 2003). Objectives: Description and assessment on the effectiveness of microcredit program for developing household economy and the impact of microcredit program on care for pregnant women, children and nutrition situation for children in 7 communes of Soc Son district in 3 years (2003-2006). Subjects and method: 167 poor households with malnourished child/children or pregnant women with low weight gain which were provided loans in 7 communes of Soc Son district; 169 children were born after 1/6/2001 and their mother in 167 households above. Method: cross-sectional descriptive method combine comparative analysis, using interview ballot, growth chart of National Institute of nutrition. Data processing by software EPI 6.0 and SPSS/PC 12.0. Results: The microcredit program had helped 95,0% households improve their economy remarkably, 54,5% of the households had improved income and food security. These improvements had influenced positively on practice of maternal and child care and malnutrition situation among children under 5 years old. The rate of pregnant women taking sufficient rest before birth delivery and having appropriate workload during pregnancy increased by 29,7%. Low-birth-weight newborns (<2,500 gram) had decreased by 11,5%. The rate of children with more than 3 complementary meals had increased by 8,5%. Malnutrition prevalence of children under 5 years old in 7 communes had decreased by 6,9%. Conclusion: The program has contributed to lower malnutrition prevalence of children under 5 years old in Soc Son district by 6,6%.
Child Nutrition Disorders/ diet therapy ; epidemiology ;

Background: In recent years, due to the outbreak of new infectious diseases, re-emerging diseases and bio-terrorist threats, the biological safety for laboratories is essential\r\n', u'Objectives: to evaluate knowledge and practices related to biosafety of researchers in microbiological laboratories\r\n', u'Subjects and method: The study was carried out in the period 2006-2007. Questionnaires and checklists were used for the direct interview the knowledge and observe the practices related to biological safety of 97 laboratory technicians from microbiology laboratories of 22 provincial centers for preventive medicine, which represent for all areas in Vietnam.\r\n', u'Results: The percentage of technicians defines correctly the hazardous groups of some common pathogens are 8.2-33%. The percentage of technicians define correctly the transmission routes of Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococus, Streptococcus are 1%, 15% and 19.6%, respectively. The opinion that thay can wear the laboratory blouse out of laboratories, bring personal belongings into the laboratory and pipeting by mouth are 21.6%, 50.5% and 23.7%, respectively. Regarding laboratory practices: The percentage of technicians does not use gloves is 37.8%; pipeting by mouth: 22.6%. Over 40% technicians do not disinfect working area or washing hands with alcohol after experiments\r\n', u'Conclusion: The results of this study are a basis for planning programs to train, supervise and improve the operational quality of the microbiological laboratory of the provincial preventive health care centers.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Health Knowledge ; Attitudes ; Practice ; Biotechnology/ standards ; Safety/ standards ;

Background: hepatitis due to virus B is now one of the leading concerns in the community health care throughout the world. Vietnam was a country located in high risk areas for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with rate of HBV infection in the community ranged from 11.3 to 25.5%, the rate of HBsAg positive in pregnant women from 12-16%. Objectives: to evaluate knowledge and practice on HBV prevention among pregnant women in Hanoi in 2005-2006 period; to study on some related factors of HBsAg positive rate. Subjectives and Method: a cross sectional study (with analysis on knowledge and practice about HBV prevention) was carried out on 1.300 pregnant women above 28 gestational weeks at Hanoi Obstetrics/Gynecology Hospital in 2005. Results: the rates of women with knowledge about HBV prevention were 38.5% at good level, 24.4% at acceptable level, and 37.7% at unacceptable level. The rates of practice on HBV prevention were 58.5% at satisfied level and 41.5% at notsatified level. Knowledge was likely related to practice, age, educational level, and HBV positive rate. Practice on HBV prevention was also related to HBV infection. Conclusions: the rates of women with knowledge about HBV prevention at good level were relatively high. The rates of practice on HBV prevention at satisfied level were relatively low. Related factors of HBsAg positive rate: knowledge and practice about HBV prevention.
Hepatitis B/ prevention & ; control ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Health Knowledge ; Attitudes ; Practice ; Pregnant Women ;

Background: Pediatric closed abdominal trauma is a common disease in surgical practice, in which spleen is the most vulnerable organ. As adults, diagnosis of pediatric splenic trauma is not difficult but treatment attitude of splenic trauma in children having more important differences compared with in adults, tending to conservative treatment without surgery. Objectives: To assess the results of pediatric splenic trauma treatment in Hue Central Hospital from 2001 to 2005. Subjects and method: To study on 43 pediatric patients (23 male, 20 female), mean age 11.35\xb13.51 years, were diagnosed with splenic trauma due to closed abdominal trauma, treated in Hue Central Hospital from September, 2001 to September, 2006. Results: 72.1% hospitalized patients with maximum blood pressure in normal limitation. There was not a statistic significant association between hypotension and indicated surgery. The rate of patients with splenic trauma due to traffic accidents, living accidents and sport activities were 62.8%, 32.6% and 4.7%, respective. 2 patients with combined traumatic brain injury without surgery (4.65%), 3 patients with combined hand fracture (6.97%). 3 patients in conservative treatment group changed to surgery (8.33%). A total of 76.7% patients treated with successful conservation. Conclusion: More than 60% patients with splenic trauma caused by traffic accidents and having stable hemodynamic index during hospitalization. The difference between position of splenic trauma and rupture degree of spleen both in surgical treatment group and successful conservative treatment group is statistically significant.
Spleen/ injuries ; Child ;