HIV Prevention, Care, and Treatment in Two Prisons in Thailand

The authors discuss the challenges of providing HIV treatment to a marginalized population: prisoners in Thailand

Impact of HIV vaccination on laboratory diagnosis: case reports

BACKGROUND: It has not been clearly demonstrated whether HIV vaccination can complicate routine HIV testing. In this report, we describe the laboratory data of two prisoners who received rgp120 vaccine in a phase III trial underway in Thailand. These data indicate that previous vaccination may complicate the interpretation of screening HIV diagnostic tests. CASE PRESENTATION: The participants were identified from a cohort study on "Health factors related to HIV-1 and other viral infections among incarcerated people" that was approved by The Ethical Committee for Research in Human Subjects, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. HIV diagnosis was definitively established with serial specimens using multi-screening tests, Western blot and diagnostic PCR. Anti-HIV screening tests consistently exhibited either weakly reactive or inconclusive results. The band patterns of the Western blot analysis corresponded to those found in individuals who received the rgp120 vaccination. Definite results were established using diagnostic PCR, which exhibited consistently negative results with follow-up specimens. Such problems in HIV testing are not easily resolved in the routine clinical setting in Thailand. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that HIV-1 vaccination interferes with routine diagnostic tests. Similar cases will not be uncommon in Thailand, where 2,545 people have already participated in a phase III trial

Methods used for successful follow-up in a large scale national cohort study in Thailand

Background: Ensuring successful follow-up is essential when conducting a prospective cohort study. Most existing literature reviewing methods to ensure a high response rate is based on experience in developed nations. Findings: We report our 4-year follow-up success for a national cohort study examining the health transition underway in Thailand. We began the cohort study in 2005 with a baseline postal questionnaire sent to all 200,000 Thais enrolled as distance learning students at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and residing all over Thailand; 87,134 or 44% of the students responded. Subsequently we used University and national media to inform cohort members of study progress. Also, we prepared a health book with study results and health advice which was distributed to all cohort members. After 4 years we repeated the survey and achieved a 71% response rate. In this paper we report the methods used to achieve this response The initial follow-up mail-out generated a response rate of about 48% reflecting the extensive preparatory work between baseline and follow-up. After 4 rounds of telephone contact (more than 100,000 phone calls) and 4 related mail-out rounds progressively over 16 months an overall response rate was achieved of just over 71% (n = 60,774). The total cost was US$4.06/respondent - 19% for printing, 21% for postage, 14% for tape measures (included in mail-out), 18% for data processing 22% for prizes and 6% for telephone. Conclusions: Many of the methods reported as effective for mail questionnaire and cohort response rates held true for Thailand. These included being associated with a university, incentivating cooperation, follow-up contact, providing a second copy of questionnaire where necessary, and assurance of confidentiality. Telephone contact with the cohort and the small prizes given to responders were particularly important in the Thai context as was Thai leadership of the research team

Socio-demographic determinants of coinfections by HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in central Italian prisoners

BACKGROUND: The coinfections HIV/HCV/HBV are an important health issue in penitentiary communities. The aim of the study was to examine HIV, HBV and HCV coinfections determinants amongst prisoners in the jails of Southern Lazio (Central Italy), in the period 1995-2000. METHODS: Diagnosis of seropositivities for HIV, HBV and HCV was made using ELISA method. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to verify the influence of socio-demographic factors on the HIV/HBV/HCV coinfections. RESULTS: HIV/HCV, HBV/HCV and HIV/HBV coinfections were detected in 42 (4%), 203 (17.9%) and 31 (2.9%) inmates, respectively. These coinfections are significantly associated with the status of drug addiction (OR = 16.02; p = 0.012; OR = 4.15; p < 0.001; OR = 23.57; p = 0.002), smoking habits (OR = 3.73; p = 0.033; OR = 1.42; p = 0.088; OR = 4.25; p = 0.053) and Italian nationality (OR = 7.05; p = 0.009; OR = 2.31; p < 0.001; OR = 4.61; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HIV, HBV and HCV seropositivity in jails suggests that information and education programs for inmates could be useful to reduce the spread of such infections

Track A Basic Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138319/1/jia218438.pd

Species Diversity of Plankton in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Samut Songkhram Campus

The study of phytoplankton and zooplankton in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Samut Songkram Campus by collecting the samples following the seasons: the cool season (December, 2012), the hot season (March, 2013) and the rainy season (June, 2013). The plankton samples were collected from 5 stations by using 70 micrometers mesh size of plankton net and examined the water quality. The results showed that, in total, there are plankton in 48 genera, 77 species which consist of 36 genera, 58 species of the phytoplankton, and 12 genera, 19 species of the zooplankton. The phytoplankton: Class Bacillariophyceae was the dominant group and the most diverse was the genus Chaetoceros (8 species). The zooplankton: Phylum Sarcomastigophora had the most species diversity and most diverse zooplankton was the genus Ceratium (5 species). The cool season was the season when the greatest species diversity of the plankton could be found and the water temperature average was 27.79 ° C. The pH average was 7.82. The dissolved oxygen average was 6.21 mg/l. The salinity average was 24 ppt. These conditions are the appropriate environment for these living aquatic organisms

[701] PENTOXIFYLLINE FOR TREATMENT OF NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD): A RANDOMIZED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY

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Frequent Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus and Cytomegalovirus but Not JC Virus DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients in Northern Thailand

Applying nested-PCRs, we frequently detected DNA of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus but not JC virus in cerebrospinal fluid samples from 140 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with central nervous system symptoms in northern Thailand. Despite the low incidence of primary central nervous system lymphoma or cytomegalovirus encephalitis among Thai AIDS patients, Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infections in the central nervous system are common