The aim of this study is to analyse the changing patterns in the transmission of COVID-19 in relation to changes in Vietnamese governmental policies, based on epidemiological data and policy actions in a large Vietnamese province, Bac Ninh, in 2021. Data on confirmed cases from January to December 2021 were collected, together with policy documents. There were three distinct periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bac Ninh province during 2021. During the first period, referred to as the ‘Zero-COVID’ period (01/04–07/04/2021), there was a low population vaccination rate, with less than 25% of the population receiving its first vaccine dose. Measures implemented during this period focused on domestic movement restrictions, mask mandates, and screening efforts to control the spread of the virus. The subsequent period, referred to as the ‘Transition’ period (07/05–10/22/2021), witnessed a significant increase in population vaccination coverage, with 80% of the population receiving their first vaccine dose. During this period, several days passed without any reported COVID-19 cases in the community. The local government implemented measures to manage domestic actions and reduce the time spent in quarantine, and encouraged home quarantining for the close contacts of cases with COVID-19. Finally, the ‘New-normal’ stage (10/23–12/31/2021), during which the population vaccination coverage with a second vaccine dose increased to 70%, and most of the mandates for the prevention and control of COVID-19 were reduced. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of governmental policies in managing and controlling the transmission of COVID-19 and provides insights for developing realistic and context-specific strategies in similar settings.

Rubella haemagglutination inhibiting (HAI) antibody titres were determined in 54 seronegative women and 31 naturally immune women after vaccination and revaccination with Wistar RA27/3 strain rubella vaccine administered by the intranasal or subcutaneous routes or revaccination with the Cendehill strain administered subcutaneously. In addition, HAI antibody titres were determined in 46 seronegative schoolgirls after vaccination with the Cendehill strain and revaccination with the RA27/3 strain.

All seronegative women vaccinated with the RA27/3 strain developed antibody, peak titres being reached 6 weeks after vaccination. Six months after vaccination with the Cendehill strain, 45 (98%) of the 46 seronegative girls had developed antibody, but 11 (24%) had not reached their peak titre by 6 weeks, suggesting a slower response than that elicited by the RA27/3 strain. Revaccination did not induce significant antibody responses in the seronegative women vaccinated 6 months previously with RA27/3 but 4 naturally immune women developed an eightfold increase in antibody. In 10 (22%) of 46 schoolgirls previously vaccinated with the Cendehill strain a significant rise in antibody followed revaccination with RA27/3. These results provide further evidence of the more rapid antibody responses elicited by the RA27/3 vaccine in comparison with the Cendehill vaccine.

An outbreak of natural rubella occurred in 1972 and 97 cases were confirmed serologically. The clinical disease was more common in older school-children and in adults. More males than females were affected in the 11–15 age group, the sex ratio being 18:12; this may be explained by the routine vaccination of girls of this age group as part of the national programme which began in 1970. The significance of the persistence of high HAI antibody titres after natural infection and the effect of the epidemic on the serological status of the population are discussed.

The propensity of an attenuated strain of feline infectious enteritis (panleucopaenia) virus to spread from vaccinated cats affected with intercurrent feline respiratory disease to unvaccinated in-contact cats was eradicated by further passaging of the vaccine virus in tissue culture. No virus was recovered from, and no antibody was found in the sentinel cats in contact with seven vaccinated animals. Thus, a further 27 passages of the vaccine virus in tissue culture has eliminated the spread factor.

The sex ratios and the emergence patterns of the European rabbit flea bred under animal house conditions were examined. An overall preponderance of female fleas was found. This was due to the greater preponderance of female fleas in the primary emergence, whereas the sex ratios in the secondary emergence were about 1:1.

The appearance of specific hypersensitivity to virus antigens was examined in mice infected intravenously with vaccinia virus. Both immediate hypersensitivity, transferable by serum, and delayed-type hypersensitivity, transferable only by cells, were apparent 8 days after infection and demonstrable for at least a further 130 days. Production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor by lymphocytes from infected mice was measured directly in terms of inhibition of migration by antigen or indirectly by determining the effect of soluble factors elaborated by the stimulated lymphocytes. The irregular results may have been the resultants of antigen-mediated macrophage stimulation, toxicity and induction of migration inhibitory factor. Transformation of spleen cells – presumably lymphocytes – from infected mice could be induced in vitro by virus antigens for at least 139 days after infection. Virus/lymphocyte interaction appears to be a particularly fruitful area for further study.

