Is Colombia an example of successful containment of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic? A critical analysis of the epidemiological data, March to July 2020

Background: Colombia detected its first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on March 2, 2020. From March 22 to April 25, it implemented a national lockdown that, apparently, allowed the country to keep a low incidence and mortality rate up to mid-May. Forced by the economic losses, the government then opened many commercial activities, which was followed by an increase in cases and deaths. This paper presents a critical analysis of the Colombian surveillance data in order to identify strengths and pitfalls of the control measures. Methods: A descriptive analysis of PCR-confirmed cases between March and July 25 was performed. Data were described according to the level of measurement. Incidence and mortality rates of COVID-19 were estimated by age, sex, and geographical area. Sampling rates for suspected cases were estimated by geographical area, and the potential for case underestimation was assessed using sampling differences. Results: By July 25, Colombia (population 50 372 424) had reported 240 745 cases and 8269 deaths (case fatality rate of 3.4%). A total of 1 370 271 samples had been analyzed (27405 samples per million people), with a positivity rate of 17%. Sampling rates per million varied by region from 2664 to 158 681 per million, and consequently the incidence and mortality rates also varied. Due to geographical variations in surveillance capacity, Colombia may have overlooked up to 82% of the actual cases. Conclusion: Colombia has a lower case and mortality incidence compared to other South American countries. This may be an effect of the lockdown, but may also be attributed, to some extent, to geographical differences in surveillance capacity. Indigenous populations with little health infrastructure have been hit the hardest

Policies and processes for human papillomavirus vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean

e124Objectives. Three highly effective vaccines are available to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and they have been introduced in many countries around the world. This article describes advances and challenges in introducing HPV vaccines in the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Methods. We reviewed national and regional sources of information to identify LAC countries with and without universal HPV vaccination, along with the year of introduction, type of HPV vaccine, vaccination scheme, age groups targeted, and coverage level reached. Incidence rates of cervical cancer were compared across countries with and without an HPV vaccination program, in order to identify inequities in access to HPV vaccines. Results. So far, 10 LAC countries have supplied data on their vaccination policies and vaccination coverage rates to the Pan America Health Organization. The majority of those 10 started their vaccination programs using quadrivalent vaccine. Only Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico started their programs using a two-dose scheme. However, by the end of 2016, most of the other countries had switched from a three-dose to a two-dose scheme. Different age groups are targeted in the various programs. Some countries vaccinate one-year birth cohorts, while others vaccinate multiple-year birth cohorts. By the end of 2014, coverage with at least two doses ranged from a low of 2% to a high of 86%. With the exception of Venezuela, the LAC countries with the largest populations introduced universal HPV vaccination between 2010 and 2014. Despite the progress that has occurred in some LAC countries, there are still 10 LAC nations with cervical cancer rates above the LAC average (21.2 cases per 100 000) that have not introduced an HPV vaccine in their EPI. Conclusions. With several key adjustments, HPV vaccination programs across Latin America and the Caribbean could be substantially strengthened. Ongoing monitoring of HPV infection outcomes is needed in order to assess the impact of different vaccination policies

Lactococcus garvieae, an unusual pathogen in infective endocarditis: case report and review of the literature

Lactococcus garvieae is an unusual cause of infective endocarditis (IE). No current diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines are available to treat IE caused by these organisms. Based on a case report, we provide a review of the literature of IE caused by L. garvieae and highlight diagnostic and treatment challenges of these infections and implications for management. A 50-year-old Asian male with mitral prosthetic valve presented to the hospital with intracranial haemorrhage, which was successfully treated. Three weeks later, he complained of generalized malaise. Further work up revealed blood cultures positive for Gram-positive cocci identified as L. garvieae by MALDI-TOF. An echocardiogram confirmed the diagnosis of IE. Susceptibility testing showed resistance only to clindamycin. Vancomycin plus gentamicin were started as empirical therapy and, subsequently, the combination of ceftriaxone plus gentamicin was used after susceptibility studies were available. After two weeks of combination therapy, ceftriaxone was continued as monotherapy for six additional weeks with good outcome. Twenty-five cases of IE by Lactococcus garvieae have been reported in the literature. Compared to other Gram-positive cocci, L. garvieae affects more frequently patients with prosthetic valves. IE presents in a subacute manner and the case fatality rate can be as high as 16%, comparable to that of streptococcal IE (15.7%). Reliable methods for identification of L. garvieae include MALDI-TOF, 16S RNA PCR, API 32 strep kit and BD Automated Phoenix System. Recommended antimicrobials for L. garvieae IE are ampicillin, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone or vancomycin in monotherapy or in combination with gentamicin

Neuropsychiatric disorders in the people living with HIV : a narrative review

Introducción: el sistema nervioso central es uno de los órganos afectados, de manera directa e indirecta, por el VIH; adicionalmente, los trastornos psiquiátricos son más frecuentes en esta población. Objetivo: comprender la patogénesis, las manifestaciones clínicas y el manejo de las enfermedades neuropsiquiátricas en la población con VIH. Métodos: se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos Medline, Embase, SciELO, LILACS y PsychInfo utilizando término libres y MeSH. Resultados: los trastornos neuropsiquiátricos generan un impacto negativo en el tratamiento y seguimiento de los pacientes con VIH, lo cual disminuye su adherencia al tratamiento y aumenta las dificultades en su manejo integral. Llamativamente, existe una falta de estudios latinoamericanos en esta área.1-18Introduction: HIV is the infectious disease with the biggest worldwide impact in the last decades. For this reason, the control of this disease was included in the millennium objectives of the UN. There has been a long time interest for studying the psychiatric comorbidities in these patients due to its impact in survival. Methods: A research in the data bases Medline, Embase, SciELO, LILACS, and PsychInfo was made using free terms and MeSH terms. Results: The neuropsychiatric disorders have a negative impact in the treatment and control of HIV positive patients, reducing their adherence and increasing the difficulties in the comprehensive treatment. There is a deficit in studies that could clear up this relationship in Colombian population

