Protective and enhancing HLA alleles, HLA-DRB1*0901 and HLA-A*24, for severe forms of dengue virus infection, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.

Background: Dengue virus (DV) infection is one of the most important mosquito-borne diseases in the tropics. Recently, the severe forms, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), have become the leading cause of death among children in Southern Vietnam. Protective and/or pathogenic T cell immunity is supposed to be important in the pathogenesis of DHF and DSS.

Prevalence of and factors associated with reproductive tract infections among pregnant women in ten communes in Nghe An Province, Vietnam.

Background: A community-based survey was conducted to investigate reproductive tract infections (RTIs) among pregnant women in Vietnam, where epidemiologic data on these infections are scarce.

Methods: The focus of the study were: candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, group B streptococcal infection,trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, syphilis, and hepatitis B. In addition to their prevalence, a generalized estimating equation was used to analyze infection-associated factors and diagnostic test analysis to examine the accuracy of currently performed presumptive clinical diagnoses.