Burn patients are at high risk of central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). However, the diagnosis of such infections is complex, resource-intensive, and often delayed. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of CLABSI and develop a prediction model for the infection in burn patients. The study analysed the infection profiles, clinical epidemiology, and central venous catheter (CVC) management of patients in a large burn centre in China from January 2018 to December 2021. In total, 222 burn patients with a cumulative 630 CVCs and 5,431 line-days were included. The CLABSI rate was 23.02 CVCs per 1000 line-days. The three most common bacterial species were Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; 76.09% of isolates were multidrug resistant. Compared with a non-CLABSI cohort, CLABSI patients were significantly older, with more severe burns, more CVC insertion times, and longer total line-days, as well as higher mortality. Regression analysis found longer line-days, more catheterisation times, and higher burn wounds index to be independent risk factors for CLABSI. A novel nomogram based on three risk factors was constructed with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) value of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.782–0.898) with a mean absolute error of calibration curve of 0.023. The nomogram showed excellent predictive ability and clinical applicability, and provided a simple, practical, and quantitative strategy to predict CLABSI in burn patients.

1. That the number of toxoplasma organisms in the dye test affects the titre of the test serum is confirmed.

2. Evidence is presented that the toxoplasma cytoplasm-modifying substance present in the peritoneal exudate of mice injected with large numbers of toxoplasma organisms more than 3 days previously is probably antibody.

3. Various chemicals including detergents were capable, in high concentration, of producing a false positive dye test.

4. Evidence is presented that there are two complement-fixing antigens, one with a low sensitivity and a low density, the other with a high density and a sensitivity close to that of the dye test. Heating the heavy antigen to 56° C. for 1 hr. removes most of its anticomplementary effects without altering its complement-fixing activity.

5. The light antigen mentioned above was capable of producing a precipitation line in agar double-diffusion experiments, but did not inhibit dye-test antibody when mixed with an equal volume of antiserum in the dye test.

6. The heavy antigen inhibited dye test antibody when mixed with an equal volume of antiserum in the dye test.

It is emphasized that as heat exchange is controlled by the temperature of that boundary layer of molecular dimensions which separates a cooling body from its environment and from which evaporation occurs, attempts to relate heat loss with internal temperature have resulted only in empirical formulae. A rational formula involving the temperature of the evaporating surface is suggested, and it is shown how in the case of a system of sufficient simplicity all the terms can be either measured or derived from experiments.

The results of experiments with a small moistened cylinder are detailed illustrating the effect of wind velocity upon evaporative and convective heat loss under the one condition when the evaporating surface remains at constant temperature notwithstanding variations in wind, namely, when the whole system has been cooled to wet-bulb temperature. Evaporative loss is found to vary as V0.65, convective as V0.70.

Experiments are next described showing the effect of wind upon evaporative and convective losses when, the internal temperature being constant, the temperature of the evaporating surface fluctuates in consequence of varying wind velocity. Heat loss now varies very closely as V0.5 at velocities greater than 1 m./sec. At velocities below 1 m./sec. the same relation of heat loss to velocity obtains if due allowance be made for natural convection. This square root function is fortuitous, and heat loss varied between the square root and cube root of the velocity as the internal conductivity was diminished.

Attention is drawn to the impossibility of forming general conclusions from observations on any particular system, as the way in which the rate of heat loss varies with the velocity of the wind depends not only upon the internal conductivity of the system but also on its size and shape.

Observations are described showing the influence of varying the internal temperature on total and evaporative heat loss with constant wind velocity and constant atmospheric conditions. These experiments furnish data from which the surface temperature can be derived from measurements of evaporation, and show that the temperature of the surface and the rate of loss of heat by convection are both linear functions of the internal temperature at any one wind velocity. They also show that the values of the constants of the system derived from experiments at the temperature of the wet bulb are applicable when the cylinder is heated.

An analysis of the results of the experiments with varying internal temperature indicates that the temperature of the evaporating surface (ts) is related to the internal temperature (t1) and that of the wet bulb (tw) by the expression The value of C with varying wind velocity is ascertained by experiments, thus affording another means of arriving at the temperature of the evaporating layer. Values of ts obtained in this way are compared with those determined by observing the rate of evaporation and show reasonable agreement.

It is shown how, knowing the temperature of the evaporating layer, the constants of the system employed and the effect of velocity of wind upon heat exchange, the rate of loss of heat by evaporation and by convection under given conditions can be predicted. Instances of the agreement between predicted and observed values are given.

