set1／set2毒力基因分型在F2a菌痢暴发流行病学调查中的意义

目的将set1/set2 毒力基因分型用于F2a 志贺氏菌痢暴发中的同源性分析,评价其在菌痢流行病学调查中的意义。方法在现场流行病学调查的基础上,用聚合酶链分析(PCR) 方法检测43 株F2a 志贺氏菌的set1/set2 毒力基因,进行基因分型和同源性鉴定。结果43 株F2a 菌株分为3 种基因型,即1 株set1( - )/set2( ) ;3 株set1( )/set2( - ) ;39 株set1( )/set2( ) 。结论set1/set2 基因分型对F2a 菌痢暴发流行中的同源性鉴定具有重要意义。     

Brote de histoplasmosis en la provincia de Neuquén,Patagonia Argentina

BackgroundIn Argentina, there are no reports of autochthonous cases of histoplasmosis in the southern regions of the country.AimTo report a histoplasmosis outbreak in Zapala town, Province of Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina.MethodsWe evaluated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 5 patients involved in the outbreak. Environmental studies were conducted to determine the source of infection. The genetic profile of Histoplasma capsulatum strains isolated from the index case (IC) were compared with clinical isolates from Argentinean patients not related to the outbreak, using RAPD-PCR with primers 1281-1283.ResultsThe patients were residents of Zapala, and had not visited other geographical areas before. All patients had an influenza-like syndrome, and X-ray revealed disseminated micronodular images throughout the lung parenchyma. The IC needed specific antifungal therapy; the remaining 4 patients had mild symptoms, and did not require therapy. All of them had a good clinical outcome. Strains of H. capsulatum isolated from blood culture and lung biopsy of the IC showed a genetic profile different from other strains analyzed. The presence of the fungus in the environment was demonstrated by the detection of anti-Histoplasma antibodies in BALB/c mice inoculated with soil obtained in a culvert where workers had dug up earth after a landslide.ConclusionsThis outbreak suggests the histoplasmosis endemic area is under the 38° S parallel. Patients from Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina, with compatible symptoms of histoplasmosis should be tested, regardless of their travel or exposure history.     

呼吸内科重症监护室一起多重耐药鲍曼不动杆菌感染暴发的调查

目的及时发现医院感染暴发苗头,查找感染源,切断传播途径,最大限度减少医院感染发生。方法对2009年4月26～28日期间RICU发生的4例鲍曼不动杆菌感染病例进行聚集感染危险因素调查,采集标本进行目标菌检测,应用ERIC—PCR技术对聚集病例和散发病例菌株进行基因同源性分析,采取综合性防控措施进行医院感染具体干预。结果4例患者确定为医院感染病例,4例患者均有气管插管操作经历,3例患者环境卫生学检测存在耐药谱相同的鲍曼不动杆菌,ERIC—PCR分析4例患者检出的鲍曼不动杆菌具有基因同源性,确定为医院感染暴发。严格执行隔离防护措施和后续加强上呼吸机患者管理,未再出现聚集病例。结论医院感染暴发危及患者医疗安全,应用分子生物学分析手段可以促进医院感染防控措施的效果;加强上呼吸机患者的管理,加强手卫生的管理可以有效防控医院感染聚集暴发。     

西非防控埃博拉病毒病暴发和流行的分析

埃博拉出血热自1976年首次暴发以来,其高致死率引起了人们的高度重视。2014年的埃博拉病毒病疫情已造成6800多人死亡。其暴发流行既有病原学和流行病学因素,也与西非当地的政治、经济、文化、卫生现状及应对措施密切相关。因此,综合分析造成流行的因素,有利于尽快控制疫情的迅速蔓延。目前包括中国政府在内的国际社会给予了积极帮助,国际社会与西非本国防控力量的有效结合将在更短的时间内控制疫情,并为我国做好埃博拉病毒病疫情的相关防控提供新的思考。     

Molecular characterization of DENV-3 circulating during the post-monsoon period of 2013–14 in Delhi,India

<正>Dear Editor,Dengue infection is one of the emerging concerns for public health on a global scale.Over the past few years,dengue transmission has increased in the Americas,the western Pacific and southeast Asia.The magnitude,distribution,and clinical severity of dengue outbreaks have been an alarming signal in the southeast Asia region.Major outbreaks have been reported in countries in this     

