Objectives: The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased, particularly among individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Health literacy is considered a “social vaccine” that helps people respond effectively to the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the association between long COVID-19 and PTSD, and to examine the modifying role of health literacy in this association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals and health centers in Vietnamfrom December 2021 to October 2022. We recruited 4,463 individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 infection for at least 4 weeks. Participants provided information about their sociodemographics, clinical parameters, health-related behaviors, health literacy (usingthe 12-item short-form health literacy scale), long COVID-19 symptoms and PTSD (Impact Event Scale-Revised score of 33 or higher). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations and interactions. Results: Out of the study sample, 55.9% had long COVID-19 symptoms, and 49.6% had PTSD.Individuals with long COVID-19 symptoms had a higher likelihood of PTSD (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63–2.12; p < 0.001). Higher health literacy was associated with a lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97–0.99; p = 0.001). Compared to those without long COVID-19 symptoms and the lowest health literacy score, those with long COVID-19 symptoms and a 1-point health literacy increment had a 3% lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96–0.99; p = 0.001). Conclusion Health literacy was found to be a protective factor against PTSD and modified the negative impact of long COVID-19 symptoms on PTSD.

Background: Lung cancer is a common cancer with a high mortality rate. The identification of prognostic factors in lung cancer patients in Vietnam is still limited and inconsistent in clinical practice. Objectives: To describe the clinical, paraclinical characteristics and m-LCPI index in patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer and evaluate the factors affecting overall survival in patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Prospective study of 210 cases of non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed with primary non-small cell lung cancer at the Oncology Department of Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital and Hue Central Hospital from February 2020 to February 2023. Results: The majority of hospitalizations were at late stages, from stage IIIA (89%), group 3 and 4 in m-LCPI grading scale constituted the majority (80%). Average overall survival at 3 years was 20.0 ± 14 months, and gradually decreased to 54.8%, 40%, and 38.6% after 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, respectively. Regression analysis of COX model between m-LCPI and OS showed statistical significance with m-LCPI 4 (HR = 3.9, 95%CI = 1.57 - 9.69, p = 0.003), while m-LCPI 3 (HR = 2.44, 95% CI 0.97 - 6.13), p = 0.058) had a weak correlation. Conclusion: Our study shows that 38.6% of patients were still alive after 3 years of diagnosis. m-LCPI index is a good predictor of the patients’ overall survival.

Objective: Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of paediatric severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) worldwide, especially in developing countries. We investigated the genetic characteristics of RSV in northern Viet Nam to determine the prevalence and distribution of subtypes as well as the diversity and transmission patterns of genotypes. Methods: In two facilities, from January 2017 to December 2020, 1563 clinical specimens were collected from paediatric patients hospitalized with SARI and tested for RSV. Selected positive samples underwent sequencing analysis targeting the second hypervariable region of the G gene using next-generation sequencing. Results: The RSV positivity rate was 28.02% (438/1563 samples), and prevalence was highest in children aged <1 year (43.84%; 192/438). Subtype RSV-A accounted for 53.42% (234/438) of cases, RSV-B for 45.89% (201/438), and there was coinfection in 0.68% (3/438). Both subtypes cocirculated and peaked during August–September in each year of the study. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RSV-A samples belonged to the ON1 genotype, which has three subgenotypes: ON1.1, ON1.2 and ON1.3. However, we did not find the 72-nucleotide duplication in the second hypervariable region of the G gene, a characteristic of genotype ON1, in any RSV-A samples. RSV-B samples belonged to genotype BA9. Discussion: Our results provide additional molecular characterization of RSV infections in Viet Nam. Specially, our study is the first to report the absence of the 72-nucleotide duplication in the G gene of RSV-A genotype ON1 in Viet Nam, which may help in understanding the genetic evolution of RSV and be useful for vaccine development in the future.

