Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 Pandemic

We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in university students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 students from four universities in Paraguay in 2021. The DASS-21 mental health scale was used to measure the outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) and evaluate their association with socio-educational variables. A total of 77.1% of the participants were women and 136 (46.4%) were between 21 and 25 years old. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 74.7%, 87.4%, and 57%, respectively. We found that being a woman and studying at a public university was positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Receiving COVID-19 training increases the prevalence of mental health problems. In conclusion, high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress were found in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being a woman, studying at a public university, and receiving training on COVID-19 were factors associated with a higher prevalence of presenting all the mental health problems evaluated. Furthermore, students aged 31 and over had a higher prevalence of depression and stress

Características clínicas, epidemiológicas y sintomatología frecuente de pacientes con infecciones urinarias en un Hospital General de Paraguay durante el año 2022

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a global health problem affecting all ages. Objective: The general objective of the present study focused on determining the clinical, epidemiological characteristics and the most frequent symptoms of patients with UTI in a General Hospital of Paraguay during the year 2022. Methods: The clinical histories of patients who met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data were processed using Excel® and descriptive statistical techniques were applied. Results: Out of 33 pediatric patient records. The 27.27% had some comorbidity, with bronchial hyperreactivity being the most frequent 6.06%. Regarding previous urinary tract infections, 90.91% did not have them. Regarding the germs isolated in the infections, 87.88% had no isolated germ, while 6.06% had E. coli and another 6.06% had K. pneumoniae. The most frequent clinical manifestations were vomiting with 33.33%, followed by decreased urination 21, 21% and inappetence with 24.24%. Conclusions: Few patients had any comorbidity, with bronchial hyperreactivity being the most frequent. Regarding previous urinary tract infections, most of them did not have them. Regarding the germs isolated in the infections, most of them did not present isolated germs, while in few patients E. coli and others K. pneumoniae were isolated. The most frequent clinical manifestations were vomiting, followed by decreased urination and inappetence.Introducción: Las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU) son un problema de salud global que afecta a todas las edades. Objetivo: El objetivo general del presente estudio se centró en determinar las características clínicas, epidemiológicas y los síntomas frecuentes de pacientes con infecciones urinarias en un Hospital General de Paraguay durante el año 2022. Métodos: Se revisaron las historias clínicas de pacientes que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Se procesaron los datos utilizando Excel® y se aplicaron técnicas de estadística descriptiva. Resultados: De 33 fichas de pacientes pediátricos. El 27.27% presentaba alguna comorbilidad, siendo la hiperreactividad bronquial la más frecuente 6.06%. Respecto a infecciones urinarias previas, el 90.91% no las tenía. En cuanto a los gérmenes aislados en las infecciones, el 87.88% no presentaba germen aislado, mientras que el 6.06% tenía E. coli y otro 6.06% K. pneumoniae. Las manifestaciones clínicas más frecuentes fueron vómitos con 33,33%, seguido de disminución de la micción 21, 21% e inapetencia con 24,24%. Conclusiones: Pocos pacientes presentaba alguna comorbilidad, siendo la hiperreactividad bronquial la más frecuente. Respecto a infecciones urinarias previas, la mayoría no las tenía. En cuanto a los gérmenes aislados en las infecciones, la mayoría no presentaba germen aislado, mientras que en pocos pacientes se logró aislar E. coli y otros K. pneumoniae. Las manifestaciones clínicas más frecuentes fueron vómitos, seguido de disminución de la micción e inapetencia

Latin American perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with regard to COVID-19: frequency and association with severe mental pathologies

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the spread of abundant misinformation by the media, which caused fear and concern.ObjectiveTo determine the association between the pathologies of the mental sphere and the perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with respect to COVID-19 in Latin America.MethodologyThe present study has an analytical cross-sectional design that is based on a validated survey to measure fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media and other sources (Cronbach's α: 0.90). We surveyed more than 6,000 people, originally from 12 Latin American countries, who associated this perceived exaggeration with stress, depression, and anxiety (measured through DASS-21, Cronbach's α: 0.96).ResultsSocial networks (40%) or television (34%) were perceived as the sources that exaggerate the magnitude of the events. In addition, television (35%) and social networks (28%) were perceived as the sources that generate much fear. On the contrary, physicians and health personnel are the sources that exaggerated less (10%) or provoked less fear (14%). Through a multivariate model, we found a higher level of global perception that was associated with whether the participant was older (p = 0.002), had severe or more serious anxiety (p = 0.033), or had stress (p = 0,037). However, in comparison with Peru (the most affected country), there was a lower level of perception in Chile (p < 0.001), Paraguay (p = 0.001), Mexico (p < 0.001), Ecuador (p = 0.001), and Costa Rica (p = 0.042). All of them were adjusted for gender and for those having severe or major depression.ConclusionThere exists an association between some mental pathologies and the perception that the media does not provide moderate information

¿Estamos observando un número creciente de coinfecciones entre el SARS-CoV-2 y otros patógenos respiratorios?

We have recently read the article by Chaung et al1 describing a case of SARS‐CoV‐2 and HCoV‐HKU1 coinfection. The HCoV‐HKU1 is also a member of the Betacoronavirus. In addition to other coronaviruses in different regions of the world, there is an increasing number of reports of coinfections in SARS‐CoV‐2/COVID‐19. Then, we would like to take the opportunity to discuss some of them,1-10 as there are not yet reviews on this emerging issue of COVID‐19. Currently, the evidence suggests that the coinfection rates between SARS‐CoV‐2 and other respiratory pathogens would be higher than initially expected, which represents a challenge for the diagnosis and treatment