Molecular characterization of emerging recombinant African swine fever virus of genotype I and II in Vietnam, 2023.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) recombinant strains pose new challenges for diagnosis and control. This study characterizes genotype I and II recombinant ASFV strains identified in northern Vietnam in 2023 through whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis. Seven ASFV-positive samples from six provinces were analyzed, with recombinant strains detected in Bac Giang, Phu Tho, and Vinh Phuc provinces. Isolates showed hemadsorption positivity despite having genotype I B646L, indicating their recombinant nature. Genome-wide analysis revealed 19 recombination breakpoints consistent with Chinese recombinant strains. Vietnamese isolates shared 99.86-99.98% nucleotide identity with Chinese recombinants, forming a distinct monophyletic group. Comparative analysis identified 50 SNPs and INDELs, with 39 variations found across Vietnamese strains, distinguishing them from Chinese isolates. Unique genetic markers in C962R, I329L, and MGF 505-11L genes distinguished Vietnamese recombinants from Chinese counterparts, while mutations in C122R and NP1450L differentiated all recombinants from parental genotypes. The central variable region (CVR) of the B602L gene showed diversity among Vietnamese isolates, while the I73R-I329L intergenic regions were recognized as in the IGR2 group. This study enhances understanding of recombinant ASFV evolution through homologous recombination and identifies new genetic markers for improved detection and characterization. The observed genetic diversity highlights challenges for existing diagnostic methods and vaccine development, emphasizing the need for continued surveillance and research into the functional implications of these genetic variations on ASFV pathogenicity and transmissibility.

Dietary free L-glutamate contributes to maintaining a low sodium intake among Vietnamese.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend the consumption of less than 2,000 mg of sodium/day to reduce blood pressure and the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. The sodium intake among Vietnamese was reported to be 7,200 mg/d or more. Free L-glutamate enhances flavor when it is added to food and improves the taste of sodium-reduced foods. Objective: This study aims to investigate whether the intake of free L-glutamate-rich seasonings contributes to maintaining a low sodium intake in a cross-over study. Methods: From a total of 145 subjects, 42 participants were screened for participation in the cross-over design study. Subjects were randomly allocated to the Low free L-glutamate group (Low free L-Gl) and the Normal free L-glutamate group (Normal free L-Gl). Both received a direct educational guideline to reduce sodium intake. The Low free L-Gl group started with a restriction in the variety of free L-glutamate-rich seasonings, and the Normal free L-Gl group had no restriction in the variety of seasonings. Blood pressure was measured at week 0 (baseline), week 2, week 4, and week 6, while body weight, height, urine sodium and potassium excretion, chromogranin-A (CgA pmol/mg protein) from saliva, and free L-glutamate from food were measured at week 0, week 3, and week 6. Results: In Low free L-Gl, the amount of free L-glutamate in food decreased significantly from baseline to week 6 (p < 0.00), while it did not change in the Normal free L-Gl (p > 0.05). However, the reduction of sodium excretion at week 6 was 22% in Low free L-Gl (5,875 mg/d vs. 4,603 mg/d, p < 0.01) and 46% in Normal free L-Gl (6,107 mg/d vs. 3,277 mg/d, p < 0.00), both lower than the baseline. CgA (pmol/mg protein) did not show any difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The group with Normal free L-Gl intake showed a 46% reduction in sodium excretion by week 6 compared to the baseline. This suggests that the consumption of L-glutamate-rich seasonings when complemented with direct educational guidelines, can contribute to maintaining a low sodium intake.

Secondary metabolites from marine fungus Penicillium chrysogenum VH17 and their antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential.

One new compound, methyl 3-((1-((2-carbamoylphenyl)amino)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)amino)-3-oxopropanoate (1), along with nine known secondary metabolites (2-10) were isolated and elucidated chemical structures from the methanol extract of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum VH17. Subsequent bioassays showed the antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential of the isolated compounds. All compounds 1-10 displayed antimicrobial effects against at least one tested reference microorganism with MIC values ranging from 32 to 256 µg mL-1. Furthermore, compound 4 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against all tested cell lines HepG2, A549, and MCF7 with IC50 values of 29.43 ± 1.37, 33.02 ± 1.53, and 36.72 ± 1.88 µM, respectively, whereas compound 3 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against MCF7 and HepG2 cell lines with IC50 values of 87.17 ± 6.31 and 97.32 ± 5.66 µM, respectively.

