Mean Positive Rate Research Articles

Study of the Association between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Primary open angle Glaucoma in China

Study of the Association between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Primary open angle Glaucoma in China

Assessing the impact of an urgent dental care centre on the oral health-related quality of life of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionAn urgent dental care centre (UDCC) was set up at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside the reporting of clinical outcomes, it is important to determine the success of a service from a patient’s perspective. The aim of this study was to ascertain patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient reported experienced measures (PREMs) of our service. MethodThe Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP-14) tool was used to assess the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of patients, and completed before and after attending our UDCC for treatment. Patients were also asked to complete a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Results146 patients were recruited for our study, with 95 patients completing the OHIP-14 questionnaires pre- and post intervention at our UDCC and 136 patients completing a patient satisfaction questionnaire. A statistically significant reduction in OHIP score when comparing pre- and post-intervention was found across all OHIP-14 domains. The mean positive response rate (strongly agree or agree) for the patient satisfaction questionnaire was 97.1%. ConclusionA significant improvement in OHRQoL was found after treatment at our UDCC, with the majority of patients reporting a positive experience. We conclude that PROMs and PREMs are vital tools to assess service efficacy, help with the planning of service provision and should remain at the forefront even during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effectiveness of Physical Distancing: Staying 6 Feet Over to Put Respiratory Viruses 6 Feet Under

Community transmission of severe acute respiratory illness Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Arizona was noted in March 2020. It was our hypothesis that the associated implementation of physical distancing and masking led to a decline in circulation and detection of common respiratory viruses. Nasopharyngeal swabs processed with the Biofire, Film Array respiratory panel at Mayo Clinic Arizona were reviewed from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2020. A total of 13,324 nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed. Between April and July 2017- 2019 (Period A) a mean of 262 tests were performed monthly, falling to 128 for the corresponding months of 2020 (Period B). A reduction in the monthly mean number of positive tests (Period A 71.5; Period B 2.8) and mean positivity rate (Period A 25.04%; Period B 2.07%) was observed. Rhinovirus/enterovirus was the most prevalent virus, with a monthly mean of 21.6 cases (30.2% of positives) for Period A and 2 cases (72.7% of positives) for Period B. Positivity for a second virus occurred in a mean of 2.1 positive tests (3.3%) in Period A but was absent in Period B. Implementation of distancing and masking coincides with a marked reduction in respiratory virus detection and likely circulation. Data from the fall/winter of 2020 will help clarify the potential role for distancing and masking as a mitigation strategy, not only for SARS-CoV-2 but also in the seasonal battle against common respiratory viruses.

Increased circulating platelet and endothelial-derived microparticles in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

BACKGROUNDCardiac syndrome X (CSX) has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. We conducted a case-control study to evaluate the association between plateletý and endothelial-derived microparticles (PMPs and EMPs), as specific quantitative plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, and the presence of CSX.METHODSThe present study was conducted on 40 CSX patients and 19 healthy individuals. C-reactive protein (CRP), and hematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The MP concentration in platelet-poor plasma (PPP) was quantitatively determined through flow cytometry using specific anti-human CD31, CD41a, CD62E, and CD144 antibodies.RESULTSThe mean platelet volume (MPV) and positive CRP rate (≥ 3.8 mg/l) were higher in patients compared to controls (P = 0.020 and P = 0.010, respectively). The CD62E+, CD144+, and CD31+41− EMPs, as well as CD41+ and CD31+CD41+ PMPs showed significant increase in CSX patients compared to controls (P < 0.050). There were direct correlations between the mean percentage of detected EMPs and PMPs as well as between their expression intensity; however, a reverse correlation was seen between the percentage of MPs and CD144 and CD41. Moreover, the MP level was reversely associated with prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) values. Only CD31+CD41+ PMP was correlated with CRP.CONCLUSIONIt seems that EMPs and PMPs increase in CSX, which may contribute to various processes involved in the development of this syndrome.

