The rate of brucellosis, a zoonotic disease, has rapidly increased in humans brucellosis(HB) in recent years. In 1950–2018, a total of 684,380 HB cases (median 2274/year (interquartile range (IQR) 966–8325)) were reported to the National Infectious Disease Surveillance System in mainland China. The incidence of HB peaked in 2014 (4.32/100,000), and then showed a downward trend; we predict that it will maintain a steady downward trend in 2019–2020. Since 2015, the incidence of HB has shown opposite trends in the north and south of China; rates in the north have fallen and rates in the south have increased. In 2004–2018, the most significant increases in incidence of HB were in Yunnan (IQR 0.002–0.463/100,000), Hubei (IQR 0.000–0.338/100,000), and Guangdong (IQR 0.015–0.350/100,000). The areas where HB occurs have little overlap with areas with high per capita GDP in China. The “high–high” clusters of HB are located in northeastern China (Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Shanxi, and Gansu), and the “low–low” clusters of HB are located in southern China (Yunnan, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Guangxi, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Guizhou, and Hunan). In recent years, the incidence of HB in China has been controlled to some extent, but the incidence of HB has increased in southern China, and the disease has spread geographically in China from north to south. Further research is needed to address this change and to continue to explore the relationship between the incidence of HB and relevant factors.

Mammalian coat color is determined by heritable variations such as disease, nutrition, and hormone levels. Variation in animal coat color is also considered an environmental indicator and provides clues for the study of population genetics and biogeography. Records of abnormal coloration in the wild are rare, not only because it is often selected against, but also because of the difficulties in detection of the phenomenon. We used long-term camera-trapping data to first report abnormal coat coloration in yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) in China. Six types of abnormal coloration were found only in the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, Northeast China, which were not reported in other regions in China. A total of 268 videos of Martes flavigula contained normal coloration, 455 videos of individuals of the species contained abnormal coloration, 437 contained the ‘gloving’ type (martens with de-pigmented front toes, paws or lower forelimbs), while the remaining other 18 videos contained five types (different degrees of white-spotting and dilution). The higher relative abundance index (0.428, ‘gloving’ to 0.329, normal) and wide distribution area of the ‘gloving’ type indicated that this abnormal coat coloration type is usual in Northeast China, which may reflect genetic variability in the local population. These records will contribute to further research on animal coat color and its corresponding adaptive strategy.

Background: To investigate the risk factors for brucellosis in suspected cases of the disease.Methods: A self-designed questionnaire was developed to collect data from 3557 people whose initial visit site was the Songyuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from January 1st, 2009 to December 31st, 2012. After collecting blood samples, a plate agglutination test (PAT) and serum agglutination test (SAT) were used to distinguish the patients with brucellosis from the suspected cases. Results: Sex, occupation (farmers and herdsmen), contact with abortion products, and contact with feces were the main risk factors for brucellosis in the suspected cases (all P < 0.05). No difference existed between the confirmed cases and suspected cases in the demographic characteristics, contact with animals (except swine), contact with substances, or clinical symptoms (except fever). However, the confirmed cases showed significant differences from people without brucellosis in demographic characteristics, contact with animals (except cattle and swine), contact with substances, and clinical symptoms. Suspected cases exhibited significant differences from people without brucellosis in the demographic characteristics (except education), contact with animals (except swine), contact with substances (except dust), and clinical symptoms (except chills and acratia). Brucella was cultured from the blood samples of three of 30 suspected cases with fever. Using AMOS-PCR and agarose electrophoresis, the detailed species of Brucella strain was identified as Brucella melitensis. Conclusions: Abortion products and feces are the main risk factors for brucellosis in suspected cases of the disease. Pyrexia in suspected cases with a history of contact with abortion products or feces should raise suspicion for the disease.

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Background Brucellosis is a critical zoonotic disease in the world, it is the non-specific arthralgia that make brucellosis patients easily misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in endemic regions. Elevated rheumatoid factor (RF) is an essential indicator of RA, and the RF in brucellosis patients is significantly higher than healthy people. Therefore, this study further explored the distribution of RF and the relevant factors of the RF positivity in brucellosis patients with arthralgia, in order to strengthen the recognition of physicians for brucellosis patients with RF positivity, especially in brucellosis-endemic areas, so as to avoid misdiagnosis and untimely treatment that may lead to malignant outcomes. Methodology and principal findings The medical records of all 572 brucellosis inpatients were collected in the Sixth People’s Hospital of Shenyang, China from 2015 to 2016. After excluding 106 patients without arthralgia, 5 patients who unwilling to perform RF testing and 16 patients with diseases that may affect RF, 445 brucellosis inpatients with arthralgia were involved in this retrospective cross-sectional study. 143 (32.1%) patients with RF >10 IU/ml were classified into the RF positive group, with an average level of 16.5[12.2, 34.7] IU/ml, of which 45 (10.1%) patients were high-positive with RF >30 IU/ml. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to further analyze the relevant factors of the RF positivity and found that age, wrist joint pain and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) were positively associated with RF positivity, with OR of 1.02 (P = 0.024), 8.94 (P = 0.008) and 1.79 (P = 0.019), respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of positive RF in brucellosis patients with arthralgia was critical, nearly one-third of patients had RF positive. Elderly men brucellosis patients with arthralgia, wrist joint pain and elevated CRP were at high risk of positive RF. It is reminded that physicians should focus on differential diagnosis during clinical diagnosis and treatment, especially in brucellosis-endemic regions.

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Background. In recent years, some severe complications of brucellosis have been raised many researchers’concern. Hypocalcemia, which is commonly seen in serious infectious diseases, such as sepsis, severe bacterial pneumonia and AIDS, has been reported less in Brucellosis. To our knowledge, serious consequences would be caused by hypocalcemia. Some studies have provided evidence of high serum calcium levels in patients with brucellosis , but few studies have reported the incidence and impact of brucellosis hypocalcemia,except for one case of rifampic-associated hypocalcemia. Objective . To summarize the clinical and epidemiological characteristics , to explore the influence of hypocalcemia on brucellosis.In addition, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between rifampicin in the treatment of brucellosis and secondary hypocalcemia, so as to provide clinical guidance. Methods . A retrospective study was carried out to review the records of 572 brucellosis patients from January 2015 to December 2016 of a hospital in shenyang, liaoning province, China.Patients were divided into three groups according to the serum calcium level, one group of 102 patients was hypocalcemia ,one group of 442 patients was normal corrected calcium and the other group of 28 patients was hypercalcemia. Results . The history of administration of rifampicin（OR=2.098, 95%CI=1.145~3.844）and tetracycline（OR=2.105, 95%CI=1.266~3.501）are the related factors of hypocalcemia. Conclusions . Further evaluation in randomized clinical trials of the indicative role of hypocalcimia is needed to be followed up.Provide evidence for the risk factors of hypocalcemia in brucellosis patients with the history of rifampicin administration.