A study involving more than 2,000 infants was conducted in Vietnam to assess the field effectiveness and immunogenicity of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine given at birth, 1 month, 2 months, without concomitant hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG). All received a 5 microg dose of H-B-VAX II at birth. Infants born to non-carrier mothers (Group 1; N = 1798) then received 2.5 microg doses at 1 and 2 months of age, while infants of HBeAg-negative (Group 2; N = 125) or HBeAg-positive (Group 3; N = 88) carrier mothers received 5 microg doses. No Group 1 or 2 vaccinees were infected. In Group 3, 12 (14.6%) of 82 infants did become infected (estimated efficacy 84%). 98.0-98.6% of uninfected infants who were tested for anti-HBs developed a seroprotective concentration > or = 10 IU/L. In hyperendemic Vietnam, where routine maternal screening and passive-active prophylaxis of high-risk infants with vaccine plus HBIG is not feasible, administration of vaccine alone to all newborns may control effectively HBV infection.

Antibiotic residues in chicken meat samples is a serious public health concern due to their harmful effects on consumers’ health. We conducted this research in 2017 to determine antibiotic residues in chicken meat samples and to describe the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of farmers on the antibiotic uses in poultry farms at Tay Ninh province. Farmers who raised chickens at their farmhouses were surveyed using a KAP survey questionnaire, and 106 chicken meat samples were analyzed for 29 kinds of antibiotic residues. The results showed that 27.4% samples were positive with 11 kinds of 4 antibiotic groups: fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, tetracycline, and macrolides. A total of 50.9% farmers needed to improve their knowledge on the appropriate use of antibiotics. Although 54.7% famers had positive attitude, just 17% had good practices. It was recommended that the levels of antibiotic residues in chickens should be communicated to food safety and veterinary authorities, chicken farmers, and the general public. Enhancing the training and coaching for each group of farmers to improve their knowledge and practices on the appropriate use of antibiotics in raising chickens is needed. Local government should enhance the level of control and punishment for drug sellers and end users regarding the use of banned antibiotics in chickens.

this paper presents information on the gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations of two hundred twenty-six groundwater samples collected by gas flow proportional counters in southern Vietnam. The gross alpha results in the water samples ranged from 0.024 to 0.748 Bq L −1 with a mean of 0.183 ± 0.034 Bq L −1 , and the gross beta results in the water samples ranged from 0.027-0.632 Bq L −1 with a mean of 0.152 ± 0.015 Bq L −1 . The values obtained in this work were compared with those previously published for various regions or countries. Next, untreated and treated groundwater samples were analyzed to assess their influences on the treatment process. The results showed that there were differences in the minimum detection concentrations and the mean activity values between the untreated and treated groundwater samples (The p-value of the mean comparison tests is significant with p < 0.05). In both sample groups, there was a strong positive correlation of the gross alpha versus the gross beta results (r > 0.6). This means that among the radionuclides, the major sources of beta radiation are uranium and thorium decay series radionuclides. Finally, the annual effective dose for adults (>17 years) was calculated based on the assumption that major radionuclides have the highest effective dose conversion factors. In general, the results for Pb-210, Ra-226, and Ra-228 were observed to be lower than the recommended reference values established by the World Health organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency, except for the value of Po-210.Water is the most important substance in our lives, and the management of water resources is a national and international problem. Water is an essential and basic human right and protecting the quality of water is also a component of effective health policy 1-4 . Water is considered to be a factor that can increase the exposure of humans to natural radiation 5 . The radioactivity present in groundwater may be mainly from the following radionuclides: nuclides in the U-238 and Th-232 decay series, K-40, cosmic rays, authorized discharges from nuclear facilities and other licensed facilities, fallout from nuclear weapon tests, and accidental releases of radionuclides 4 . The primary alpha-emitting radionuclides in the natural decay series are U-238 and Th-232 and its progenies In general, gross beta activity concentrations 6-9 are primarily due to There are several standards or regulations limiting concentrations of radionuclides in the water samples, which requires the ability to identify and quantify radionuclides utilizing different methods, such as alpha spectroscopy 10-13 , gamma spectroscopy 13-16 , and liquid scintillation counting 17,18 . However, the process of identifying separation procedures for radionuclide concentrations in water samples is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, the simplest practical approach is to use a screening method based on the measurement of gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations without regard to the identity of spec...

