Furthermore, the relatively long periodicity and low incidence of HFRS in the early 1970s may be due to the underestimation of the number of HFRS cases due to a suboptimal reporting system and lack of knowledge of the pathogen source, transmission routes, and diagnostics [1]. However, not withstanding its limitations, this study does suggest that vaccination is an effective measure in HFRS control and prevention in Hu. In summary, this study showed that the HFRS incidence and mortality rate in Hu decreased dramatically and the periodicity was prolonged from approximately 5 years during 1976–1988 to 15 years after 1988, especially Epacadostat price after the start

of the HFRS vaccination in 1994. The increase of vaccination compliance may play an important role on HFRS control and prevention in Hu. Authors, Xin Tan and Haitao Li collected the data. In a unified effort, author Dan Xiao conceived and designed the study with Yongping Yan, analyzed the data with Kejian Wu and Tiecheng Yan and wrote the paper with Tieheng Yan alone. The authors have declared Y 27632 that no conflict of interest exists. This work is supported by the National Major Science and Technology Research Projects for the Control and Prevention of Major Infectious Diseases in China (No.2012ZX10004907).

We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments, valuable suggestions and critically reviewing the manuscript. “
“In the early 90s, the World Health Organization

selected tuberculosis (TB) almost as a public health priority because it is the second leading cause of death worldwide among infectious diseases. TB is mostly concentrated in the developing world, with roughly 80% of all TB cases occurring in the 22 highest-burden countries, including Brazil. Although the worldwide TB incidence has decreased at a rate of less than 1% per year in many settings over the past decade, case numbers and overall burden continue to rise in a number of countries, as a result of the rapid growth of the world population [1]. This is directly associated with poor treatment outcomes resulting in multidrug-resistance strains [2]. Despite the immunological parameters associated with pathogenesis of the disease being extensively studied, we still do not fully understand the signaling mechanisms, transcriptional responses, sub-cellular processes, and cell–cell interactions that follow Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, particularly in the monocyte lineage. The currently vaccine in use is M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) which results in a strong cellular immune response against M. tuberculosis, although protection is highly variable [3]. Thus, BCG vaccine, despite being cheap and protective against severe forms of TB, it is not effective against pulmonary TB in hyper-endemic countries [4].