From the formula representing the influence of atmospheric conditions on heat loss it can be shown, by calculation, that if the wet-bulb temperature remains constant considerable variations in the temperature of the dry-bulb influence but slightly the heat loss from the moist cylinder.

It will be seen that the analysis of the effects of environmental changes on the heat loss from a simple physical system such as was used presents no serious difficulties. Such an analysis, unfortunately, does not enable deductions to be made with reference to systems of different physical characteristics. How observations on such systems can be related in other than a qualitative manner to the effects of corresponding changes on living creature differing in size and shape and degree of moistening of their surfaces is not clear. When account is taken of the ability of living beings to alter the vascularity of their surface tissues and so to vary the temperature of the body surface while other factors remain constant, the difficulties in relating the cooling of any physical system to the loss of heat from animals become painfully apparent.

The most hopeful method of assessing the effect of air movement and atmospheric conditions on the heat loss from the human body seems to be in terms of a subjectively determined standard such as the effective temperature scale of Houghton & Yaglou. The validity of such a scale has received support from observations by Houghton et al. (1924) and Vernon & Warner (1932) on the relation of pulse rate, body temperature, metabolism and other physiological variables to “effective temperature”.

The standard membrane filtration method of the UK has been modified in order to improve its specificity for enumerating Escherichia coli in the subtropical waters of Hong Kong. This involves incorporating into the membrane lauryl sulphate (mLS) method either an in situ urease test (the mLS-UA method), or an in situ β-glucuronidase test (the mLS-GUD method). The false-positive errors of the mLS-UA and mLS-GUD methods are low, ranging from 3–5%. A comparison between the membrane filtration (mLS-UA) method and the multiple tube technique in testing E. coli in subtropical beach-waters has demonstrated that the former can give much more precise counts, and is the method of choice for such a purpose. The mLS-GUD method, for which automated counting of E. coli colonies is possible, is a good alternative to mLS-UA in routine enumeration of this bacterial indicator in environmental waters.

1. The causes of failure of the brilliant green enrichment method for isolation of B. typhosus are discussed.

2. It has been shown that the negative results obtained depend partly on the number of resistant B. coli strains normally present in faeces, and partly on the use of McConkey's as a plating out medium.

3. The alleged selective action of telluric acid could not be confirmed.

4. The so-called antagonism between B. coli and B. typhosus has been investigated, and by the use of a selective bismuth medium it is shown that this is more apparent than real in most cases.

5. However, the existence of certain strains of B. coli or similar bacteria with a specific inhibitory effect on B. typhosus has been confirmed.

6. The value of Wilson's bismuth medium for the isolation of B. typhosus has been demonstrated.

Some studies have suggested that the Toll-like receptor 9 polymorphism (TLR9 rs352140) is closely related to the risk of bacterial meningitis (BM), but this is subject to controversy. This study set out to estimate whether the TLR9 rs352140 polymorphism confers an increased risk of BM. Relevant literature databases were searched including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to August 2020. Seven case-control studies from four publications were enrolled in the present meta-analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to estimate associations between BM risk and the target polymorphism. Significant associations identified were allele contrast (A vs. G: OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.59–0.75, P = 0.000), homozygote comparison (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49–0.78, P = 0.000), heterozygote comparison (A vs. G: OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61–0.91, P = 0.005), recessive genetic model (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.93, P = 0.006) and dominant genetic model (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.85, P = 0.000). The findings indicate that, in contrast to some studies, the TLR9 rs352140 polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk for BM.

1. Extracts containing non-infective soluble antigens have been prepared from the tissues of mice infected with a pantropic or any of three neurotropic strains of Rift Valley fever virus. The antigens were detectable by complement-fixation and gel-precipitin tests using antisera prepared in mice.

2. The extracts appeared to contain at least two antigens separable by electrophoresis and distinguishable by Ouchterlony tests. The faster migrating minor antigen occurs sparsely and was not further examined.

3. No distinction, physical or immunological, was observed between the major antigen derived from the four strains.

4. In gel diffusion-filtration experiments with granulated 7 % agarose, the major antigen appeared to be polydisperse containing particles with diffusion rates ranging from at least as low as that of Burnupena cincta haemocyanin to almost as high as that of haemoglobin.

5. Centrifugal analysis indicated the presence of particles having sedimentation constants of about 8, 29 and greater than 100 Svedberg units. These particles have a density of about 1·27 g./ml. If all the particles of the major antigen are spherical, with a density of 1·27 g./ml., the three size groups have diameters of about 7–8, 14 and < 26 mμ.

