Genetic Diversity and the Spatio-Temporal Analyses of Hantaviruses in Shandong Province, China.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a serious public health problem in Shandong Province, China. We conducted an epizootiologic investigation and phylogeographic and phylodynamic analyses to infer the phylogenetic relationships of hantaviruses in space and time, and gain further insights into their evolutionary dynamics in Shandong Province. Our data indicated that the Seoul virus (SEOV) is distributed throughout Shandong, whereas Hantaan virus (HTNV) co-circulates with SEOV in the eastern and southern areas of Shandong.

A new hantavirus from the stripe-backed shrew (Sorex cylindricauda) in the People's Republic of China.

Inspired by the recent discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses from insectivore species worldwide, we performed a small-scale search for insectivore-borne hantaviruses. In this paper, we report the discovery of a new hantavirus, which was designated the Qian Hu Shan virus (QHSV). This virus was detected in the lung tissues of three stripe-backed shrews (Sorex cylindricauda), which were captured in the Yunnan Province, China.

Cytokine and chemokine responses to Japanese encephalitis live attenuated vaccine in a human population.

Objectives: The SA14-14-2 Japanese encephalitis (JE) live attenuated vaccine is licensed for use only in China, and has provided excellent efficacy in reducing the incidence of JE. The humoral immune response related to the JE vaccination has been well characterized, however cellular immune responses are less well known.

Methods: Thirty-four healthy males who had recently received inoculation with the SA14-14-2 live attenuated vaccine were recruited.

Encephalitis temporally associated with live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine: four case reports.

Background: Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccination is the most effective measure for preventing JE disease. The live attenuated JE vaccine, which has shown good efficacy and safety, has been widely used in China.

Case Presentations: We report four laboratory-confirmed JE cases detected in JE-endemic areas during the JE virus (JEV) transmission season, who all received a first dose of live attenuated JE vaccine within 2 weeks prior to the onset of illness.

Isolation and genetic characteristics of human genotype 1 Japanese encephalitis virus, China, 2009.

Background: Several studies have shown that the predominant genotype of Chinese Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is evolving from genotype 3 to genotype 1. However, in recent years, almost all genotype 1 isolates were from mosquitoes, and genotype 1 has been less associated with human disease than genotype 3. This study reports the isolation of human genotype 1 JEV and its genetic characteristics to provide additional insights into human JE pathogens that are currently circulating in China.

Genetic analysis of a hantavirus strain carried by Niviventer confucianus in Yunnan province, China.

Hantavirus genome sequences were recovered from lung tissues of Chinese white-bellied rats (Niviventer confucianus) captured in Yunnan province, China. Pairwise comparison of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the entire S and partial M and L segments indicated that the newly discovered virus strain, which was designated as strain YN509, was very different from other rodent-borne hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the new strain fit into a clade containing Da Bie Shan virus (DBSV) (also carried by N.

Tick-borne agents in rodents, China, 2004-2006.

A total of 705 rodents from 6 provinces and autonomous regions of mainland People's Republic of China were tested by PCRs for tick-borne agents (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, spotted fever group rickettsiae, and Francisella tularensis). Infection rates were 5.5%, 6.

Genomic sequence of a Japanese encephalitis virus isolate from southern China.

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of a Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) isolate (designated SH17M-2007) from a pool of Culex tritaeniorhynchus collected in southern China in 2007. The genome consisted of 10,965 nucleotides and included a single open reading frame (10,296 nucleotides) that encodes a 3,432-amino-acid polyprotein. The SH17M-2007 had 97.

Detection of Francisella tularensis in ticks and identification of their genotypes using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis.

Background: Tularemia was reported in China over 50 years ago, however, many epidemical characteristics remain unclear. In the present study, the prevalence of Francisella tularensis in ticks was investigated during an epidemiological surveillance in China and then we measured their genetic diversity by conducting multiple-locus variable- number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).

Results: 1670 ticks from 2 endemic areas (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Heilongjiang Province) and 2 non-endemic areas (Jilin and Fujian Provinces) were collected and tested for evidence of tularemia by nested PCR.

[Expression of nucleostemin mRNA and protein in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the mRNA and protein expression of nucleostemin (NS) in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: The mRNA and protein expression of NS were detected in 31 mucosal atypical hyperplasia specimens, 62 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens and the matched normal esophageal mucosa samples by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry method, respectively.

Results: The positive expression rate of NS protein in normal esophageal mucosa, atypical hyperplasia and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was 17.

Presence of pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks and rodents in Zhejiang, south-east China.

A molecular epidemiological survey was conducted to investigate the presence of pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species in the forest areas of Zhejiang province, south-east China.

