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Objective: To investigate the transmitting phlebotomine sandfly in Minfeng County, a newly-identified endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis in the south of Talim Pendi of Xinjiang., Methods: Sandflies were collected using routine methods in and around the Yatonggusi village of Andier Township. The sandflies were identified to get their composition. Sandfly density was calculated following an observation at a given spot and time-period, and their appearance was recorded at night-time and day-time. Sandflies were dissected to analyze the gonotrophic cycle and to find infection of promastigotes., Results: Phlebotomus wui was identified as the transmitting vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Andier Township, which occupied 99.2% of the sandflies collected. The first and second ten-day period of June was the first peak of its seasonal distribution. Analysis of the gonotrophic cycle revealed that Ph. wui was an exophilic species and appeared nocturnally for feeding with preference to human blood. Natural infection with promastigotes was found in 2 sandflies., Conclusion: Phlebotomus wui is the transmitting vector for visceral leishmaniasis in the newly found endemic area of south Xinjiang.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological status of visceral leishmaniasis in Minfeng county, a newly identified endemic area in south Xinjiang, China., Methods: Based on a hint of possible existence of patients, a retrospective survey was carried out house by house in Andier Township of the county to find cases with suspected signs/symptoms of the disease in the past 20 years including those died. Meanwhile, a survey on current status was conducted, including physical examination(liver and spleen palpation) to those under 15 years-old, leishmanin skin test and rk39 immunochromatographic strip test for part of the residents., Results: The investigation covered 313 local residents and revealed no case with present illness but 60 cases with a history of suspected signs/symptoms including 13 deaths, traced back as visceral leishmaniasis. Leishmanin skin test was performed in 171 people with a positive rate of 99.4% and 28 out of 29 suspected cases showed positive (96.6%). rk39 immunochromatographic strip test was conducted in 197 people with a positive rate of 10.2% (20/197) and 19.4% (6/31) in those with a history of suspected signs/symptoms., Conclusion: The epidemiological investigation indicates that the Andier Township of Minfeng County is an endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis.

During an investigation of arboviruses in China, a novel densovirus (DNV) was isolated from the adult female Culex pipiens pallens. The virus, designated Culex pipiens pallens densovirus (CppDNV), caused cytopathic effect in C6/36 cells. The virus particles were icosahedral, non-enveloped and had a mean diameter of 24 nm. The complete coding region of CppDNV was found to be 3335 nt and it contained three open reading frames (ORFs). CppDNV shares 82-93 % identical nucleotides with isolates of the Aedes albopictus densovirus [isolates AalDNV-1, AalDNV-2 (C6/36 DNV) and AalDNV-3], Aedes aegypti densovirus (AaeDNV) and Haemagogus equines densovirus (HeDNV). The nucleotide sequence identity among CppDNV isolates exceeds 98 %. Phylogenetic trees based on non-structural (NS1 and NS2) and capsid (VP) genes show that CppDNV clustered with the species AaeDNV and represents a novel variant of this species within the genus Brevidensovirus.

Objective: To compare the effects and pharmacoeconomics of single-dose of ceftriaxone versus 3-day cefuroxime prophylaxis in patients undergoing gastric or colorectal resection., Methods: Three hundred and five consecutive patients with gastric or colorectal cancer from 5 medical centers were randomly divided into ceftriaxone group (n = 153, receiving intravenously 1 g ceftriaxone 0.5 - 1 h prior to operation only) and cefuroxime group (n = 152, receiving 0.75 g cefuroxime preoperatively and the same dose q8h for 3 d). The patients' intra- and postoperative status, adverse responses and infectious complications were observed and documented, and pharmacoeconomic parameters were analyzed., Results: The disease distribution, operative procedures and patients' conditions in the 2 groups were comparable. No adverse responses to the test antibiotics were observed. Postoperative infectious complications occurred in 7 cases in the ceftriaxone group (4.58%) and 14 cases in the cefuroxime group (9.21%), respectively (P = 0.992), among which, 12 cases were surgical site infections (incisional, intra-abdominal): 2 cases in the ceftriaxone group (1.31%), and 10 cases in the cefuroxime group (6.58%), (chi(2) = 5.607, P = 0.018). The direct cost related to prevention and treatment of surgical site infections was 283.5 RMB in the ceftriaxone group and 811.1 RMB in the cefuroxime group (Z = 14.51, P = 0.000)., Conclusion: Both ceftriaxone and cefuroxime are safe and effective for prevention of surgical site infections. Single-dose ceftriaxone prophylaxis is sufficient for gastric and colorectal operations, with a better cost-effectiveness ratio.

We determined maternal and neonatal umbilical artery serum concentrations of fibronectin (Fn) in 15 pregnant women with idiopathic IUGR (Intrauterine growth retardation) and 17 normal pregnant women at the time of delivery, by use of a rate nephelometric procedure. The results showed that the maternal serum levels of Fn in pregnant women with idiopathic IUGR were significantly higher than those in normal pregnant women at the time of delivery (P < 0.01), but umbilical artery serum concentrations in the two groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05), suggesting that the significant increase in maternal serum levels of Fn appeared to be related to uteroplacental vascular endothelial cell lesion, formation of microthrombi and deficiency of placental perfusion.