6. The diffusion coefficient of the smallest particle was estimated to be 6·06x 10−7 cm.2/sec. corresponding to a sphere 7 mμ in diameter, or 4·78 x 10−7 cm.2/ corresponding to a sphere 9 mμ in diameter depending on which of two values for the diffusion coefficient of mouse γ-globulin is used in the calculation.

7. In density gradient zone electrophoresis at pH 8·6, the principal antigen migrated at about the same rate as haemoglobin and appreciably slower than the virus. The authors are indebted to Prof. A. Kipps for his continued interest in this work, and to Dr T. H. Mead for valuable criticism of this paper. This investigation was supported in part by a Public Health Service research grant Al 04044–02 from the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, U.S.A.

Stored mixtures of the virus and corresponding antisera in foot-and-mouth disease have equal complement-fixing activity whether they are prepared from virus and serum of homologous or heterologous types. On ultracentrifugation the complement-fixing activity is removed from the mixture and the remaining antibody is more sharply type-specific in routine complement-fixation tests than the original serum.

This review aims to assess the prevalence of malaria in pregnancy during antenatal visits and delivery, species-specific burden together with regional variation in the burden of disease. It also aims to estimate the proportions of adverse pregnancy outcomes in malaria-positive women. Based on the PRISMA guidelines, a thorough and systematic search was conducted in July 2023 across two electronic databases (including PubMed and CENTRAL). Forest plots were constructed for each outcome of interest highlighting the effect measure, confidence interval, sample size, and its associated weightage. All the statistical meta-analysis were conducted using R-Studio version 2022.07. Sensitivity analyses, publication bias assessment, and meta-regression analyses were also performed to ensure robustness of the review. According to the pooled estimates of 253 studies, the overall prevalence of malaria was 18.95% (95% CI: 16.95–21.11), during antenatal visits was 20.09% (95% CI: 17.43–23.06), and at delivery was 17.32% (95% CI: 14.47–20.61). The highest proportion of malarial infection was observed in Africa approximating 21.50% (95% CI: 18.52–24.81) during ANC and 20.41% (95% CI: 17.04–24.24) at the time of delivery. Our analysis also revealed that the odds of having anaemia were 2.40 times (95% CI: 1.87–3.06), having low birthweight were 1.99 times (95% CI: 1.60–2.48), having preterm birth were 1.65 times (95% CI: 1.29–2.10), and having stillbirths were 1.40 times (95% CI: 1.15–1.71) in pregnant women with malaria.

The practice of foodborne illness outbreak investigations has evolved, shifting away from large-scale community case-control studies towards more focused case exposure assessments and sub-cluster investigations to identify contaminated food sources. Criteria to include or exclude cases are established to increase the efficiency of epidemiological analyses and traceback activities, but these criteria can also affect the investigator's ability to implicate a suspected food vehicle. A 2010 outbreak of Salmonella ser. Hvittingfoss infections associated with a chain of quick-service restaurants (Chain A) provided a useful case study on the impact of exclusion criteria on the ability to identify a food vehicle. In the original investigation, a case-control study of restaurant-associated cases and well meal companions was conducted at the ingredient level to identify a suspected food vehicle; however, 21% of cases and 22% of well meal companions were excluded for eating at Chain A restaurants more than once during the outbreak. The objective of this study was to explore how this decision affected the results of the outbreak investigation.

A large-scale measles outbreak (11 495 reported cases, 60% aged ≥15 years) occurred in Georgia during 2013–2015. A nationwide, multistage, stratified cluster serosurvey for hepatitis B and C among persons aged ≥18 years conducted in Georgia in late 2015 provided an opportunity to assess measles and rubella (MR) susceptibility after the outbreak. Residual specimens from 3125 participants aged 18–50 years were tested for Immunoglobulin G antibodies against MR using ELISA. Nationwide, 6.3% (95% CI 4.9%–7.6%) of the surveyed population were seronegative for measles and 8.6% (95% CI 7.1%–10.1%) were seronegative for rubella. Measles susceptibility was highest among 18–24 year-olds (10.1%) and declined with age to 1.2% among 45–50 year-olds (P < 0.01). Susceptibility to rubella was highest among 25–29 year-olds (15.3%), followed by 18–24 year-olds (11.6%) and 30–34 year-olds (10.2%), and declined to <5% among persons aged ≥35 years (P < 0.001). The susceptibility profiles in the present serosurvey were consistent with the epidemiology of recent MR cases and the history of the immunization programme. Measles susceptibility levels >10% among 18–24 year-olds in Georgia revealed continued risk for outbreaks among young adults. High susceptibility to rubella among 18–34 year-olds indicates a continuing risk for congenital rubella cases.

