ObjectiveTo summarize experience of the response to China's first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection and provide scientific basis for similar outbreak control in future.MethodsField epidemiological data, government decision-making information, and laboratory testing results were collected during response period and analyzed using descriptive epidemiology methods.ResultsChina's first imported MERS-CoV infection case, whose father and sister were Korea's third and fourth MERS-CoV cases, entered Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, via Hong Kong SAR from the Republic of Korea.Moreover, the case had exposed to Korea's first MERS-CoV case's ward before the onset of illness.Specimens of throat swab, sputum, blood, and stool were collected from the imported patient for detecting MERS-CoV by using the real-time RT-PCR method.The MERS-CoV nucleic acid was confirmed to be positive.Furthermore, a total of 75 close contacts with the patient and 31 general contacts were traced and isolated for medical observation for 14 days in the mainland of China, but no second generation cases were found by laboratory testing.ConclusionAccording to epidemiological information, clinical data and etiology testing results, the patient was confirmed as the China's first imported MERS-CoV case in the mainland of China, but no secondary cases were found among the contacts of the patient.

ObjectiveTo conduct rapid laboratory diagnosis of the first imported case of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Guangdong Province and compare the testing performance of two commercial kits for MERS-CoV.MethodsThree pharyngeal swabs and 1 serum sample were collected from the first suspected MERS-CoV infection case imported from the South Korea on May 28, 2015.And 50 pharyngeal swabs were collected from close contacts in succession.According to the guidelines for laboratory testing for MERS-CoV by WHO and China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (GDCDC) had prepared three sets of primers and probes for MERS-CoV upE, ORF1a, and ORF1b genes to carry out Real time RT-PCR.The sensitivity and specificity of two commercial MERS-CoV RNA fluorescence quantitative PCR detection kits A and B were evaluated by using the positive nucleic acid extracts of the first MERS case, respectively.ResultsThe target genes of upE, ORF1a, and ORF1b were detectable in 3 throat swabs.and upE and ORF1a, in the serum sample of the suspected MERS case.Therefore, the MERS-CoV nucleic acid was confirmed to be positive.The MERS-CoV was found to be positive in the 3 throat swab samples of the case detected by both commercial kits A and B, which can also detected the 10 times diluted extracted nucleic acid of MERS-CoV.All 50 samples from the close contacts with the case were MERS-CoV nucleic acid negative detected by the fluorescence quantitative PCR recommended by CCDC and the two kits of A and B.ConclusionThe first imported suspected MERS case was positive for MERS-CoV by rapid laboratory diagnosis.The guidelines for laboratory testing for MERS-CoV and the two commercial kits can be used as laboratory diagnosis tools of MERS-CoV infection.

ObjectiveTo establish a tiered screening model for testing eye irritation of surfactants.MethodsTwenty surfactants were tested with FLT, RBCH, and NRU methods, then the test results were plugged into four screening models (FLT+NRU, FLT+RBCH, RBCH+NRU, NRU+RBCH) and compared the grading results with those of Draize test (based on the indices of Gamma coefficient，McNemar-Bowker coefficient, Kappa coefficient, and concordance rate).Finally, the predictive abilities of the four tiered screening models for eye irritation of surfactants were evaluated.ResultsCompared with the results of Draise test, the concordance rates of grading results of four screening models (FLT+NRU, FLT+RBCH, RBCH+NRU, NRU+RBCH) evaluated in this study were 90.0%, 80.0%, 80.0%, and 65.0%, respectively; the Kappa values were 0.84, 0.68, 0.69, and 0.47, respectively (P<0.01 for all); the Gamma values were 1.00, 1.00, 0.93, and 0.88, respectively (P<0.01 for all).ConclusionThe tiered screen model composed of FLT test (1st stage) and NRU test (2nd stage) has better detection performance than the other 3 models and is more suitable for the eye irritation detection of the surfactants.

ObjectiveTo understand the epidemiological features of human infection with avian influenza virus in Guangdong Province.MethodsDemographic and epidemiologic data on human cases reported during 1998-2014 were collected and analyzed.Epidemiological characteristics and exposure factors of the cases were analyzed by using the method of descriptive epidemiology.ResultsA total of 130 cases infected with avian influenza A viruses were reported from 1998 to 2014, including 4 cases of H5N1, 1 case of H5N6, 1 case of H5 subtype , 113 cases of H7N9,11 cases of H9N2, 43 deaths, with a mortality rate of 33.08%; 81.54% (106/130) of cases occurred from January to March and in December, and 67.69% (88/130) occurred in the Pearl River Delta area.Among all the cases, 81 were male and 49 were female, with a male to female ratio of 1.65∶1; 48.44%（62/128）of cases aged 55 years and over, 92.31% (120/130) had clear exposure to live poultry; 8.33% (10/120) engaged in poultry related occupations, 41.67% (50/120) contacted with poultry, and 50.00% (60/120) had exposure to wet markets with live poultry.ConclusionThe epidemic peaks of human infections with avian influenza virus in Guangdong appeared in winter and spring, with certain regional clusters．The main source of infection was exposure to the live poultry and wet markets with live poultry.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of dengue fever in Baiyun District, Guangzhou during 2006-2014, and provide scientific evidence for prevention and control of dengue fever effectively．MethodsData of dengue fever cases in Baiyun District of Guangzhou City during 2006 to 2014 were collected from the Public Health Emergency Management of Information System and Infectious Disease Report Information System in China Information System for Disease Prevention and Control.Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the data．ResultsA total of 12 032 cases of dengue fever were reported,of which, 12 017 cases were local and 15, imported.The annual incidence rates were 0.00 to 532.58/100 000.In 2014, 11 840 cases were reported, with an incidence rate of 532.58/100 000．In the period from August to November, 11 979 cases were reported, accounting for 99.56% of the total cases.The top five streets or towns with the most cases were Yongping, Tangjing, Shijing, Xinshi, and Tongde, accounting for 50.11%（6 029/12 032）of the total cases.Of all the cases, 5 995 were male and 6 037, female.The average incidence rates were 61.64/100 000 for males and 74.06/100 000 for females (P<0.01).The highest proportion of cases were adults aged 20-49 years（7 652, 63.50%）.The occupation of the cases was mainly the housework and unemployed (3 153, 26.21%), followed by workers (1 229, 10.21%).