LOOP-MEDIATED ISOTHERMAL AMPLIFICATION FOR DETECTION OF C. BURNETII IN BULGARIA

Q fever, which is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a small, pleomorphic intracellular bacterium, is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. The chronic form of the disease can lead to disability and death. Rapid diagnosis of Q fever is needed in order that effective treatment can be initiated. The conventional retrospective diagnosis of Q fever, based on serology, is useless for the treatment of afflicted patients. Thus, molecular methods have been created to close the diagnostic gap between the onset of the disease and the presence of specific antibodies in serum. A polymerase chain reaction is a suitable and reliable method with high sensitivity and specificity, but it requires expensive equipment and post-amplification protocol. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an isothermal technique, conducted at constant temperature that can amplify a negligible amount of DNA to more than 109 copies within one hour, using special primers and polymerase. We have tested the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP in the detection of C. burnetii. The mean positive rate of LAMP and polymerase chain reaction in patients was 100% and 74%, respectively. LAMP reacted negatively with non-C. burnetii pathogens and non-infected blood samples. We conclude that LAMP is a sensitive and specific technique for the detection of C. burnetii and has advantages over serological methods and PCR that make it attractive for diagnosing Q fever in countries around the world.

Trends in Viral Respiratory Infections During COVID-19 Pandemic, South Korea.

We compared weekly positivity rates of 8 respiratory viruses in South Korea during 2010–2019 and 2020. The overall mean positivity rate for these viruses decreased from 54.7% in 2010–2019 to 39.1% in 2020. Pandemic control measures might have reduced the incidence of many, but not all, viral respiratory infections.

Behavioural Health Screening and Service Use in a Statewide Sample of MedicaidEligible Pediatric Outpatients

Objective: This study explored site-level rates of behavioural health (BH) screening, positive screening, and BH service use in statewide data from the largest Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization in Massachusetts. Methods: Screening rates at annual well-child visits (WCVs) were assessed across 908 sites (practices) for patients ages 4-17 between 2014-2018. The primary analytic sample included WCVs in 2016 (N=76,752) and was restricted to sites with at least 30 WCVs (N=304 sites; N=72,842 patients). Use of BH services was assessed six months before and after the index WCV. Results: The mean WCV screening rate across the analytical sample was 71.2% (SD=31.3; range=0.0- 100.0%) and the mean positive screening rate was 7.2% (SD=12.7, range=0-100%). Using intra-class correlations, small, but meaningful differences, were found between sites in rates of overall (r=0.38; 95% CI=0.25-0.50) and positive (r=0.10; 95% CI=0.00-0.29) screening. Although the relationship between a site’s rate of screening and the rate of BH treatment failed to reach statistical significance, there was a nonsignificant correlation (r=0.08, p=0.17) in the predicted direction and sites that screened at or above the mean screening rate (71.9% of their WCVs) were significantly more likely to have 6.0% or more of their patients receive subsequent BH services than were sites with screening rates below 71.9% (67.2% vs. 51.2%, p&lt;.05). Conclusion: The current study documented a high level of continued compliance with the statewide mandate for routine psychosocial screening after more than a decade, although there were some relatively small decreases in compliance in recent years. The study also found that there were significant differences between sites in rates of BH screening and positive screening and a relationship between site-level rates of screening and service use.

Establishing a National Rate of Rectal Biopsy Positivity in the Diagnosis of Hirschsprung Disease.

Although rectal biopsy has long been established as the criterion standard for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease, little to no information exists regarding nationwide rates of rectal biopsy positivity or interinstitutional variability. We sought to determine the national rate of rectal biopsy positivity and factors contributing to institutional variability. A retrospective review of the Children's Hospital Association's (CHA) Pediatric Health Information System from 2009 to 2018 identified infants <100 days old with ICD-9/ICD-10 procedural codes for rectal biopsy in addition to codes for pull-through procedures within 500 days of life as a proxy for positive biopsy. A subgroup analysis of only patients biopsied at institutions with positive biopsy rates 1 standard deviation above or below the mean positive biopsy rate (deemed high and low outliers) was performed to better delineate these populations. A total of 7225 children underwent rectal biopsies between 2009 and 2018 at 52 Children's Hospital Association Hospitals. Mean positive biopsy rate for individual institutions was 21.5% (standard deviation ± 6.4%). Linear regression to predict the effect of hospital surgical volume on positive biopsy rate demonstrated no volume outcome relationship (R2 = 0.049). Patients at high outlier hospitals for biopsy positivity were found to travel significantly further to the hospital (232.5 vs 123.1 miles, P < 0.0001) when compared to patients presenting at low outlier hospitals. There appears to be little interinstitutional variability in the rate of surgery following rectal biopsy for presumed Hirschsprung and no significant relationship to surgical volume. About 1 in every 4 infants undergoing biopsy proceeds to surgery.