Investigating the workforce capacity and needs for animal disease surveillance and outbreak investigation: a mixed-methods study of veterinary services in Vietnam.

The need for strengthening national capacities for disease prevention, preparedness, and response is increasingly becoming urgent. Central to this is strengthening existing systems and workforce capacity for disease surveillance and disease outbreak response. This study aimed to evaluate the national capacity and needs of veterinary services in Vietnam in animal disease surveillance and outbreak investigation skills. A cross-sectional, convergent, mixed-methods study was conducted between November 2020 and April 2021. An online questionnaire was administered to government field veterinarians, followed by descriptive and multivariable analyses to understand field capacity, specifically levels of experience in outbreak investigation and animal health surveillance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in veterinary services and interview transcripts were coded and thematically analyzed. Qualitative results were used to contextualize quantitative findings from the survey. Overall, 178 field veterinary staff completed the online survey, and 25 stakeholders were interviewed. Eighty percent of respondents reported a high priority for further training in both animal disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. Training and competence were more limited at the district and commune levels, highlighting a gap in capacity at the subnational level. Reasons included a lack of in-depth training opportunities, limited access to resources and high staff turnover. Respondents who completed postgraduate qualifications in epidemiology or Field Epidemiology Training Programs were more likely to have higher levels of experience in animal health surveillance and outbreak investigation. This study identified gaps in knowledge and adoption of practices most often related to local-level or less experienced veterinary staff with limited training opportunities in epidemiology. Findings inform the prioritization of training and planning activities to further enhance the national capacity of veterinary services in Vietnam. Underlying explanations for existing gaps in capacity include inequities in skill development and training opportunities across levels of veterinary staff, gaps in the chain of command and unequal funding across provinces.

Friendly Environmental Strategies to Recycle Zinc-Carbon Batteries for Excellent Gel Polymer Electrolyte (PVA-ZnSO4-H2SO4) and Carbon Materials for Symmetrical Solid-State Supercapacitors.

In this report, we introduce a novel idea to prepare a redox additive in a gel polymer electrolyte system of PVA-ZnSO4-H2SO4 based on zinc-carbon battery recycling. Here, zinc cans from spent zinc-carbon batteries are dissolved completely in 1 M H2SO4 to obtain a redox additive in an aqueous electrolyte of ZnSO4-H2SO4. Moreover, carbon nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets were synthesized from carbon rod and carbon powder from spent zinc-carbon batteries by only one step of washing and electrochemical exfoliation, respectively, which have good electrochemical capability. The three-electrode system using a ZnSO4-H2SO4 electrolyte with carbon nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets as working electrodes shows high electrochemical adaptability, which points out its promising application in supercapacitor devices. Thus, the symmetrical solid-state supercapacitor devices based on the sandwich structure of graphene nanosheets/PVA-ZnSO4-H2SO4/graphene nanosheets illustrated the highest energy density of 39.17 W h kg-1 at a power density of 1700 W kg-1. While symmetrical devices based on carbon nanoparticles/PVA-ZnSO4-H2SO4/carbon nanoparticles exhibited a maximum energy density of 35.65 W h kg-1 at a power density of 1700 W kg-1. Moreover, these devices illustrate strong durability after 5000 cycles, with approximately 90.2% and 73.1% remaining, respectively. These results provide a promising strategy for almost completely recycling zinc-carbon batteries, one of the most popular dry batteries.

Large-Scale Serological Survey of Influenza A Virus in South Korean Wild Boar (Sus scrofa).

In this comprehensive large-scale study, conducted from 2015 to 2019, 7,209 wild boars across South Korea were sampled to assess their exposure to influenza A viruses (IAVs). Of these, 250 (3.5%) were found to be IAV-positive by ELISA, and 150 (2.1%) by the hemagglutination inhibition test. Detected subtypes included 23 cases of pandemic 2009 H1N1, six of human seasonal H3N2, three of classical swine H1N1, 13 of triple-reassortant swine H1N2, seven of triple-reassortant swine H3N2, and seven of swine-origin H3N2 variant. Notably, none of the serum samples tested positive for avian IAV subtypes H3N8, H5N3, H7N7, and H9N2 or canine IAV subtype H3N2. This serologic analysis confirmed the exposure of Korean wild boars to various subtypes of swine and human influenza viruses, with some serum samples cross-reacting between swine and human strains, indicating potential infections with multiple IAVs. The results highlight the potential of wild boar as a novel mixing vessel, facilitating the adaptation of IAVs and their spillover to other hosts, including humans. In light of these findings, we recommend regular and frequent surveillance of circulating influenza viruses in the wild boar population as a proactive measure to prevent potential human influenza pandemics and wild boar influenza epizootics.