ConclusionThe epidemic of dengue fever in Baiyun District has the characteristics of the coexistence of local and imported cases, coexistence of sporadic and multipoint outbreaks, seasonality, and periodicity.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mediation effect of family income on the relationship between maternal education and frequency of antenatal care visits.MethodsWomen who had taken antenatal care visits and given birth in the past year in Guangzhou were selected randomly from 15 vaccination clinics in January 2011 for face-to-face questionnaire survey.The survey contents included demographic characteristics, times of giving birth, and frequency of antenatal care visits.ResultsA total of 749 women were recruited.The average age was (27.5±4.5) years.Average education level was (11.6±3.4) years.There was 49.1% respondents had family income of 3 000-7 999 Yuan and 88.9% had more than four times of antenatal care visits.Multivariate analysis showed that the standardized years of education was significantly associated with family income (a=1.105) and antenatal care（c=1.405）; the adjusted OR were 3.02 (95%CI: 2.57-3.55) and 4.07 (95% CI:2.57-6.45), respectively.After controlling the effect of family income (b=0.419), the effect of standardized years of education on antenatal care was attenuated (c′=1.223, P<0.01).There was 27.5% of the effect of maternal education on antenatal care was medicated by family income.ConclusionThe association between maternal education and antenatal care was partially mediated by family income, suggesting the importance of direct and indirect effect of maternal educational level on antenatal service utilization.

ObjectiveQuantitative assessment of the relationship between daily average temperature and preterm birth in Guangzhou.MethodsBased on the data of daily preterm births, meteorological and air pollution data in districts of Baiyun and Yuexiu, Guangzhou during 2005-2011, the relationship between daily average temperature and preterm birth was explored by using a distributed lag non-linear time series model.ResultsDuring 2005-2011, there were 263 322 cases of live births including 22 903 cases of preterm births in the two districts.The preterm birth rate was 8.70% (95% CI: 8.59%-8.81%), and daily average preterm births were (9.01±5.61) cases.The daily average temperature was (23.35±6.51)℃, the average daily relative humidity was (66.98±13.98) %, the average daily SO2 concentration was (43.48±28.88)μg/m3, the average daily NO2 concentration was (50.60±50.14) μg/m3, and the average daily PM10 concentration was (80.46±61.61) μg/m3.Associations between daily average temperature and preterm birth were not linear.The exposure-response curve was approximately a U-shape.According to the minimum cumulative relative risk value, the reference temperature was 25.9℃ correspondingly.For the lag period from 0 to 21 days, the cumulative risk effect of daily average temperature was statistically significant beginning at 31℃ (RR: 1.280 3,95% CI: 1.014 9- 1.615 1), and reaching the maximum at 34 ℃ (RR: 1.689 9, 95%CI: 1.076 7 - 2.652 6).There were no statistical significances for the cold effect and cumulative cool effect in the whole lag period.For the thermal effect, when the daily average temperature was 32 ℃ and lag for 1 day, the risk effect was maximum (RR: 1.052 8, 95% CI: 1.014 2-1.092 9); in the lag period from 0 to 14 days, the cumulative thermal effect was maximum (RR: 1.511 7, 95% CI: 1.210 5-1.887 8).ConclusionIn Guangzhou, high temperature weather is an important factor influencing the preterm birth and can increase the risk of preterm birth.

ObjectiveTo study the protective effect of Sacha Inhi oil on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) rats.MethodsA rat model of NASH was established by high fat diet for 4 weeks.Blank control group of normal diet, NASH model group, steatohepatitis control group, perilla oil control group, and Sacha Inhi oil groups with high (1.6 mL/kg), middle (0.8 mL/kg), and low (0.4 mL/kg) dosages were set up.After 45 d, levels of total cholesterol (TC)，triglyceride (TG)，high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were tested.Changes of pathologic histology in the liver were observed by HE staining.Then the statistical comparison was conducted.ResultsLevels of TC, TG, and LDL-C were (1.295±0.143), (0.738±0.095), and (0.194±0.019) mmol/L in the model group, (0.610±0.031), (0.402±0.020), and (0.136±0.005) mmol/L in the middle-dose Sacha Inhi oil group, and (0.662±0.036), (0.436±0.029), and (0.147±0.011) mmol/L in the high-dose Sacha Inhi oil group, respectively.Compared with model group, levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C in the middle- and high-dose Sacha Inhi oil groups were lowered (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the model group, the middle- and high-dose Sacha Inhi oil groups can lower the levels of AST, ALT, IL-6, and TNF-α (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) and improve the changes of pathologic histology in liver of NASH rats (P＜0.01).ConclusionSacha Inhi oil has a certain protective effect on NASH rats, which probably works mainly through lowering blood lipid level and inhibit inflammatory cytokines.