Novel genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from rodents and ticks in southwestern China.

By using multilocus sequence analysis, five Borrelia valaisiana-related strains isolated from rodents and ticks in southwestern China were eventually classified as a new genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato rather than B. valaisiana.

Correlation of matrix metalloproteinase suppressor genes RECK, VEGF, and CD105 with angiogenesis and biological behavior in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To explore the expression of reversion inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endoglin (CD105) protein and its correlation with occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: Streptavidin-peroxidase (SP) immunohisto-chemistry was used to detect expression of RECK and VEGF in 62 cases of ESCC, 31 cases of adjacent atypical hyperplastic epithelium and 62 cases of normal esophageal epithelium. CD105 Mb was used to assess microvessel density (MVD).

[Identification of Amur like virus in Apodemus peninsulae and its molecular characteristics in China].

Objective: To confirm the existence of Amur-like viruses in Apodemus peninsulae in China, and to understand the molecular characteristics of these viruses.

Methods: Total RNA was extracted from lungs of A. peninsulae captured in Jilin of Northeast China with Trizol reagent.

[Investigation on Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in rodents from forest areas in northeastern China].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in rodents from forest areas in northeastern China.

Methods: PCR amplification, followed by sequence analysis was carried out. The sequences of 16S rRNA and gltA gene fragment amplified from rodent specimens were compared with corresponding part of the sequences deposited in GenBank.

[Investigation on Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks and rodents collected in Da Xing-An Mountains Forest areas of China].

Objective: To detect and study the types of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks and rodents from Da Xing-An Mountains Forest areas of China.

Methods: Nested PCR was performed to amplify 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer of B. burgdorferi.

[Investigation on rodents' natural infection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in some areas of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, China].

Objective: To investigate rodents' natural infection of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) in some areas of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, China.

Methods: DNAs were extracted from spleens of the captured mice and nested-polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) technique was used to detect the Ot-Sta56 gene. Six positive samples were sequenced and analyzed by Clustal X (5.

[Study on the coinfection status of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and spotted fever group Rickettsia in ticks from Hunchun, Jilin province].

Objective: To understand the coinfection status of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B.b.s.

Francisella tularensis in rodents, China.

A total of 420 rodents in China were examined for Francisella tularensis by polymerase chain reaction. The infection rates were 4.76% in total, and 11.

[A case-control study on the mxA polymorphisms and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndromes].

Objective: To investigate the association between the genetic polymorphisms of myxovirus resistance 1 (MxA) gene and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS).

Methods: A case-control study was conducted and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to detect the T/G polymorphism at position-88 in the mxA gene promoter. Information on related factors of SARS was collected using a pre-testing questionnaire.

Molecular epidemiology of SARS-associated coronavirus, Beijing.

Single nucleotide variations (SNVs) at 5 loci (17564, 21721, 22222, 23823, and 27827) were used to define the molecular epidemiologic characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) from Beijing patients. Five fragments targeted at the SNV loci were amplified directly from clinical samples by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), before sequencing the amplified products. Analyses of 45 sequences obtained from 29 patients showed that the GGCTC motif dominated among samples collected from March to early April 2003; the TGTTT motif predominanted afterwards.

[Study on the coinfection of three tick-borne infectious diseases in China using polymerase chain reaction method].

Objective: To study the existence of Ehrluichiosis, lyme disease and tick-borne spotted fever coinfection in some areas in China.

Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), B. burgdorferi sensu lato, spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsiae and human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE), Ehrlichia chaffeensis (EC) were detected in ticks and mouse samples collected from Inner Mogolia autonomous region, Heilongjiang province, Beijing and Fujian province.

[A case-control study on the risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndromes among health care workers].

Objective: To study the factors in relation to severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) among health care workers and to develop related protective measures.

Methods: Case-control study was applied. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect SARS related information for health care workers who had contacted or treated SARS patients.

Long-term SARS coronavirus excretion from patient cohort, China.

This study investigated the long-term excretion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus in sputum and stool specimens from 56 infected patients. The median (range) duration of virus excretion in sputa and stools was 21 (14-52) and 27 (16-126) days, respectively. Coexisting illness or conditions were associated with longer viral excretion in stools.

[Study on the correlation between positive rates of SARS RNA in clinical confirmed SARS patients and the appearance of RNA in relation to the development of the disease].

Objectives: To study the correlation between positive rates of RNA in clinical confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients and its appearance in relation to the development of the disease in order to provide scientific basis for early diagnosis, effective prevention and treatment of the disease.

Methods: One-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to amplify the SARS RNA in the clinical specimens from different courses of the disease. The representative amplicons were then sequenced.