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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

The Southeast Asian 12.5 KB (delta-beta) degrees-deletion: a common beta-thalassemia in Mon-Khmer groups (Lao Theung) of South Laos.

Seven patients with unexplained anemia and mild thalassemic features were ascertained during a survey of hemoglobinopathies in the Sekong Province in South Laos. These patients belong to the Austroasiatic (Mon-Khmer) population of South Laos (official designation Lao Theung). Hemoglobin electrophoresis on cellulose acetate showed absence of Hb A and two bands in the positions of Hb E and Hb F respectively. Sequencing of DNA isolated from venous blood revealed the codon 26 G-->A mutation characteristic of the HBB*E gene, but none of the common Southeast Asian beta-thalassemia mutations were found. Detailed studies in four of the seven subjects identified a 12.5 kb deletion encompassing part of the delta-globin gene and the entire beta-globin gene. We conclude that this deletion is a common, and possibly the predominant beta-thalassemia mutation of the Austroasiatic Lao Theung population. Similar deletions reported in single individuals in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are probably due to migrational spreading to areas adjacent to South Laos.

Anemia↗

PubMed2026

Breed classification of Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Thai native chickens using synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and genotyping by sequencing.

Lao PDR harbors substantial genetic diversity in native chicken populations, representing an important resource for sustainable production and long-term food security. This study aimed to classify five Lao native chicken breeds-Ou, Black Bone, Horn Chou, Yolk, and Chae-and to discriminate them from a Thai native breed, Leung Hang Khao (LK), using integrative genotype-based approaches. Blood samples were collected from 50 LK and Lao native chickens (32 Ou, 10 Black Bone, 9 Horn Chou, 121 Yolk, and 41 Chae). Genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed using synchrotron radiation-based Fourier-transform infrared (SR-FTIR) spectroscopy to characterize biochemical composition, while genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was employed to identify genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SR-FTIR analysis revealed highly significant differences among breeds in nucleotide-associated functional groups, including thymine, adenine, guanine, cytosine, as well as DNA backbone and deoxyribose components (P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that principal component analysis (PCA) of SR-FTIR spectra effectively discriminated chicken breeds, while hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) further resolved them into two major clusters with distinct sub-clusters, reflecting variation in DNA biochemical composition. In contrast, GBS analysis identified 1484 common SNPs; however, PCA based on SNP data showed limited resolution in clearly separating breeds, despite revealing similar clustering trends. Overall, the results highlight the strong discriminatory power of SR-FTIR spectroscopy for rapid and effective classification of native chicken breeds at the molecular level, outperforming SNP-based differentiation under the current marker density. This study provides novel insights into the application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques in poultry genetics and contributes valuable baseline information for the conservation and utilization of Lao native chicken genetic resources.

Breed classification↗

PubMed1998

Deaths and injuries due to unexploded ordnance (UXO) in northern Lao PDR (Laos).

Xieng Khousang province in Lao PDR (Laos) is one of the most heavily bombed areas on earth due to the secret bombing during the Vietnam war. This study presents the community-based cumulative incidence of injuries related to unexploded ordnance (UXO) after the war. The data were collected by one of the UK based non-governmental organizations, Mines Advisory Group (MAG). Three districts in the province, reported to have the largest UXO load, were studied. Nearly half of the injuries and deaths involved children below age 15. The case-fatality rate was not different among children and adults. Males were significantly more likely to die of UXO injuries than females. We believe that UXO is an important public health problem in Laos for the following reasons: (1) 22 years after the end of the war, an average of one injury still occurs every other day (2) there is a high incidence among children below age 15 (3) the case-fatality rate is high (4) most injuries involve multiple fragments which usually require complex surgical and medical management skills.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