Teachers’ perspectives on teaching, learning, and education are their beliefs, attitudes, and understandings. This study examines Vietnamese teachers’ perspectives on constructivist theory, a “revolution in current educational psychology”. Because it has greatly influenced teaching and education philosophy and practice worldwide, notably general education program reform. This study uses constructivist theory to build techniques and forms for Vietnamese primary teachers through experiential activities. The north Vietnam: Hanoi Capital, Vinh Phuc City, Ninh Binh City, Cao Bang City, Lao Cai City, Bac Giang City. The average tenure of teachers is nearly 11 years. The authors used a teacher’s questionnaire from six provinces to collect data on constructing experiential activities in a constructivist primary school subject. The findings showed that primary teachers preferred experiential activities in the subject based on constructivist theory and that story-telling and conversation were the most popular teaching methods and instructional forms. Constructivist theory stresses that learners actively construct knowledge and understand via experience. Teachers that use constructivist theory to build primary school experiences will help kids at this foundational level acquire quality and capacity.

Background: Viet Nam confirmed its first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on 23 January 2020 among travellers from Wuhan, China, and experienced several clusters of community transmission until September. Viet Nam implemented an aggressive testing, isolation, contact tracing and quarantine strategy in response to all laboratory-confirmed cases. We report the results of SARS-CoV-2 testing during the first half of 2020 in northern Viet Nam. Methods: Between January and May 2020, 15 650 upper respiratory tract specimens were collected from 14 470 suspected cases and contacts in northern Viet Nam. All were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR. Individuals with positive specimens were tested every three days until two tests were negative. Positive specimens from 81 individuals were cultured. Results: Among 14 470 tested individuals, 158 (1.1%) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were confirmed; 89 were imported and 69 were associated with community transmission. Most patients (122, 77%) had negative results after two tests, while 11 and 4 still tested positive when sampled a third and fourth time, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from 29 of 81 specimens (36%) with a cycle threshold (Ct) value <30. Seven patients who tested positive again after testing negative had Ct values >30 and negative cultures. Conclusion Early, widespread testing for SARS-CoV-2 in northern Viet Nam identified very few cases, which, when combined with other aggressive strategies, may have dramatically contained the epidemic. We observed rapid viral clearance and very few positive results after clearance. Large-scale molecular diagnostic testing is a critical part of early detection and containment of COVID-19 in Viet Nam and will remain necessary until vaccination is widely implemented.

Raw or undercooked fish dishes are the major sources of human infection of fishborne trematodes (FBT) and the situation of metacercarial infection in fish greatly affect the prevalence in humans, especially those fish that are commonly used for raw consumption. To investigate the situation of infection with metacercaria of FBT in fish often used to prepare raw fish dishes by local people to assess the risk of infection to humans in Ninh Binh province, Vietnam. 345 fish belonging to five species of freshwater and one species of brackish water fish were collected from fishermen or small-scale fish dealers in Kim Son and Yen Khanh districts, Ninh Binh province between May 2017 and May 2018. Metacercaria of FBT was discovered by pepsin and hydrochloric acid digestion techniques and identified by the morphological and molecular analysis. Among examined fish, 44.06% infected with FBT metacercaria and the highest prevalence was in Cyprinus carpio (86.54%), Ctenopharyngodon idellus (78.43%) and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (66.67%) while Konosirus punctatus – the brackish water fish – were free from infection. Three species of FBT were found; namely Haplorchis pumilio (accounting for 99.84% of collected metacercariae), Haplorchis taichui and Clonorchis sinensis. The average density was 1.06 metacercariae per gram of freshwater fish and the highest number was of C. idellus (6.38 cysts/gram) followed by Cirrhinus molitorella and C. carpio. Results of the study show the high prevalence of infection of FBT metacercariae among freshwater fish often used to prepare raw fish dishes in Ninh Binh province. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the risk from raw fish dishes among public health authorities and people.

