High level IFN-γ may be one of the characteristics of chronic brucellosis / 中国人兽共患病学报

We sought to compare the level of peripheral blood gamma interferon(IFN-γ),interleukin 4 (IL-4),TGF-β1,IL-10 and IFN-γ/IL-4 between acute brucellosis and chronic brucellosis to look for biochemical markers for chronic brucellosis.A total of 42 acute brucellosis and 42 chronic brucellosis cases were selected randomly from the Endemic Disease Prevention and Control Center of Ulanqab City as the research subjects with 20 local healthy persons as healthy control.Comparisons of IFN-γ,IL-4,TGF-β1,IL-10 and IFN-7/IL-4 in the three groups were tested by One-Way ANOVA analysis.Parameters of IL-4,IFN-γ,TGF-β1,IL-10 and IFN-γ/IL-4 in peripheral blood were analyzed with T-test between acute brucellosis with chronic brucellosis.Results showed that the mean of IFN-,IL-4,TGF-β1 and IFN-γ/IL-4 was significant difference in the three groups(F =6.86,11.90,12.25,4.60,P＜0.01),but not of IL-10(F=2.72,P＞0.05).The mean of IFN-γ,IL-4 andIFN-7/IL-4 was significant difference between acute brucellosis with chronic group(t=-1.99,82,-3.3,P＜0.05),but not of TGF-β1 and IL-10(t=-1.90,-1.81,P＞0.05).Combined with TGF-β1 and IL-10 levels,high level IFN-γ may be regarded as one of the biochemical markers for chronic brucellosis.

Epidemiological survey of human brucellosis in Wulanchabu City of Inner Mongolia in 2010 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To understand the morbidity of human brucellosis in Wulanchabu City of Inner Mongolia in order to provide a basis for development of prevention and control measures.Methods According to the requirements in Baseline Survey Programme of Human Brucellosis in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regionbetween November and December in 2010,stratified cluster sampling method was used to selected three townships according to the conditions of brucellosis(mild,moderate and serious) in 11 flags(cities,counties,districts) of the city.Three villages were extracted from each township.There were at least 200 persons aged 10 and older were investigated in every township.At least 600 people were investigated in every flag(city,county,district).Respondents were investigated about their awareness rate of basic knowledge about brucellosis,risk factors and common sense of prevention and treatment of the disease by using health education questionnaire.Based on the principle of informed consent,we collected respondents venous blood for preliminary screening using Hu red tablets.Brucellosis was confirmed with standard tube agglutination test and positive result was confirmed if 1:100 antibody concentration was two + or more.Prevalence,false negative rate as well as different age,gender,occupational incidence was calculated based on the network reported results of brucellosis in 33 townships of Wulanchabu in 2010.Results We distributed 6998 questionnaires and 6763 questionnaires were effective.The witting rate of basic knowledge about brucellosis was 57.99％(15 687/27 052); the witting rate of risk factors about brucellosis was 44.33％ (29 978/67 630); the witting rate for prevention and control of brucellosis was 41.66％(28 176/67 630),and total witting rate was 45.49％(73 841/162 312).The morbidity of brucellosis in Wulanchabu City was 91.39/10 000 (785/85 894) in 2010.Five hundred and ninety-one were serologically positive and the infection rate was 8.48％ (591/69 972).Nine hundred and three cases of patients were diagnosed with brucellosis and the prevalence rate of brucellosis was 105.13/10 000 (903/85 894).Missing report 377 cases,and the false negative rate was 48.03％ (377/785) in 2010.Men infection rate was 71.07％(420/3755) and women infection rate was 28.93％(171/3217).The infection rate[97.63％(577/591)] of people aged 31 and older was significantly higher than that [2.37％(14/591)] of the people aged 30 and younger.Infection rate of people engaged in aquaculture was 8.61％ (582/669).The infection rate of people working in livestock processing industry was 2.91％ (2/103).The infection rate of people working in animal by-product circulation was 2.85％ (2/70).The Infection rate of people working in other industries was 4.59％(5/109).Conclusions In Wulanchabu City,the morbidity of brucellosis and missing report rate are both high.The infection rate of people engaged in aquaculture is high and man morbidity is high.The awareness rate about prevention and treatment knowledge of brucellosis is low.We should carry out health education to inhabitants in endemic areas to improve their self-protection awareness and reduce the incidence of brucellosis.

Application of multiplex polymerase chain reaction to identify Brucella / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect of multiplex polymerase chain reaction(Multiple-PCR) in identification of Brucella strains.Methods Six standard Brucella strains (Brucella abortus,Brucella melitensis,Brucella suis,Brucella canis,Brucella ovis,Brucella neotomae) were used as positive controls and Escherichia coli O∶157 and Yersinia enterocolitica O∶9 were used as negative controls.A total of 29 Brucella strains were tested.Brucella strains were amplified by BCSP31-PCR and the species of Brucella with positive results were identified with Multiple-PCR method.Results The results of all 29 amplified Brucella strains were positive with BCSP31-PCR.The identified results of all Brucella strains were positive with Multiple-PCR,including 20 strains of Brucella melitensis,5 isolates of Brucella suis,3 strains of Brucella abortus and 1 strain of Brucella canis.Conclusion Multiple-PCR method is a rapid,specific,simple and low risk method for identification of Brucella species.

An epidemiological investigation of human brucellosis in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia 2011 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Ulanqab of Inner Mongolia.Methods Three hundred and twenty patients with suspected brucellosis were selected,who had registered in the Ulanqab Center for Endemic Disease Control of Inner Mongolia from April to June 2011.The investigation covered general situation,such as gender,age,occupation and main clinical symptoms and so on.Blood samples were collected,and Rose Bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) was used for serum screening.Those who were tested positive in RBPT were confirmed with tube agglutination test (SAT).Brucellosis was diagnosed according to Diagnostic criteria for Brucellosis (WS 269-2007).Data were analyzed with statistical software(SPSS 17.0).Results One hundred and thirty-four cases were positive in RBPT of the 320 people surveyed,of which 93 cases were positive in SAT; antibody titers were higher than 1 ∶ 100(++),therefore they were diagnosed as brucellosis,and the ratio was 29.1％(93/320).The number of patients with suspected brucellosis who were negative in SAT test was 41,and the ratio was 12.8％ (41/320).Among the 93 people who were infected,the constituent ratio of farmers and herdsmen who engaged in livestock was the highest,accounted for 63.4％(59/93) and 24.7％ (23/93) of the total number of patients ; infection rate of male (30.9％,55/178) was higher than that of females (26.7％,38/142) ; the number(39) of brucellosis patients who were over the age of 51 was the highest,and the ratio is 42.0％.The onset season mainly in May and August; main route of exposure was bare hands lambing,midwifery and contact with infected sheep pollutants.Conclusions Sheep is the main source of human Brucella infection in Ulanqab.It is the key to control the spreading of brucellosis through improving awareness of disease prevention among farmers and herdsmen as well intensifying the prevention and control of Brucella infection between livestock.