Risk factors for Entamoeba histolytica infection in an agricultural community in Hanam province, Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Entamoeba histolytica is an important protozoan intestinal infection in resource-poor settings, including Vietnam. The study objective was to assess risk factors of E. histolytica infection in a community in Vietnam, where wastewater and human excreta are used in agriculture. A case-control study was conducted among residents of Hanam province, Northern Vietnam. Cases (n=46) infected with E. histolytica and non-infected controls (n=138) were identified in a cross-sectional survey among 794 randomly selected individuals and matched for age, sex and place of residence. Potential risk factors including exposure to human and animal excreta and household wastewater were assessed with a questionnaire. RESULTS: People from households with an average socio-economic status had a 4.3 times higher risk of E. histolytica infection (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-14.0) compared with those from households with a good socioeconomic status. Those individuals who never or rarely used soap for hand washing had a 3.4 times higher risk for infection (95% CI 1.1-10.0), compared to those who used always soap. In contrast, none of the factors related to use of human or animal excreta was statistically significant associated with E. histolytica infection. People having close contact with domestic animals presented a greater risk of E. histolytica infection (odds ratio [OR]=5.9, 95% CI 1.8-19.0) than those without animal contact. E. histolytica infection was not associated with direct contact with Nhue river water, pond water and household's sanitary conditions, type of latrine or water source used. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that in settings where human and animal excreta and Nhue River water are intensively used in agriculture, socio-economic and personal hygiene factors determine infection with E. histolytica, rather than exposure to human and animal excreta in agricultural activitie

Genetic Analyses of HIV-1 Strains Transmitted from Mother to Child in Northern Vietnam

We previously reported mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in nine (6.7%) of 135 children on nevirapine prophylaxis in Vietnam. In the current study, we investigated the appearance and profile of antiretroviral drug (ARV) resistance mutations, the predicted coreceptor usage, and the genetic diversity of HIV-1 strains isolated from the eight pairs of HIV-1-infected mothers and their children, who were followed up to 12 months after birth. Portions of the pol and env C2V3 regions of the HIV-1 strains were analyzed genetically. HIV-1 CRF01-AE RNA was detected in four (50%) children at delivery. Y181C, a nevirapine resistance mutation, appeared in two (25%) children 1 and 3 months after birth, respectively. No ARV resistance mutation was detected in the mothers, though three mothers were on ARV prophylaxis. Five mothers and their children harbored CCR5-tropic (R5) viruses. Two mothers harbored both R5 and CXCR4-tropic (X4) viruses, but their children harbored only R5 viruses even though the X4 viruses were dominant in the mothers. In the remaining one mother, HIV-1 RNA was not amplified and her child harbored both R5 and X4 viruses at birth, but only X4 virus 12 months after delivery. The infants\u27 viruses were more homogeneous than their mothers\u27 viruses (mean distance: 0.5% vs. 1.1%, respectively). This is the first molecular epidemiological study of vertical HIV-1 infections in Vietnam. These findings may provide useful knowledge for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 and the antiretroviral treatment of children in Vietnam. © Copyright 2015, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2015

Comparative Antibiotic Resistance of Diarrheal Pathogens from Vietnam and Thailand, 1996-1999

Antimicrobial resistance rates for shigella, campylobacter, nontyphoidal salmonella, and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were compared for Vietnam and Thailand from 1996 to 1999. Resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline was common. Quinolone resistance remains low in both countries, except among campylobacter and salmonella organisms in Thailand. Nalidixic acid resistance among salmonellae has more than doubled since 1995 (to 21%) in Thailand but is not yet documented in Vietnam. Resistance to quinolones correlated with resistance to azithromycin in both campylobacter and salmonella in Thailand. This report describes the first identification of this correlation and its epidemiologic importance among clinical isolates. These data illustrate the growing magnitude of antibiotic resistance and important differences between countries in Southeast Asia

Chapitre 27 - Développement des moyens de recherche institutionnelle pour des approches intégrées dans les pays en développement : un exemple tiré du Vietnam

Introduction L’architecture mondiale de la santé, les changements environnementaux, le développement économique rapide et d’autres changements planétaires sans précédent compliquent le développement présent et futur. C’est ce que démontre la Journée mondiale de l’eau des Nations unies (UNW, 2014), le thème « eau et énergie » et les politiques, programmes et outils de développement sont à la traîne de ces changements planétaires ..