Seroepidemiology and genetic characterization of hepatitis E virus in western Yunnan Province

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo investigate the seroepidemiology and genetic characterization of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in western Yunnan Province.MethodsQuestionnaire survey was conducted among 1638 residents in western Yunnan Province using stratified sampling method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum anti-HEV IgG and IgM. HEV RNA was extracted from patients with serum anti-HEV IgM positive. The open reading flame 2 (ORF2) of HEV that was amplified by nested RT-PCR was sequenced and compared with standard HEV genotypes 1-4.ResultsSerum anti-HEV positive was found in 13.92% (228/1638) residents. The HEV infection rate in males was significantly higher than that in females with a ratio of 1.47 (P<0.01). 20-30 and 30-40 years old young men showed the highest incidence, 20.57% and 20.78%, respectively. While 10-20 and 20-30 years old young women exhibited the highest infection rate, 11.85% and 15.60%, respectively. According to occupation, the highest HEV infection rate was observed in farmers (20.35%) and migrants (16.50%). We isolated 10 individual HEV isolates from 31 patients with serum anti-HEV IgM positive. Homology analysis and phylogenetic analysis indicated that these 10 HEV isolates belonged to HEV genotype 4 with the homology of 78.65%-94.71%.ConclusionsThe HEV infection rate is high in western Yunnan Province. HEV genotype 4 is the leading cause of HEV infection and young farmers and migrants are the main infected population

Molecular detection of Bartonella species in wild small mammals in western Yunnan Province, China

BackgroundSmall mammals serve as the main reservoir for Bartonella and as a proxy indicator of the potential risk of Bartonella transmission from nature to humans. They offer a valuable early warning for human infection. Nevertheless, geographical variations in the impact of the host on the occurrence of Bartonella infection are underestimated. This study was designed to investigate the infection characteristics of Bartonella and explore its species diversity in wild small mammals in western Yunnan Province, China.MethodsWild small mammals were captured from Yulong, Jianchuan, and Lianghe counties in western Yunnan Province between 2015 and 2016. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect Bartonella infection, and the Bartonella species were identified by phylogenetic analysis. The factors associated with Bartonella infection in small mammals were analyzed by the Chi-square Test.ResultsThe prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals was 47.85% (768/1605). Lianghe County had the highest Bartonella infection rate, with 56.27% of the samples tested positive, followed by a rate of 50.91% was tested in Yulong County, and 39.97% in Jianchuan County (p &lt; 0.001). Bartonella was detected positive in a total 25 small mammal species, with infection rates ranging from 2.17% to 100%. Niviventer fulvescens had the highest Bartonella infection rate. In comparison with the dominant small mammal species, Eothenomys mileyus had the lowest Bartonella infection rate than that in Apodemus chevrieri, Rattus tanezumi, and Apodemus draco (p &lt; 0.001). Male small mammals had a higher infection rate than females (p &lt; 0.05). The prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals during the summer season was higher compared to the other three seasons (p &lt; 0.001). Woodland landscape had the highest Bartonella infection rate (p &lt; 0.001). Bartonella rochalimae, B. japonica, B. tribocorum, B. washoensis, B. sylvatica, and B. rattimassiliensis were obtained from infected small mammals.ConclusionThis study showed a high prevalence of Bartonella was detected with various Bartonella species in small mammals in Yulong, Jianchuan, and Lianghe counties of western Yunnan Province. These findings hold significant scientific clues, providing valuable reference points for further research of Bartonella natural foci in Yunnan or other analogues environments

TGMS in Rapeseed (Brassica napus) Resulted in Aberrant Transcriptional Regulation, Asynchronous Microsporocyte Meiosis, Defective Tapetum, and Fused Sexine

The thermo-sensitive genic male sterility (TGMS) line SP2S is a spontaneous rapeseed mutation with several traits that are favorable for the production of two-line hybrids. To uncover the key cellular events and genetic regulation associated with TGMS expression, a combined study using cytological observation, transcriptome profiling, and gene expression analysis was conducted for SP2S and its near-isogenic line SP2F grown under warm conditions. Asynchronous microsporocyte meiosis and abnormal tapetal plastids and elaioplasts were demonstrated in the anther of SP2S. The tetrad microspore did not undergo mitosis before the cytoplasm degenerated. Delayed degradation of the tetrad wall, which led to tetrad microspore aggregation, resulted in postponement of sexine (outer layer of pollen exine) formation and sexine fusion in the tetrad. The nexine (foot layer of exine) was also absent. The delay of tetrad wall degradation and abnormality of the exine structure suggested that the defective tapetum lost important functions. Based on transcriptomic comparisons between young flower buds of SP2S and SP2F plants, a total of 465 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were identified, including 303 up-regulated DETs and 162 down-regulated DETs in SP2S. Several genes encoding small RNA degrading nuclease 2, small RNA 2′-O-methyltransferase, thioredoxin reductase 2, regulatory subunit A alpha isoform of serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A, glycine rich protein 1A, transcription factor bHLH25, leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase At3g14840 like, and fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins FLA19 and FLA20 were greatly depressed in SP2S. Interestingly, a POLLENLESS3-LIKE 2 gene encoding the Arabidopsis MS5 homologous protein, which is necessary for microsporocyte meiosis, was down-regulated in SP2S. Other genes that were up-regulated in SP2S encoded glucanase A6, ethylene-responsive transcription factor 1A-like, pollen-specific SF3, stress-associated endoplasmic reticulum protein 2, WRKY transcription factors and pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein At1g07590. The tapetum-development-related genes, including BnEMS1, BnDYT1, and BnAMS, were slightly up-regulated in 3-mm-long flower buds or their anthers, and their downstream genes, BnMS1 and BnMYB80, which affect callose dissolution and exine formation, were greatly up-regulated in SP2S. This aberrant genetic regulation corresponded well with the cytological abnormalities. The results suggested that expression of TGMS associates with complex transcriptional regulation