ProtTrans and multi-window scanning convolutional neural networks for the prediction of protein-peptide interaction sites.

This study delves into the prediction of protein-peptide interactions using advanced machine learning techniques, comparing models such as sequence-based, standard CNNs, and traditional classifiers. Leveraging pre-trained language models and multi-view window scanning CNNs, our approach yields significant improvements, with ProtTrans standing out based on 2.1 billion protein sequences and 393 billion amino acids. The integrated model demonstrates remarkable performance, achieving an AUC of 0.856 and 0.823 on the PepBCL Set_1 and Set_2 datasets, respectively. Additionally, it attains a Precision of 0.564 in PepBCL Set 1 and 0.527 in PepBCL Set 2, surpassing the performance of previous methods. Beyond this, we explore the application of this model in cancer therapy, particularly in identifying peptide interactions for selective targeting of cancer cells, and other fields. The findings of this study contribute to bioinformatics, providing valuable insights for drug discovery and therapeutic development.

Capacity and needs assessment of veterinary services in Vietnam in biosecurity, biosafety and One Health.

The Asia-Pacific region is recognised as an epicentre of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), of which 75% are zoonotic in nature. Vietnam is recognised as a potential hotspot for zoonotic EIDs. There is a growing recognition that progress towards global health security requires greater focus on collaboration between the human health and animal health sectors to control diseases at their animal source and prevent against human health impacts. Assessment of veterinary epidemiology capacity in Vietnam is paramount to strengthening the health security of Asia-Pacific. This study aims to evaluate the national capacity and needs of veterinary services in Vietnam in biosecurity, biosafety and One Health. A cross-sectional, convergent mixed-methods study was conducted between November 2020 and April 2021. An online questionnaire was administered to government-employed field veterinarians. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models were performed using survey responses to understand capacity in the field. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with stakeholders in veterinary services including government, academia, research institutes, non-profit and international organisations. Coding and thematic analysis using a deductive approach was used for data collected from interviews to contextualise findings from the survey and understand institutional capacity. In total, 178 field veterinarians completed the online survey and 25 stakeholders were interviewed. The majority of participants had reported receiving training in biosecurity and biosafety, including use of personal protective equipment. Most respondents reported practicing good biosecurity measures (92%) and good biosafety measures (88%). Physical and socioeconomic barriers to practicing biosecurity were reported to be prevalent for smallholder farmers, which may suggest a gap in the capacity of veterinary services to provide cost-effective and practical biosecurity strategies. Seventy five percent of participants had never or rarely participated in One Health approaches in the field in the last 12 months and 69% reported further training as a high priority. There was a knowledge gap reported amongst district and commune-level veterinary staff about the need for, and awareness of multisectoral collaboration. Respondents that completed postgraduate qualifications in epidemiology or Field Epidemiology Training Programs (adjusted OR: 3.06; 95% CI: 1.01, 9.23, p = 0.046) and had longer job tenure between 10-12 years (OR: 10.38; 95% CI: 3.06, 35.15, p = <0.001) were more likely to have higher levels of experience in One Health. This study identified gaps in knowledge, attitudes and adoption of practices related to biosecurity, biosafety and One Health specifically in lower-level or less experienced veterinary staff without further training opportunities in epidemiology. These findings enable prioritisation of training, policy, and planning activities to further enhance the national capacity of veterinary services in Vietnam.

Discordance in exclusive breastfeeding between maternal recall and deuterium dose-to-mother technique during the first 6 months of infants: A multi-country study in Asia.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the agreement in EBF between maternal recall and the dose-to-mother (DTM) technique. METHODS: Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the study. A total of 207 and 118 mother-infant pairs were assessed at 3 and 6 months of child's age. Using a standardized questionnaire, mothers were asked to recall child feeding during the previous 24 h, at 3 and 6 months. Those recalled to be EBF proceeded to be assessed using DTM technique. Non-milk oral intake (NMOI) cutoff of 86.6 g/d was used to classify EBF. RESULTS: According to DTM, 66% of infants were EBF at 3 months, while only 22% were EBF at 6 months. At 3 months, the overall % agreement between maternal recall and DTM method was 68%, kappa 0.06 (95% CI: 0.07-0.20), and at 6 months, the % agreement was only 21%, kappa -0.031 (95% CI -0.168 to 0.107). Human milk intakes were similar at 3 months and 6 months when expressed as g/d, but decreased when expressed as g/kg/d, with a large variation within and between countries; Pakistan being the lowest. CONCLUSION: This study showed there were declining levels of EBF from 3 to 6 months in the participating countries from Asia and the agreement between maternal recall and DTM technique to classify EBF was low. To ensure that the DTM technique can be more widely used in evaluating breastfeeding promotion programs, consensus on the appropriate NMOI cutoff and simplification of the DTM protocol is necessary.

