Search Results (120)

Bats have been identified as reservoir hosts for an exceptional diversity of viruses, including multiple taxa of high zoonotic concern. Over a hundred bat species inhabit Vietnam, which, combined with significant biodiversity, carry high risk of zoonotic spillover due to dense human–animal interfaces, extensive wildlife trade, and proximity to recent outbreak epicenters. This review systematically synthesizes data on the bat virome in Vietnam and neighboring Southeast Asian countries, assessing viral diversity, host species involvement, and zoonotic potential. By prioritizing virus groups with established zoonotic capacity and pandemic potential, the systematic search identified studies reporting viruses from 32 families across 13 bat families. Based on the WHO 2024 risk classification, seven of these viral families were categorized as high-risk, three as medium-risk, and twelve as low-risk. The comparatively higher viral diversity reported in neighboring countries suggests that the current study likely represents an underestimation of the true virome present in Vietnamese bat populations. We emphasize the urgent need for expanded virological studies integrating metagenomic sequencing, serological surveys, and ecological modeling to improve early detection of emerging threats, as the comparatively higher viral diversity reported in neighboring countries suggests existing research likely represents an underestimation of the true virome present in Vietnamese bat populations. Strengthening regional collaboration is critical for establishing proactive pandemic prevention strategies in this high-risk zoonotic hotspot. Full article

This study systematically evaluates website blocking as both an anti-piracy enforcement mechanism and a cybersecurity control, analyzing its effectiveness in reducing piracy across four Southeast Asian jurisdictions with distinct legal frameworks, assessing blocking speed, procedural barriers, and circumvention tactics, providing new empirical insights for policymakers and cybersecurity practitioners. Using a quasi-experimental design during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research examines the impact of website blocking measures in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. For the first time, the findings reveal that swift, systematic website blocking—exemplified by Indonesia—serves as an effective cybersecurity control, significantly reducing access to infringing content while redirecting traffic toward legitimate platforms. Jurisdictions with procedural delays and inconsistent enforcement, however, demonstrate limited efficacy, highlighting the need for dynamic responses to evolving threats such as domain hopping and proxy servers. The findings inform broader cybersecurity applications like network segmentation, access control, and threat intelligence. This work links traditional copyright enforcement to proactive incident detection and response strategies, providing insights into broader applications for cybersecurity, such as network segmentation, access control, and threat intelligence. Full article

This study examines the impact of aircraft noise on annoyance and sleep disturbances among residents near Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 2019 to 2023. It aims to assess the specific effects of aircraft noise exposure on sleep quality, as well as changes in exposure due to reduced air traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys conducted before and during the pandemic revealed that, despite lower noise levels, residents continued to report high levels of annoyance, indicating a complex exposure-response relationship. This study evaluates both the impact of aircraft noise levels and the role of non-acoustic factors in mitigating sleep disturbances and shaping residents’ responses over time. The study’s findings support the applicability of WHO guidelines in this context and emphasize the importance of considering both noise reduction and community engagement in noise management strategies. Full article

The present study investigates Vietnam’s economic structural transformation from 2007 to 2023, identifying key sectors contributing to output growth and poverty reduction. The study is situated within the broader context of industrialization and sustainable development in emerging economies. It employs structural decomposition analysis using Vietnam’s national input–output tables for the years 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. The analysis decomposes changes in total output into technical effects and final demand effects, allowing for an evaluation of the relative contributions of sectoral productivity and demand side factors. The findings of the study indicate that the manufacturing and services sectors have been the primary drivers of economic growth, with the electrical and optical equipment, food, beverages and tobacco, and basic metals sectors demonstrating particularly strong performance. The factor of final demand, which is derived from consumption, investment, and exports, has played a dominant role in driving output. Notably, export-led manufacturing has experienced significant benefits due to Vietnam’s engagement in free trade agreements. It is noteworthy that the agriculture sector demonstrated a period of recovery between 2019 and 2023, driven by an increase in final demand. This study underscores the pivotal function of sectoral adaptability, trade openness, and strategic policy in maintaining inclusive economic development. It is evident that the phenomenon under scrutiny is not only indicative of vulnerabilities and opportunities but also shaped by global shocks, for example, the coronavirus pandemic. Full article

