A smartphone-based crowd-sourced real-time surveillance platform (apple snail inspector) for the invasive snails: a design and development study.

BACKGROUND: The large amphibious freshwater apple snail is an important invasive species in China, but there is currently no method available for their surveillance. The development and popularization of smartphones provide a new platform for research on surveillance technologies for the early detection and effective control of invasive species. METHODS: The ASI surveillance system was developed based on the infrastructure of the WeChat platform and Amap. The user can directly enter the game interface through the WeChat port on their mobile phone, and the system automatically obtains their location. The user can then report the location of apple snails. The administrator can audit the reported information, and all information can be exported to Microsoft Excel version 2016 for analysis. The map was generated by ArcGIS 10.2 and was used to characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of apple snails in Jiangsu Province. RESULTS: The architecture of ASI consists of three parts: a mobile terminal, a server terminal and a desktop terminal. We published more than 10 tweets on the official WeChat account of the system to announce it to the public, and a total of 207 users in 2020 and 2021 correctly reported sightings of apple snails. We identified 550 apple snails breeding sites in 2020 and 2021, featuring ponds (81%), parks (17%) and farmland (2%). In addition, most of the locations contained snail eggs, and the reporting times mainly occurred between May and September. CONCLUSIONS: The ASI is an effective surveillance system that can be used to identify the breeding locations of apple snails and provides the basis of prevention and control for its dispersal. Its successful development and operation provide new potential avenues for surveillance of other public health issues.

Establishment of a Simple and Rapid Nucleic Acid Detection Method for Hookworm Identification.

Hookworm infection is one of the most common neglected tropical diseases and is mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas. Two species of human hookworm are distributed in China, i.e., Ancylostoma duodenale (AD) and Necator americanus (NA). BACKGROUND: Traditional microscopic technology such as the Kato-Katz method is not suitable for hookworm diagnosis due to the rapid degeneration of fragile hookworm eggs or for species identification of hookworm infection. The aim of the present study was to establish and evaluate a novel nucleic acid detection method based on recombinase-aided isothermal amplification (RAA) for the detection of hookworm infections and species identification. METHODS: Based on the specific target gene sequences of hookworms (5.8S rRNA for AD and ITS2 for NA, respectively), we designed and synthesized amplification primers and fluorescence probes referring to the principle of the fluorescence recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) technique. RESULTS: Each assay provided specific amplification of larval DNA from AD and NA by fluorescence RAA, and the detection limits in plasmids reached 102 copies and 10 copies, respectively. Genomic DNA of two hookworm species was successfully detected at a concentration of 0.1 pg/µL, revealing a high detection sensitivity. No positive amplification occurred for genomic DNA from crossed hookworm species and genomic DNA from Cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, Strongyloides stercoralis, Schistosoma japonicum, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Clonorchis sinensis, revealing a satisfactory specificity. Fecal sample detection results demonstrated a similar efficacy to the Kato-Katz method; however, it had a greater sensitivity than the larvae culture method. CONCLUSION: A simple and rapid nucleic acid method was successfully established based on RAA, which improved the detection efficacy and species identification for human hookworm infections.

Knowledge and Practice of Pinworm Infection in Preschool Children, Jiangsu Province, China, 2019-2020.

We conducted a two-year (2019-2020) longitudinal study in Jiangsu Province, China to analyze risk factors of pinworm infection and evaluate the effect of behavior change communication-based (BCC-based) interventions in preschool children. The positive rate of pinworm infection was higher in private preschool (2%) than in public preschool (0.24%). Poor sanitation behaviors were risk factors among private preschool children. BCC-based intervention could improve knowledge and practice and reduce pinworm infection. This study may help fill in gaps in pinworm control. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(12):1716-1720. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307067).

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Infection Among High-Risk Populations in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China.

