Risk Factors for Bunyavirus-Associated Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome: A Community-Based Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel bunyavirus. Previous studies about risk factors for SFTSV infection have yielded inconsistent results, and behavior factors have not been fully clarified. METHODS: A community-based, 1:4 matched case-control study was carried out to investigate the risk factors for SFTS in China. Cases of SFTS were defined as laboratory-confirmed cases that tested positive for real-time PCR (RT-PCR) for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) or positive for IgM antibodies against SFTSV. Controls of four neighborhood subjects were selected by matching for sex, age, and occupation. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect detailed information about their demographics and risk factors for SFTSV infection. RESULTS: A total of 334 subjects participated in the study including 69 cases and 265 controls. The median age of the cases was 59.5 years, 55.1% were male, and 87.0% were farmers. No differences in demographics were observed between cases and controls. In the final multivariate analysis, tick bites two weeks prior to disease onset (OR = 8.04, 95%CI 3.34-19.37) and the presence of weeds and shrubs around the house (OR = 3.46, 95%CI 0.96-12.46) were found to be risk factors for SFTSV infection; taking preventative measures during outdoor activities (OR = 0.12, 95%CI 0.01-1.01) provided greater protection from SFTSV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results further confirm that SFTSV is transmitted by tick bites and prove that preventative measures that reduce exposure to ticks can prevent SFTSV infection. More efforts should be directed toward health education and behavior change for high-risk populations, especially outdoor workers, in SFTS endemic areas.

Bioflocculant production by Haloplanus vescus and its application in acid brilliant scarlet yellow/red removal.

A novel bioflocculant MBF057 produced by a salt-tolerant Haloplanus vescus HW0579 was investigated in this study. The effects of culture conditions such as initial pH, inoculum size, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of K-acid wastewater on MBF0579 production were studied. The result showed that 8.09 g/L purified MBF0579 was extracted with the following optimized conditions: 780 mg/L COD of K-acid wastewater as carbon source, inoculum size 12.5%, and initial pH 7.0. The biopolymer contained 78.6% polysaccharides and 21.1% proteins. The highest flocculating rate of 81.86 and 95.07% for the COD and chroma of acid brilliant scarlet gelb rot (yellow/red, GR) dye wastewater were achieved at a dosage of 150 mg/L, pH 2.0 and contact time 100 min. Overall, these findings indicate bioflocculation offers an effective alternative method of decreasing acid brilliant scarlet GR during dye wastewater treatment.

[A cross-sectional survey on the prevalence of Brucellosis among workers in Jiangsu province, 2012].

OBJECTIVE: To study the status of infection and risk factors on Brucellosis among workers in Jiangsu province so as to provide related preventive and control measures. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 238 workers at three butcheries, one trading market and one stockyard. Related risk factors on the different exposures to the disease were also analyzed. RESULTS: 50 workers were identified to have had the infection, with a infection rate as 21% (50/238). No significant differences in gender, age, working length and occupations were found. Jobs as slaughtering (RR = 1.80, 95%CI:1.1-3.1), particular on bleeding (RR = 1.90, 95%CI:1.1-3.3) were risk factors. Habit as hand-washing before eating was a protective factor (RR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.14-0.44). CONCLUSION: Workers from butcheries, trading markets and stockyards were seriously infected with Brucellosis in Jiangsu province and related. Control measures and education should be implemented to the workers in that trade.

Research on PEGylation of porcine prothrombin for improving biostability and reducing animal immunogenicity.

Prothrombin is a vitamin K-dependent serine protease and plays pivotal roles in both procoagulant and anticoagulant pathway of hemostasis. In this study, prothrombin purified from porcine plasma was modified through PEGylation at N-terminal residue using 40 kDa PEG-phenyl-isothiocyanate (PIT-PEG40K). The monoPEGylated prothrombin enhanced biostability and remarkably prolonged circulating half-life in mice as compared with that of the nonmodified prothrombin. Moreover, the immunogenicity of PEGylated prothrombin in mice is significantly decreased compared to nonmodified prothrombin. These studies demonstrated the feasibility of PEGylating prothrombin as a promising way for the development of new prothrombin drugs.