First Known Human Death After Infection With the Avian Influenza A/H3N8 Virus: Guangdong Province, China, March 2023.

Here, we report on a case of human infection with the H3N8 avian influenza virus. The patient had multiple myeloma and died of severe infection. Genome analysis showed multiple gene mutations and reassortments without mammalian-adaptive mutations. This suggests that avian influenza (A/H3N8) virus infection could be lethal for immunocompromised persons.

First Case Report of Cystic Echinococcosis Caused by G7 Genotype Echinococcus intermedius Confirmed by Genetic Sequencing - Southern China, December 2023.

What is already known about this topic?: Echinococcosis exhibits a global distribution. In China, the primary endemic area is the northwest region. In December 2023, we documented a case of echinococcosis in an individual lacking any travel or residential history in endemic regions. What is added by this report?: This is the first laboratory-confirmed case of hepatic echinococcosis reported in Guangdong Province, associated with the G7 genotype of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus). The most probable mode of transmission is a local infection resulting from E. granulosus introduced from endemic regions. What are the implications for public health practice?: As the circulation of agricultural products increases, it is essential to enhance the quarantine and management of livestock from epidemic areas to prevent and control the spread of echinococcosis to non-epidemic regions.

A H9N2 Human Case and Surveillance of Avian Influenza Viruses in Live Poultry Markets - Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, 2021.

What is already known about this topic?: An increasing number of human infected avian influenza A (H9N2) cases have been reported. In 2021, 11 human infections with influenza A virus subtype H9N2 (A/H9N2) have been reported in China. What is added by this report?: A new case of H9N2 that occurred in April 2021 in Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, was reported in this study. Epidemiological and laboratory information of the case and routine influenza surveillance data of avian influenza A were presented in this report. What are the implications for public health practice?: The emergence of a human infected with Avian Influenza Virus H9N2 demonstrates that there is an urgent need to strengthen the surveillance of influenza-like illness and live poultry market.

Rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations using a Cas12a-based sensing platform.

The increasing prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with spike mutations has raised concerns owing to higher transmission rates, disease severity, and escape from neutralizing antibodies. Rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants provides crucial information concerning the outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 variants and possible lines of transmission. This information is vital for infection prevention and control. We used a Cas12a-based RT-PCR combined with CRISPR on-site rapid detection system (RT-CORDS) platform to detect the key mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as 69/70 deletion, N501Y, and D614G. We used type-specific CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) to identify wild-type (crRNA-W) and mutant (crRNA-M) sequences of SARS-CoV-2. We successfully differentiated mutant variants from wild-type SARS-CoV-2 with a sensitivity of 10-17 M (approximately 6 copies/µL). The assay took just 10 min with the Cas12a/crRNA reaction after a simple RT-PCR using a fluorescence reporting system. In addition, a sensitivity of 10-16 M could be achieved when lateral flow strips were used as readouts. The accuracy of RT-CORDS for SARS-CoV-2 variant detection was 100% consistent with the sequencing data. In conclusion, using the RT-CORDS platform, we accurately, sensitively, specifically, and rapidly detected SARS-CoV-2 variants. This method may be used in clinical diagnosis.