Toxoplasma gondii, an opportunistic protozoan, infects one-third of people worldwide and could lead to serious outcomes in immunodeficient or immunocompromised populations. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for T. gondii infection among high-risk populations in Jiangsu Province, eastern China. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 4 categories of populations in 13 prefectures including HIV/AIDS patients, livestock breeding/processing (B/P) staff, pregnant women, and cancer patients. We detected specific immunoglobulin G and M (IgG and IgM) levels for each participant using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and asked to complete a questionnaire for each participant that covered sociodemographic information as well as the basic knowledge of attitudes toward and the practices for the prevention of toxoplasmosis. A total of 5231 participants distributed across 13 prefecture-level cities was surveyed, including 2455 males and 2776 females. Total seropositivity rate in each population category was as follows: 9.08% (HIV/AIDS patients), 11.65% (livestock B/P staff), 5.50% (pregnant women), and 12.89% (cancer patients). We detected IgM positivity in HIV/AIDS patients (0.47%, 6/1289), livestock B/P staff (0.08%, 1/1330), and cancer patients (0.46%, 6/1303) but not in pregnant women. Further, we detected IgM+IgG positivity only in cancer patients (0.31%, 4/1303). The seropositivity rate for pregnant women was significantly lower, while cancer patients were significantly higher. Higher educational levels were associated with lower seropositivity rates for T. gondii infection. High seropositivity rates were associated with long period of HIV infection among HIV/AIDS patients, frequent contact with livestock among livestock breeding/processing staff and male older patients among cancer patients, respectively. Analysis of practices across all participants showed that frequent contact with pets in everyday life or using the same cutting board for both raw and cooked foods leads to higher seropositivity rates. Therefore, we obtained the seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis among high-risk populations in Jiangsu Province which could provide evidence for the implementation of control measures in the near future.

Multi-intervention integrated deworming strategy for sustained control of soil-transmitted helminths infections: a case study in Jiangsu Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections still present a global health problem. Mass drug administration (MDA) is a widely applied strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by STH. Yet, this approach has some shortcomings. In this study, we analyzed the impact of a multi-intervention integrated deworming approach including MDA, health education (HE), and environmental sanitation improvements (ESI) for sustained STH control in Jiangsu Province of China that was applied from 1989 to 2019. METHODS: Data, including infection rate of STH, medications used, coverage of the medication, non-hazardous lavatory rate, and household piped-water access rate in rural areas, and actions related to HE and ESI were collected (from archives) and analyzed in this retrospective descriptive study. Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to test correlations. RESULTS: There was a dramatic decline in the infection rate of STH from 1989 (59.32%) to 2019 (0.12%). From 1995 to 1999, MDA and HE were recommended in rural areas. A negative correlation was observed between infection rate and medication from 1994 to 1998 (r = - 0.882, P = 0.048). From 2000 to 2005, targeted MDA was given to high-risk populations with HE continuously promoting good sanitation behaviors. From 2006 to 2014, targeted MDA + HE and ESI were used to consolidate the control effect. ESI was strengthened from 2006, and a negative correlation was observed between the coverage rate of the non-hazardous lavatory and the infection rate from 2006 to 2019 (r = - 0.95, P < 0.001). The targeted MDA was interrupted in 2015, while continuous efforts like HE and ESI contributed in sustaining STH control. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-intervention integrated deworming strategy contributes to the reduction of STH infections. This approach is a valuable example of how different interventions can be integrated to promote durable STH control.

Social Engagement and Cognitive Impairment in Older Chinese Adults: The Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the association between social engagement and cognitive impairment with psychological well-being (PWB) as a mediator in older Chinese adults and to further test the gender differences in this association. Method: Data were drawn from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey of older Chinese adults, aged 65 and older (N = 6,998). The total effect was decomposed into direct and indirect effects by logistic regression based on the Karlson, Holm, and Breen method. Results: Higher social engagement was significantly associated with lower odds of cognitive impairment, odds ratio (OR) = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.82, 0.97]. Moreover, a better PWB would decrease the odds of cognitive impairment (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.98]). The mediating effect was 15.4% in the full sample and 13.1% in the men subsample. However, mediation was not significant in the women subsample. Discussion: Higher social engagement was associated with a decreased odds of cognitive impairment in older men, and this association was mediated by PWB.

The Association Between Loneliness and Cognitive Impairment among Older Men and Women in China: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study.

