Objective: The risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from schoolchildren to their household and the protective effects of vaccination in these settings remain poorly understood. We assessed the transmission dynamics of schoolchildren with SARS-CoV-2 within their households and the protective effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination among household members in Viet Nam. Methods: We estimated the attack rate, vaccine effectiveness and adjusted risk ratio (aRR) of factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission to household contacts of children confirmed to have COVID-19 who attended three schools in Ha Nam, Phu Tho and Thanh Hoa provinces between September and December 2021 using multivariable regression with household-level random effects. Results: This retrospective cohort study included 157 children infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their 540 household contacts. The attack rate among household contacts was 24.6% (133/540). Overall, vaccine effectiveness among household contacts was 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1 to -63), higher among males than females and higher in adults aged >40 years. COVID-19 transmission was greater among female household contacts compared with males (aRR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.95), although not statistically significant, and highest among those aged 19–39 years (aRR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.50 to 4.21). Fully vaccinated household contacts had significantly lower infection risk (aRR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.84). Discussion: We found substantial onward transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from schoolchildren to household members, and older people were more likely to be protected by vaccination. We recommend that schoolchildren and all household members living with schoolchildren receive at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Recognizing the role of schoolchildren in the onward transmission of COVID-19 is an important lesson learned by Viet Nam that can help not only in managing other outbreaks but also in protecting schoolchildren by predicting the progress of the outbreak and preparing for a timely response.

Background: s/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) provides a favorable outcome for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was launched in Vietnam in 2004. In this study, we evaluated the short-term and long-term outcomes of LT and its risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed HCC patients who underwent LT at Viet Duc University hospital, Vietnam, from 01/2012–03/2022. The following data were gathered: demographics, virus infection, tumor characteristics, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, Child-Pugh and MELD scores, selection criteria, type of LT, complications, 30-day mortality, and disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS). Results: Fifty four patients were included, the mean age was 55.39 ± 8.46 years. Nearly 90% had hepatitis B virus-related HCC. The median (interquartile range) AFP level was 16.2 (88.7) ng/mL. The average MELD score was 10.57 ± 5.95; the rate of Child-Pugh A and B were 70.4% and 18.5%, respectively. Nearly 40% of the patients were within Milan criteria, brain-dead donor was 83.3%. Hepatic and portal vein thrombosis occurred in 0% and 1.9%, respectively; hepatic artery thrombosis 1.9%, biliary leakage 5.6%, and postoperative hemorrhage 3.7%. Ninety-day mortality was 5.6%. Five-year DFS and OS were 79.3% and 81.4%, respectively. MELD score and ChildPugh score were predictive factors for DFS and OS (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh score was the only significant factor (p < 0.05). Conclusions In Vietnam, LT is an effective therapy for HCC with an acceptable complication rate, mortality rate, and good survival outcomes, and should be further encouraged.

Objectives: Online misinformation has reached unprecedented levels during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzed the magnitude and sentiment dynamics of misinformation and unverified information about public health interventions during a COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang, Vietnam, between July and September 2020. Methods: We analyzed user-generated online information about five public health interventions during the Da Nang outbreak. We compared the volume, source, sentiment polarity, and engagements of online posts before, during, and after the outbreak using negative binomial and logistic regression, and assessed the content validity of the 500 most influential posts. Results: Most of the 54,528 online posts included were generated during the outbreak (n = 46,035; 84.42%) and by online newspapers (n = 32,034; 58.75%). Among the 500 most influential posts, 316 (63.20%) contained genuine information, 10 (2.00%) contained misinformation, 152 (30.40%) were non-factual opinions, and 22 (4.40%) contained unverifiable information. All misinformation posts were made during the outbreak, mostly on social media, and were predominantly negative. Higher levels of engagement were observed for information that was unverifiable (incidence relative risk [IRR] = 2.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33–0.62), posted during the outbreak (before: IRR = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.07–0.35; after: IRR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.34-0.63), and with negative sentiment (IRR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.23–2.75). Negatively toned posts were more likely to be misinformation (odds ratio [OR] = 9.59; 95% CI, 1.20–76.70) or unverified (OR = 5.03; 95% CI, 1.66–15.24). Conclusions Misinformation and unverified information during the outbreak showed clustering, with social media being particularly affected. This indepth assessment demonstrates the value of analyzing online “infodemics” to inform public health responses.

Objectives: Asymptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and test re-positivity after a negative test have raised concerns about the ability to effectively control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infections during the second wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam, and to better understand the duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the dynamics between the evolution of clinical symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 test positivity among confirmed COVID-19 cases. Methods: We conducted a cohort analysis on the first 50 confirmed cases during the second COVID-19 wave in Viet Nam using clinical, laboratory and epidemiological data collected from 9 March to 30 April 2020. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to assess time to clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and log-rank tests were used to explore factors related to time to SARS-CoV-2 infection clearance. Results: Most cases (58%) had no typical signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of diagnosis. Ten cases (20%) were re-positive for SARS-CoV-2 during infection. Eight cases (16%) experienced COVID-19 symptoms after testing negative for SARS-CoV-2. The median duration from symptom onset until clearance of infection was 14 days (range: 6–31); it was longer in re-positive and older patients and those with pre-existing conditions. Conclusion Asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infections were common during the second wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam. Re-positivity was frequent during hospitalization and led to a long duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

This article describes Viet Nam Ministry of Health’s (VMoH) activities to prepare for and respond to the threat Zika virus (ZIKV), including the adaptation of existing surveillance systems to encompass ZIKV surveillance.