18 19 42The house-(HI), container-(CI), Breteau (BI), and pupal (PI) indices were associated with relative 43 humidity (1-month lag, IRR HI =1.10 (95% CI 1.06, 1.13) per 1% increase), IRR CI =1.10 (95% CI 1.02, 44 1.19), IRR BI =1.17 (95% CI 1.14, 1.21), IRR PI =1.12 (95% CI 1.10, 1.14)). Vector indices were also 45 associated with precipitation (1-month lag) and to a lesser degree, hours of sun and mean 46 temperature. Ae. aegypti larval density was associated with not cleaning water storage containers 47 (RR=2.50, 95% CI 1.59, 3.66), not having access to municipal waste pick-up (RR=3.15, 95% 48 CI2.09, 4.75), disheveled clothes in the home (RR=1.85, 95% CI 1.24, 2.74) and season (RR[rainy 49 season]=3.10, 95% CI 2.18-4.48). The most productive containers were water storage containers 50 (relative pupal productivity 87%). Dengue hospitalization rates were associated with relative 51 humidity (2-month lag, IRR=1.11 (95% CI 1.06, 1.17) per 1% increase). Only the PI (1-month lag)52 was significantly associated with dengue hospitalization rates (IRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00, 1.07). 53Mosquito avoidance behaviors were more frequent in the dry season (92.5% vs. 86.0% of 54 interviewees endorsed one or more forms of mosquito prevention, p<0.001). There was also less 55 use of larval elimination strategies (39.2% vs. 50.5%, p<0.001) during the rainy versus the dry 56 season. 57 58 Conclusion 59 Our study reveals a strong effect of relative humidity on vector indices and dengue hospitalization 60 rates. This may be due to the mosquito's vulnerability to desiccation, and the association warrants 61 further study. Our findings also demonstrate, however, that during the rainy season when mosquito 62 prevention is most needed, the use of fans, repellant coils and maintenance of water storage 63 containers is actually reduced. Water storage containers were by far the most productive of pupae, 64 and should be targeted in vector control activities. 65 66 4 67 68 69 Author summary 70 71 Climate plays an important role in the geographic distribution and burden of disease due to dengue, 72 owing to the vector and virus' sensitivity to temperature, humidity, and rainfall. In the Mekong Delta 73 in Vietnam, where dengue poses a significant health burden, average temperatures have increased 74 by 0.5°C since 1980. To better understand the influence of climate on dengue, this study examines 75 its influence on dengue hospitalization rates, vector breeding behavior and human mosquito 76 avoidance behaviors. We sampled 400 households every 2 months for one year for the presence of 77 the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, and the productivity of different types of household containers. 78Human mosquito avoidance behaviors, such as the use of fans, mosquito repellant, and larval 79 elimination strategies were also recorded. The association between dengue hospitalizations, mean 80 temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, and the number of hours of sun were established, and 81 risk factors for the abundance of Ae. aegypti larvae were determined...

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is one of the most common communicable diseases in Vietnam. The present study aims to examine the association between weather factors and HFMD in association with hospitalisation. Daily and weekly weather and HFMD data from 2013 to 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City were deployed. Poisson regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was applied to examine the relationship between weather factors and HFMD. The forecasting model for HFMD was performed by using the Global Climate Model (GCM) and Yasushi Honda model. The result showed that the average daily temperature induces an increase in the risk of HFDM hospitalisation was 26°C- 30.1°C. The average daily humidity also caused increasing the risk of hospitalisation of HFMD was 75% - 85%. However, the average daily humidity <60% reduced the risk of getting HFMD. The study provides quantitative evidence that the incidence of HFMD cases was associated with meteorological variables including average daily temperature and daily humidity in Ho Chi Minh City. This findings implies that there is a need for building a public health policy for eliminating and mitigating climate change impact on community health in a resilient approach.