Geographic variation in density-dependent dynamics impacts the synchronizing effect of dispersal and regional stochasticity

Explanations for the ubiquitous presence of spatially synchronous population dynamics have assumed that density-dependent processes governing the dynamics of local populations are identical among disjunct populations, and low levels of dispersal or small amounts of regionalized stochasticity (Moran effect) can act to synchronize populations. In this study we used historical spatially referenced data on gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) outbreaks to document that density-dependent processes can vary substantially across geographical landscapes. This variation may be due in part to geographical variation in habitat (e.g., variation in forest composition). We then used a second-order log-linear stochastic model to explore how inter-population variation in density-dependent processes affects synchronization via either synchronous stochastic forcing or dispersal. We found that geographical variation in direct density-dependence (first order) greatly diminishes synchrony caused by stochasticity but only slightly decreases synchronization via dispersal. Variation in delayed density-dependence (second order) diluted synchrony caused by regional stochasticity to a lesser extent than first-order variation, but it did not have any influence on synchrony caused by dispersal. In general, synchronization caused by dispersal was primarily dependent upon the instability of populations and only weakly, if at all, affected by similarities in density-dependence among populations. We conclude that studies of synchrony should carefully consider both the nature of the synchronizing agents and the pattern of local density-dependent processes, including how these vary geographically.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium outbreaks in Western and South Australia

Molecular typing at the 18S rRNA and Gp60 loci was conducted on Cryptosporidium-positive stool samples from cases collected during 2007 Western Australian and South Australian outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis. Analysis of 48 Western Australian samples identified that all isolates were C. hominis and were from five different Gp60C. hominis subtype families. The IbA10G2 subtype was most common across all age groups (37/48). In South Australia, analysis of 24 outbreak samples, identified 21 C. hominis isolates, two C. parvum isolates and one sample with both C. hominis and C. parvum. All C. hominis isolates were identified as the IbA10G2 subtype.     

Utility of a microsatellite assay for identifying clonally related outbreak isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus

A microsatellite assay based on short tandem repeats (STRAf) has been recently described as a discriminatory, high throughput assay for fingerprinting Aspergillus fumigatus isolates. However, the STRAf assay has not been tested for its utility in outbreak settings where it is critical to distinguish clonal clusters from genetically unrelated genotypes. In the present study, employing a panel of epidemiologically linked A. fumigatus isolates obtained from 6 different outbreaks of invasive aspergillosis (IA), we demonstrate that the STRAf assay can be a valuable molecular tool to support epidemiological investigations. We also report for the first time the detection of microvariation events in the A. fumigatus population studied.     

The basic reproductive number of Ebola and the effects of public health measures: the cases of Congo and Uganda

Despite improved control measures, Ebola remains a serious public health risk in African regions where recurrent outbreaks have been observed since the initial epidemic in 1976. Using epidemic modeling and data from two well-documented Ebola outbreaks (Congo 1995 and Uganda 2000), we estimate the number of secondary cases generated by an index case in the absence of control interventions R0. Our estimate of R0 is 1.83 (SD 0.06) for Congo (1995) and 1.34 (SD 0.03) for Uganda (2000). We model the course of the outbreaks via an SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed) epidemic model that includes a smooth transition in the transmission rate after control interventions are put in place. We perform an uncertainty analysis of the basic reproductive number R0 to quantify its sensitivity to other disease-related parameters. We also analyse the sensitivity of the final epidemic size to the time interventions begin and provide a distribution for the final epidemic size. The control measures implemented during these two outbreaks (including education and contact tracing followed by quarantine) reduce the final epidemic size by a factor of 2 relative the final size with a 2-week delay in their implementation.     

Identification of tdh-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus from an outbreak associated with raw oyster consumption in Spain

Between August and September 1999, a total of 64 cases of illness were identified in three episodes of acute gastroenteritis associated with the consumption of live oysters from a typical outdoor street market in Galicia (northwest Spain). Nine case patients were hospitalized and analysis of their stool samples revealed the presence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The strains isolated from two stool samples were studied for antibiotic susceptibility, biochemical characteristics and presence of virulence factors. Both isolates were Kanagawa phenomenon positive and produced thermostable direct hemolysin, which is related to pathogenicity in humans. These results show the presence of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in mollusks harvested in Europe and reveal the risk of illness associated with their consumption, suggesting the revision of V. parahaemolyticus risk assessment associated with consumption of raw live shellfish.