217P Heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression at the protein and mRNA levels in early breast cancer

We have previously shown that PD-L1 confers discrepant prognostic information depending on level of expression, protein versus mRNA. This discrepancy may be due to heterogeneity in its expression, which we aimed to assess. Breast cancer samples from an adjuvant patient cohort (cohort 1; surgical specimen, pre-adjuvant) and from a prospective single-arm study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cohort 2; multiple timepoints during chemotherapy) were obtained and Tissue Microarrays (TMA) were constructed. Protein and mRNA PD-L1 expression were assessed in two different areas of each sample, each containing at least 50 cells. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining with anti-PD-L1 (clone SP142, Abcam) antibody was performed. A core was considered as protein PD-L1 positive when at least one cell with membranous immunostaining was detected in at least one TMA core, regardless of cell of origin (tumor or immune cell). PD-L1 mRNA was simultaneously detected using the in situ hybridization method RNAscope® (Multiplex Fluorescent v2 Assay, Advanced Cell Diagnostics Inc) and quantified in a semi-quantitative manner. A total of 90 patient samples were analyzed (cohort 1: 33, cohort 2: 57). At the protein level, 53% of areas in cohort 1 and 42.9% in cohort 2 had at least one PD-L1 positive cell, with a mean positivity rate of 6.11% and 3.99% cells per area, respectively. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in the protein expression between two areas of the same sample (cohort 1: Wilcoxon signed rank p=0.171; cohort 2: p=0.447). At the mRNA level, 69.7% of areas scored in cohort 1 and 81.3% in cohort 2 had none or very low staining (ACD score 0). PD-L1 mRNA expression scores between the two areas of each sample were statistically significantly but modestly correlated to each other both in cohort 1 (Spearman’s rho=0.40, p=0.021) and cohort 2 (Spearman’s rho=0.40, p=0.002). PD-L1 protein expression was strongly and statistically significantly correlated with mRNA expression (cohort 1: Spearman’s rho=0.805, p<0.001; cohort 2: Spearman’s rho=0.731, p<0.001). Our results showed high concordance between mRNA-based and protein-based assessment of PD-L1. No evidence was found in this study for neither spatial nor biological heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression.

Exploring the Non-Use Value of Important Agricultural Heritage System: Case of Lingnan Litchi Cultivation System (Zengcheng) in Guangdong, China

For the past decade, Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHSs) have become research hotspots because of their rapidly increasing number. The non-use value is an important part of the value of an IAHS, and if ignored, the total value of an IAHS may be underestimated in part. Litchi is native to southern China, and its farming system is an important agricultural heritage with Chinese characteristics and global influence. In this context, the present study attempts to investigate the willingness to pay (WTP) of local residents and assess the non-use value of the Lingnan Litchi Cultivation System (Zengcheng) in Guangdong, China. To this aim, a survey was implemented on four sites in Zengcheng with the application of the contingent valuation method (CVM). Based on the analysis of 458 questionnaires, the WTP rate of residents in the heritage site is 66.6%, and the mean WTP is 62.5 Chinese yuan (CNY) per year. The total non-use value of the Lingnan Litchi Cultivation System (Zengcheng) is 49.9 million CNY. The option, bequest, and existence values in 2018 are estimated to be 20.1, 13.7, and 16.1 million CNY, respectively. Results of the logistic regression analysis indicate that variables of age, education level, financial burden, and heritage value cognition are significant factors of WTP for protecting litchi heritage. Compared with similar studies in China, the mean WTP and positive payment rate in this study are at a medium level. Resource attributes and local cultures may have significant impacts on the composition and estimate of the non-use value of an IAHS. The results of this study can be beneficial to the dynamic conservation and adaptive management of IAHSs.