Background: Esophageal cancer is a common disease at Digestive Surgery Department of Binh Dan hospital. Surgical treatment is still a main procedure. Objectives: Study on a less invasive surgical technique in esophagectomy with supported thoracoscopy to provide a new esophageal cancer treatment. Subjects and method: Application on a new technique via thoracoscopy to esophagectomy totally in 6 patients (1 female, 5 males), aged 60 years on average, treated in Digestive Surgery Department of Binh Dan hospital from March 2006 to June 2006. Results: The average surgical time was 260 minutes. There was no event during operation. Postoperative complications included: 1 patient had to stitch abdominal wall after operative 7 days, 3 patients with pneumonia after successful operation, 2 patients with right pneumothorax, having to put siphonage. There was one case of death without related to operative technique. Conclusion: Esophagectomy is major operation that can be conducted via open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. Although small case studies, researchers found that laparoscopic surgery is a feasible technique, can be performed safely if the surgeons having experience in open surgery and good skills on laparoscopic surgery. However, thoracoscopic esophagectomy can only be considered as a surgical method, without an alternative method to traditional open surgery.
Esophagectomy ; Esophageal Neoplasms/surgery ; Thoracoscopy ;

Background: Hepatic trauma is the second injury of closed abdominal injury, but it is the leading cause of death. The most of hepatic trauma due to closed abdominal injury caused by traffic accident. Objectives: To assess determinants to treatment attitude of hepatic trauma patients treated in Viet Duc hospital. Subjects and method: A cross-section descriptive study was conducted on 157 patients with closed abdominal injury (118 male, 39 female), was diagnosed with hepatic trauma, treated in Viet Duc hospital from January, 2004 to April, 2006. Results: The average age of patients were 28.9\xb113 for male, 28.8\xb112 for female. The common occupations were farmers (35.7%), workers (14.6%), no professional 14.6% and other jobs (35.1%). Combined injuries included: cranial trauma (9.6%), facial trauma (10.2%), chest trauma (17.2%), major bone trauma (7.6%). 19.7% patients with combined injuries were operated. 130 patients with hepatic trauma (82.2%) was detected by ultrasound, 1 patient with splenic trauma combined hepatic repture. The differences between shock of admission, level of hepatic trauma and the amount of blood in abdominal CT scans to treatment attitude were having a statistically significant with p<0.001, p<0.001 and p=0.005, respective. Conclusion: Recently, the treatment attitudes with hepatic trauma patients have more changed. Hemodynamic stability, clinical close monitoring, excluding combined injuries required surgery and assessing injuries by CT scans are important factors to indicate conservation therapy for hepatic trauma. Conservation therapy is safe and effective in the treatment of hepatic trauma in Viet Duc hospital.
Liver/ injuries ; Attitude ;

Report a case of woman with gallbladder carcinoma. Her jaundice symptom was due to lymph node metastases in root of liver, behind head of pancreas, externally blocked the lower choledochus, not due to carcinoma directly invaded common bile duct and root of liver. In one patient with gallbladder carcinoma or other gastrointestinal cancer, systematic check of peripheral lymph nodes, supraclavicular nodes is a basic examination. Treatment is hepatectomy and lymphadenectomy.
Jaundice ; Bilirubin ; Carcinoma ; Gallbladder ; Therapeutics

Retrospective investigation was performed on 16 patients with lymphoid tumor in mesentery operated in Viet Duc Hospital from 1991 to 2001. Diagnosis signs of clinical value included: abdominal pain (93%), loss of body weight (56,2%), tumor palpable in abdomen (75%), mobile tumor (58,33%). 12/16 patients undergo an ultrasonic examination and in 4/12 ganglion tumor, 2/12-mesenterial tumor, 6/12 undefined tumor in the abdomen were detected. The operation must be considered to solve the complications (11/16 patients) and determine the phase of disease. Once the result of pathological anatomy is concluded, a post-operation chemiotherapy must be realized systematically
Lymphoid Tissue ; Neoplasms ; Mesentery

A retrospective study on 18 cases of mesenteric soft tissue tumor in Vietduc Hospital during 1991-2001 has shown that the duration of disease progress was 9 months. The ultrasound found precisely 44,4% of tumor positions. CT scanner only found precisely 1 position. The image diagnostic methods were not different from clinical diagnosis. The operation was major treatment, 83,3% of tumors were removed and there were no postoperative complications. The shortest survival duration was 11 months
Mesenteric Cyst ; contraindications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms