Objective: To investigate the cause of a foodborne outbreak that occurred in Dong Nai province, Viet Nam, in 2024, and implement control measures. Methods: An initial investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak, which was followed by epidemiological and environmental investigations to find the plausible causative food item. Clinical specimens and food samples were tested to identify the pathogen. Results: A total of 547 symptomatic cases were recorded, of whom two were in severe condition requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventilation, one of whom died. Among 99 interviewed cases, the mean incubation time was 9 hours (range 2–24 hours), with the main symptoms being fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. All patients had eaten banh mi from a local bakery. Salmonella spp. were identified in food samples and clinical specimens. The bakery halted production, and the outbreak ended after 1 week. Discussion: All the patients were exposed to only one food in common, which facilitated the investigation process. This outbreak is a reminder to small retailers and take-away shops of the importance of food safety management in preventing similar future outbreaks. All food handlers must comply with food hygiene principles, especially in hot temperatures, which boosts bacterial growth.

Background: Avian influenza (AI) is a contagious disease that causes illness and death in poultry and humans. High pathogenicity AI (HPAI) H5N6 outbreaks commonly occur in Quang Ninh province bordering China. In June 2021, the first HPAI H5N8 outbreak occurred at a Quang Ninh chicken farm. Objectives: This study examined the risk factors associated with HPAI H5N6 and H5N8 outbreaks in Quang Ninh. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in Quang Ninh from Nov 2021 to Jan 2022. The cases were households with susceptible poultry with two or more clinical signs and tested positive by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The controls were households in the same village as the cases but did not show clinical symptoms of the disease. Logistic regression models were constructed to assess the risk factors associated with HPAI outbreaks at the household level. Results: There were 38 cases with H5N6 clade 2.3.4.4h viruses (n = 35) and H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses (n = 3). Compared to the 112 controls, raising poultry in uncovered or partially covered ponds (odds ratio [OR], 7.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44–39.27), poultry traders visiting the farm (OR, 8.66; 95% CI, 2.7–27.69), farms with 50–2,000 birds (OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.06–8-51), and farms with ≥ 2,000 birds (OR, 11.35; 95% CI, 3.07–41.94) were significantly associated with HPAI outbreaks. Conclusions Combining biosecurity measures, such as restricting visitor entry and vaccination in farms with more than 50 birds, can enhance the control and prevention of HPAI in Quang Ninh and its spread across borders.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is commonly encountered in clinical practice, has become increasingly prevalent in Asia in recent years. Definitive diagnosis of GERD requires upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and ambulatory pH monitoring and is therefore challenging. Endoscopic lesions are usually not incorporated into the diagnostic criteria, and pH monitoring is expensive, complicated, and uncomfortable for patients. Studies have investigated novel methods for diagnosis of GERD. Mucosal integrity, evaluated by mucosal admittance or impedance, is impaired in GERD owing to microscopic epithelial changes. Measurement of mucosal integrity is simple and can be performed endoscopically. Mucosal impedance has been investigated as a method to differentiate between GERD, non-GERD, and eosinophilic esophagitis, and mucosal admittance provides evidence to support diagnosis of GERD. Further research on these novel techniques is warranted to incorporate these into the diagnostic modalities used for GERD.

INTRODUCTION: Primary care physicians face the increasing burden of managing multimorbidities in an ageing population. Implementing an integrated care team (ICT) with defined roles and accountability to share consultation tasks is an emerging care model to address this issue. This study compared outcomes with ICT versus usual care for patients with multimorbidities in primary care. METHODS: Data was retrospectively extracted from the electronic medical records (EMRs) of consecutive adult Asian patients empanelled to ICT and those in UC at a typical primary care clinic (polyclinic) in eastern Singapore in 2018. The study population had hypertension, and/or hyperlipidaemia and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Clinical outcomes included the proportion of patients (ICT vs. UC) who attained their treatment goals after 12 months. Process outcomes included the proportion of patients who completed annual diabetic eye and foot screenings, where applicable. RESULTS: Data from 3,302 EMRs (ICT = 1,723, UC = 1,579) from January 2016 to September 2017 was analysed. The ICT cohort was more likely to achieve treatment goals for systolic blood pressure (SBP) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38-1.68), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.49-1.99), and glycated haemoglobin (AOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.09-1.51). The ICT group had higher uptake of diabetic retinal screening (89.1% vs. 83.0%, P < 0.001) and foot screening (85.2% vs. 77.9%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The ICT model yielded better clinical and process outcomes than UC, with more patients attaining treatment goals.
Adult ; Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Noncommunicable Diseases/therapy* ; Delivery of Health Care, Integrated ; Primary Health Care

Geographical and racial factors constitute important distinctions between Kawasaki disease (KD) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), but no study has been conducted in Vietnam. Forty-one children with KD from January 2018 to July 2020 and 42 with KD/MIS-C from August 2020 to December 2022 were included in this study. Of the patients, 52.3% were aged between 12 and 35 months. Only two were aged over 5 years, and both were belong to the KD/MIS-C group. A 59.5% of the patients were male. Apart from fever, all symptoms tended to be more frequent in patients with KD/MIS-C. The prevalence of diffuse skin rash, hand and foot edema or erythema and gastrointestinal signs was significantly higher in patients hospitalized with KD/MIS-C. There was no significant difference in laboratory findings between the two groups. Coronary artery dilation was more frequently observed in patients with KD/MIS-C compared to those with KD (40.5% vs. 14.6%, P = 0.009).

