Epidemiology of Q fever among dairy cattle and dairy farmers, Chiang Mai, Thailand 2015

Q fever is a zoonosis, caused by the gram negative bacteria Coxiella burnetii. Knowledge of the epidemiology of Q fever in Thailand is limited. This study was conducted to determine the burden and the risk factors of C.burnetii infection in dairy cattle farms and farmers in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A prospective cohort study was conducted in five dairy cooperatives where evidence of C.burnetii was reported. The project included three components 1) a cohort study among farmers, 2) bulk tank milk (BTM) screening, and 3) farm investigation and specimen collection from cows and their environments in milk positive farms. Samples and data collection were obtained at baseline, 6, and 12 month intervals. Human sera were tested using Indirect Immunofluorescense Assay; cow sera and BTM were tested using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay; and vaginal swab and environmental samples were tested using Polymerase Chain Reaction. Baseline data were analyzed using logistic regression and Generalized Estimating Equation models to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Among 306 randomly selected farms, 282 farms (92.2%) and 532 from 637 randomly selected farmers (83.5%) participated. The prevalence of C.burnetii antibodies in BTM was 40.8% (115/282) and the C.burnetii seroprevalence among farmers was 16.9% (90/532). Investigation in BTM positive farms showed C.burnetii seroprevalence was 28.4% (224/790) at the individual cow level and 91.9% (91/99) at the farm level. Multivariate analysis showed that having more than 80% of cows ≥ 2 years of age (OR 2.34, 95%CI 1.09 - 5.06) and having an infected farms within 1 km (OR 2.88, 95%CI 1.17 – 7.06) were positively associated with the odds of C.burnetii antibodies in BTM. Cleaning the birthing area (OR 0.27, 95%CI 0.08 - 0.86) and quarantining newly purchased animals (OR 0.54, 95%CI 0.30 - 0.97) provided protection. Working in a milk positive farm and exposure to birth products during calving were associated with seropositivity among farmers. This study provides useful information for Q fever prevention and control. Health education regarding Q fever prevention should be provided to farmers and public health and animal health officers in high risk areas in Thailand.Doctor of Philosoph

Papaya: The Versatile Tropical Fruit

Papaya (Carica papaya L) is a versatile tropical fruit with its usage ranging from consumption, cosmetics, to pharmaceuticals. In 2020, it was the third most-produced tropical fruit crop in the world. Papaya is a trioecious herbaceous plant with distinct flower and fruit morphological appearances. The fruits from hermaphrodite papaya are favorable for both consumption and processing due to their superior quality. Papaya has a genome size of 372 Mb and chromosome of 2n =18. The male and hermaphrodite papaya have XY and XYh sex chromosomes, respectively, while the female has XX. Using omics and bioinformatics approaches, papaya cultivars with desired fruit quality can be selected and identified from germplasm for incorporation in breeding programs. Papaya production can be done either in open fields or under protected cultivation. Open field cultivation provides for large-scale production, but with the disadvantages of variability in fruit yield, quality, and limitations on growing and harvesting seasons. Under protected cultivation, papaya can be cultivated in all seasons, whilst delivering higher yields. Conversely, multidisciplinary approaches with selected papaya cultivars, good farm management, and suitable conditions provide high yields of quality fruit for both consumption and processing, whilst minimizing the adverse effects related to environmental conditions

Assessing the role of multiple mechanisms increasing the age of dengue cases in Thailand

The mean age of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases increased considerably in Thailand from 8.1 to 24.3 y between 1981 and 2017 (mean annual increase of 0.45 y). Alternative proposed explanations for this trend, such as changes in surveillance practices, reduced mosquito–human contact, and shifts in population demographics, have different implications for global dengue epidemiology. To evaluate the contribution of each of these hypothesized mechanisms to the observed data, we developed 20 nested epidemiological models of dengue virus infection, allowing for variation over time in population demographics, infection hazards, and reporting rates. We also quantified the effect of removing or retaining each source of variation in simulations of the age trajectory. Shifts in the age structure of susceptibility explained 58% of the observed change in age. Adding heterogeneous reporting by age and reductions in per-serotype infection hazard to models with shifts in susceptibility explained an additional 42%. Reductions in infection hazards were mostly driven by changes in the number of infectious individuals at any time (another consequence of shifting age demographics) rather than changes in the transmissibility of individual infections. We conclude that the demographic transition drives the overwhelming majority of the observed change as it changes both the age structure of susceptibility and the number of infectious individuals. With the projected Thai population age structure, our results suggest a continuing increase in age of DHF cases, shifting the burden toward individuals with more comorbidity. These insights into dengue epidemiology may be relevant to many regions of the globe currently undergoing comparable changes in population demographics

Frequency and mortality rate following antimicrobial-resistant bloodstream infections in tertiary-care hospitals compared with secondary-care hospitals