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Secondary Metabolites from a Marine-Derived Fungus Penicillium Citrinum VM6.

Investigation of an antimicrobial and cytotoxic ethyl acetate extract prepared from solid fermentation of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium citrinum VM6 led to the isolation of eight metabolites (1-8), including one citrinin dimer dicitrinone F (1). Of these, compound 7 was isolated for the first time from the Penicillium genus and compound 1 with carbon-bridged C-7/C-7' linkage is rarely reported. All compounds (1-8) exhibited selective antimicrobial activity against the tested Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans with MICs of 32-256 µg/mL. Compounds 1 and 8 exhibited cytotoxicity against all tested cell lines A549, MCF7, MDA-MB-231, Hela, and AGS with IC50 values of 6.7 ± 0.2 to 29.6 ± 2.2 µg/mL, whereas compound 5 had selective cytotoxicity against the MCF7 cell lines with IC50 of 98.1 ± 7.8 µg/mL.

Advanced Strategies for Developing Vaccines and Diagnostic Tools for African Swine Fever.

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most lethal infectious diseases affecting domestic pigs and wild boars of all ages. Over a span of 100 years, ASF has continued to spread over continents and adversely affects the global pig industry. To date, no vaccine or treatment has been approved. The complex genome structure and diverse variants facilitate the immune evasion of the ASF virus (ASFV). Recently, advanced technologies have been used to design various potential vaccine candidates and effective diagnostic tools. This review updates vaccine platforms that are currently being used worldwide, with a focus on genetically modified live attenuated vaccines, including an understanding of their potential efficacy and limitations of safety and stability. Furthermore, advanced ASFV detection technologies are presented that discuss and incorporate the challenges that remain to be addressed for conventional detection methods. We also highlight a nano-bio-based system that enhances sensitivity and specificity. A combination of prophylactic vaccines and point-of-care diagnostics can help effectively control the spread of ASFV.

Natural Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors with Potential Anti-Inflammatory Activities from Millettia dielsiana.

The results of in silico screening of the 50 isolated compounds from Millettia dielsiana against the target proteins PDE4 (PDE4A, PDE4B, and PDE4D) showed binding affinity ranges from -5.81 to -11.56, -5.27 to -13.01, and -5.80 to -12.12 kcal mol-1, respectively, with median values of -8.83, -8.84, and -8.645 kcal mol-1, respectively. Among these compounds, Millesianin F was identified as the most promising PDE4A inhibitor due to its strongest binding affinity with the target protein PDE4A. (-11.56 kcal mol-1). This was followed by the compound 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (D50) with the binding affinity value of -11.35 kcal mol-1. For the target protein PDE4B, compound D50 exhibited the strongest binding affinity value of -13.01 kcal mol-1, while showing poorer inhibition ability for PDE4D. The 100 ns MD simulation examination (radius of gyration, Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA), Root-Mean-Square Deviation (RMSD), Root-Mean-Square Fluctuation (RMSF), and hydrogen bonding) was carried out to examine the overall stability and binding efficiency of the protein-ligand complex between compounds (Millesianin F, Millesianin G, Claclrastin-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside, 7-hydroxy-4',6 dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside, 7-hydroxy-4',8-dimethoxyisoflavone 7-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside, Odoratin-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside, and 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside) and PDE4 (A, B) subtype proteins. Compound D50 has shown strong anti-inflammatory activity, as evidenced by experimental results. It effectively inhibits PDE4B and PDE4D, with IC50 values of 6.56 ± 0.7 µM and 11.74 ± 1.3 µM, respectively. Additionally, it reduces NO production, with an IC50 value of 5.40 ± 0.9 µM. Based on these findings, it is promising and considered a potential novel anti-inflammatory drug for future development.

