Background: Human toxocariasis, caused by the zoonotic parasites Toxocara canis (dog roundworm) and T. cati (cat roundworm), affects approximately 19% of the global population, ranking it among the most prevalent neglected infection of poverty. However, public awareness about this zoonotic disease has not yet been achieved in China. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological survey to assess the prevalence and risk factors of Toxocara infection in dogs and cats, as well as toxocariasis or Toxocara exposure in humans in Zhejiang. Methods: An epidemiological survey was conducted between January 2023 and April 2024 to ascertain the prevalence of Toxocara infection in Zhejiang, where has been set to be a model for common prosperity in China. Fecal samples from dogs (n = 1156) and cats (n = 818) were examined for Toxocara eggs using the saturated saline floatation method and molecular tools, while human serum samples (n = 347) were tested for antibodies against Toxocara species by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Risk factors for Toxocara infection in dogs, cats and humans were analyzed using logistic regression models. Results: The overall prevalence of Toxocara infection was 5.36% in dogs, 2.08% in cats, and 12.10% in humans in Zhejiang, China. Age (≤ 6 months, OR = 6.22, P = 0.026), season (autumn, OR = 13.93, P = 0.017 and spring, OR = 11.07, P = 0.027) and deworming frequency (< 4 times/year, OR = 0.18, P < 0.001) were identified as major risk factors for T. canis infection in dogs, whereas residing in an animal shelter (OR = 13.14, P = 0.020) was a risk factor for T. cati infection in cats. Occupation exposure (OR = 4.53, P = 0.009) was the most significant risk factor for Toxocara infection in humans. Conclusions: Due to the good economic status and social welfare, the prevalence of Toxocara infection in dogs, cats and humans is relatively low in Zhejiang, China. However, an “One Health” paradigm about human toxocariasis intervention is lacking and the risk factors (particularly pet deworming and occupational exposure) for Toxocara infection and transmission warrant improved public awareness. Graphical

The baseline prevalence and characteristics of tuberculosis (TB) among general healthcare workers (HCWs) in southeastern China remains unknown. We conducted a retrospective study based on the TB surveillance data in Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2011, which were extracted from the national Tuberculosis Information Management System (TIMS). We calculated and compared annual notification rates of different occupational groups and analyzed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics. The annual TB notification rates among general HCWs declined steadily from 2005 to 2011. On average, HCWs showed annual TB notification rates lower than the general population but higher than teachers. Recorded HCW TB patients averaged 35.5 years of age, with females outnumbering males (58.0% > 42.0%). The proportion of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) was higher among male than in the female patients (88.5% > 83.4%, P = 0.031). Our study suggested that general HCWs run a higher occupational risk than teachers although the two groups are socioeconomically comparable and that the priority should be given to the young female HCWs for TB prevention in healthcare institutions.

The continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants poses persistent challenges to global public health. As a sublineage of the XDV.1 variant, NB.1.8.1 has rapidly emerged as a dominant strain worldwide, triggering a new wave of infections. Representing a product of viral adaptation, this variant has acquired several critical amino acid mutations—including A435S and T478I—which enhance its transmissibility and immune evasion capabilities compared to the ancestral XDV.1 lineage. This review systematically summarizes the genomic characteristics, epidemiological features, and immune escape potential of NB.1.8.1. It emphasizes that sustained genomic surveillance and serological assessments are crucial for informing public health response strategies, guiding vaccine development, and optimizing containment measures.

Tuberculosis is a global public health threat as an infectious disease, and effective blocking of transmission relies on timely diagnosis. Although a number of laboratory tests are available in diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), it is still of great need to evaluate their diagnostic value in clinical samples. In this study, we evaluated five MTB diagnostic methods (including conventional sputum smear microscopy, sandwich cup sputum smear microscopy, sputum culture, Xpert‐MTB/RIF, and CapitalBio TB/NTM kit detection test) in 3012 sputum specimens and compared their diagnostic performance of the single and combined tests. In the diagnosis of MTB, the Xpert‐MTB/RIF had the highest sensitivity, 79.6% (0.770–0.819), among all the single diagnostic methods, and the combination of CapitalBio TB/NTM kit and culture approach significantly increased sensitivity to 88.4% (p < 0.05). In the diagnosis of NTM, the culture method has higher sensitivity (85.7%) compared with the Capital Bio TB/NTM kit method (45.7%). In the diagnosis of mycobacteria, the CapitalBio TB/NTM kit detection test has the highest sensitivity (77.1%) and combined with conventional sputum smear and culture significantly increased the sensitivity further to 84.2%. In conclusion, Xpert‐MTB/RIF is a sensitive, rapid, and reliable method for TB detection in sputum samples, and other diagnostic methods including culture are still of great clinical values for improving the sensitivity of MTB diagnosis. The sensitivity of CapitalBio TB/NTM kit in diagnosing NTM is still insufficient in clinical practice.

Despite the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccines, there is still a global need to find effective therapeutics to deal with the variants of SARS-CoV-2. Moslae herba (MH) is a herbal medicine credited with antiviral effects. This study aims to investigate the antiviral effects and the underlying mechanism of aqueous extract of Moslae herba (AEMH) for treating SARS-CoV-2. The in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of AEMH was evaluated using cell viability and viral load. Component analysis was performed by HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS. The connection between COVID-19 and AEMH was constructed by integrating network pharmacology and transcriptome profiles to seek the core targets. The components with antiviral activities were analyzed by molecular docking and in vitro pharmacological verification. AEMH exerted anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects by inhibiting viral replication and reducing cell death caused by infection (IC₅₀ is 170 μg/mL for omicron strain). A total of 27 components were identified from AEMH. Through matching 119 intersection targets of ‘disease and drug’ with 1082 differentially expressed genes of COVID-19 patients, nine genes were screened. Of the nine, the PNP and TPI1 were identified as core targets as AEMH treatment significantly regulated the mRNA expression level of the two genes on infected cells. Three components, caffeic acid, luteolin, and rosmarinic acid, displayed antiviral activities in verification. Molecular docking also demonstrated they could form stable bonds with the core targets. This study explored the antiviral activity and possible mechanism of AEMH for treating SARS-CoV-2, which could provide basic data and reference for the clinical application of MH.