Thromboembolic events and hemorrhagic stroke after mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) covid-19 vaccination: A self-controlled case series study.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the association between thromboembolic events and hemorrhagic stroke following BNT162b2 and CoronaVac vaccination.

Methods: Patients with incident thromboembolic events or hemorrhagic stroke within 28 days of covid-19 vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 positive test during 23 February to 30 September 2021 were included. The incidence per 100,000 covid-19 vaccine doses administered and SARS-CoV-2 test positive cases were estimated.

Self-reported reactogenicity of CoronaVac (Sinovac) compared with Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech): A prospective cohort study with intensive monitoring.

Objective: CoronaVac (Sinovac) Covid-19 vaccine has recently been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization. However, data on its reactogenicity in real-world settings is scant. This study aimed to compare self-reported post-vaccination adverse reactions between CoronaVac and Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech).

Scarlet fever epidemic, Hong Kong, 2011.

More than 900 cases of scarlet fever were recorded in Hong Kong during January-July, 2011. Six cases were complicated by toxic shock syndrome, of which 2 were fatal. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns suggested a multiclonal epidemic; emm12 was the predominant circulating type.

Prevention of acute myocardial infarction and stroke among elderly persons by dual pneumococcal and influenza vaccination: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Despite World Health Organization recommendations, the rate of 23-valent pneumococcal (PPV) and influenza (TIV) vaccination among elderly persons in Hong Kong, China, is exceptionally low because of doubts about effectiveness of vaccination. The efficacy of dual vaccination remains unknown.

Methods: From 3 December 2007 to 30 June 2008, we conducted a prospective cohort study by recruiting outpatients aged ≥65 years with chronic illness to participate in a PPV and TIV vaccination program.

Epidemiological analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes infections in Hong Kong.

Aims: The aim of this study was to characterise clinical and microbiological features of isolates obtained from both invasive and non-invasive Streptococcus pyogenes infections in Hong Kong, between October 2005 and April 2008.

Method: Clinical data of invasive isolates were collected retrospectively. Altogether 281 isolates were emm sequence typed and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using disk diffusion method.

Quinolone resistance and correlation to other antimicrobial resistances in faecal isolates of Escherichia coli in Hong Kong.

In an attempt to assess the level of quinolone resistance and its association with other antimicrobial resistance in faecal Escherichia coli isolated from routine outpatient specimens in Hong Kong, ciprofloxacin-supplemented MacConkey agar was used to screen for resistant isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was done by VITEK 2 and previous amplification-based methods were employed to characterize the genetic determinants behind some of the resistance phenotypes. One hundred and seventy-six (43%) of 409 specimens had quinolone-resistant E.

Rapid pulsed-field gel electrophoresis protocol for subtyping of Streptococcus suis serotype 2.

A rapid pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) protocol for subtyping of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 was developed and evaluated using 27 clinical isolates from 22 epidemiologically unrelated patients. Results were matched against antibiogram, virulence genotyping and multi locus sequence typing (MLST). PFGE appeared to be the most discriminatory with numerical index of discrimination (D) equal to 0.

Plasmid-mediated resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime in clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis in Hong Kong.

Objectives: To characterize the genetic determinants involved in the reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime in Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis clinical isolates obtained from four patients in summer 2003 in Hong Kong.

Methods: Three Salmonella Enteritidis isolates from blood culture and one from stool were collected due to their increased resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. PFGE analysis was used to investigate their genetic relatedness.

Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome on aircraft.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) spread rapidly around the world, largely because persons infected with the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) traveled on aircraft to distant cities. Although many infected persons traveled on commercial aircraft, the risk, if any, of in-flight transmission is unknown.

Methods: We attempted to interview passengers and crew members at least 10 days after they had taken one of three flights that transported a patient or patients with SARS.

Multivalent antibiotics via metal complexes: potent divalent vancomycins against vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Dimers of vancomycin (Van), linked by a rigid metal complex, [Pt(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+), exhibit potent activities (MIC approximately 0.8 mug/mL, approximately 720 times more potent than that of Van itself) against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). The result suggests that combining metal complexation and receptor/ligand interaction offers a useful method to construct multivalent inhibitors.

Characterization of a laboratory-generated variant of BPS beta-lactamase from Burkholderia pseudomallei that hydrolyses ceftazidime.

Burkholderia pseudomallei produces an Ambler class A beta-lactamase, known as BPS-1. The beta-lactamase gene from a laboratory-derived, ceftazidime-resistant strain of B. pseudomallei (LH-1-2) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli.

Cloning and expression of class A beta-lactamase gene blaA(BPS) in Burkholderia pseudomallei.

The beta-lactamase gene blaA(BPS) in Burkholderia pseudomallei was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. BPS-1 is a cephalosporinase with an isoelectric point of 7.7.