Hydroxyapatite: A journey from biomaterials to advanced functional materials.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp), a well-known biomaterial, has witnessed a remarkable evolution over the years, transforming from a simple biocompatible substance to an advanced functional material with a wide range of applications. This abstract provides an overview of the significant advancements in the field of HAp and its journey towards becoming a multifunctional material. Initially recognized for its exceptional biocompatibility and bioactivity, HAp gained prominence in the field of bone tissue engineering and dental applications. Its ability to integrate with surrounding tissues, promote cellular adhesion, and facilitate osseointegration made it an ideal candidate for various biomedical implants and coatings. As the understanding of HAp grew, researchers explored its potential beyond traditional biomaterial applications. With advances in material synthesis and engineering, HAp began to exhibit unique properties that extended its utility to other disciplines. Researchers successfully tailored the composition, morphology, and surface characteristics of HAp, leading to enhanced mechanical strength, controlled drug release capabilities, and improved biodegradability. These modifications enabled the utilization of HAp in drug delivery systems, biosensors, tissue engineering scaffolds, and regenerative medicine applications. Moreover, the exceptional biomineralization properties of HAp allowed for the incorporation of functional ions and molecules during synthesis, leading to the development of bioactive coatings and composites with specific therapeutic functionalities. These functionalized HAp materials have demonstrated promising results in antimicrobial coatings, controlled release systems for growth factors and therapeutic agents, and even as catalysts in chemical reactions. In recent years, HAp nanoparticles and nanostructured materials have emerged as a focal point of research due to their unique physicochemical properties and potential for targeted drug delivery, imaging, and theranostic applications. The ability to manipulate the size, shape, and surface chemistry of HAp at the nanoscale has paved the way for innovative approaches in personalized medicine and regenerative therapies. This abstract highlights the exceptional evolution of HAp, from a traditional biomaterial to an advanced functional material. The exploration of novel synthesis methods, surface modifications, and nanoengineering techniques has expanded the horizon of HAp applications, enabling its integration into diverse fields ranging from biomedicine to catalysis. Additionally, this manuscript discusses the emerging prospects of HAp-based materials in photocatalysis, sensing, and energy storage, showcasing its potential as an advanced functional material beyond the realm of biomedical applications. As research in this field progresses, the future holds tremendous potential for HAp-based materials to revolutionize medical treatments and contribute to the advancement of science and technology.

A Pair of Undescribed Alkaloid Enantiomers from Marine Sponge-Derived Fungus Hamigera avellanea and Their Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities.

From marine sponge-associated fungus Hamigera avellanea, thirteen secondary metabolites including a pair of undescribed alkaloid enantiomers (+)-hamiavemin A (4S) (+)-1 and (-)-hamiavemin A (4R) (-)-1. Compound 1 was enantiomers resolved by the Chiralpak AS-3 column, using a hexane/isopropanol mobile phase. Their structures were determined based on extensive analyses of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The absolute configuration of (+)-1 and (-)-1 were assigned tentatively by ECD calculations. Among the isolates, compound 6 showed strongest antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Candida albicans with the MIC values of 2, 2, 16, 32, 64, and 16 µg/mL, respectively, which were stronger than that of the positive control compound, kanamycin (MIC values ranging from 4 to 128 µg/mL). In addition, compounds 1, 2, and 9 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines, HepG2, A549, and MCF-7 with the IC50 values ranging from 55.35±1.70 to 83.02±2.85 µg/mL.

Establishment of a p30-based lateral flow assay for African swine fever virus detection.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) has continuously devastated the global pig industry. Viral persistence causes problems in large pig farms and kills small farms. Timely diagnostic tools play an important role in controlling outbreaks and minimizing losses. In this study, we developed a lateral flow assay to detect ASFV on-site. The VDRG® ASFV Ag Rapid Kit was established using two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the p30 protein. The conjunction pad of the kit was coated with a mixture of the mAb and colloidal gold. This rapid kit was capable of detecting 11.5 ng of antigen and 0.16 HAD50 of virus from samples, in 20 min for the entire procedure. It passed cross-specific tests using common viruses that cause infectious diseases in pigs. ASFV was detected after 4 days in experimental infection in pigs by the kit. The specificity and sensitivity of the kit for clinical samples were 99.88% and 84.52% (93.8% for samples with a Ct value below 30), respectively. Finally, the kit can detect 100% positive herd outbreaks. The VDRG® ASFV Ag Rapid Kit presents a useful point-of-care tool for ASFV detection.

Preventing Risks of Infections and Medication Errors in IV therapy (PRIME): a patient safety initiative.