Introduction: There are two methods of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) that have been the common methods to detect influenza infections: conventional and real-time RT–PCR. From December 2017 to March 2018, several missed diagnoses of influenza A(H1)pdm09 using real-time RT–PCR were reported in northern Viet Nam. This study investigated how these missed detections occurred to determine their effect on the surveillance of influenza. Methods: The haemagglutinin (HA) segments of A(H1N1)pdm09 from both real-time RT-PCR positive and negative samples were isolated and sequenced. The primer and probe sets in the HA gene were checked for mismatches, and phylogenetic analyses were performed to determine the molecular epidemiology of these viruses. Results: There were 86 positive influenza A samples; 32 were A(H1)pdm09 positive by conventional RT–PCR but were negative by real-time RT–PCR. Sequencing was conducted on 23 influenza (H1N1)pdm09 isolates that were recovered from positive samples. Eight of these were negative for A(H1)pdm09 by real-time RT–PCR. There were two different mismatches in the probe target sites of the HA gene sequences of all isolates (n = 23) with additional mismatches only at position 7 (template binding site) identified for all eight negative real-time RT–PCR isolates. The prime target sites had no mismatches. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene showed that both the positive and negative real-time RT–PCR isolates were grouped in clade 6B.1; however, the real-time RT–PCR negative viruses were located in a subgroup that referred to substitution I295V. Conclusion Constant monitoring of genetic changes in the circulating influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses is important for maintaining the sensitivity of molecular detection assays.

The aim of this study is to delineate ‘admixed hybrid’ and ‘introgressive’ Fasciola genotypes present in the Fasciola population in Vietnam. Adult liver flukes collected from ruminants in 18 Provinces were morphologically sorted out by naked eyes for small (S), medium (M) and large (L) body shapes; and human samples (n=14) from patients. Nuclear ribosomal (rDNA) ITS1 and ITS2, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) nad1 markers were used for determination of their genetic status. Total 4,725 worm samples of ruminants were tentatively classified by their size: 6% (n=284) small (S)-, 13% (n=614) medium (M)-, and 81% (n=3,827) large (L)-forms. All the representative (n=120, as 40 each group) and 14 human specimens, possessed maternal mtDNA of only F. gigantica and none of F. hepatica. Paternally, all (100%) of the L-(n=40) and 77.5% (n=31) of the M-flukes had single F. gigantica rDNA indicating ‘pure’ F. gigantica. A majority (90%, n=36) of the S- and 15% (n=6) of the M-worms had single F. hepatica rDNA, indicating their introgressive; the rest (10%, n=4) of the S- and 7.5% (n=3) of the M-flukes had mixture of both F. gigantica and F. hepatica rDNAs, confirming their admixed hybrid genetic status. Fourteen human samples revealed 9 (64%) of pure F. gigantica, 3 (22%) of introgressive and 2 (14%) of admixed hybrid Fasciola spp. By the present study, it was confirmed that the small worms, which are morphologically identical with F. hepatica, are admixed and/or introgressive hybrids of Fasciola spp., and able to be the pathogens of human fascioliasis.
Adult ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fasciola hepatica ; Fasciola ; Fascioliasis ; Genotype ; Humans ; Liver ; Ranunculaceae ; Ruminants ; Vietnam

Objective To characterize viral co-infections among representative hospitalized measles cases during the 2014 Hanoi outbreak. Methods Throat swabs were collected from 54 pediatric patients with confirmed measles, and molecular diagnostics performed for 10 additional viral respiratory pathogens (Influenza A/H1N1pdm09; A/H3N2 and influenza B; Parainfluenza 1, 2, 3; Respiratory Synctial Virus, RSV; human Metapneumovirus, hMPV; Adenovirus and Picornavirus). Results Twenty-one cases (38.9%) showed evidence of infection with other respiratory viruses: 15 samples contained measles plus one additional virus, and 6 samples contained measles plus 2 additional viruses. Adenovirus was detected as a predominant cause of co-infections (13 cases; 24.1%), followed by RSV (6 cases; 11.1%), A/H1N1pdm09 (3 cases; 5.6%), PIV3 (3 cases; 3.7%), Rhinovirus (3 cases; 3.7%) and hMPV (1 case; 1.96%). Conclusions Viral co-infections identified from pediatric measles cases may have contributed to increased disease severity and high rate of fatal outcomes. Optimal treatment of measles cases may require control of multiple viral respiratory pathogens.