Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Background: The Aspergillus Galactomannan Ag Virclia® (GM-VClia) test is a monotest and automated galactomannan technique based on chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). Aim: To evaluate the performance of the GM-VClia test in serum and bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) samples previously processed with the Platelia ™ Aspergillus EIA kit (GM-Plat). Methods: 56 samples of serum 40 from BAL (some of them with galactomaman determination in both samples), from patients with pulmonary diseases, hematological diseases, SLE, Covid-19 and tumors, among others, were studied. Thirteen patients had invasive aspergillosis (1 proven and 12 probable). Results: The correlation between both methods for serum and BAL was r = 0.8861 p <0.0001 and r = 0.6368 p <0.001, respectively. There was a global concordance of 67.7% (65/96), being 85.7% (48/56) in sera and 42.5.0% (14/49) in BAL. By raising the cut-off point in LBA by GM-VClia, the agreement increased to 85.7%. Conclusions: A greater correlation and concordance was observed in sera than in BAL. The GM-VClia kit had a higher sensitivity and NPV than the GM-Plat kit. The disadvantages of GM-VClia are the “doubtful” category, which makes interpretation difficult and that with the current cut-off points in LBA the correlation with GM-Plat is lower. The advantages are its greater sensitivity, ease of processing and faster results.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent parasitosis in the world. It is associated with perinatal morbidity and in immunocompromised population. Currently, there are several diagnostic tests, both serological and molecular, that can help confirm the diagnosis and differentiate a recent infection of a pass. We propose some recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in different clinical scenarios based on the currently available evidence.

Background: Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is a retinochoroiditis that evolves with several episodes of inflammation and can occur both in the congenital or acquired form of the disease, Aim: To describe the frequency and clinical characteristics of OT in infants aged 0 to 12 months, children of mothers with positive serology for toxoplasmosis in the perinatal period. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive, ambispective study. Results: Infants from 0 to 12 months of age, whose mothers had positive serology for toxoplasmosis in the perinatal period, referred to the pediatric ophthalmology service for evaluation, were admitted. Demographic variables, maternal and infant serology and the results of the ophthalmological examination were collected. Data were analyzed in SPSS v21 Results: 46.4% of 125 infants had OT, 67.2% were female, (p=0.04) the median age was 6 months, 41% had IgG and IgM positive. The lesions were bilateral, in 82.8%, central in 86.2%, and inactive in 81%. Retinochoroiditis was accompanied by strabismus in 41%.  Conclusions: The frequency of OT in this population of infants with congenital toxoplasmosis was high. more than 80% of the eye lesions were inactive, centrally located and bilaterally involved.

La meningitis por Mycobacterium tuberculosis es infrecuente en pediatría y su diagnóstico definitivo representa un desafío clínico. Presentamos el caso de un lactante de dos años, que presentó un cuadro de meningitis crónica. Se logró el diagnóstico tras la sospecha imagenológica y la confirmación tras la búsqueda seriada del complejo M. tuberculosis por RPC en LCR y en biopsia de tejido cerebral. A pesar de las complicaciones, el paciente respondió favorablemente al tratamiento antituberculoso. En Chile, la tuberculosis es infrecuente en niños y los síntomas son generalmente inespecíficos. Los hallazgos en RM cerebral asociados a alteraciones del LCR permiten sospechar el compromiso meníngeo precozmente. Se recomienda iniciar el tratamiento antituberculoso empírico ante la sospecha, ya que mejora el pronóstico. A pesar de los avances diagnósticos y terapéuticos, la meningitis tuberculosa sigue teniendo una alta tasa de complicaciones y un pronóstico ominoso. 

Chromoblastomycosis is a fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, of chronic evolution, caused by dematiaceous fungi. The disease occurs worldwide, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, but in regions like Chile there is only one report of a human case more than 30 years ago. We present the case of a 46-year-old Haitian man, resident in Chile, with verrucous plaques in the right anterior tibial area of one year of evolution. The diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis was confirmed when muriform cells and dematiaceous colonies were observed in the histopathological analysis and the direct microscopy, respectively. After six months of treatment with systemic antimycotics and cryotherapy, complete remission of the lesions was achieved.

