Pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus infection at the assessment of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate prescription: Baseline characteristics of a prospective cohort study in Vietnam.

Objectives: We aimed to determine epidemiological characteristics and serologic markers among chronically hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected pregnant women during the assessment of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) prescription in Vietnam.

Methods: We consecutively recruited 375 pregnant women with chronic HBV (cHBV) infection at week 25±2 of pregnancy, at which time they were assessed for TDF use as pre-prophylaxis and/or pre-treatment at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in southern Vietnam during December 2019-April 2021. Demographic characteristics, serological biomarkers, and prenatal liver ultrasounds were obtained through interviews and reviews of medical records.

Rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 strains via isothermal enzymatic recombinase amplification and nanopore sequencing.

Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 genome has become a crucial technique in the management of COVID-19, aiding the pandemic response and supporting effective public health interventions. Typically, whole-genomic sequencing is used along with PCR-based target enrichment techniques to identify SARS-CoV-2 variants, which is a complicated and time-consuming process that requires central laboratory facilities. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop rapid and cost-effective tools for precise on-site detection and identification of SARS-CoV-2 strains.

Mother-to-Child Transmission of HBV Infection by Preventive Interventions in Southern Vietnam's Hospitals.

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) presenting with HBV DNA levels of 106 copies/mL or more to hinder mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Moreover, it is suggested that neonates of HBV-infected mothers receive an HBV vaccine birth dose within 24 hours of birth to mitigate transmission risk.

Methodology: The study included 661 HBV-infected pregnant women and 316 infants from 3 hospitals in Southern Vietnam between October 2019 and November 2020.

HBeAg testing is better than quantitative HBsAg assay as an alternative to HBV DNA assay among HBV-infected pregnant women.

Introduction: Using tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is recommended in the 3rd trimester for pregnant women with HBV DNA ≥ 200,000 IU/mL to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, HBV DNA quantification is unavailable in many resource-limited areas worldwide, hence prophylaxis is often missed. The aim of this study was to determine whether HBeAg or qHBsAg is a better alternative to HBV DNA testing in HBV-infected pregnant women.

Role of regulatory capacity in the animal and human health systems in driving response to zoonotic disease outbreaks in the the Mekong region.

We conducted a policy situation analysis in three Mekong region countries, focused on how the animal and human health systems interact to control avian influenza (AI). The study used scoping literature reviews aimed at establishing existing knowledge concerning the regulatory context. We then conducted a series of key informant interviews with national and sub-national government officials and representatives of producers and poultry farmers to understand their realities in managing the complex interface of the two sectors to control AI.

The Production of Standardized Samples with Known Concentrations for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RT-qPCR Testing Validation for Developing Countries in the Period of the Pandemic Era.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 () has caused a pandemic of pneumonia spreading around the world, leading to serious threats to public health and attracting enormous attention. There is an urgent need for sensitive diagnostic testing implementation to control and manage in public health laboratories. The quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay is the gold standard method, but the sensitivity and specificity of SARS-CoV-2 testing are dependent on a number of factors.

Recombinant Human SCARB2 Expressed in and its Potential in Enterovirus 71 Blockage.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral infectious disease caused by enteroviruses, including coxsackie A16 (CVA16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71). HFMD can cause severe symptoms in children which can be fatal. Human scavenger receptor class B member 2 (SCARB2) is a cellular receptor for EV71 and CVA16, providing a potential approach for preventing EV71 infection and transmission.

Comparison of Primer-Probe Sets among Different Master Mixes for Laboratory Screening of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 ().

Background: There is a shortage of chemical reagents for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 () diagnosis and a surge of cases, especially in limited-resource settings. Therefore, the combination of an optimal assay kit is necessary.

Methods: We compared the ability to screen among three primer-probe sets in two different master mixes, Invitrogen™ SuperScript™ III One-Step RT-PCR and LightCycler Multiplex RNA Virus Master.

Working Conditions and Sick Building Syndrome among Health Care Workers in Vietnam.

Background: Little is known about risk factors for sick building symptoms (SBS) among health care workers (HCWs) who often face the workload, exposure to chemicals, and biological contaminants in the workplace. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between SBS and the symptoms among HCWs.

Methods: A total of 207 HCWs were recruited in a large hospital-based cross-sectional survey between March and June 2017, southern Vietnam.

Gap in measles vaccination coverage among children aged 9 months to 10 years in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, 2014.

