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Background: Small mammals serve as the main reservoir for Bartonella and as a proxy indicator of the potential risk of Bartonella transmission from nature to humans. They offer a valuable early warning for human infection. Nevertheless, geographical variations in the impact of the host on the occurrence of Bartonella infection are underestimated. This study was designed to investigate the infection characteristics of Bartonella and explore its species diversity in wild small mammals in western Yunnan Province, China. Methods: Wild small mammals were captured from Yulong, Jianchuan, and Lianghe counties in western Yunnan Province between 2015 and 2016. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect Bartonella infection, and the Bartonella species were identified by phylogenetic analysis. The factors associated with Bartonella infection in small mammals were analyzed by the Chi-square Test. Results: The prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals was 47.85% (768/1605). Lianghe County had the highest Bartonella infection rate, with 56.27% of the samples tested positive, followed by a rate of 50.91% was tested in Yulong County, and 39.97% in Jianchuan County (p < 0.001). Bartonella was detected positive in a total 25 small mammal species, with infection rates ranging from 2.17% to 100%. Niviventer fulvescens had the highest Bartonella infection rate. In comparison with the dominant small mammal species, Eothenomys mileyus had the lowest Bartonella infection rate than that in Apodemus chevrieri, Rattus tanezumi, and Apodemus draco (p < 0.001). Male small mammals had a higher infection rate than females (p < 0.05). The prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals during the summer season was higher compared to the other three seasons (p < 0.001). Woodland landscape had the highest Bartonella infection rate (p < 0.001). Bartonella rochalimae, B. japonica, B. tribocorum, B. washoensis, B. sylvatica, and B. rattimassiliensis were obtained from infected small mammals. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of Bartonella was detected with various Bartonella species in small mammals in Yulong, Jianchuan, and Lianghe counties of western Yunnan Province. These findings hold significant scientific clues, providing valuable reference points for further research of Bartonella natural foci in Yunnan or other analogues environments.

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OBJECTIVES: High altitude exposure decreases the incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, but increases the expression of the thermogenic adipokines (leptin, fat cell fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) and visfatin). This study investigated the correlation of these adipokines with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in populations residing in a plateau-specific environment. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: We cross-sectionally analysed data from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 475 obese (OB, body mass index (BMI)≥28.0 kg/m2) plateau Han people and 475 age, sex and region-matched non-obese (NO, 18.5≤BMI<24.0 kg/m2) subjects were recruited. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Data with normal distributions were expressed as the mean (Stanard Deviation, SD), and data with skewed distributions were expressed as the median (Interquartile Range, IQR). The participants were grouped and the rank-sum test, χ2 test or t-tests was used for comparing groups. Spearman correlation coefficients were estimated to assess the relationships among leptin, A-FABP, visfatin and the components of MetS in each group. RESULTS: A-FABP was an independent predictor of OB (OR, 1.207; 95% CI, 1.170 to 1.245; p<0.05), ABSI (OR, 1.035; 95%CI, 1.019 to 1.052; p<0.05) and MetS (OR, 1.035; 95% CI, 1.013 to 1.057; p<0.05). Leptin was an independent predictor of MetS in the NO group. Visfatin was an independent predictor of increased ABSI, but not for OB or MetS. CONCLUSION: An abnormally elevated plasma A-FABP level, but not leptin or visfatin is a potential risk factor for MetS in high-altitude populations.

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Small mammals can transmit and serve as a reservoir for Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) in nature by carrying infected mites. In Yunnan, one of China's main foci of scrub typhus, etiological evidence and genetic diversity for Ot is limited. A total of 2538 small mammals were captured seasonally from 2015 to 2016 in the three counties of Yunnan, and the spleen or liver tissue was examined for Ot based on 56 kDa nPCR. The overall prevalence of Ot was 1.77%, ranging from 0.26 to 9.09% across different species. The Gilliam strain was found in 35.6% (16/45) of the wild small mammals, followed by the Karp 11.1% (5/45) and TA763 (1/45) strains, the last of which was discovered in western Yunnan for the first time. In Lianghe, Ot infection rates in wild small mammals were higher than in the other two counties. The infection rates of Eothenomys miletus with Ot were highest in the three dominant species. Ot infection rates in wild small mammals were higher in Lianghe (1200-1400 m) and Yulong (2800-3000 m). These findings could provide research clues for further confirmation of scrub typhus foci in western Yunnan or other similar natural environments.

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OBJECTIVES: Several studies have demonstrated the association between gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and hyperuricaemia, but little is known about such relation in less-developed ethnic minority regions. DESIGN: We cross-sectionally analysed data from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (Yunnan region). SETTING: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: 22 020 participants aged 30-79 years from Han ethnicity, Yi ethnicity and Bai ethnicity. OUTCOMES: The serum level of uric acid, GGT and other metabolic parameters were tested. Weight, height and blood pressure were measured. Smoking, drinking, ethnicity, education and medical history were obtained from questionnaires. RESULTS: In the crude model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.69, 2.90, 4.34 and 7.70, 95% CI=1.42 to 2.01, 2.47 to 3.42, 3.71 to 5.09 and 6.60 to 8.98, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). In fully adjusted model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT also exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.26, 1.68, 2.02 and 3.02, 95% CI=1.04 to 1.51, 1.40 to 2.00, 1.69 to 2.42 and 2.51 to 3.64, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). Logistic regression model was conducted separately in ethnic groups. Compared with first quintile, the highest GGT level were related to higher risk of hyperuricaemia in three ethnic groups (OR (95% CI): 2.89 (2.26 to 3.68), 2.81 (1.93 to 4.11) and 3.04 (1.91 to 4.84) for Han, Yi and Bai ethnicity, respectively, p-trend <0.0001). The relationship between GGT and hyperuricaemia was also observed in different age groups or gender groups. CONCLUSIONS: High serum GGT level was related to a higher risk of hyperuricaemia in less-developed ethnic minority regions in China.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST; leisure and total ST), commuting mode with hyperuricemia in a multiethnic Chinese population, and to analyze the difference between sexes. METHODS: Baseline data were analyzed from 22,094 participants from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort study in the Yunnan region, China. PA and sedentary behavior were assessed through questionnaires. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum urate > 7.0 mg/dL among men and > 6.0 mg/dL among women. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was created to model the possible nonlinear relationship of PA and ST with hyperuricemia. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI. RESULTS: Hyperuricemia prevalence in the observed population was 15.5% (men 25.5%, women 10.7%). Compared to those with light PA, participants with moderate-to-vigorous PA had lower odds of hyperuricemia (adjusted ORs were 0.85 [95% CI 0.77-0.94] and 0.88 [95% CI 0.79-0.97]). However, RCS showed a U-shaped nonlinear relationship between PA and hyperuricemia, and a linear relationship between hyperuricemia prevalence and increasing ST. Total ST ≥ 4 hours/day increased the risk of hyperuricemia in women but not in men. Mode of transportation revealed that sedentary behavior increased the risk of hyperuricemia, but there were inconsistent results based on sex. CONCLUSION: Moderate PA may be more beneficial in reducing the risk of hyperuricemia. Reducing ST may have a greater effect on preventing hyperuricemia in females than in males.

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