Background: Vietnam has made significant strides in reducing the prevalence of HIV infection and achievements in its antiretroviral treatment program. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and financial challenges in the healthcare system have posed significant obstacles to maintaining effective HIV treatment and monitoring, particularly among vulnerable populations. This study aims to evaluate the situation of HIV drug resistance among patients who have experienced treatment failure in the Mekong Delta region and to compare data from 2019 to 2022. Methods: The study material was blood plasma samples from HIV-infected individuals with ART failure: 316 collected in 2019 and 326 collected in 2022. HIV-1 genotyping and mutation detection were performed based on an analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the Pol gene region. A total of 116 HIV-infected individuals with virological failure in 2019 and 2022 were assessed for HIV drug resistance. Results: The study revealed a high proportion of participants with viral loads exceeding 1000 copies/mL, significantly increasing from 12.0% in 2019 to 23.9% in 2022 (OR = 2.3; p = 0.0001). HIV drug resistance mutations were detected in 84.21% of cases in 2019 and 92.59% in 2022. The prevalence of concurrent resistance to NRTIs and NNRTIs was 37.5% and 30.13% in 2019 and 2022, respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease in NNRTI resistance (OR = 0.32, χ² = 5.43, p < 0.05). In contrast, multi-drug resistance to protease inhibitors rose from 18.52% to 45.21% (φ* = 0.00403, p < 0.05). Triple-class resistance was identified only in 2022 (17.81%). The most common mutations included M184I/V, D67N, K103N, Y181C, and V82A/S/T, with D67N rising significantly from 3.13% to 21.92%. The predominant subtype was CRF01_AE. Conclusion: A high prevalence of viral non-suppression and HIV drug resistance was observed among patients in the Mekong Delta region, particularly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study highlights the ongoing challenges that the HIV/AIDS treatment program in Vietnam must address in the post-pandemic period to sustain its success and achieve the goals of the country’s HIV prevention strategies. Full article

Public health officials reported increases in stigma, discrimination, and verbal and physical abuse during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This study, conducted in Vietnam, examined how stigma, fear of the virus, self-protective behaviors, and threats to and loss of resources during the pandemic were associated with post-traumatic stress and belief in vaccine effectiveness. Participants were 380 persons (237 women, 129 men, 14 unreported) who completed measures assessing demographics, stigma experienced during the pandemic, resource loss, fear about becoming infected with the virus, self-protective actions to avoid illness, post-traumatic stress, and belief in COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness. Hierarchical multiple regression showed post-traumatic stress was positively associated with COVID-19 stigma personal experience, minimizing the COVID-19 threat, personal characteristic and support resource loss, perceived susceptibility to illness, and fear of COVID-19. Vaccine support was positively associated with age, COVID-19 stigma personal experience, and self-protective behaviors to avoid illness, and negatively associated with number of people known who died due to the virus. The findings support the hypotheses and extend conservation of resources stress theory. The findings underscore the importance of promptly addressing stigma, enhancing public education, and addressing barriers to receiving the vaccine. Full article

Background/Objectives: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is related to maternal mortality, especially after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG) guidelines’ risk assessment score has been established to reduce thrombotic complications during pregnancy. Recently, it was found that the soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC) could be an alternative to D-dimer (DD), which has been used to assess the risk of VTE. This study aims to reveal the difference between FM and DD concentrations in low- and high-VTE-risk groups according to the RCOG’s guidelines. Method: This observational study was conducted at the Department of High-Risk Pregnancy, Tu Du Hospital, Vietnam between August 2023 and April 2024. This study enrolled 100 pregnant women beyond 28 weeks of gestation at low risk (≤2 points) and high risk (≥3 points) of VTE assessment following the RCOG guidelines’ score. Blood samples were collected for the SFMC and DD tests before delivery. Statistical tests were used to compare the difference in SFMC and DD concentrations between the two groups. A p-value < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: We found no significant difference in DD and SFMC tests between low and high VTE risk (1.61 [1.30–2.30] vs. 1.51 [0.91–2.13]; 5.00 [1.36–9.78] vs. 3.74 [1.28–14.63], respectively; p > 0.05). The length of hospital stay in the high-risk group is longer than that of the low-risk group and involves postpartum infection. In addition, we found no significant correlation between the gestational age and SFMC or DD concentration. However, a moderate positive correlation between the two tests was found. Similarly, no significant correlation between the VTE score and SFMC or DD concentration was found in the present study. Conclusions: The soluble fibrin monomer complex and D-dimer tests are not significantly different between low-risk and high-risk groups determined through VTE evaluation before delivery according to the RCOG guidelines. The fibrin-linked tests need to be individualized and applied among pregnant women with higher scores of VTE risk based on maternal and pregnancy characteristics during antenatal care. Further studies with a larger number of participants are required to strengthen the findings. Full article

