Evidence for an association of HLA-DRB1*15 and DRB1*09 with leprosy and the impact of DRB1*09 on disease onset in a Chinese Han population.

Background: Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) have been proposed to modulate the immune response to Mycobacterium leprae. The association of HLA-DRB1 with leprosy has been reported in several populations, but not in a Chinese population.

Methods: The polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe with Luminex100 (PCR-SSOP-Luminex) method was used to genotype HLA-DRB1 alleles in 305 leprosy patients and 527 healthy control individuals.

Six novel mutations of the ADAR1 gene in Chinese patients with dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria.

Background: Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria (DSH) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited dermatosis and characterized by a mixture of hyperpigmented and hypopigmented macules on the back of hands and feet. The DSH locus was mapped to chromosome 1q21 and subsequently pathogenic mutations were identified in the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1 (ADAR1) gene in 2003.

Objective: In this study, we performed a mutation analysis of the ADAR1 gene in eight Chinese families and one sporadic patient with typical DSH.

Eight novel mutations of ATP2C1 identified in 17 Chinese families with Hailey-Hailey disease.

Background: Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited dermatosis, characterized by persistent blisters and erosions of the skin. It was recently discovered that HHD was caused by mutations in the ATP2C1 gene, a Ca2+ pump located in the Golgi apparatus.

Observation: In this study, we sequenced the ATP2C1 gene from blood samples of 31 patients in 17 unrelated Chinese families and 120 healthy individuals.

Universal screening or prophylactic treatment for Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women seeking induced abortions: which strategy is more cost-effective?

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal screening and azithromycin-based prophylaxis against no intervention for Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women seeking induced abortions.

Methods: A decision tree was constructed to evaluate health effects of the program. Cost-effectiveness was estimated for universal screening and azithromycin-based prophylaxis against no intervention with a C.

Assessment of knowledge and skills in early diagnosis of leprosy and attitudes towards leprosy amongst doctors working in dermatological services, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.

After the leprosy control programme in Shandong Province, China, had declared elimination in 1994, it was no longer cost effective to rely on rapid surveys, population surveys and contact tracing for case detection, and since then most new cases have been diagnosed by the dermatological services. The dermatological services will continue to play an important role in diagnosis of the few incident leprosy cases scattered in wide geographic areas and in a population of 90 million. In order to better understand the knowledge and skills in early diagnosis of leprosy among doctors working in dermatological services around the province, doctors attending the dermatological annual meeting and a dermatological training workshop were assessed on their knowledge and skills in early diagnosis of leprosy and their attitude towards leprosy with a semi-structured questionnaire.

Effectiveness of self-referral for male patients with urethral discharge attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in China.

Background: Although partner notification (PN) has long been considered as an important component in sexually transmitted disease (STD) control programs and has been implemented in both developed and developing world, little information is known about the acceptability and efficacy of the strategy in China.

Goal: The goal of this study was to assess the acceptability and outcome of self-referral for male patients with urethral discharge and to identify the characteristics associated with successful outcome based on a specialized STD clinic.

Methods: From November 2001 to November 2002, 730 patients with confirmed urethral discharge were selected and asked by STD clinicians to bring their sexual contacts to treatment in a specialized STD clinic.

Should household contact examination in a low endemic situation of leprosy continue?

After more than 40 yrs of effort, leprosy is finally under control in Shandong province with only 50 to 70 new cases detected each year in the past 10 yrs. Contact examination is still compulsory and household contacts will be followed for 5 to 10 yrs, as directed by the guidelines of the national leprosy control program. In order to assess the value of contact examination in terms of case finding in a low endemic situation of leprosy in Shandong, we analyzed the data regarding all newly diagnosed leprosy cases in the past 11 yrs using the data abstracted from the national leprosy recording and reporting system, and a questionnaire-based survey to see how many incident leprosy cases would be detected if we followed the policy for contact examination of leprosy in Shandong.