Construction of a public health emergency information system framework: A case study of Zhuhai city, China

by Sicheng Huang, Xuebao Zhang, Long Chen, Xihe Ni, Ying Fan, Chaomin Zhao, Junfeng Xiao, Feng Ruan

Background

A public health emergency information system serves as a critical tool for collecting and analyzing data from sudden public health events, thereby providing a scientific basis for governmental decision-making. However, research on the systematic construction of such information system frameworks within China’s public health infrastructure is lacking.

Objective

Taking Zhuhai city as a case study, this study aims to construct a comprehensive public health emergency information system framework applicable to public health departments at the municipal, county, and street/township levels.

Methods

First, through a literature review and expert group discussion, the preliminary framework of system indicators is determined. Second, through two rounds of the Delphi method, 41 experts are invited to qualitatively select the system framework indicators, with the aim of obtaining consensus among experts. Finally, the system is improved through application, feedback, and redesign.

Results

After two rounds of consultation, the final system at the city and county levels consists of 5 first-level indicator modules and 21 second-level indicator modules, whereas the system at the city, county, and street/township levels consists of 4 first-level indicator modules and 17 second-level indicator modules. Most of the indicators in the “emergency preparedness” and “emergency response” modules are considered important and should be retained as they can play a role in collecting and analysing information on infectious disease outbreaks through practical applications.

Conclusion

The public health emergency information system constructed in this study can be applied to public health departments such as disease prevention and control centres. Promotion can improve the efficiency of handling infectious disease outbreaks and provide a scientific basis for decision-making analysis.

Disruption of <i>yqhG</i> attenuates virulence in <i>methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus</i> by compromising membrane stability and oxidative stress resistance

by Jianhua Liao, Jun Cheng, Baoqing Liu, Yuzhi Shao, Chunyan Meng

The growing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, coupled with the increasing resistance to existing antibiotics, underscores the critical need for novel therapeutic approaches to combat this pathogen. In this study, the role of yqhG, a conserved gene encoding a periplasmic protein, in MRSA virulence and stress adaptation was investigated. yqhG deletion in MRSA significantly attenuated virulence in a murine infection model, leading to reduced bacterial burden in infected organs and improved host survival. In vitro, the yqhG mutant exhibited impaired membrane integrity, reduced motility, and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, but did not affect biofilm formation. These defects were fully restored upon genetic complementation. These findings highlight the critical role of yqhG in maintaining MRSA’s ability to withstand host-imposed stresses, suggesting that yqhG is a key determinant of MRSA pathogenesis. The study provides new insights into the stress-defense mechanisms employed by MRSA and underscores yqhG as a potential target for therapeutic strategies aimed at combating MRSA infections.