Latent TB Infection, Vitamin D Status and COVID-19 Severity in Mongolian Patients.

We aimed to determine potential risk factors for COVID-19 severity including serum vitamin D levels and latent TB infection among Mongolian inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19, and to study the effects of disease complications and treatment outcomes. This study included patients admitted to the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Disease, a main referral center for infectious disease in Mongolia, with COVID-19 ascertained by a positive PCR test. Patients' demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed. Of the 270 patients enrolled, 125 (46%) had mild-to-moderate illness, 86 (32%) had severe illness, and 59 (22%) had critical illness. Ten (91%) of the 11 patients who had active TB were hospitalized with severe or critical COVID-19, suggesting that they had a higher risk of falling into the severe category (OR = 10.6 [1.2; 92.0] 95% CI). Severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL) was present in 32% of the patients, but was not significantly associated with the severity of illness (p = 0.65). Older age, being male, having active TB and/or COPD were associated with greater COVID-19 severity, whereas a history of COVID-19 vaccination and the presence of a BCG vaccination scar were protective in terms of disease severity.

Epidemiology, Genotype Distribution, Prognosis, Control, and Management of Viral Hepatitis B, C, D, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mongolia.

Mongolia is located between Russia and China. The total population of Mongolia as of December 2017 is estimated to be 3.2 million people. According to our previous study results, the prevalence of HBV was 11.8%, and anti-HDV was detected in 4.8% among the HBsAg-positive subjects. Interestingly, most HCV infection is caused by genotype 1b. Among all HBV DNA-positive samples, 98.5% were classified into genotype D, and regarding HDV genotypes, all HDV RNA-positive samples, 100%, were classified into genotype I. The second study is the baseline survey of a Nationwide Cancer Cohort Study. Prevalence of HBsAg was 10.6%. Additionally, HCV infection was observed in 9.9%, and 0.8% were coinfected with HBV and HCV among the general population aged from 10 to 64 years. The third study investigated the population-based prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus in apparently healthy population of Ulaanbaatar city, Mongolia. The anti-HCV prevalence was 9.0%. In addition, the prevalence of HBV was 8.0%. The fourth study is on the prevalence of HCV and coinfections among nurses in a tertiary hospital in Mongolia. The prevalence of HCV was 18.9%. Additionally, HBV infection was observed in 23.1%, and 1.2% were coinfected with HCV and HBV. Mongolia has the highest HCC incidence in the world (78.1/100,000, 3.5* higher than China). As a result, the Mongolia government has launched The National Viral Hepatitis Program, which is a comprehensive program that involves all aspects from prevention to care and disease control to meet a reduction goal for morbidity and mortality due to HBV, HCV, and HDV. Consequently, access to antiviral therapies is now improving in Mongolia. How to cite this article: Baatarkhuu O, Gerelchimeg T, Munkh-Orshikh D, Batsukh B, Sarangua G, Amarsanaa J. Epidemiology, Genotype Distribution, Prognosis, Control, and Management of Viral Hepatitis B, C, D, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mongolia. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2018;8(1):57-62.