Impact of the service of the education group and oncological studies on the diagnosis of breast cancer in Ceará

Introduction: Breast cancer remains the most prevalent in Brazilian women, with the exception of non-melanoma skin cases. Performing disease control uses awareness strategies, clinical criteria for suspected cases, and diagnostic confirmation in a single service (INCA, 2015). The Oncology Education and Studies Group (Grupo de Educação e Estudos Oncológicos – GEEON) is a Reference Service for Breast Cancer Diagnosis (SDM), located in Fortaleza, Ceará. Objectives: To identify the impact of GEEON's SDM on cancer diagnosis in Ceará. Method: Retrospective, evaluative study of the services provided at GEEON in the period from 2016 to 2019. The data underwent univariate statistical analysis. Results: The service grew by 256% in the number of visits, increasing from 6,758 to 17,301, with a total of 44,309. Mammographic screening is the most frequent procedure, evolving from 2,570 to 9,366 annual exams, with an average of 5,058. It showed a high rate of absenteeism, with an average of 31% per year. Of the 20,234 mammograms performed, 683 patients (3.4%) did not receive the result. The average of tests performed was classified as Bi-rads 4 and 5 and was approximately 2%. The mean positive rate of biopsies performed is 31%, resulting in an average of 176 diagnoses per year, which represents 8% of the total estimated for Ceará. Of these, about 40% are in women under 50 years of age. The organization of the service along the lines of patient navigation carries out an active search for suspected mammographic lesions for immediate diagnosis, as well as a reference for tertiary care in cases of positive biopsy, through telephone contact. Conclusions: The consultations performed at GEEON identify 8% of the estimated cases for each year, a high percentage in young women, outside the scope of the screening policies.

Study on prevalence and vertical transmission rate of Toxoplasma gondii infections among parturient women in Wuhu City

To investigate the prevalence and vertical transmission rate of Toxoplasma gondii infections among in parturient women in Wuhu City, so as to provide reference for the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in the city. Parturient women's venous blood samples and neonatal heel blood samples were collected in Wuhu City and prepared into filter-paper blood samples. The prevalence and vertical transmission rate of T. gondii infections were detected using the loop -mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay among the parturient women. There were three positive samples detected in the 475 filter-paper blood samples from the parturient women, with a mean positive rate of 0.63%. The prevalence of T. gondii infection was 0 in pregnant women at ages of < 20 years (0/5) and at an advanced maternal age (0/24), while the prevalence was 0.67% (3/446) in pregnant women at an appropriate maternal age. T. gondii infection was detected in 2 filter-paper blood samples from newborns, with a vertical transmission rate of 66.67%. There is T. gondii infection in the parturient women and a high vertical transmission rate of T. gondii infection is detected in Wuhu City. The awareness of the potential risk factors of toxoplasmosis should be improved among pregnant women to prevent the damages of toxoplasmosis to humans.

Comparing single-best-answer and very-short-answer questions for the assessment of applied medical knowledge in 20 UK medical schools: Cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThe study aimed to compare candidate performance between traditional best-of-five single-best-answer (SBA) questions and very-short-answer (VSA) questions, in which candidates must generate their own answers of between one and five...

Wild boars: A potential source of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection in Japan.

The potential role of wild boars as a source of erysipelas infection was investigated. An ELISA test of wild boar serum samples from 41 prefectures in Japan revealed that proportions of the Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae-positive samples were very high in all the prefectures, and the mean positive rate was 95.6% (1312/1372). Serovars of E. rhusiopathiae isolates from wild boars were similar to those of previously reported swine isolates, and all serovar isolates tested were found to be pathogenic to mice. These results suggest that wild boars in Japan constitute a reservoir of E. rhusiopathiae and may pose risks to other animals.

