[From treatment to whole course management: envisioning comprehensive management of Talaromycosis marneffei].

Talaromycosis marneffei has been increasing in recent years. Our understanding of this disease has gradually deepened through extensive basic and clinical research, but there are still many limitations. In this article, by incorporating the latest research advancements, we discuss important issues in managing Talaromycosis marneffei trends, aiming to guide effective prevention and control of the disease, improving public health, and reducing the healthcare burden.

Aetiology of tinea capitis in China: a multicentre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is still common in developing countries, such as China. Its pathogen spectrum varies across regions and changes over time. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to clarify the current epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in China. METHODS: A multicentre, prospective descriptive study involving 29 tertiary hospitals in China was conducted. From August 2019 to July 2020, 611 patients with tinea capitis were enrolled. Data concerning demography, risk factors and fungal tests were collected. When necessary, the pathogens were further identified by morphology or molecular sequencing in the central laboratory. RESULTS: Among all enrolled patients, 74·1% of the cases were in patients aged 2-8 years. The children with tinea capitis were mainly boys (56·2%) and were more likely than adults to have a history of animal contact (57·4% vs. 35·3%, P = 0·012) and zoophilic dermatophyte infection (73·5% vs. 47%). The adults were mainly female (83%) and were more likely than children to have anthropophilic agent infection (53% vs. 23·9%). The most common pathogen was zoophilic Microsporum canis (354, 65·2%), followed by anthropophilic Trichophyton violaceum (74, 13·6%). In contrast to the eastern, western and northeastern regions, where zoophilic M. canis predominated, anthropophilic T. violaceum predominated in central China (69%, P < 0·001), where the patients had the most tinea at other sites (20%) and dermatophytosis contact (26%) but the least animal contact (39%). Microsporum ferrugineum was the most common anthropophilic agent in the western area, especially in Xinjiang province. CONCLUSIONS: Boys aged approximately 5 years were the most commonly affected group. Dermatologists are advised to pay more attention to the different transmission routes and pathogen spectra in different age groups from different regions.

Effects of phenol on metabolic activities and transcription profiles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in Chironomus kiinensis larvae.

Phenol, also known as carbolic acid or phenic acid, is a priority pollutant in aquatic ecosystems. The present study has investigated metabolic activities and transcription profiles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in Chironomus kiinensis under phenol stress. Exposure of C. kiinensis larvae to three sublethal doses of phenol (1, 10 and 100 µM) inhibited cytochrome P450 enzyme activity during the 96 h exposure period. The P450 activity measured after the 24 h exposure to phenol stress could be used to assess the level (low or high) of phenol contamination in the environment. To investigate the potential of cytochrome P450 genes as molecular biomarkers to monitor phenol contamination, the cDNA of ten CYP6 genes from the transcriptome of C. kiinensis were identified and sequenced. The open reading frames of the CYP6 genes ranged from 1266 to 1587 bp, encoding deduced polypeptides composed of between 421 and 528 amino acids, with predicted molecular masses from 49.01 to 61.94 kDa and isoelectric points (PI) from 6.01 to 8.89. Among the CYP6 genes, the mRNA expression levels of the CYP6EW3, CYP6EV9, CYP6FV1 and CYP6FV2 genes significantly altered in response to phenol exposure; therefore, these genes could potentially serve as biomarkers in the environment. This study shows that P450 activity combined with one or multiple CYP6 genes could be used to monitor phenol pollution.

Association study of C1qA polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Han population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the C1qA gene region with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: Chinese SLE patients (n = 748) and ethnically- and geographically-matched healthy controls (n = 750) were genotyped for the C1qA region SNPs, rs172378 and rs665691, by using the Sequenom MassArray system. RESULTS: The Chinese Han SLE patients and controls had statistically similar frequencies of alleles, genotypes, and haplotypes of C1qA polymorphisms. Moreover, no association signal was detected on different genetic models (additive, dominant, and recessive) or in SLE subgroups stratified by various clinical manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: The C1qA SNPs, rs172378 and rs665691, confer no genetic predisposition to SLE in a Chinese Han population.