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.

The adenosine analog prodrug ATV006 is orally bioavailable and has preclinical efficacy against parental SARS-CoV-2 and variants.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus driving the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, continues to rapidly evolve. Because of the limited efficacy of vaccination in prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and continuous emergence of variants of concern (VOCs), orally bioavailable and broadly efficacious antiviral drugs are urgently needed. Previously, we showed that the parent nucleoside of remdesivir, GS-441524, has potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Here, we report that esterification of the 5'-hydroxyl moieties of GS-441524 markedly improved antiviral potency. This 5'-hydroxyl-isobutyryl prodrug, ATV006, demonstrated excellent oral bioavailability in rats and cynomolgus monkeys and exhibited potent antiviral efficacy against different SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in vitro and in three mouse models. Oral administration of ATV006 reduced viral loads and alleviated lung damage when administered prophylactically and therapeutically to K18-hACE2 mice challenged with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. These data indicate that ATV006 represents a promising oral antiviral drug candidate for SARS-CoV-2.

[Etiologic detection and epidemiological analysis of one suspected case of diphtheria in Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the diagnosis of one suspected case of diphtheria in Guangdong province by epidemiological analysis and etiologic detection. METHODS: On July 6th 2010, the corynebacterium diphtheria was detected from the nasal secretions of one nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient in a college-town hospital in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. The patient and the close contacts were asked to participate in the epidemiological survey; and their nasopharyngeal swabs (3 samples) and the nasal secretions of the patient (1 sample) were collected. The bacteria of the samples were isolated and cultured by blood plate and agar loefflera. The smears of positive strains were dyed and identified by BioMerieux API Coryne biochemical card. Gene tox of ß-Corynebacteriophage, Corynebacterium diphtheriae was tested by PCR method, the aliphatic acid was analyzed by gas chromatography method and the Corynebacterium diphtheriae (CMCC 38009) was selected as positive control. RESULTS: The patient had not gone out, neither had been visited. The patient denied history of vaccines or the immunizations. From the survey on patient's family members and close contacts, no similar symptoms had been found. One strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from the patient's nasal secretions, Gram positive and shape diversified. After cultured by agar loefflera and Gram-dyed and Neisser-dyed, one end or both two ends of the strain showed typical metachromatic granule. API Coryne was identified to Corynebacterium diphtheriae mitis/belfanti (99.4%). The result of gas chromatography method also indicated Corynebacterium diphtheriae. No Corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from the nasopharyngeal swabs, neither of the patient nor of the close contacts. The gene tox of ß-Corynebacteriophage, Corynebacterium diphtheriae was negative according to the PCR test. CONCLUSION: The isolated Corynebacterium diphtheriae did not produce toxin as there was no biological structure gene of toxin. The patient was a health carrier of nontoxic Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

[Identification and characterization of the Francisella sp. strain 08HL01032 isolated in air condition systems].

OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterize the strain 08H101032 was isolated from air condition systems in the routine investigations of Legionella in Guangzhou, China, in 2008. METHODS: We adopted several phenotypic and genotypical methods, such as the growth status on various media, morphological, physical and biochemical characteristics, animal test, antibiotic susceptivities, PCR identification, sequence analysis of 16S RNA and RNA polymerase beta-subunit (ropB) gene etc, to determinate the phylogenetic position and outline the basic biological characteristics. RESULTS: Strain 08H101032 was Gram-negative with polymorphic short rods or coccobacillus; with no flagella; devoid of spores; well growth on buffered charcoal yeast extraction (BCYE) agar and BCYE supplemented with glycine (3 g/L), polymyxin B sulfate (80000 iu/L), vancomycin (1 mg/L) and cycloheximide (80 mg/L) (GVPC medium) within 2 days, but delayed growth on ordinary sheep blood agar untill 5 - 7 days; catalase positive; oxidase negative; no reduction of nitrate; no hydrolysis of urea; delayed fermention of glucose to produce acid; which was primarily considered as Legionella. It was lastly identified to the genus Fransicella, characterized by a variety of biochemical and molecular phylogenetic tests, which shared the highest similarities to F. Philomiragia with 95.3% to 16S rRNA gene of 1377 oligo nucleotides and 87.3% to ropB gene of 367 oligo nucleotides (GenBank accession number: FJ591095, FJ939309). Growth were observed after a treatment for 10 minutes with the KCl-HCl buffer of pH 2.2, 20 degrees C, and at 25 degrees C, 37 degrees C (optimum 25 degrees C - 28 degrees C), but not at 42 degrees C. The cells had capsule-like construction by transmission electron microscopy, however no virulence found to mice. CONCLUSIONS: Strain 08H101032 was a potential new species of the genus Fransicella with a typical characteristic of L-cysteine growth stimulating activity, distinguishingly to Legionella with L-cysteine growth dependent activity.