Public awareness of forensic odontology and willingness to enroll in a prospective dental registry: A survey conducted in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundThe establishment of a national dental registry provides a great opportunity for the healthcare and criminal investigation systems. Its feasibility would rely mainly upon public knowledge and a willingness to contribute dental profiles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness among the Saudi public of forensic odontology and to evaluate their willingness to participate in a prospective national dental registry. MethodsA cross-sectional survey based on a self-administered survey questionnaire was conducted in 2018 at the Al-Janadriyah National Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Visitors were questioned about their demographic data and responded to 20 knowledge statements using the alternatives “correct”, “incorrect”, or “don’t know”. Their perception towards registries was assessed using 15 statements and a 5-point Likert scale. The percentage mean score (PMS) of knowledge, the mean positive response rate (MPRR) of participant perception, and their willingness to participate in a prospective dental registry were assessed with respect to their demographic characteristics. ResultsComplete surveys were received from 812 study participants (85.5% response rate). The PMS ± standard deviation of knowledge was 39.8 ± 22.5 and the MPRR of perception was 64.7 ± 25.5. More than two-thirds of the responders (n = 548, 67.5%) indicated a willingness to register in a future national dental registry. Differences in knowledge were identified with regard to sex, marital status, education, and occupation, while differences in perception and willingness to enroll were influenced by sex. After adjustment for possible confounders, female participants and employed participants were 1.7 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2–2.4) and 1.6 times [95% CI = 1.1–2.5] more likely to enroll in the proposed registry (P = 0.004 and P = 0.03, respectively). Higher knowledge and perception scores were associated with more willingness to enroll in the national dental registry (adjusted [adj.] P = 0.03 and adj. P < 0.001, respectively). ConclusionsA future national dental registry in Saudi Arabia is expected to be well-received by the public. An improvement in the public’s knowledge regarding the importance of forensic dentistry is expected to encourage their active enrollment in such a registry. Although women and employed participants were more willing to enroll, it is too early to predict the rates of participation, given the fact that nationwide marketing surveys have yet to be launched.

Genome characterization and distribution of Taro bacilliform CH virus on taro in Hawaii, USA

Taro bacilliform CH virus (TaBCHV) is the second badnavirus found infecting taro (Colocasia esculenta), after Taro bacilliform virus (TaBV). We determined the complete genome of TaBCHV Hawaii Strain (KY359389) from taro in Hawaii and examined its occurrence and distribution. Alignment analysis showed the TaBCHV Hawaii Strain has 93% and 94% sequence identity to China strains TaBCHV-1 and TaBCHV-2 respectively. Phylogenetic analysis basing on the whole genome sequence of 21 selected badnaviruses, showed that the TaBCHV Hawaii Strain clustered within the same branch as the two China strains. All sequences from available TaBCHV strains are most closely related to Piper yellow mottle virus (PYMoV; NC022365) and are most distant from TaBV (NC004450). We used RT-PCR to determine the occurrence and distribution of TaBCHV on taro in Hawaii. The positive rates of the virus on the five islands were 72% on Oahu, 53% on Hawaii, 89% on Maui, 73% on Molokai, and 78% on Kauai, with a mean positive rate of 73%. This is the first report of the complete genome sequence and the first report of the occurrence of this virus in the United States.

Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Korea in the preceding decade.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB); it is transmitted among people through air. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of TB and its clinical trends by collecting and analyzing data on specimens in Korea. All clinical specimens referred to the Dankook University Hospital Laboratory in Cheonan, Korea, from September 2005 to June 2016 were tested to isolate MTB using solid and liquid cultures, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears, and polymerase chain reactions (PCR). In total, 146150 specimens were collected; the mean TB positivity rate was 7.8%. The highest positivity rate was observed among patients 30-39years of age (12.6%), followed by those 20-29years of age (12.2%). The mean positivity rate was highest in 2010 and lowest in 2016 (10.7% and 6.7%, respectively). When comparing 2015-2011, we saw a decrease in the number of TB-positive patients of 3.4%; this represented an annual decrease in 0.9%. Our data revealed a trend for a decrease in TB prevalence over time. Moreover, TB positivity rates were highest among the younger age groups in our study. Therefore, rapid diagnosis and treatment of TB in younger individuals are crucial.

