Seroprevalence of at a voluntary counselling and testing centre in Tokyo: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Amebiasis, which is caused by , is a re-emerging public health issue owing to sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Japan. However, epidemiological data are quite limited.

Methods: To reveal the relative prevalence of sexually transmitted infection to other STIs, we conducted a cross-sectional study at a voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) centre in Tokyo.

Molecular Characteristics of Novel Mono-Reassortant G9P[8] Rotavirus A Strains Possessing the NSP4 Gene of the E2 Genotype Detected in Tokyo, Japan.

Rotavirus A (RVA) has been detected in patients with gastroenteritis even after vaccine introduction in Japan. To investigate circulating RVA strains, RVA-positive stool specimens obtained in Tokyo in 2017 and 2018 were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. A total of 50 and 21 RVA samples were obtained in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

[Molecular Epidemiological Analysis of Hepatitis A Viruses Circulating in Tokyo, 2016-2017].

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a common infectious agent that causes acute hepatitis worldwide. Since the incubation period of HAV infection is about one month, it is difficult to identify the source of infection based only on medical interviews. Molecular epidemiological analysis of HAV isolated from patients can help to reveal the infection route and to identify diffuse outbreaks caused by common food vehicles.

FRI-4 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex isolated in Tokyo, Japan.

Objectives: A carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex isolated in Tokyo, Japan, produced a carbapenemase that was detected by a Carba NP test and a modified carbapenem inactivation method, but none of the 'Big Five' carbapenemase genes was detected by PCR. This study aimed to identify the carbapenemase.

Methods: Carbapenemase genes were screened by WGS.

Molecular identification and characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in horsemeat and beef marketed in Japan.

Human Sarcocystis infections are known to be caused by the ingestion of raw or undercooked beef or pork containing mature sarcocysts of Sarcocystis hominis or S. suihominis, respectively. In addition, several cases of parasitic food poisoning in Japan have recently been reported after consumption of raw horsemeat containing sarcocysts of S.

Whole genomic analysis of human G8P[14] group A rotavirus detected from community gastroenteritis outbreak.

Several suspected cases of zoonotic transmission of group A rotavirus (RVA)-related gastroenteritis were reported previously. In August 2012, G8P[14] RVA was detected in fecal specimens from a community gastroenteritis outbreak occurring during a school trip. In this study, additional analyses were performed and it was found that this strain had the G8-P[14]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3 sequence, similar to bovine-like RVA strains.

Foodborne Outbreaks Caused by Human Norovirus GII.P17-GII.17-Contaminated Nori, Japan, 2017.

Seven foodborne norovirus outbreaks attributable to the GII.P17-GII.17 strain were reported across Japan in 2017, causing illness in a total of 2,094 persons.

Comparison between patients with norovirus-related gastroenteritis and asymptomatic carriers with respect to distribution of antibody-complexed viral particles and intestinal flora.

Asymptomatic carriers have a major influence on the spreading of norovirus infections. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of patients and asymptomatic carriers affected by norovirus-related community gastroenteritis outbreaks. No significant difference between the two groups was observed in terms of the number of norovirus-antibody complexes with respect to total numbers.

[Serial Food Poisoning Outbreaks Caused by Norovirus-Contaminated Shredded Dried Laver Seaweed Provided at School Lunch, Tokyo, 2017].

In February 2017, four food poisoning outbreaks occurred in Tokyo, involving ten schools. Shredded dried laver seaweed processed by a single food manufacturer in December 2016 was provided in common for the school meals that caused all four outbreaks. Of 4,209 persons exposed, 1,193 (28.

Test-retest reproducibility of extrastriatal binding with I-FP-CIT SPECT in healthy male subjects.

I-labeled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane (I-FP-CIT) is used to assess striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) expression, but it can also quantify extrastriatal serotonin transporter (SERT) expressions. While FP-CIT uptake in extrastriatal regions has been quantified, no information exists on the reproducibility of the I-FP-CIT specific uptake ratio (SUR) in extrastriatal regions. We investigated test-retest reproducibility of I-FP-CIT binding in the striatum, the midbrain, and cortical regions in eight healthy male subjects.

[An autochthonous outbreak of dengue type 1 in Tokyo, Japan 2014].

Objectives: An outbreak of autochthonous dengue fever was reported in August 2014, with cases suspected mainly from Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. This is the first epidemic of dengue fever in Japan since 1945.

Methods: From August to October 2014, the following measures were taken to control the outbreak: 1) risk communication and information sharing; 2) active case finding; 3) vector surveillance in affected sites; and 4) laboratory testing.