In recent months there has been an increase in cases reports of hepatitis of unknown origin. The most affected population are children under 5 years of age, but it has been described in adolescents up to 16 years of age. The clinical presentation consists of cholestatic hepatitis with a prodrome of diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Prognosis is generally benign but, on average, 13% of patients have required admission to an intensive care unit and 10% a liver transplant. Etiological studies have associated this entity to adenoviral infections, but hypotheses include other infectious agents, either as a triggering factor or as its main etiology, toxins, and even immunizations against SARS-CoV-2. In the following review we present the data available to date regarding the different pathogenesis theories.

Introducción: La enfermedad de Chagas es una infección parasitaria crónica sistémica, de importancia global, causada por Trypanosoma cruzi. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de anticuerpos contra T. cruzi en mujeres embarazadas en el estado de Morelos, México.Materiales y Métodos: Se analizaron 1.620 sueros de mujeres embarazadas mediante dos pruebas serológicas: ELISAc (antígeno crudo nativo) y ELISAr (antígeno recombinante, no nativo). Las muestras reactivas se analizaron posteriormente mediante hemaglutinación indirecta (HAI). Se utilizaron dos enfoques de detección, en paralelo (son positivas las muestras reactivas por cualquier método) y en serie (son positivas las muestras confirmadas por HAI). Se evaluaron factores sociodemográficos y de salud asociados a la presencia de anticuerpos contra T. cruzi mediante razones de momios al 95%.Resultados: Se obtuvo una seroprevalencia de 4,87% con el diagnóstico en paralelo y de 0,43% en serie. A partir de los resultados en paralelo las mujeres que fueron atendidas en los hospitales generales de Tetecala y Jojutla tuvieron, respectivamente, 2,2 y 2,0 veces mayor posibilidad de presentar anticuerpos contra T. cruzi con respecto a las mujeres que fueron atendidas en el Hospital General de Cuautla.Conclusión: La prevalencia de anticuerpos contra T. cruzi en mujeres embarazadas en el estado de Morelos fluctuó entre 0,43 y 4,87%, según el antígeno y el abordaje utilizado. Es necesario continuar con la vigilancia de la seroprevalencia de anticuerpos contra T. cruzi en mujeres embarazadas en el estado de Morelos, México, con las técnicas de mayor sensibilidad y especificidad disponibles.

This study aimed to quantify the waste generated by the annual operation of the Colombian National Blood Network (RN). To this effect, the amount of waste generated by blood donations and by blood components obtained, transfused, and incinerated between January and December 2018 was calculated based on national reports of blood banks and transfusion services. The incineration costs (expressed in US dollars) were estimated by multiplying the total biological by the price of incinerating one kilogram in three different areas of Colombia. The generated gases were determined using the emission factors of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain. The non-generated waste was inferred from the total donations prevented by the Hemovigilance Information System (SIHEVI-INS) implemented in 2018. As a result, it was found that, in 2018, the RN recorded 858 890 blood donations and 334 503 transfused patients. Donor acceptance generated 61.0 megagrams/year of waste (73.4% were biological) with an incineration cost of $33 418 (±26 087) and emissions amounting to 25.8 megagrams of gases (99.2% CO2 and 0.6 % NO, NO2, and CO). The use and disposal of blood components generated 349.5 megagrams/year (±99.5), which is equivalent to $258 880 (±99,709) and 201.4 megagrams of gases. SIHEVI-INS avoided the production of 55.1 megagrams/year (±19.1), saving $40 805 (±18,098) and 31.8 megagrams of gases. In conclusion, the 350 megagrams of biological waste produced by the RN represented 0.06-0.08% of the total hazardous residues or waste generated in Colombia and 0.75-0.82% of the healthcare sector.

Population ageing is considered to be one of the most significant social phenomena that is transforming economies and societies around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ageing is on the rise. In Colombia, demographic growth exhibits a natural increase, which shows a notable difference between birth and general mortality rates. According to DANE, in Colombia, natural growth rates denote a precipitous decline over time. The Central and local governments can help with decision-making in order to establish sexual and reproductive health policies. Machine Learning (ML) therefore appears as a support tool, in which there are algorithms that allow creating models to learn from data and identify patterns that aid in supporting government entities in the decision-making process. Based on the above, this work proposes a method for ensemble ML algorithms, which supports decision-making regarding demographic control focused on birth. The prediction method made it possible to show that the decrease in births in Colombia in recent years is due to the change in the priorities of women and men. Women face discrimination and difficulty in accessing and staying in employment due to maternity. Consequently, it is difficult for them to articulate their professional life with the job market. Women have to assume a disproportionate burden of care, which is why they want to have fewer children, namely one or two at most.