This study was aimed to examine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of sporotrichosis in China and specifically Jilin Province, which is one of the areas with the highest incidence worldwide, and to provide data support for the global prevalence of sporotrichosis. Methods: A total of 4969 cases of sporotrichosis diagnosed at the Second Hospital of Jilin University from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2019 were collected. Results: In Jilin Province, the male-to-female ratio was 1:2, the average age at onset was 48 ± 1 years, and the average disease duration was 4.8 ± 2.7 months. The most susceptible individuals were farmers. Cases occurred more commonly in the winter and spring (71.5%) than in the summer and autumn (28.5%). The fixed type infection was more prevalent. Among the cases, 64.8% showed typical mycological changes, and 77.6% showed atypical pathological changes. Regarding the epidemiological characteristics of sporotrichosis in China, 6565 cases were retrieved from the literature from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019. Among them, the most affected area was Jilin Province, followed by Heilongjiang Province, and Liaoning Province. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.46. The fixed type infection was the most common. A total of 241 strains were identified by molecular biotechnology; among these, 217 were identified as Sporothrix globosa and 24 were identified as S. schenckii sensu stricto. Discussion: The results add clarity to the clinical epidemiology of sporotrichosis in China and specifically Jilin Province. We believe these data will help improve the epidemiology knowledge of sporotrichosis worldwide.
Purpose. To observe the changes in metamorphopsia, visual acuity, and central macular thickness (CMT) in patients undergoing vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERM); all of which were preoperatively stratified into 4 stages according to the anatomical structure of the macula seen on the optical coherence tomography (OCT) b-scan images. Methods. A total of 108 eyes of 106 patients were included. We evaluated and classified the severity of each preoperative ERM based on OCT. Changes in the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), metamorphopsia, and CMT were studied by comparing the pre- and postoperative measurements. The follow-up time was at least 6 months. Results. There were 41 eyes at stage 2, 35 at stage 3, 32 at stage 4, and none at stage 1. BCVA and metamorphopsia significantly improved at the final visit in all patients (P<0.01). However, comparing the pre- and postoperative measurements at each stage, only the BCVA and CMT improved significantly for all stages (P<0.001). For stages 2 and 3 ERMs, the horizontal (MH) and vertical (MV) metamorphopsia scores decreased significantly after surgery (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in either MH or MV for stage 4 ERMs (P both >0.05). The preoperative BCVA, MH, and CMT had significant difference among the three stages (P<0.05). Similarly, the postoperative values in the three variables mentioned above also had significant difference among the three stages (P<0.05). For stage 2 ERMs, the baseline MH and MV were positively correlated with the baseline CMT. The MH and MV at the final follow-up also presented a significant positive correlation with the baseline CMT. For stage 3 ERMs, only the baseline MV showed significant correlation with the CMT. Conclusion. Categorization of the preoperative ERMs is a useful method to predict the postoperative improvement in metamorphopsia, which would aid in surgical decisions for patients with ERMs.
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