We aimed to investigate the association between loneliness and cognitive impairment among older men and women in China. Data for 6898 eligible participants aged 65 years and older were derived from the latest two waves (2008/2009 and 2011/2012) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether the association between loneliness at baseline and the risk of cognitive impairment at follow-up varied by sex, with adjustment for social-demographic variables, social isolation, lifestyles, and health status. The rates of baseline loneliness and follow-up cognitive impairment were both higher among women than men. Loneliness at baseline was significantly associated with cognitive impairment at follow-up among elderly men (OR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.01-1.69), even after adjusting for potential confounding variables; however, a similar association was not observed among elderly women (OR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.81-1.19). Multiple imputations were applied to address missing data. Although elderly women more frequently reported feelings of loneliness, the impact of loneliness on cognitive impairment was significant among elderly men but not elderly women. Interventions designed to decrease the incidence of loneliness may be particularly beneficial for the reduction of cognitive impairment among elderly Chinese men.

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Association Between Living Arrangements and Health Among Older Adults in China.

This article used the nationally representative Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey to explore the associations between living arrangements and health among older adults. Living arrangements were stratified into six categories. Health was measured by self-rated health, activities of daily living (ADL) disability, and cognitive impairment. Random-effects ordered probit regressions were applied. The results indicated that coresidence had a positive effect on self-rated health compared with living alone. After introducing psychological well-being, the health differences observed in living with a spouse and living with both spouse and children were not significant. Participants with each of the living arrangement were more likely to have a higher rate of cognitive impairment and ADL disability than those living alone. Living arrangements were associated with older adults' health. Psychological well-being was a key factor in this association, which may result from living with a spouse, and could contribute to the self-rated health of older adults.

[Health economic evaluation of human papillomavirus vaccines in the developing countries: systematic reviews].

Cervical carcinoma has brought huge burden on patients, especially in developing countries. Preventive vaccines could effectively reduce the incidence of cervical carcinoma. The high prices were one of the most difficult problem in introducing the vaccine in developing countries, so the cost-effectiveness and health financing of the vaccines should be carefully studied before incorporated into the national immunization program. Thus, researchers used mathematical models to predict the effects of HPV vaccines and to study the cost- effectiveness. In order to understand the current situation on the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccines in the developing countries, a systematic searching of literature from PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Medline, ProQuest, CNKI and Wangfang Data was performed, this study aims to conduct a systematic review from aspects of project source, first author, research areas, research perspectives, prevention strategies, vaccine characteristics, cost-effectiveness.

Development of a Multidimensional Functional Health Scale for Older Adults in China.

A first step to achieve successful aging is assessing functional wellbeing of older adults. This study reports the development of a culturally appropriate brief scale (the Multidimensional Functional Health Scale for Chinese Elderly, MFHSCE) to assess the functional health of Chinese elderly. Through systematic literature review, Delphi method, cultural adaptation, synthetic statistical item selection, Cronbach's alpha and confirmatory factor analysis, we conducted development of item pool, two rounds of item selection, and psychometric evaluation. Synthetic statistical item selection and psychometric evaluation was processed among 539 and 2032 older adults, separately. The MFHSCE consists of 30 items, covering activities of daily living, social relationships, physical health, mental health, cognitive function, and economic resources. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.92, and the comparative fit index was 0.917. The MFHSCE has good internal consistency and construct validity; it is also concise and easy to use in general practice, especially in communities in China.

Assessment of Disability among the Elderly in Xiamen of China: A Representative Sample Survey of 14,292 Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: The unprecedented number of elderly individuals in China presents a serious public health challenge. Limited data are available on the prevalence of disability or factors resulting in disability among the elderly in China. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the prevalence of disability and related risk factors among the elderly of Xiamen, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on individuals who were ≥60 years of age. The subjects were recruited by multi-stage sampling; a total of 14,292 valid questionnaires were received. Study measurements included activities of daily living (ADL), demographics, and health status. The ADL was assessed by the Katz Index Scale to evaluate disability. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with disabilities. RESULTS: Among the valid participants, 4.27% had at least one disability. Bathing was the most frequently reported disability and feeding was the least frequently reported disability. Disabilities were significantly associated with female gender, older age, unmarried status, living with family, urban residence, illiteracy, poor economic status, self-rated bad health, chronic illnesses, lower life satisfaction, bad mood, and feelings of loneliness. CONCLUSION: Functional disability among the elderly requires more public attention. Culturally appropriate policies and programs are also needed to address the care for the disabled elderly.