<i>Orientia tsutsugamushi</i> Infection in Wild Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China

Small mammals can transmit and serve as a reservoir for Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) in nature by carrying infected mites. In Yunnan, one of China’s main foci of scrub typhus, etiological evidence and genetic diversity for Ot is limited. A total of 2538 small mammals were captured seasonally from 2015 to 2016 in the three counties of Yunnan, and the spleen or liver tissue was examined for Ot based on 56 kDa nPCR. The overall prevalence of Ot was 1.77%, ranging from 0.26 to 9.09% across different species. The Gilliam strain was found in 35.6% (16/45) of the wild small mammals, followed by the Karp 11.1% (5/45) and TA763 (1/45) strains, the last of which was discovered in western Yunnan for the first time. In Lianghe, Ot infection rates in wild small mammals were higher than in the other two counties. The infection rates of Eothenomys miletus with Ot were highest in the three dominant species. Ot infection rates in wild small mammals were higher in Lianghe (1200–1400 m) and Yulong (2800–3000 m). These findings could provide research clues for further confirmation of scrub typhus foci in western Yunnan or other similar natural environments

Outbreak of Neonatal Gastroenteritis Associated with Astrovirus Serotype 1 at a Hospital in Inner Mongolia, China▿

This report describes for the first time an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis among neonates associated with human astrovirus (HAstV) serotype 1b at a maternity hospital in Inner Mongolia, China. Of 40 specimens, 28 were astrovirus positive and rotavirus, calicivirus, and adenovirus negative. Poor hygiene likely contributed to the spread and persistence of HAstV in the neonatal care room

Cyclocarya paliurus leaves alleviate hyperuricemic nephropathy via modulation of purine metabolism, antiinflammation, and antifibrosis

Cyclocarya paliurus, as an important edible and medicinal plant, its effects and mechanisms on hyperuricemic nephropathy remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the hypouricemic and nephroprotective effects of the water extracts of C. paliurus leaves (CPE) in a hyperuricemic nephropathy rat model induced by adenine and ethambutol. The results showed that CPE could significantly decrease plasma uric acid (PUA) and urea nitrogen (PUN), as well as reduce renal fibrosis in the hyperuricemic nephropathy rat model. Plasma metabolomics indicated that CPE improved the disordered arachidonic acid metabolism. Meanwhile, CPE reduced renal inflammation via inhibition of COX--2. Moreover, CPE could improve disturbed purine metabolism by inhibiting the hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD), reversing the renal urate transporter 1 (URAT1) and organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1). Collectively, this study demonstrated that CPE could exhibit hypouricemic effect by improving purine metabolism, and attenuate kidney injury by improving arachidonic acid metabolism and alleviating kidney inflammation

Clinical characteristics and etiology of bacterial meningitis in Chinese children >28 days of age, January 2014–December 2016: A multicenter retrospective study

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and etiology of bacterial meningitis (BM) in Chinese children. Method: BM cases in children 28 days to 18 years old were collected from January 2014–December 2016 and screened according to World Health Organization standards. Clinical features, pathogens, and resistance patterns were analyzed. Results: Overall, 837 cases were classified into five age groups: 28 days–2 months (17.0%), 3–11 months (27.8%), 12–35 months (24.0%), 3–6 years (13.9%), and >6 years (17.3%). Major pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae, n = 136, 46.9%), group B Streptococcus (GBS, n = 29, 10.0%), and Escherichia coli (E. coli, n = 23, 7.9%). In infants 3 months old, S. pneumoniae (54.7%), which had a penicillin non-susceptibility rate of 55.4% (36/65), was most frequent. The resistance rates of S. pneumoniae and E. coli to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were 14.0%/40.0% and 11.3%/68.4%, respectively. All GBS isolates were sensitive to penicillin. Conclusions: The occurrence of BM peaked in the first year of life, while S. pneumoniae was the predominant pathogen in children >3 months of old. The antibiotic resistance of S. pneumoniae was a concern. Keywords: Bacterial meningitis, Children, Pathogen, Antibiotic susceptibilit