Global supply chains are facing many changes after the COVID-19 pandemic. This change impacts the way each supply chain measures its key performance indicators and determinants for its competitiveness. Aquaculture supply chains (SCA) play an essential role in global trading and fluctuated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic when many aquaculture supply chains from emerging countries faced disruption. Therefore, after the COVID-19 pandemic, these supply chains have changed their measures and determinants to improve global competitiveness. This paper examines the change in this measure and determinants of the aquaculture supply chain in Vietnam, one of the world’s top 10 biggest exporting countries of aquaculture products. The paper reviews the list of measures and determinants of the aquaculture supply chain before and after the COVID-19 pandemic from the literature. It forms the framework under the shade of Resource-Based View theory. A total of 38 interviews with managers and CEOs of 36 enterprises and two government agencies in the aquaculture supply chain in Vietnam were conducted to explore the strategic changes in the measures of determinants to cope with the new circumstances of current global trade. The findings contribute to enriching the theory in the new VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) business environment after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, SCA should be defined by supply chain virtues that are associated with the new business environment, such as SC resilience, SC sustainability, SC reliability, SC integration, etc. This finding implies a new horizon for RBV applications, highlighting their adaptability. It suggests that the measures defining competitive advantage in the new business environment should extend beyond the traditional tangible and intangible resources under business certainty. They should also encompass those that differentiate the firms and their supply chain during business turbulence. Full article

Practical challenges and special threats from scam-related fraud exist for regional and local communities in Southeast Asia during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in pig-butchering operations in Southeast Asia is a major concern due to the increased use of digital technology and online financial transactions. Many of these operations are linked to organized crime syndicates operating across borders, posing challenges for law enforcement. As a first study in Vietnam, we combined the primary and secondary databases to unveil the nature of transnational scam-related fraud. Findings show that scammers are using advanced methods such as phishing, fraudulent investments, and identity theft to maximize their sophisticated tactics for achieving financial possession. There are organized crime rings operating in Vietnam and Cambodia, with Chinese groups playing a leading role behind the scenes. Social media and its various applications have become common platforms for these criminal activities. This study also calls for practical recommendations to consider specific challenges in combating these crimes, including building a strong framework with clear policies, encouraging multiple educational awareness campaigns in communities, enhancing effective cooperation among law enforcement and others, and supporting evidence-based approaches in research and application. While we recognized and assumed that pig-butchering operations with scam-related fraud are a complex problem that requires a well-rounded and coordinated response, the exact approach would depend on each country’s specific circumstances. Full article

The aims of this study are to evaluate the influence of air transport and tourism on economic growth in selected Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in the period 1970 to 2021. The study applies the ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects (FEM), and random effects (REM), especially to robustness test of the research results by deploying the DOLS, and IV-GMM regression for endogeneity and autocorrelation analysis. The research results confirmed that air transport has a significant and positive impact on economic growth, especially because the positive impact increased in normal economic conditions and decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, if the air transport recovers, it is likely to boost economic development. In addition, there is no impact of tourism on economic growth. The research results also confirmed the positive impact of foreign direct investment and international trade on the economic growth of Southeast Asian countries; however, there is a negative impact of renewable energy consumption on economic growth. Full article

African swine fever (ASF) has become a global pandemic due to inadequate prevention and control measures, posing a significant threat to the swine industry. Despite the approval of a single vaccine in Vietnam, no antiviral drugs against the ASF virus (ASFV) are currently available. Aloperine (ALO), a quinolizidine alkaloid extracted from the seeds and leaves of bitter beans, exhibits various biological functions, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antiviral activities. In this study, we found that ALO could inhibit ASFV replication in MA-104, PK-15, 3D4/21, and WSL cells in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity at 100 μM. Furthermore, it was verified that ALO acted on the co- and post-infection stages of ASFV by time-of-addition assay, and inhibited viral internalization rather than directly inactivating the virus. Notably, RT-qPCR analysis indicated that ALO did not exert anti-inflammatory activity during ASFV infection. Additionally, gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of transcriptomic data revealed that ALO could inhibit ASFV replication via the PRLR/JAK2 signaling pathway. Together, these findings suggest that ALO effectively inhibits ASFV replication in vitro and provides a potential new target for developing anti-ASFV drugs. Full article