There are few studies comparing proportion, frequency, mortality and mortality rate following antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections between tertiary-care hospitals (TCHs) and secondary-care hospitals (SCHs) in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to inform intervention strategies. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the utility of an offline tool to generate AMR reports and data for a secondary data analysis. We conducted a secondary-data analysis on a retrospective, multicentre data of hospitalised patients in Thailand. Routinely collected microbiology and hospital admission data of 2012 to 2015, from 15 TCHs and 34 SCHs were analysed using the AMASS v2.0 (www.amass.website). We then compared the burden of AMR bloodstream infections (BSI) between those TCHs and SCHs. Of 19,665 patients with AMR BSI caused by pathogens under evaluation, 10,858 (55.2%) and 8,807 (44.8%) were classified as community-origin and hospital-origin BSI, respectively. The burden of AMR BSI was considerably different between TCHs and SCHs, particularly of hospital-origin AMR BSI. The frequencies of hospital-origin AMR BSI per 100,000 patient-days at risk in TCHs were about twice that in SCHs for most pathogens under evaluation (for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii [CRAB]: 18.6 vs. 7.0, incidence rate ratio 2.77; 95%CI 1.72–4.43, p0.20). Due to the higher frequencies, all-cause in-hospital mortality rates following hospital-origin AMR BSI per 100,000 patient-days at risk were considerably higher in TCHs for most pathogens (for CRAB: 10.2 vs. 3.6,mortality rate ratio 2.77; 95%CI 1.71 to 4.48, p<0.001; CRPA: 1.6 vs. 0.8; p = 0.020; 3GCREC: 4.0 vs. 2.4, p = 0.009; 3GCRKP, 4.0 vs. 1.8, p<0.001; CRKP: 0.8 vs. 0.3, p = 0.042; and MRSA: 2.3 vs. 1.1, p = 0.023). In conclusion, the burden of AMR infections in some LMICs might differ by hospital type and size. In those countries, activities and resources for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control programs might need to be tailored based on hospital setting. The frequency and in-hospital mortality rate of hospital-origin AMR BSI are important indicators and should be routinely measured to monitor the burden of AMR in every hospital with microbiology laboratories in LMICs

Investigation of a Cluster of Immunization Stress-Related Reactions after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination, Thailand, 2021

On 28 April 2021, the investigation team of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, was notified of a cluster of people developing neurological symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination in a province in eastern Thailand. We conducted an investigation from 29 April to 20 May 2021 to confirm the outbreak, describe the epidemiological characteristics and identify possible risk factors. A matched case-control study was conducted. Matching factors were gender and vaccination site. A confirmed case was a person receiving COVID-19 vaccination in the province and developed at least one neurological symptom between 21 April and 20 May 2021. The rapid assessment of the vaccination cold chain system was carried out. We found a total of 36 cases out of 3920 vaccinees (attack rate = 0.92%), all cases were recovered and classified as an immunization stress-related reaction (ISRR) by the National AEFI Expert Committee. An analytic study found that menstruation was significantly associated with ISRR (AOR = 6.84 [95%CI = 1.09&ndash;42.91]). The environmental survey suggested that the cold chain system was properly managed. Further studies on other precipitating causes of ISRR should be performed. In terms of recommendation, health providers should pay greater attention to women menstruating during and after COVID-19 immunization

Environmental and Behavioral Risk Factors for Severe Leptospirosis in Thailand

A nationwide prevention and control campaign for leptospirosis in Thailand has led to a decreased incidence rate, but the mortality and case fatality rates have remained stable. Regarding the limited knowledge of risk factors, a case-control study of the association between environmental and behavioral exposure with severe leptospirosis was implemented to identify the risk factors among adults in Thailand. The study was conducted in 12 hospital-based sites. Hospitalized patients with suspected clinical symptoms of leptospirosis were tested for leptospirosis by culture, loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), real-time PCR, and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). All participants answered a standardized questionnaire about potential risk factors. Risk factors were identified by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Of the 44 confirmed cases, 33 (75.0%) presented with severe illness, as determined by clinical criteria, and were categorized as severe cases. Non-severe cases were defined as patients with non-severe symptoms of leptospirosis. Living nearby a rubber tree plantation (adjusted OR 11.65, 95% CI 1.08&#8211;125.53) and bathing in natural bodies of water (adjusted OR 10.45, 95% CI 1.17&#8211;93.35) were both significantly associated with an increased risk of severe leptospirosis. We recommend designating rubber plantations in Thailand as high-risk zones and closely monitoring hospitalized patients in those areas

Cost Effectiveness and Budget Impact Analyses of Influenza Vaccination for Prisoners in Thailand: An Application of System Dynamic Modelling

Influenza outbreaks in Thai prisons were increasing in number every year and to address this, the Thai Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) initiated a policy to promote vaccination for prisoners. The objective of this study was to assess the cost effectiveness and budget impact of the influenza vaccination policy for prisoners in Thailand. The study obtained data from the Division of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control (DDC), MOPH. Deterministic system dynamic modelling was exercised to estimate the financial implication of the vaccination programme in comparison with routine outbreak control. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated via a DDC perspective. The reproductive number was estimated at 1.4. A total of 143 prisons across the country (375,763 prisoners) were analysed. In non-vaccination circumstances, the total healthcare cost amounted to 174.8 million Baht (US$5.6 million). Should all prisoners be vaccinated, the total healthcare cost would reduce to 90.9 million Baht (US$ 2.9 million), and 46.8 million Baht (US$1.5 million) of this is related to the vaccination. The ICER of vaccination (compared with routine outbreak control) varied between 39,738.0 to 61,688.3 Baht per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted (US$ 1281.9&ndash;1989.9). Should the vaccination cover 30% of the prisoners, the ICER would be equal to 46,866.8 Baht (US$1511.8) per DALY averted with the budget burden amounted to Baht (US$ 4.8 million). The vaccination programme would become more cost-effective if the routine outbreak control was intensified. In summary, the vaccination programme was a cost-effective measure to halt influenza outbreak amongst prisoners. Further primary studies that aim to assess the actual impact of the programme are recommended