Evolutionary studies on Dengue virus (DENV) in endemic regions are necessary since naturally occurring mutations may lead to genotypic variations or shifts in serotypes, which may lead to future outbreaks. Our study comprehends the evolutionary dynamics of DENV, using phylogenetic, molecular clock, skyline plots, network, selection pressure, and entropy analyses based on partial CprM gene sequences. We have collected 250 samples, 161 in 2017 and 89 in 2018. Details for the 2017 samples were published in our previous article and that of 2018 are presented in this study. Further evolutionary analysis was carried out using 800 sequences, which incorporate the study and global sequences from GenBank: DENV-1 (n = 240), DENV-3 (n = 374), and DENV-4 (n = 186), identified during 1944–2020, 1956–2020, and 1956–2021, respectively. Genotypes V, III, and I were identified as the predominant genotypes of the DENV-1, DENV-3, and DENV-4 serotypes, respectively. The rate of nucleotide substitution was found highest in DENV-3 (7.90 × 10−4 s/s/y), followed by DENV-4 (6.23 × 10−4 s/s/y) and DENV-1 (5.99 × 10−4 s/s/y). The Bayesian skyline plots of the Indian strains revealed dissimilar patterns amongst the population size of the three serotypes. Network analyses showed the presence of different clusters within the prevalent genotypes. The data presented in this study will assist in supplementing the measures for vaccine development against DENV.

Anti-pneumococcal polysaccharide antibody (anti-PPS) levels were measured in 153 serum samples collected from children aged between 2 and 47 months living in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Fifty-seven of the samples were collected during acute episodes of lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). Total IgA and IgG increased steadily with age; however, no association was found between the levels of these antibodies and the health status of the child. Total IgM levels showed little relationship to the age of the child but under 12 months of age levels were somewhat higher on average in children with pneumonia. For most of eight pneumococcal serotypes tested, specific IgG levels were found to decline rapidly in the first 6–8 months, reaching a minimum at approximately 12 months of age. Serotype 3 was exceptional in having very low titres in the youngest children. A separate analysis of 24 cord sera suggested that antibodies to this serotype do not usually cross the placenta in PNG. Children with pneumonia tended to have lower levels of specific IgG than healthy controls of the same age. Specific anti-PPS IgA levels were found to increase steadily with age, but were not associated with health status.

We investigated risk factors associated with COVID-19 by conducting a retrospective, frequency-matched case-control study, with three sampling periods (August–October 2020). We compared cases completing routine contact tracing to asymptomatic population controls. Multivariable analyses estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for non-household community settings. Meta-analyses using random effects provided pooled odds ratios (pORs). Working in healthcare (pOR 2.87; aORs 2.72, 2.81, 3.08, for study periods 1–3 respectively), social care (pOR 4.15; aORs 2.46, 5.06, 5.41, for study periods 1–3 respectively) or hospitality (pOR 2.36; aORs 2.01, 2.54, 2.63, for study periods 1–3 respectively) were associated with increased odds of being a COVID-19 case. Additionally, working in bars, pubs and restaurants, warehouse settings, construction, educational settings were significantly associated. While definitively determining where transmission occurs is impossible, we provide evidence that in certain sectors, the impact of mitigation measures may only be partial and reinforcement of measures should be considered in these settings.

Since the discovery of Legionnaires’ disease (LD), limited progress has been made in understanding the epidemiology of sporadic cases of LD. Outbreaks have confirmed that air conditioning and potable water systems can be sources of community-acquired LD. However, studying the association between water quality and LD incidence has been challenging due to the heterogeneity of water systems across large geographic areas. Furthermore, although seasonal trends in incidence have been linked to increased rainfall and temperatures, the large geographic units have posed similar difficulties. To address this issue, a retrospective ecological study was conducted in Washington, DC, from 2001 to 2019. The study identified aseasonal pattern of LD incidence, with the majority of cases occurring between June and December, peaking in August, October, and November. Increased temperature was found to be associated with LD incidence. In surface water, higher concentrations of manganese, iron, and strontium were positively associated with LD, while aluminum and orthophosphate showed a negative association. Intreatment plant water, higher concentrations of total organic carbon, aluminum, barium, and chlorine were positively associated with LD, while strontium, zinc, and orthophosphate showed a negative association. The results for orthophosphates and turbidity were inconclusive, indicating the need for further research.