Social trust and health seeking behaviours: A longitudinal study of a community-based active tuberculosis case finding program in the Philippines.

Introduction: Social trust is an important driver of health seeking behaviours and plays a particularly important role for diseases that have a high degree of stigma associated with them, such as tuberculosis (TB). Individuals experiencing poverty also face additional social and financial barriers in accessing care for TB. We examined an active case finding (ACF) initiative embedded in a program targeting those living in poverty ( implemented by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Philippine-based non-governmental organization (NGO), and analyzed how different forms of social trust may affect the initial uptake of ACF.

Viral Shedding and Transmission Potential of Asymptomatic and Paucisymptomatic Influenza Virus Infections in the Community.

Background: Influenza virus infections are associated with a wide spectrum of disease. However, few studies have investigated in detail the epidemiological and virological characteristics of asymptomatic and mild illness with influenza virus infections.

Methods: In a community-based study in Hong Kong from 2008 to 2014, we followed up initially healthy individuals who were household contacts of symptomatic persons with laboratory-confirmed influenza, to identify secondary infections.

Household Transmission of Influenza Virus.

Human influenza viruses cause regular epidemics and occasional pandemics with a substantial public health burden. Household transmission studies have provided valuable information on the dynamics of influenza transmission. We reviewed published studies and found that once one household member is infected with influenza, the risk of infection in a household contact can be up to 38%, and the delay between onset in index and secondary cases is around 3 days.

The Dynamic Relationship Between Clinical Symptomatology and Viral Shedding in Naturally Acquired Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza Virus Infections.

Background: Although the pattern of viral shedding over time has been documented in volunteer challenge studies, understanding of the relationship between clinical symptomatology and viral shedding in naturally acquired influenza infections in humans remains limited.

Methods: In a community-based study in Hong Kong from 2008 to 2014, we followed up initially healthy individuals and identified 224 secondary cases of natural influenza virus infection in the household setting. We examined the dynamic relationship between patterns of clinical symptomatology and viral shedding as quantified using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and viral culture in 127 cases with a clinical picture of acute respiratory infection.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of prophylactic central neck dissection on short-term locoregional recurrence in papillary thyroid carcinoma after total thyroidectomy.

Background: Prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) at the time of total thyroidectomy (TT) remains controversial in clinically node-negative (cN0) papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Despite occult central lymph node metastases being common, it is unclear if removing these metastases initially would reduce future locoregional recurrence (LRR). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at comparing the short-term LRR between patients who underwent TT with pCND and those who underwent TT alone.

Heterogeneity in viral shedding among individuals with medically attended influenza A virus infection.

Compared with the average transmissibility of human influenza A virus, much less attention has been paid to the potential variability in its transmissibility. We considered viral shedding as a proxy for infectiousness and explored the heterogeneity of infectiousness among patients with medically attended seasonal influenza A virus infection. The analysis revealed that viral shedding is more heterogeneous in children than in adults.

A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the efficacy and surgical outcomes of total thyroidectomy between harmonic scalpel versus ligasure.

Background: Both ultrasonic coagulation (Harmonic Scalpel) (HS) and bipolar coagulation (Ligasure) (LS) are new energy devices commonly used in open thyroidectomy. This systematic review aimed at comparing the efficacy and surgical outcomes of total thyroidectomy (TT) between HS and. LS.

Household transmission of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: During the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, household transmission studies were implemented to better understand the characteristics of the transmission of the novel virus in a confined setting.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess and summarize the findings of these studies. We identified 27 articles, around half of which reported studies conducted in May and June 2009.

Seroprevalence of pandemic H1N1 antibody among health care workers in Hong Kong following receipt of monovalent 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine.

Background: Healthcare workers in many countries are recommended to receive influenza vaccine to protect themselves as well as patients. A monovalent H1N1 vaccine became available in Hong Kong in December 2009 and around 10% of local healthcare workers had received the vaccine by February 2010.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of antibody to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among HCWs in Hong Kong in February-March 2010 following the first pandemic wave and the pH1N1 vaccination campaign.

Comparative epidemiology of pandemic and seasonal influenza A in households.

Background: There are few data on the comparative epidemiology and virology of the pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus and cocirculating seasonal influenza A viruses in community settings.

Methods: We recruited 348 index patients with acute respiratory illness from 14 outpatient clinics in Hong Kong in July and August 2009. We then prospectively followed household members of 99 patients who tested positive for influenza A virus on rapid diagnostic testing.

Viral shedding and clinical illness in naturally acquired influenza virus infections.

Background: Volunteer challenge studies have provided detailed data on viral shedding from the respiratory tract before and through the course of experimental influenza virus infection. There are no comparable quantitative data to our knowledge on naturally acquired infections.

Methods: In a community-based study in Hong Kong in 2008, we followed up initially healthy individuals to quantify trends in viral shedding on the basis of cultures and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) through the course of illness associated with seasonal influenza A and B virus infection.

Entry screening to delay local transmission of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1).

Background: After the WHO issued the global alert for 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1), many national health agencies began to screen travelers on entry in airports, ports and border crossings to try to delay local transmission.

Methods: We reviewed entry screening policies adopted by different nations and ascertained dates of official report of the first laboratory-confirmed imported H1N1 case and the first laboratory-confirmed untraceable or 'local' H1N1 case.

Results: Implementation of entry screening policies was associated with on average additional 7-12 day delays in local transmission compared to nations that did not implement entry screening, with lower bounds of 95% confidence intervals consistent with no additional delays and upper bounds extending to 20-30 day additional delays.