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Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently the most serious infectious disease in the world. An accurate diagnosis of this disease in the clinic is very important. This study aims to improve the differential ability of computed tomography (CT) to diagnose COVID-19 and other community-acquired pneumonias (CAPs) and evaluate the short-term prognosis of these patients., Methods: The clinical and imaging data of 165 COVID-19 and 118 CAP patients diagnosed in seven hospitals in Anhui Province, China from January 21 to February 28, 2020 were retrospectively analysed. The CT manifestations of the two groups were recorded and compared. A correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between COVID-19 and age, size of lung lesions, number of involved lobes, and CT findings of patients. The factors that were helpful in diagnosing the two groups of patients were identified based on specificity and sensitivity., Results: The typical CT findings of COVID-19 are simple ground-glass opacities (GGO), GGO with consolidation or grid-like changes. The sensitivity and specificity of the combination of age, white blood cell count, and ground-glass opacity in the diagnosis of COVID-19 were 92.7 and 66.1%, respectively. Pulmonary consolidation, fibrous cords, and bronchial wall thickening were used as indicators to exclude COVID-19. The sensitivity and specificity of the combination of these findings were 78.0 and 63.6%, respectively. The follow-up results showed that 67.8% (112/165) of COVID-19 patients had abnormal changes in their lung parameters, and the severity of the pulmonary sequelae of patients over 60 years of age worsened with age., Conclusions: Age, white blood cell count and ground-glass opacity have high accuracy in the early diagnosis of COVID-19 and the differential diagnosis from CAP. Patients aged over 60 years with COVID-19 have a poor prognosis. This result provides certain significant guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological genotype features of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical infection and their risks for cervical precancers among women in Shenzhen area. Methods: A total of 2 717 individuals ranging in age from 30~59 years were recruited in 18 community health centers of Shenzhen city from March 1 to June 15, 2015 by a cluster sampling method. The results of genotype of HPV, liquid-based cytology (LBC), colposcopy and pathology were analyzed. The clinical sensitivity and specificity as well as positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values of the combination of different HPV genotype in screening the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 and above were estimated. Results: The HPV infection rate in Shenzhen area was 15.9% (432/2 717). The most common HPV genotype was HPV52 (22.9%), followed by HPV16 (12.7%), HPV53 (10.0%), HPV51 (8.6%) and HPV58 (8.1%). Compared with HPV16/18 genotyping, HPV33/16 genotyping had a higher sensitivity (57.1% vs. 42.9%, P <0.05) and an analogous specificity (87.3% vs. 86.9%, P >0.05) in predicting CIN2+ . The sensitivity of combination of HPV33/16 genotyping and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) positive tested by LBC in predicting CIN2+ was 75.0%, significantly higher than 64.3% of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) positive tested by LBC alone ( P <0.05). The specificities of these two methods mentioned above in predicting CIN2+ were 83.5% and 89.2%, respectively, without statistical difference ( P >0.05). Conclusions: Women infected by HPV have distinct risks for CIN2+ according to different high-risk HPV genotypes. The top five risks were HPV 33, 16, 58, 56, and 68. HPV-positive women triaged by LBC LSIL+ combined with HPV33/16 genotyping may be a potential strategy for cervical cancer screening in developed urban area.

