Acupuncture for emotional disorders in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Emotional disorders are often observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD with emotional disorders leads to poor quality of life. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with IBD with emotional disorders. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Nine electronic databases, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Database and Wanfang Database, will be searched from inception to October 2021 without language restriction. The grey literature containing conference proceedings, as well as systematic reviews listed in the reference of definite publications, will also be retrieved. Randomised controlled trials either in English or Chinese reporting acupuncture therapy for IBD with emotional disorders will be included. The primary outcome is changes of emotional functioning outcomes. The Colitis Activity Index, Crohn's Disease Activity Index, C reactive protein and adverse events will be assessed as the secondary outcomes. More than two assessors will conduct the study retrieval and selection, as well as the data extraction and evaluation of the risk of bias. Data synthesis will be performed using a random-effects model based on the results of heterogeneity. Data analysis will be performed using RevMan software (V.5.4). Moreover, the dichotomous data will be presented as risk ratios, and the continuous data will be calculated using weighted mean difference or standard mean difference. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review contains no individual patient data; thus, ethical approval is not required. Moreover, this review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or relevant conference. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020176340.

Large-scale survey of a neglected agent of sparganosis Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae) in wild frogs in China.

BACKGROUND: In China, frogs play an understudied role in the spread of human sparganosis (caused by the larval form of Spirometra). However, our knowledge about the prevalence of sparganum infection in frogs remains fragmented, and the taxonomic identification of the parasite is still controversial. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The prevalence of sparganum infection in wild frogs was surveyed at 145 geographical locations from 28 of the 34 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities in China for six years. The collected sparganum isolates from the different locations were subjected to molecular identification by a multiplex PCR assay and then were analysed with clustering analysis. In the survey, sparganum infection was found in 8 out of 13 of the collected frog species, and the most frequently infected species was Pelophylax nigromaculatus (the infection rate was up to 14.07%). Infected frogs were found in 80 of the 145 surveyed locations. The sparganum infection rates in the wild frogs in several regions of China were still high (above 10%), especially in South and Southwest China. A total of 72 spargana were selected for molecular identification, and the clustering analysis showed that sequences from the Chinese isolates were very similar to those identified as from Spirometra erinaceieuropaei. However, the taxonomy of the genus remains confused and further analysis is required. CONCLUSIONS: Eating wild frogs is associated with considerable health risks in China. Several traditional Chinese folk remedies may increase the risk of infection. The sparganum isolates in China are most likely from S. erinaceieuropaei, but new studies, especially comprehensive morphological analyses, are needed in the future.