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Hepatitis and enteritis are major public health threats in China and Hong Kong. Hepatitis is an important cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma; and there is yet no satisfactory treatment for these conditions.
Gastroenteritis is, second to respiratory illnesses, the most common diseases in humans, particularly in Asia and China. The magnitude of the disease burden and economic impact are largely under-estimated and unknown. The causative agents are diverse, public immunity is low, and effective vaccines are yet to be developed. |
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| Objectives |
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The CEID multidisciplinary Hepatitis / Enteritis (HEEN) Research Group, established in early 2006, aims to
- stimulate, coordinate and support collaborative inter-disciplinary research in hepatitis and enteritis;
- establish network with local and international institutions for collaborative research, training and educational activities in hepatitis and enteritis.
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| Portfolio |
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The HEEN Research Group is a focal point for coordination, and a forum for exchange and development of research activities in hepatitis and enteritis. The main research areas cover aspects in
- epidemiology
- public health impacts and economic burden
- diagnostics and clinical management
- prevention effectiveness
- basic science studies and
- genomic analysis and research
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| Research Programmes |
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Research activities led by the investigators who are CEID or affiliated academic staff include:
Public health research
- population-based study on burden and economic impact of acute gastroenteritis
- epidemiology of acute gastroenteritis
- help seeking behaviour in relation to acute gastroenteritis
- international comparison of prevalence and incidence of acute gastroenteritis
- burdens associated with specific pathogens and food types, food-animal sources and zoontoic modes of transmission
- hospital-based surveillance and study of disease and economic burden of rotavirus infection in Hong Kong
- study on trends in intussusception incidence in Hong Kong children
- molecular surveillance of enteric viruses contamination of shellfish in Hong Kong
Clinical Research
- randomized control trial on anti-viral treatments, including use of traditional Chinese medicine, in chronic hepatitis B and C; and reduction of cirrhotic complications
- predictive factors on disease progression
Prevention effectiveness
- development and evaluation of impact and safety of rotavirus vaccine
Basic science studies and genomic research
- assay on detection of low range of hepatitis B virus DNA
- development of an in vitro cell culture model for human noroviruses and its clinical application
- studies on genomic mutation pattern and genotypes of hepatitis B and C virus and their clinical significance
- establishment of a public genomic database of norovirus strains found in Hong Kong
- molecular phylogenetic analysis of complete norovirus genomes
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| Investigators |
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- Henry LY Chan, CEID & Dept of Medicine and Therapeutics
- Paul Chan, CEID & Dept of Microbiology
- PH Chau, CEID
- Suzanne C Ho, CEID & Dept of Community and Family Medicine
- Nelson Lee, CEID & Dept of Medicine and Therapeutics
- SS Lee, CEID
- WK Leung, CEID & Dept of Medicine and Therapeutics
- Anthony Nelson, CEID & Dept of Paediatrics
- Joseph Sung, CEID & Dept of Medicine and Therapeutics
- MD Zhang, CEID
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| Coordinator |
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Professor Suzanne C Ho
Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases
School of Public Health
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Prince of Wales Hospital
Shatin, Hong Kong
Tel: 2252 8775
Fax: 2635 4977
Email: suzanneho@cuhk.edu.hk
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