BACKGROUND: Two major avoidable reasons for adverse events in hospital are medication errors and intravenous therapy-induced infections or complications. Training for clinical staff and compliance to patient safety principles could address these. METHODS: Joint Commission International (JCI) consultants created a standardised, 6-month training programme for clinical staff in hospitals. Twenty-one tertiary care hospitals from across south-east Asia took part. JCI trained the clinical consultants, who trained hospital safety champions, who trained nursing staff. Compliance and knowledge were assessed, and monthly audits were conducted. RESULTS: There was an overall increase of 29% in compliance with parameters around medication preparation and vascular access device management. CONCLUSION: The programme improved safe practice around preparing medications management and managing vascular access devices. The approach could be employed as a continuous quality improvement initiative for the prevention of medication errors and infusion-associated complications.

Genomic characterization of endemic diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Escherichia albertii from infants with diarrhea in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is a group of bacterial pathogens that causes life-threatening diarrhea in children in developing countries. However, there is limited information on the characteristics of DEC isolated from patients in these countries. A detailed genomic analysis of 61 DEC-like isolates from infants with diarrhea was performed to clarify and share the characteristics of DEC prevalent in Vietnam. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: DEC was classified into 57 strains, including 33 enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (54.1%), 20 enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (32.8%), two enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) (3.3%), one enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), and one ETEC/EIEC hybrid (1.6% each), and surprisingly into four Escherichia albertii strains (6.6%). Furthermore, several epidemic DEC clones showed an uncommon combination of pathotypes and serotypes, such as EAEC Og130:Hg27, EAEC OgGp9:Hg18, EAEC OgX13:H27, EPEC OgGp7:Hg16, and E. albertii EAOg1:HgUT. Genomic analysis also revealed the presence of various genes and mutations associated with antibiotic resistance in many isolates. Strains that demonstrate potential resistance to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone, drugs recommended for treating childhood diarrhea, accounted for 65.6% and 41%, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE: Our finding indicate that the routine use of these antibiotics has selected resistant DECs, resulting in a situation where these drugs do not provide in therapeutic effects for some patients. Bridging this gap requires continuous investigations and information sharing regarding the type and distribution of endemic DEC and E. albertii and their antibiotic resistance in different countries.

Rapid Visible Detection of African Swine Fever Virus Using Hybridization Chain Reaction-Sensitized Magnetic Nanoclusters and Affinity Chromatography.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a severe and persistent threat to the global swine industry. As there are no vaccines against ASFV, there is an immense need to develop easy-to-use, cost-effective, and rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms to detect and prevent ASFV outbreaks. Here, a novel POC diagnostic system based on affinity column chromatography for the optical detection of ASFV is presented. This system employs an on-particle hairpin chain reaction to sensitize magnetic nanoclusters with long DNA strands in a target-selective manner, which is subsequently fed into a column chromatography device to produce quantitatively readable and colorimetric signals. The detection approach does not require expensive analytical apparatus or immobile instrumentation. The system can detect five genes constituting the ASFV whole genome with a detection limit of ≈19.8 pm in swine serum within 30 min at laboratory room temperature. With an additional pre-amplification step using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the assay is successfully applied to detect the presence of ASFV in 30 suspected swine samples with 100% sensitivity and specificity, similar to quantitative PCR. Thus, this simple, inexpensive, portable, robust, and customizable platform for the early detection of ASFV can facilitate the timely surveillance and implementation of control measures.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Policy of Holding the Second Dose of Vaccination: Lessons from the Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a lot of ethical controversy in the equal provision of healthcare, including vaccination. Therefore, our study was designed to assess the impact of Ho Chi Minh City's policy to hold the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Using a cross-sectional study design to assess low saturation of peripheral oxygen (SPO2) risk based on vaccination status, we included patients who were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 and were treated at home. The stepwise method was used to determine participants' low SPO2 risk-related factors. The average age of the 2836 respondents was 46.43 ± 17.33 (years). Research results have shown that seven factors are related to the low SPO2 status of participants, including age, sneezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and fainting as COVID-19 symptoms, the number of people living with COVID-19, and a history of lung disease. A statistically significant (p = 0.032) finding in this study was that fully vaccinated patients had a 6% lower risk of low SPO2 compared to the first dose less than 21 days group. This result was similar in the vaccine holder group (p < 0.001). Holding the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is associated with a lower SPO2 risk than that of fully vaccinated patients. Therefore, this approach should be considered by governments as it could bring a greater benefit to the community.