An open, randomized comparison of artesunate plus mefloquine vs. dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of oral dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP, Artekin) in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in southern Laos. METHODS: An open, randomized clinical trial of oral artesunate-mefloquine (AM) vs. DP in 220 patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Savannakhet Province, Laos. RESULTS: The 42-day cure rates (95% CI), as determined by survival analysis and adjusted for reinfection, were excellent and similar for the two groups [99 (94-100)% and 100 (100-100)% for AM and DP, respectively]. The median (range) fever and parasite clearance times for the AM and DP groups were also similar [20 (4-63) h and 2 (1-4) days vs. 20 (7-57) and 2 (1-4) days, logrank P = 0.4 and 0.17, respectively]. There were more patients with at least one potential side effect following treatment in the AM group when compared with the DP group [64/110 (58%) vs. 48/110 (44%), respectively, P = 0.031]. CONCLUSION: Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine did not have superior efficacy to AM for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Laos but was associated with fewer adverse effects.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2004

The 'hot-spot' of Hb E [beta26(B8)Glu-->Lys] in Southeast Asia: beta-globin anomalies in the Lao Theung population of southern Laos.

Hb E [beta26(B8)Glu-->Lys], is the most common abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) in Southeast Asian populations. The hitherto highest frequencies of the Hb E gene (HBB*E) in large population samples, approximately 0.3, were observed in the southern part of northeastern Thailand. The finding of even higher frequencies in a small, isolated Austroasiatic group in Northeast Thailand prompted us to examine samples of three Austroasiatic populations in southern Laos (official designation: Lao Theung), an area inhabited by numerous ethnic groups belonging to the Mon-Khmer branch. Blood samples were collected from a total of 603 adult subjects. The HBB*E frequencies were 0.426 in the So of Khammuan Province, 0.433 in the Alak/Ngeh of Sekong Province and 0.253 in the Oy of Attapeu Province. The HBB*E frequencies in the So and Alak/Ngeh are the highest observed in Southeast Asia in representative population samples. None of the common Southeast Asian beta-thalassemia (thal) mutations were found. The results are discussed with respect to natural selection by malaria, selection time, effects of beta-thal and the ethnic history of the population of Southeast Asia.

Ethnicity↗

PubMed2006

A model for improving physician performance in developing countries: a three-year postgraduate training program in Laos.

The Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Laos, in partnership with Health Frontiers, an American nonprofit organization, Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland, Ohio, and Khon Kaen University of Khon Kaen, Thailand, administer a postgraduate internal medicine training program for Lao physicians. Begun in 2001, the program admits six participants per year; participants complete clinical rotations in three hospitals in Vientiane, Laos, as well as one other clinical site. The goal of the program is to prepare a core group of local physicians to deliver healthcare, and train others according to an international standard of care. The program has two exceptional features. First, the vast majority of the training takes place in Laos. This avoids the "brain drain" that can occur when nationals of developing countries train abroad. In addition, because the training uses personnel, facilities, and technology available locally, graduates are better prepared to serve the needs of the Lao people. Second, the partnership is an all-volunteer model, committed to a long-term undertaking. American-trained specialists who live in Laos are available to work with the participants on a daily basis. Participants have a long period of time to acquire, reinforce, and be tested in new knowledge and benefit from learning from American colleagues who model an evidence-based approach to medical care, while still working in local conditions. As more Lao physicians receive this level of training, the program will become locally sustainable and help break a cycle of dependency on foreign expertise within the Lao health care sector. Preliminary results suggest that the program is succeeding, and could be replicated elsewhere.

Developing Countries↗

PubMed2006

Mentoring Cambodian and Lao health professionals in tobacco control leadership and research skills.