Decision-making deficit of a patient with axonal damage after traumatic brain injury.

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were reported to have difficulty making advantageous decisions, but the underlying deficits of the network of brain areas involved in this process were not directly examined. We report a patient with TBI who demonstrated problematic behavior in situations of risk and complexity after cerebral injury from a traffic accident. The Iowa gambling task (IGT) was used to reveal his deficits in the decision-making process.

Axillary lymph node accumulation on FDG-PET/CT after influenza vaccination.

Objective: 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D: -glucose (FDG) is known to accumulate in benign conditions such as infection and inflammation as well as in malignancy. Vaccination may cause transient inflammation of lymph nodes, which may induce false-positive findings on FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. This study investigated the influence of influenza vaccination on FDG-PET/CT imaging in normal subjects.

Bone scan can be spared in asymptomatic prostate cancer patients with PSA of <=20 ng/ml and Gleason score of <=6 at the initial stage of diagnosis.

Objective: According to several guidelines, it is acceptable to spare a bone scan in the patients who are newly diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer. Our aim is to clarify a suitable group whereby a bone scan could be spared at the initial staging of prostate cancer.

Methods: Consecutive 857 patients who were newly diagnosed from 2004 through 2009 and received bone scans using technetium 99m methylene diphosphonate at the initial staging were enrolled.

Comparison of computed tomography myelography and radioisotope cisternography to detect cerebrospinal fluid leakage in spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Study Design: A retrospective observational study.

Objective: To compare the usefulness of radioisotope cisternography (RIC) and computed tomography myelography (CTM) for the detection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage in spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH).

Summary Of Background Data: CSF leakage sites have been generally identified by RIC in patients with SIH.

Benzodiazepine receptor imaging in an adult with Rasmussen's encephalitis and epilepsia partialis continua.

We describe an adult with Rasmussen's encephalitis associated with widespread decreased accumulation of tracer on 123-I iomazenil (IMZ) SPECT. The patient had a form of epilepsia partialis continua and neurological deterioration associated with hemiatrophy. Cranial MRI showed cerebral atrophy in the left frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, without abnormal intensity.

Detection of neoplastic meningitis in a patient with gastric cancer by thallium-201 SPECT.

We describe the usefulness of thallium-201 SPECT in a patient with neoplastic meningitis (NM) from gastric carcinoma. Thallium-201 SPECT is of value for the diagnosis of cancer; retention of thallium-201 on delayed images strongly suggests malignancy. NM is a lethal, major neurologic complication of cancer.

[Development of multiplex real-time PCR assay for the detection of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2].

We developed a multiplex real-time PCR assay to simultaneously detect herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 genomes. TaqMan PCR primer pairs and fluologenic probes targeting the HSV-1 or HSV-2 gpD region were originally designed. The detection limit was 15 copies/tube, and the quantitative range was from 15 to 1.

Physical and histopathological assessment of the effects of metallic stents on radiation therapy.

To evaluate whether simultaneous metallic stent (MS) placement and radiotherapy are feasible, phantom and animal experiments were performed. The interface dose by external irradiation (EI) or intracavity irradiation (II) to 5 kinds of MS was measured using the charge-coupled device (CCD) camera with a thermoluminescent (TL) sheet, and backscatter and absorption were evaluated using composite method. Lineac 10 MV X-ray irradiated the MS in close contact with the TL sheet.

Early dynamic SPECT imaging in acute viral encephalitis.

Background And Purpose: Several cases have reported that dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) shows increased tracer uptake in acute herpes simplex viral encephalitis (HSVE). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of dynamic Tc-ECD SPECT in patients with acute viral encephalitis.

Method: We performed the dynamic SPECT in 9 patients with acute viral encephalitis (4 women, 5 men, 49.

SPECT revealed cortical dysfunction in a patient who had genetically definite megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts.

We describe the findings on single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in a patient who had genetically definite megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts. Technetium-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer SPECT revealed hypoperfusion in the cerebral white matter, which had shown high signal intensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 images. Hypoperfusion was also unexpectedly found in the frontal cortices, which showed no abnormalities on MRI.

[Evaluation of immunochromatography test for rapid detection of influenza A and B viruses using real-time PCR].

The sensitivity of rapid diagnostic kits to influenza B is lower than to influenza A. The cause-poor performance of the kit or the scarcity of viruses in type B specimens-has yet to be clarified. Using real-time PCR, we measured the amount of influenza viruses with nasopharyngeal aspirate fluid previously identified by virus isolation culture and passing the rapid diagnosis test by four types of kits, including the ESPLINE Influenza A&B-N (Fujirebio Corp.