The aim of this study was to assess the association between human transforming growth factor β receptor, type III (TGFBR3) and idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF) in a Chinese population. A total of 112 Chinese women with idiopathic POF and 110 normal controls were examined. DNA samples prepared from blood leukocytes were used as templates for polymerase-chain reaction amplification of DNA fragments from TGFBR3. The gene fragments were sequenced. Web-based programs, including PolyPhen, Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT), Prediction of Pathological Mutations (PMUT), ScanProsite and ClustalW2, were used to predict the potential functional and structural impacts of the missense variants of TGFBR3. A total of 11 novel variants were identified. Among them, six were found only in the POF patients. Two missense variants, p.E459G and p.P825L, which are conserved in primates, were predicted to have functional and structural impacts on the TGFBR3 protein. The other four variants (c.381+12A>C, c.2431-7A>G, p.S172S and p.C220C) were considered benign. However, further functional studies are necessary to confirm these findings., (Copyright © 2011 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the risk factors for primary liver carcinoma (PLC) in Chinese population., Methods: Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Hospital Knowledge Database and MEDLINE were searched. All the related literatures were screened, and the risk factors for PLC in Chinese population were studied. Heterogeneity was evaluated by odds ratio (OR) q test. Combined OR and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated, the association between the investigated risk factors and PLC was determined. Validity and bias of the findings were evaluated by sensitivity analysis and funnel plot analysis respectively., Results: Fifty-five of one hundred and ninety identified studies were accepted according to the inclusive criteria. Ten factors related to PLC were demonstrated by sensitive analysis and funnel plot analysis. They were cirrhosis (OR = 11.97, P = 0.000), HBV infection (OR = 11.34, P = 0.000), HCV infection (OR = 4.28, P = 0.000), family history of liver cancer (OR = 3.49, P = 0.000), unstable emotion (OR = 2.20, P = 0.000), depressed characters (OR = 3.07, P = 0.000), aflatoxin (OR = 1.80, P = 0.000), alcoholic (OR = 1.88, P = 0.000), intake of musty food (OR = 1.87, P = 0.000) and drinking contaminated water from pond (OR = 1.77, P = 0.003)., Conclusion: The main risk factors for PLC in China are liver diseases, family history of liver carcinoma, poor psychic status, aflatoxin, and some unhealthy behaviors.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection and to analyse the homology of different HGV strains in Southern China., Methods: A total of 1993 sera from different groups in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Yunnan were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The nucleotide sequences of 5'untranslated region (5'UTR) derived from 20 strains and NS5 region from 3 strains were determined., Results: The positive rate of HGV RNA was 0.89 % in community population, 2.57 % in blood donors, 17.86 % in intravenous drug abusers, 14.13 % in patients with hemodialysis, 13.66 % in those with hepatocellular carcinoma, 25.30 % in non A-E hepatitis, 7.22 % in hepatitis B, 12.73 % in hepatitis C, 41.67 % in patients received bone marrow transplantation, respectively. The homology was 90.40-100 % in 5'UTR among different strains, while that of NS5 region was 93.3-94 % in nucleotide sequence, and 97-99.2 % in amino acid sequence., Conclusion: These results showed that there was a high incidence of HGV infection in patients from Southern China, being treated for bone marrow transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma and those on haemodialysis. Furthermore, there was also a high frequency of co-infection of HGV with HBV, HCV, non A-E viral hepatitis and that among intravenous drug abusers. The study also showed that sequence variation in different strains was associated with geographical factors but there was no significant difference in 5'UTR in circulating viruses between different patient groups. Finally, by sequential analysis of viral species present in individual patients over a three months period there was no evidence of sequence variation in the 5' UTR.

Hepatitis B remains one of the most important infectious diseases in China. In 1980, an overall hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rate of 42.6% was reported and a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier rate of 10.3%. HBsAg positivity among children under 1 year of age ranged from 5.1% in Beijing to 7% in Guangdong. A peak in carrier rate was observed in 7 to 14 year olds, reaching 24% in Guangdong. During the past decade, there has been no significant change in overall HBV carrier rates. However, in areas where hepatitis B vaccination for all neonates has been introduced, a decline in HBsAg positivity in lower age groups has been observed. Perinatal transmission is believed to account for 35-50% of carriers although horizontal transmission is also important, particularly within families. Infants born to HBeAg positive carrier mothers are at even greater risk of infection. HBV infection during childhood leads to an increased risk of serious longterm sequelae, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is hoped that universal childhood immunisation will allow control of HBV infections in China within a few generations.

Background/aims: The hepatitis E virus is responsible for epidemic and sporadic hepatitis in northwestern China, but its role as a cause of acute sporadic hepatitis in southern China has not been reported., Methods: We applied the most practical current methods for diagnosis of hepatitis E virus infection, IgM and IgG anti-HEV detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among acute sporadic hepatitis., Results: Anti-HEV IgM was found in 1 of 26 (3.8%), 4 of 20 (20.0%), 4 of 19 (21.1%), and 51 of 142 (35.9%), with acute hepatitis A, B, C and non-ABC, respectively. Anti-HEV IgM was not detectable in healthy subjects, while IgG anti-HEV was found in 14 of 77 healthy subjects (18.2%) and was long-lasting. Ninety-one cases without any evidence of hepatitis A, B or C infections and anti-HEV IgM were tentatively classified as non-A, B, C, D, E (non-ABCDE) hepatitis. By comparison with non-ABCDE, cases with hepatitis E were more frequently icteric and exhibited higher alanine aminotransferase levels (92.2% vs. 45.1%, 770 iu/l vs 377 iu/l, respectively, p < 0.005). Chronic cases were not observed in hepatitis E virus infections. However, 14 of 91 (15.4%) cases with non-ABCDE developed to chronicity (p < 0.005)., Conclusions: Hepatitis E virus infection is sporadic as well as endemic in southern China. Only IgM anti-HEV but not IgG anti-HEV can be used as an appropriate marker of acute hepatitis E virus infection. Superinfection of hepatitis E virus with other types of hepatitis viruses is frequent in this area. While the disease was associated with more severe clinical manifestations, patients usually recovered completely.