DESIGN: The aim of the programme was to ultimately affect public health practice and policy in the Kingdom of Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) by training key health professionals to conduct tobacco control research. SETTING: Encouraged by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a global partnership formed to build effective leadership to develop and guide national tobacco control agendas. The partners were the Ministries of Health (Cambodia and Lao PDR), non-government organisations (Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Cambodia and Laos) and an academic institution (Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA). SUBJECTS: 16 health professionals, 10 from Cambodia and 6 from Lao PDR, were selected by local advisory committees to enter a two-year, intensive tobacco research graduate certificate and research training programme. INTERVENTION: We developed a "Global Tobacco Control Methods" (GTCM) 28 unit certificate programme that was offered in five sessions from September 2003 to September 2005 at the National Institute of Public Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. As part of their coursework, the 16 trainees actively participated in the development and implementation of two research projects. In the first project, "Healthy Doc Healthy Patient" (HDHP), trainees adapted an existing, self-administered questionnaire designed to assess health practices and beliefs of medical students in Cambodia and Lao PDR. The second project involved the design of a national prevalence of tobacco use and health beliefs study in Cambodia using a multi-stage, cluster sample method. Trainees were sponsored to attend and present at international tobacco control conferences to enhance their awareness of the tobacco epidemic. RESULTS: As of September 2005, 14 trainees (8 from Cambodia and 6 from Lao PDR) completed the courses in the GTCM certificate programme. The HDHP study sampled four medical school classes (years 3, 4, 5 and 6) in both Cambodia (n = 330, 71.1% response rate) and Lao PDR (n = 386, 87.3% response rate). As part of the Cambodian adult tobacco prevalence study in Cambodia, 13,988 adults (ages > or = 18 years) were interviewed from all 22 provinces during the summer of 2005. Over the two years, more than half of the trainees participated substantially in local and regional tobacco control and research activities. Programme challenges included the trainees' limited English language and computer proficiency skills, both of which improved during the two years. CONCLUSIONS: With the successful completion of the certificate programme, the remaining two years of the grant will be used to prepare the trainees for positions of leadership within their Ministries of Health and other agencies to implement effective tobacco control policies based on locally-derived research findings.

Cambodia↗

PubMed2003

Anticoagulant activity of M-LAO, L-amino acid oxidase purified from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii, through selective inhibition of factor IX.

One of haemorrhagic toxins present in snake venoms is L-amino acid oxidase (LAO), which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-amino acids with the generation of hydrogen peroxide. Although it is widely accepted that LAO alters platelet function, the effects of LAO on human blood coagulation remain largely unknown. The present study demonstrated, for the first time, that M-LAO, LAO purified from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii (Japanese mamushi), possesses an anticoagulant activity. Thrombelastography (TEG) showed that M-LAO significantly delayed the onset and the progress of the coagulation process. In addition, the enzyme prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) dose-dependently, but had little effect on the prothrombin time (PT), suggesting that its principal activity was mediated in the intrinsic coagulation pathway. Furthermore, M-LAO reduced factor IX procoagulant activity in a dose-dependent manner and did not affect other coagulation factors. These results indicate that M-LAO has an anticoagulant activity that impairs the intrinsic clotting by inhibiting factor IX.

Agkistrodon↗

PubMed1989

Lao Depression Inventory.

There are no measurement tools that accurately measure depression among Lao refugees. The overall purpose of this research was to complete the development and validation procedures for the Lao Depression Inventory (LDI). The study consisted of 216 Ethnic Lao refugees. A clinical interview and 164 true/false questions were administered to identify specific items which could identify depression among the Ethnic Lao people. All items were administered in both English and Lao. Overall, 78 of the 164 items differentiated groups of depressed and nondepressed Lao at the .01 level. Results of validation procedures showed that a 30-item scale had an accuracy rate of 89% in identifying the presence of depression in the validation group; the hit-rate for the same items and cutoff was 92% in the cross-validation group. Potential uses of the scale are discussed.

Depressive Disorder↗

PubMed2004

Epidemiological survey of intestinal parasitic infections of diarrhoeal patients in Nepal and Lao PDR.

Intestinal parasitological survey was conducted to clarify the distribution of intestinal parasites in Nepal and Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) from 2001 to 2003. A total of 401 diarrheal fecal specimens were collected from patients aged one to 75 years (250 from Nepal and 151 from Lao PDR). The specimens were examined using the formalin-ether sedimentation (FES) and sucrose centrifugal flotation (SCF) techniques. Nine species (3 Nematoda, 1 Cestoda, and 5 Protozoa) of parasites were recovered from Nepal, whereas seven species (3 Nematoda, 1 Trematoda, and 3 Protozoa) from Lao PDR. Of the parasites detected, (14.4%) was the most common in Nepal, and was Opisthorchis viverrini (29.8%) in Lao PDR. Infection rates were markedly different among age groups in both countries; higher rates were observed in age groups of 10-29 years than in 0-9 years group. Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that trematoda eggs recovered from Lao PDR were identified as O. viverrini, which could not be done by a light microscope.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital staff: a comparative study of Laos and Japan.

Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital staff (nurses and doctors) in Laos were characterized for future reference and for comparison with organisms found in Okinawa, Japan. No methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), among 38 isolates examined, was found in Laos, but 16 of 36 Japanese isolates (44%) were identified as MRSA. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ampicillin and tetracycline against Lao isolates were definitely higher than those against Japanese isolates. The MIC(80) of tetracycline was 50 microg/ml and 0.4 microg/ml in Lao and Japanese isolates, respectively. There was no marked difference in the production of enterotoxin by S. aureus strains in the two countries. Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 was produced by only 1 of 38 Lao isolates but by 5 of 36 Japanese isolates. Coagulase types varied greatly, but about 50% of the isolates in both countries produced untypable coagulase. Since the interaction of Laotians with foreigners has increased rapidly in recent years, the careful monitoring of drug-resistant pathogens is required.

Coagulase↗

PubMed2005

Genetic typing of classical swine fever viruses from Lao PDR by analysis of the 5' non-coding region.

The 5' non-coding region (5'-NCR) of 27 classical swine fever virus (CSFV) isolates from Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) during 1997 and 1999 were amplified by RT-PCR. A 150-bp region of the 5'-NCR amplicons was analysed and compared with reference CSFV of European and Asian origin and a phylogenetic dendrogram constructed. Following analysis, all viruses were determined to belong to genogroup 2. Viruses from Lao PDR grouped on a geographical basis with the majority of northern/central isolates falling into subgroup 2.1 and southern/central isolates falling into subgroup 2.2. These results concur with previous studies of CSF viruses from Lao PDR, although this study recognized the first occurrence of subgroup 2.1 in southern Lao PDR.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

PubMed2003

Water, sanitation and hygiene: a situation analysis paper for Lao PDR.

The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is located in the Greater Mekong sub-region in East Asia, neighbouring with China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with a land area of 236,800 square kilometres, and an average population density of 22 persons per square kilometre. The population of Lao PDR is 5.5 million with 49 ethnic groups. Most of the population is located in rural areas, with a significant number of the neediest villages in remote localities. In the past decade, there have been many positive developments in the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) sector. Despite improved coverage in latrine and water supply services, health remains a serious problem. The improved services were often not sustained or poorly maintained, while hygiene received inadequate attention. In Lao PDR, as in many other countries, the provision of a safe and reliable water supply and appropriate sanitation services, based on sustainable approaches, therefore, remains a challenge. This paper will provide an overview of the Lao PDR's RWSS Sector. Special emphasis is placed on actual field level application of informed choices for water supply, sanitation and hygiene awareness.

Community-Institutional Relations↗

PubMed2005

[Evaluation of a medical teaching programme in public health in Laos].

Specialised medical training is progressively being established in Laos at the request of the Ministry of Health. A medical teaching programme in public health has been organised by the Cooperation Committee with Laos (CCL) in collaboration with the National Institute for Public Health (INSP) and has been taking place since 1997 within the framework of Franco-Laos cooperation. At the end of the validation of the second promotion of senior medical management staff (2002-2004) and of the presentation of the first Masters in Public Health in Laos, an evaluation of this training programme was carried out with the aim of completely transferring the project over to the hands of the Laotians. The study consisted of a before and after comparison of the training's procedural criteria and a longitudinal prospective survey over the last seven months of the programme. The results of the evaluation show that the development of the training conforms to the initial project and that the knowledge acquired in public health methodology by the 12 students is satisfactory. The use of the French language was revealed as being a difficult challenge to overcome for most of the students. Moreover, the partners in Laos had a difficult time playing their role in certain organisational and educational aspects of the training programme. It would be desirable, within the perspective of establishing a Masters of Public Health in Laotian, to establish a partnership between the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) and the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FSM) to work together on the organisation of the training programme. Foreign assistance remains necessary to provide essential financial and educational support.

Curriculum↗

PubMed2000

Optical transient absorption spectroscopy of LaO produced by pulsed laser ablation of La2O3.