Background: Long COVID is a recognized condition that can follow SARS-CoV-2 infection. It has been primarily observed and studied in adults. Evidence on long COVID among children is scarce. We aimed to estimate its prevalence and symptom profile among schoolchildren, and its effects on studying, daily activities, and quality of life. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among caregivers of 2226 schoolchildren aged 12–17 in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, from 11 April to 16 May 2023 using WHO definitions and a validated quality of life questionnaire. Results: Among 1507 children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection ≥ 5 months prior, 85 (5.6%) had long COVID. Memory loss (85.9%), poor concentration capacity (58.8%), and fatigue (57.6%) were their most common symptoms. They reported more frequent interference with their studies, observed differences in school absence rates, reduced daily activities, worsened overall health status, and relatively higher utilization of health services compared with children who only suffered from acute COVID-19 symptoms after infection. Conclusions: Given the near-ubiquitous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among children at this stage of the pandemic, our findings contribute invaluable evidence of an emerging public health burden among the pediatric population in Vietnam and globally. Concerted public health measures are needed to reduce long-term impacts on health, education, and wellbeing. Full article

In the COVID-19 pandemic phase, entrepreneurial financial support and entrepreneurial culture play a major part in stimulating entrepreneurship. However, it is still unclear how entrepreneurial financial support and entrepreneurial culture affect organizational creativity and firm innovation, and whether they enhance new venture performance. To answer these timely inquiries, this study adopted the resource-based view (RBV) theory to investigate the influences of entrepreneurial financial support and entrepreneurial culture on new venture performance through organizational creativity and firm innovation. Based on 315 responses collected from the entrepreneurs of new ventures operating in the Ho Chi Minh City region, Vietnam, a quantitative approach and the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) were employed for data analysis. The findings illustrated that all the proposed hypotheses were completely supported, except the effect of entrepreneurial financial support on new venture performance through organizational creativity. Moreover, firm innovation had the strongest direct effect on new venture performance, while organizational creativity and firm innovation partially mediated associations between entrepreneurial financial support, entrepreneurial culture, and new venture performance. Therefore, this study solved existing debates in the literature, while developing the resource-based view (RBV) theory in the context of entrepreneurship. In the post-COVID-19 epidemic stage, it provides a new understanding for administrators and other participants to create and promote effective financial support systems and national cultures which stimulate entrepreneurship, concurrently offering new ventures with rational approaches to utilize those external resources to develop their organizational creativity and firm innovation for improving their performance. Full article

COVID-19 significantly disrupted tuberculosis (TB) services in Vietnam. In response, the National TB Program (NTP) integrated TB screening using mobile chest X-rays into COVID-19 vaccination events. This prospective cohort study evaluated the integrated model’s yield, treatment outcomes, and costs. We further fitted regressions to identify risk factors and conduct interrupted time-series analyses in the study area, Vietnam’s eight economic regions, and at the national level. At 115 events, we conducted 48,758 X-ray screens and detected 174 individuals with TB. We linked 89.7% to care, while 92.9% successfully completed treatment. The mean costs per person diagnosed with TB was $547. TB risk factors included male sex (aOR = 6.44, p < 0.001), age of 45–59 years (aOR = 1.81, p = 0.006) and ≥60 years (aOR = 1.99, p = 0.002), a history of TB (aOR = 7.96, p < 0.001), prior exposure to TB (aOR = 3.90, p = 0.001), and symptomatic presentation (aOR = 2.75, p < 0.001). There was a significant decline in TB notifications during the Delta wave and significant increases immediately after lockdowns were lifted (IRR(γ₁) = 5.00; 95%CI: (2.86, 8.73); p < 0.001) with a continuous upward trend thereafter (IRR(γ₂) = 1.39; 95%CI: (1.22, 1.38); p < 0.001). Similar patterns were observed at the national level and in all regions but the northeast region. The NTP’s swift actions and policy decisions ensured continuity of care and led to the rapid recovery of TB notifications, which may serve as blueprint for future pandemics. Full article

This study examined the intricate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on international trade complexity. Focusing on major international trading entities such as Hong Kong, Korea, China, Japan, and the U.S., we evaluated how confirmed COVID-19 cases and government responses influenced trade patterns, particularly in exports and imports. We employed a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) analysis with cyclic regression coefficients to scrutinize changes in trade relationships between 2020 and 2021. Korea serves as the central country for this analysis, and the findings extend to other nations. The results revealed the varied impact of COVID-19 on trade across countries. Exports from Korea to China were correlated with COVID-19 case numbers and government actions in both countries. Additionally, imports from China, Japan, the U.S. and Vietnam—excluding Hong Kong—were significantly influenced by confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea, reflecting the demand dynamics. Government interventions also played a substantial role in shaping trade patterns. Previous studies have primarily focused on financial markets and supply chains, whereas our study analyzed the changes in trade with Korea’s five largest trading partners: China, the U.S., Japan, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. Notably, we utilized long-term data and changes in major trading partners in Asia over time. Full article