Lipidomics coverage improvement is essential for functional lipid and pathway construction.A powerful approach to discovering organism lipidome is to combine various data acquisitions,such as full scan mass spectrometry(full MS),data-dependent acquisition(DDA),and data-independent acquisition(DIA).Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans)is a useful model for discovering toxic-induced metabolism,high-throughput drug screening,and a variety of human disease pathways.To determine the lipidome of C.elegans and investigate lipid disruption from the molecular level to the system biology level,we used integrative data acquisition.The methyl-tert-butyl ether method was used to extract L4 stage C.elegans after exposure to triclosan(TCS),perfluorooctanoic acid,and nanopolystyrene(nPS).Full MS,DDA,and DIA integrations were performed to comprehensively profile the C.elegans lipidome by Q-Exactive Plus MS.All annotated lipids were then analyzed using lipid ontology and pathway analysis.We annotated up to 940 lipids from 20 lipid classes involved in various functions and pathways.The biological in-vestigations revealed that when C.elegans were exposed to nPS,lipid droplets were disrupted,whereas plasma membrane-functionalized lipids were likely to be changed in the TCS treatment group.The nPS treatment caused a significant disruption in lipid storage.Triacylglycerol,glycerophospholipid,and ether class lipids were those primarily hindered by toxicants.Finally,toxicant exposure frequently involved numerous lipid-related pathways,including the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway.In conclusion,an integrative data acquisition strategy was used to characterize the C elegans lipidome,providing valuable biological insights into hypothesis generation and validation.

As authorities braced for the arrival of the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), infrastructure investments and government directives prompted action in central Viet Nam to establish capacity for genomic surveillance sequencing. From 17 November 2021 to 7 January 2022, the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang sequenced 162 specimens from 98 150 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in the region collected from 8 November to 31 December 2021. Of these, all 127 domestic cases were identified as the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, whereas 92% (32/35) of imported cases were identified as the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant, all among international flight passengers. Patients were successfully isolated, enabling health-care workers to prepare for additional cases. Most (78%) of the 32 Omicron cases were fully vaccinated, suggesting continued importance of public health and social measures to control the spread of new variants.

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.

Objective: To provide preliminary descriptions of the spread, burden and related medical capacity characteristics of the ASEAN countries. Methods: We utilized the data from four main official databases, including WHO reports, the Statistics and Research of the Coronavirus Disease, and the Southeast Asia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Study. The spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic, current burden and the COVID-19 medical response capacities were extracted before April 11, 2020. Results: As of April 13, 2020, the ASEAN countries reported 19 547 COVID-19 positive cases with 817 deaths (case-facility rate of 4.2%). Thailand was the first country in the region that reported having the COVID-19 cases, while Laos was the last to report confirmed COVID-19 cases. Durations for the number of deaths to double were between 8-12 days. For the testing and treatment capacities, the number of PCR tests provided to the populations was the highest in Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Meanwhile, the percentage of the population being tested was the highest in Brunei (2.31%), followed by Singapore (1.30%). Conclusions: A wide range of interventions were taken into practice in response to the outbreak with an effort of curbing the rise of this pandemic. However, special care should not be overlooked as the pandemic is placing a huge impact on the population and becomes increasingly unpredictable. To tackle the spread of the pandemic in the region, the ASEAN countries should work together as one community to provide better responses to future pandemics and other transboundary public health challenges.

Background: The evidence for the efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) in treating the Vietnamese patients is sparse. There is no convincing evidence regarding BKP’s efficacy in Vietnamese patients, especially in the patients with thoracic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). This article aims to evaluate the outcomes of restoring the body height of the compressed thoracic vertebrae in patients undergoing BKP. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 65 consecutive patients with thoracic VCFs (73 vertebrae) due to osteoporosis who were treated with BKP between June 2018 and May 2019. Results: A trocar was inserted through the pedicle in 84.9% (62/73) and beside the pedicle in 15.1% (11/73). The mean amount of mixed cement injected was 4.1 ± 1.1 mL (range, 1.5–7 mL). Cement leakage was radiographically confirmed in 30.8% of 65 patients. Among patients with complications caused by cement extravasation, the leakage was through the anterior margin of the vertebrae in 15.4%, through the vertebral disc in 12.3%, and through the posterior margin of the vertebrae in 3.1%. In the last 3.1% of patients, there was no clinically notable lesions of the nerve roots or spinal cord. The mean visual analog scale score decreased significantly from 7.3 ± 1.1 preoperatively to 3.3 ± 0.6 at 24 hours after surgery, and then to 1.2 ± 1.1 at 3 months after surgery (p < 0.01). The mean reduction in Cobb angle measured on standing radiographs after treatment was 3.7°, showing statistical significance (p < 0.01). Conclusions BKP is a minimally invasive treatment effective for immediate pain relief, early motor rehabilitation, and humpback correction. The present study provided convincing evidence to support the use of BKP by spine surgeons and clinical specialists in treating osteoporotic thoracic VCFs in Vietnamese patients.