Introduction: When Viet Nam launched the Expanded Programme on Immunization in 1981, it covered six vaccines, including measles. Subsequently, Viet Nam experienced a marked reduction in measles infections. A nationwide measles epidemic occurred in April 2014 and an investigation found that 86% of affected children aged 9 months to 10 years were not fully vaccinated; therefore, understanding the reasons for not vaccinating could improve vaccination coverage.

Neutralizing Antibodies against Enteroviruses in Patients with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is an emerging infection with pandemic potential. Knowledge of neutralizing antibody responses among its pathogens is essential to inform vaccine development and epidemiologic research. We used 120 paired-plasma samples collected at enrollment and >7 days after the onset of illness from HFMD patients infected with enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), coxsackievirus A (CVA) 6, CVA10, and CVA16 to study cross neutralization.

Plans for Nationwide Serosurveillance Network in Vietnam.

In recent years, serosurveillance has gained momentum as a way of determining disease transmission and immunity in populations, particularly with respect to vaccine-preventable diseases. At the end of 2017, the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology held a meeting in Vietnam with national policy makers, researchers, and international experts to discuss current seroepidemiologic projects in Vietnam and future needs and plans for nationwide serosurveillance. This report summarizes the meeting and the plans that were discussed to set up nationwide serosurveillance in Vietnam.

Carbapenemase Genes and Multidrug Resistance of : A Cross Sectional Study of Patients with Pneumonia in Southern Vietnam.

is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen found in hospital-acquired infections including nosocomial pneumonia, especially multidrug-resistant . This study aims to survey the drug resistance profiles of isolated from patients in Thong Nhat Dong Nai General Hospital and assess the relationship between genotypes and antibiotic resistance; Methods: Ninety-seven strains isolated from 340 lower respiratory tract specimens among pneumonia patients were used to screen the most common local carbapenemase genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing results and demographic data were collected and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of colistin were also determined; Results: Over 80% and 90% of strains were determined as carbapenem-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR) respectively.

The Estimates of the Health and Economic Burden of Dengue in Vietnam.

Dengue has been estimated to cause a substantial health and economic burden in Vietnam. The most recent studies have estimated that it is responsible for 39884 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually, representing an economic burden of US$94.87 million per year (in 2016 prices).

Projected costs associated with school-based screening to inform deployment of Dengvaxia: Vietnam as a case study.

Background: After new analysis, Sanofi Pasteur now recommends their dengue vaccine (Dengvaxia) should only be given to individuals previously infected with dengue and the World Health Organization's recommendations regarding its use are currently being revised. As a result, the potential costs of performing large-scale individual dengue screening and/or dengue serosurveys have become an important consideration for decision making by policymakers in dengue-endemic areas.

Methods: We used an ingredients-based approach to estimate the financial costs for conducting both a school-based dengue serosurvey and school-based individual dengue screening within a typical province in Vietnam, using an existing commercial indirect immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.

Evolution and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Enterovirus A71 Subgenogroups in Vietnam.

Background: Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is the major cause of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease and viral encephalitis in children across the Asia-Pacific region, including in Vietnam, which has experienced a high burden of disease in recent years. Multiple subgenogroups (C1, C4, C5, and B5) concurrently circulate in the region with a large variation in epidemic severity. The relative differences in their evolution and epidemiology were examined within Vietnam and globally.

Synchrony of Dengue Incidence in Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.

Background: Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok are highly dengue endemic. The extent to which disease patterns are attributable to local versus regional dynamics remains unclear. To address this gap we compared key transmission parameters across the locations.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of dengue epidemics, southern Vietnam.

An improved understanding of heterogeneities in dengue virus transmission might provide insights into biological and ecologic drivers and facilitate predictions of the magnitude, timing, and location of future dengue epidemics. To investigate dengue dynamics in urban Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring rural provinces in Vietnam, we analyzed a 10-year monthly time series of dengue surveillance data from southern Vietnam. The per capita incidence of dengue was lower in Ho Chi Minh City than in most rural provinces; annual epidemics occurred 1-3 months later in Ho Chi Minh City than elsewhere.

Quantifying the emergence of dengue in Hanoi, Vietnam: 1998-2009.

Background: An estimated 2.4 billion people live in areas at risk of dengue transmission, therefore the factors determining the establishment of endemic dengue in areas where transmission suitability is marginal is of considerable importance. Hanoi, Vietnam is such an area, and following a large dengue outbreak in 2009, we set out to determine if dengue is emerging in Hanoi.