Expression of ATAD2 in different liver lesions and its clinical significance

Objective: To examine the expression of ATAD2 in different liver lesions and its clinical significance. Methods: ATAD2 expression in 60 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgical specimens (49 of which have concurrent liver cirrhosis), 43 HCC biopsy specimens, 2 high-grade liver dysplastic nodule specimens, 3 low-grade liver dysplastic nodule specimens, 50 liver cirrhosis tissue samples, and 20 normal liver tissue samples were measured using immunohistochemistry. The F-test, q-test, t-test, and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis of data. Results: ATAD2 was expressed in 56 HCC surgical specimens (93.33%), 35 HCC biopsy specimens (81.40%), and 2 high-grade liver dysplastic nodule specimens (2/2), but not in the low-grade liver dysplastic nodule, liver cirrhosis tissue, and normal liver tissue samples. The mean expression of ATAD2 was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in high-grade and low-grade liver dysplastic nodule tissues, liver cirrhosis tissue, and normal liver tissue (F = 22.96, q = 3.138, 3.972, 12.272, and 9.101, respectively, all P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the mean expression and positive expression rate of ATAD2 between HCC surgical and biopsy specimens (t = 1.40, P > 0.05; χ² = 3.47, P >0.05). Of the 35 HCC biopsy specimens that expressed ATAD2, the mean ATAD2 expression was ≥1% in 35 specimens (100%), ≥3% in 27 specimens (77.14%), and ≥5 % in 23 specimens (65.71%). In addition, among the pathological grade I-II HCC biopsy specimens, the mean ATAD2 expression was ≥1% in 28 specimens (100%), ≥3% in 22 specimens (62.86%), and ≥5% in 19 specimens (54.29%). Moreover, ATAD2 expression in HCC was associated with serum alpha-fetoprotein level, presence of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), and presence of concurrent liver cirrhosis (t = 2.09, 2.30, and 2.18, respectively, all P < 0.05). Conclusion: ATAD2 may play an important role in HCC tumorigenesis, and may be involved in malignant transformation of cells. ATAD2 expression can be a valuable marker for differentiating the nature of lesions in liver biopsy tissues during clinical practice.

Characteristics of prostate cancer detection rate (PCDR) in Chinese Han population under different prostate biopsy methods.

We analyzed the improvement of prostate cancer detection rate (PCDR) in Chinese Han population and summarized the characteristics of prostate cancer (PCa) with the advancement of prostate biopsy technologies. From March 1999 to March 2015, 3762 patients underwent the systematic 6-, 8- or 13-core biopsy, guided by finger or transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) at our center. The PCDR under different PSA intervals and different biopsy methods were analyzed. The trends of PSA level, age and Gleason score of PCa patients were summarized. The PCDR of finger-guided 6- and 8-core biopsies were 30.8% (340/1103) and 36.7% (147/401) respectively. In 2258 patients with TRUS-guided 13-core biopsies, 992 (43.9%) were diagnosed as PCa, higher than that with finger-guided biopsies (43.9% vs. 32.4%, p < 0.001). The PCDR of prostate peripheral zone was higher than that of medial zone (37.5% vs. 31.4%, p < 0.001). Interestingly, the PCDR of extra 13th core was higher than the mean positive rate of other 12 cores (70.7% vs. 56.0%, p < 0.001). The systematic 13-core prostate biopsy guided by TRUS is safe, effective, and economic for PCa diagnosis in developing countries like China. The extra 13th core biopsy is beneficial to increase the PCDR.

Prevalence of antibodies to Chlamydiaceae in pet dogs in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China

The prevalence of chlamydiosis in pet dogs was surveyed in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. A total of 442 serum samples were collected from three districts of Shenzhen, namely the Futian, Nanshan, and Luohu Districts, and assayed for Chlamydiaceae antibodies by indirect haemagglutination assay. The results showed that the mean positive rate was 6.11%, and the positive rate for the Futian District was the highest (9.52%), followed by the Nanshan District (7.08%), and the Luohu District (4.02%). The positive rate for male dogs was 6.08%, and for female dogs 6.16%. Out of all the 38 breeds of dogs examined, 14 breeds were positive. The positive rate for the Cocker Spaniel dog was the highest (14.2%), followed by the Pekinese dog (10.71%), and the Border Collie dog (10.34%). This is the first time that the seroprevalence of Chlamydiaceae infection in pet dogs in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China was reported, and the results indicated that pet dogs may be an important source for human infection by Chlamydiaceae in Shenzhen and other areas of China.