Temporally and spatially resolved absorption spectrometry has been used to study molecular LaO absorption in laser ablated plume from an La2O3 target The absorption time-of-flight (TOF) spectra of ground-state LaO molecules were measured The TOF spectra indicate that only one component is observed in vacuum and in an Ar ambient, while there are two component, a fast and a broad slow component, observed at higher O2 pressure. The absorbance of LaO molecules decreases gradually with increasing ambient gas pressure. The dependence of the absorbance of LaO on the detection distance can be fitted by an exponential decay equation. The shock wave model is used to describe the behavior of ground state LaO molecules in high O2 pressure region.

Gases↗

PubMed1995

[Sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to seven antimalarials in China-Laos border].

The sensitivity of P. falciparum to chloroquine (CHL), piperaquine (PIP), artesunate (ATS), dihydroartemisinine (DAT), artemether (ATM), arteether (ATE) and pyronaridine (PRN) were assayed by in vitro microtechnique in China-Laos border in 1992. The resistance rates of isolates from the south of Yunnan of China in the border were 97.0%, 96.4%, 12.5%, 16.0%, 6.3% and 34.5%, respectively; ID50 were 119.0, 320.0, 7.2, 5.4, 295.0, 74.4 and 31.9 nmol/L, ID95 were 625.0, 2426.0, 42.2, 36.6, 767.0, 371.1 and 325.2 nmol/L. The resistance rates of isolates from the north border of Laos were in order 9/10, 8/10, 1/5 to CHL, PIP, PRN, ID50 were 114.0, 166.9, 16.4 nmol/L, ID95 were 570.0, 631.1 and 107.7 nmol/L. All the isolates from Laos were sensitive to ATS, DAT, ATM and ATE. ID50 were 5.0, 4.4, 91.6 and 56.7 nmol/L, ID95 were 23.4, 11.1, 3276.1 and 223.9 nmol/L, respectively. The results indicate that P. falciparum in the border was highly resistant to CHL and PIP, while most of the isolates were susceptible to the other 5 of the above-mentioned drugs. A comparison between the isolates from China and Laos showed that there was no significant difference in resistance degree to CHL but the sensitivity of isolates from China to other 6 drugs was lower than those from Laos.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Indigenous and expatriate addicts in Laos: a comparison.

Opium addiction has been reported among virtually all large ethnic groups in Asia. Conspicuous by its absence has been any mention of addiction among the Lao, a people surrounded by poppy-growing tribal groups. A sample of Lao patient-addicts are here compared to expatriate Asian addicts in Laos. Lao and expatriate addicts show marked similarity in their sociodemographic profiles and patterns of narcotic use. Some differences in their recent use of narcotic drugs appear related to the greater cash income of the expatriate Asians and their greater access to heroin. No specifically 'cultural' factors for explaining ethnic differences in addiction have yet been identified.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Use of traditional medicine in Lao PDR.

OBJECTIVES: Exploring the attitudes and knowledge of household members and health staff in Lao PDR regarding the use of traditional medicine. BACKGROUND: Along with modern medicine, traditional medicine utilisation is officially supported in Laos, being part of the cultural heritage and considered useful for this low-income country in relation to the problems with access to modern pharmaceuticals. METHODS: The study population comprised 600 households from one lowland (Pakse) and one mountainous (Paksong) district. In a stratified two-stage sampling procedure, household surveys were conducted and focus group discussions (FGD) were performed among health staff and villagers in the same districts. RESULTS: Seventy-seven per cent of the households stated the ever use of traditional medicine including herbal medicines, sauna, massage and acupuncture. The main reason given was perceived efficacy. Traditional medicine was used for both chronic and acute diseases. The FGD revealed the perceived need to have training courses for traditional medicine providers and to have a medicinal garden in the villages. Utilisation was similar in lowland and mountainous districts as well as in urban and rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that traditional medicine is widely used and perceived as effective by a fairly large proportion of Lao people. The findings may form a basis for health sector reforms that are congruent with perceived local needs, e.g. in establishing a strategic plan for the development of the traditional medicine sector in Lao PDR.

Acute Disease↗