Progress of the COVID-19: Persistence, Effectiveness, and Immune Escape of the Neutralizing Antibody in Convalescent Serum.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new coronavirus causing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a major topic of global human health concern. The Delta and Omicron variants have caused alarming responses worldwide due to their high transmission rates and a number of mutations. During a one-year follow-up (from June 2020 to June 2021), we included 114 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection to study the long-term dynamics and the correlative factors of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in convalescent patients. The blood samples were collected at two detection time points (at 6 and 12 months after discharge). We evaluated the NAbs response of discharged patients by performing a micro-neutralization assay using a SARS-CoV-2 wild type. In addition, a total of 62 serum samples from discharged COVID-19 patients with Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants of infection were enrolled to perform cross-neutralization tests using the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and VOCs variants (including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants) and to assess the ability of NAbs against the SARS-CoV-2 variants. NAbs seroconversion occurred in 91.46% of patients (n = 82) in the first timepoint and in 89.29% of patients (n = 84) in the second detection point, and three kinds of NAbs kinetics curves were perceived. The NAbs levels in young patients had higher values than those in elder patients. The kinetics of disease duration was accompanied by an opposite trend in NAbs levels. Despite a declining NAbs response, NAbs activity was still detectable in a substantial proportion of recovered patients one year after discharge. Compared to the wild strain, the Omicron strain could lead to a 23.44-, 3.42-, 8.03-, and 2.57-fold reduction in neutralization capacity in "SAlpha", "SBeta", "SDelta", and "SOmicron", respectively, and the NAbs levels against the Omicron strain were significantly lower than those of the Beta and Delta variants. Remarkably, the NAbs activity of convalescent serum with Omicron strain infection was most obviously detectable against six SARS-CoV-2 strains in our study. The role of the vaccination history in NAbs levels further confirmed the previous study that reported vaccine-induced NAbs as the convincing protection mechanism against SARS-CoV-2. In conclusion, our findings highlighted the dynamics of the long-term immune responses after the disappearance of symptoms and revealed that NAbs levels varied among all types of convalescent patients with COVID-19 and that NAbs remained detectable for one year, which is reassuring in terms of protection against reinfection. Moreover, a moderate correlation between the duration of disease and Nabs titers was observed, whereas age was negatively correlated with Nabs titers. On the other hand, compared with other VOCs, the Omicron variant was able to escape the defenses of the immune system more significantly, and the convalescent serum infected with the Omicron variant played a critical part in protection against different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Recovery serum from individuals vaccinated with inactivated vaccine preceding infection with the Omicron strain had a high efficacy against the original strain and the VOCs variants, whereas the convalescent serum of persons vaccinated by inactivated vaccine prior to infection with the Delta variant was only potent against the wild-type strain.

[Expression of Death Associated Protein Kinase 1 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of death-associated protein kinase 1(DAPK1) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CLL). METHODS: The DAPK1 expression was studied by means of MEC1 cells and B lymphocytes from blood samples of the patients with CLL. The quantitative detection of mRNA and Western blot were used to detecte the expression of DAPK1 and autophagy-related genes at both mRNA and protein levels. RESULTS: mRNA quantitative detection and Western blot displayed that the DAPK1 expression in the patients with CLL was silenced. So, the expression of DAPK1 and autophagy related genes in MEC1 cells was not significantly different, no matter the cells were treated with or without INF-γ. CONCLUSION: Scilencing of DAPK1 expression in CLL results in abnormality of autophagy behavior, thus leading to the occurence of disease.

[PTK7 mRNA and protein expression level in serum of patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia and its clinical significance].

The purpose of this study was to detect the serum PTK7 level of patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia, and to reveal its clinical value for diagnosis of diseases. A total of 136 patients diagnosed as acute lymphocytic leukemia from May 2012 to April 2014 in our hospital were enroled in this study and were divided into the L1 group (n = 42), L2 (n = 45) and L3 group (n = 49) according cytomorphology, and 48 normal children were selected as control group. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect mRNA level of PTK7 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and Western blot was used to detect PTK7 protein expression. The results showed that the PTK7 mRNA level in L1 group was significantly higher than that in normal group (P = 0.000) . The PTK7 mRNA level in L2 group was significantly higher than that in the L1 group (P = 0.000). The PTK7 mRNA level in L3 group and L2 group had not significantly different between each other (P = 0.123). Serum PTK7 protein level in L1 group was very significantly higher than that in normal group (P = 0.000) . The serum PTK7 protein level in L2 group were very significantly higher than that in the L1 group (P = 0.003) and serum PTK7 protein level in L3 and L2 group had no significance difference (P = 0.312) . It is concluded that the expression level of serum PTK7 protein has a potential clinical value for the diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia, but without specificity for ALL subsets.