Surveillance of transmitted HIV drug resistance using matched plasma and dried blood spot specimens from voluntary counseling and testing sites in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2007-2008.

During 2007-2008, surveillance of transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance (TDR) was performed following World Health Organization guidance among clients with newly diagnosed HIV infection attending voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) sites in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. Moderate (5%-15%) TDR to nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) was observed among VCT clients aged 18-21 years. Follow-up surveillance of TDR in HCMC and other geographic regions of Vietnam is warranted. Data generated will guide the national HIV drug resistance surveillance strategy and support selection of current and future first-line antiretroviral therapy and HIV prevention programs.

Rotavirus disease in young children from Hanoi, Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Pathogen prevalences and antimicrobial susceptibilities are essential for the rational development of preventive strategies for diarrheal diseases, but little recent information from Vietnam is available. We prospectively studied the prevalence of enteric pathogens in children less than 5 years of age with acute diarrhea and in nondiarrhea controls in a city hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam for 1 year. METHODS: Enteric bacteria and viruses were detected by standard culture methods, and enzyme immunoassay in 291 cases and 291 controls. RESULTS: Detection rates of viral pathogens among cases and controls were 31% and 3% for rotavirus, 12% and 1% for astrovirus and 4% and 1% for adenovirus. For bacterial pathogens, Aeromonas, Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter and enterotoxigenic E. coli were isolated from cases and controls in 15% and 8%, 9% and 1%, 7% and 1%, 4% and 0%, and 3% and 0%, respectively. The isolation of bacterial and viral pathogens except for adenovirus was significantly lower in controls than cases. Fluoroquinolones were effective against most bacterial enteropathogens, but resistance was observed in 27% of Campylobacter isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Viral etiologic agents especially rotavirus were the most important cause of acute diarrhea in children less than 5 years of age in Hanoi. The burden of rotavirus in young children in Hanoi warrants consideration of using the recently released rotavirus vaccine.