In vitro studies on the drug response of Plasmodium falciparum were conducted as from 1998 in the district of Mae Sot in northwestern Thailand near the border to Myanmar. In vitro studies on the drug response of Plasmodium vivax started in 2001 in the same area. For P. falciparum the investigations showed a very high degree of resistance. The sensitivity to mefloquine declined significantly between 198 and 2005, whereas the sensitivity to artemisinin and to quinine increased during the same period. Sensitivity to lumefantrine and atovaquone is still in the therapeutically feasible range. The sensitivity of P. vivax to chloroquine has declined between 2000 and 2004. Mefloquine and lumefantrine have been identified as potential replacement drugs. The activity of monodesbutyl-benflumetol proved to be higher than that of structurally related lumefantrine.

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To investigate AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABPs) among Chinese migrant laborers in east African cities, and to examine the current status of access to AIDS-related healthcare services, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Of 121 male laborer participants who spoke neither English nor Swahili, 109 (90.9%) had an education level of high school or less. The survey revealed that migrants‘ AIDS-related knowledge was poor, e.g., very few (n=4, 3.3%) were aware of the epidemiologic status of HIV in these two cities. Negative attitudes toward people living with HIV⁄AIDS (PLWHA) were widespread, and the majority (n=94, 77.7%) did not make use of AIDS-related healthcare services or education. Although the main information resources on HIV⁄AIDS in China include television (n=94, 77.7%), books and newspapers (n=78, 64.5%) and radio (n=51, 42.1%), these sources were much less common in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam (p&It;0.001 for each). One third (n=44, 36.4%) did not have any information resources in these two cities. These results indicate that Chinese migrant laborers are at risk of HIV infection in the two African cities. Appropriate education for the general population in China and for migrants in these two cities regarding HIV⁄AIDS, along with relevant information resources that are more accessible and useful for migrants in East Africa are therefore needed to minimize the risk of infection.

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Simulium (Simulium) chanyae sp. nov. is described based on two female adult specimens collected in Northern Thailand. This new species is assigned to the multistriatum species-group of the subgenus Simulium (Simulium), and is easily distinguished from most of the other known species of this species-group by the yellowish legs.

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