Novel Variant in the CNNM2 Gene Associated with Dominant Hypomagnesemia

The maintenance of magnesium (Mg2+) homeostasis is essential for human life. The Cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS)-pair domain divalent metal cation transport mediators (CNNMs) have been described to be involved in maintaining Mg2+ homeostasis. Among these CNNMs, CNNM2 is expressed in the basolateral membrane of the kidney tubules where it is involved in Mg2+ reabsorption. A total of four patients, two of them with a suspected disorder of calcium metabolism, and two patients with a clinical diagnosis of primary tubulopathy were screened for mutations by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). We found one novel likely pathogenic variant in the heterozygous state (c.2384C>A; p.(Ser795*)) in theCNNM2gene in a family with a suspected disorder of calcium metabolism. In this family, hypomagnesemia was indirectly discovered. Moreover, we observed three novel variants of uncertain significance in heterozygous state in the other three patients (c.557G>C; p.(Ser186Thr), c.778A>T; p.(Ile260Phe), and c.1003G>A; p.(Asp335Asn)). Our study shows the utility of Next-Generation Sequencing in unravelling the genetic origin of rare diseases. In clinical practice, serum Mg2+ should be determined in calcium and PTH-related disorders.This study was supported by three grants from the Department of Health (2017111014, 2018111097 and 2019111052) and one grant from the Department of Education (IT1281-19) of the Basque Government. This work is generated within the Endocrine European Reference Network (Project ID number of Endo-ERN: 739527). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Five Patients with Disorders of Calcium Metabolism Presented with GCM2 Gene Variants

The GCM2 gene encodes a transcription factor predominantly expressed in parathyroid cells that is known to be critical for development, proliferation and maintenance of the parathyroid cells. A cohort of 127 Spanish patients with a disorder of calcium metabolism were screened for mutations by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). A targeted panel for disorders of calcium and phosphorus metabolism was designed to include 65 genes associated with these disorders. We observed two variants of uncertain significance (p.(Ser487Phe) and p.Asn315Asp), one likely pathogenic (p.Val382Met) and one benign variant (p.Ala393_Gln395dup) in the GCM2 gene in the heterozygous state in five families (two index cases had hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism, respectively, and three index cases had primary hyperparathyroidism). Our study shows the utility of NGS in unravelling the genetic origin of some disorders of the calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and confirms the GCM2 gene as an important element for the maintenance of calcium homeostasis. Importantly, a novel variant in the GCM2 gene (p.(Ser487Phe)) has been found in a patient with hypocalcemia.This study was supported by three grants from the Department of Health (2017111014, 2018111097 and 2019111052) and one grant from the Department of Education (IT1281-19) of the Basque Government. This work is generated within the Endocrine European Reference Network (Project ID number of Endo-ERN: 739527). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip

Genetic profile of a large Spanish cohort with hypercalcemia

IntroductionThe disorders in the metabolism of calcium can present with manifestations that strongly suggest their diagnosis; however, most of the time, the symptoms with which they are expressed are nonspecific or present only as a laboratory finding, usually hypercalcemia. Because many of these disorders have a genetic etiology, in the present study, we sequenced a selection of 55 genes encoding the principal proteins involved in the regulation of calcium metabolism.MethodsA cohort of 79 patients with hypercalcemia were analyzed by next-generation sequencing.ResultsThe 30% of our cohort presented one pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in genes associated with hypercalcemia. We confirmed the clinical diagnosis of 17 patients with hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in the CASR and AP2S1 genes), one patient with neonatal hyperparathyroidism (homozygous pathogenic variant in the CASR gene), and another patient with infantile hypercalcemia (two pathogenic variants in compound heterozygous state in the CYP24A1 gene). However, we also found variants in genes associated with primary hyperparathyroidism (GCM2), renal hypophosphatemia with or without rickets (SLC34A1, SLC34A3, SLC9A3R1, VDR, and CYP27B1), DiGeorge syndrome (TBX1 and NEBL), and hypophosphatasia (ALPL). Our genetic study revealed 11 novel variants.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates the importance of genetic analysis through massive sequencing to obtain a clinical diagnosis of certainty. The identification of patients with a genetic cause is important for the appropriate treatment and identification of family members at risk of the disease

Risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized patients in Colombia

Q2Q160-66Pacientes hospitalizadosObjectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) represent a major clinical problem in Colombia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with MRSA SSTI in Colombia. Methods: A multicenter cohort study with nested case–control design was performed. Patients with an SSTI with at least 48 h of inpatient care were included. Patients with an MRSA SSTI were considered the case group and patients with either a non-MRSA SSTI or with an Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) SSTI were the control groups. A multivariate logistic regression approach was used to evaluate risk factors associated with MRSA SSTI with two different statistical models. Results: A total 1134 patients were included. Cultures were positive for 498 patients, of which 52% (n = 259) were Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA was confirmed in 68.3% of the S. aureus cultures. In the first model, independent risk factors for MRSA SSTI were identified as the presence of abscess (P<0.0001), cellulitis (P = 0.0007), age 18–44 years (P = 0.001), and previous outpatient treatment in the previous index visit (P = 0.003); surgical site infection was a protective factor (P = 0.008). In the second model, the main risk factor found was previous outpatient treatment in the previous index visit (P = 0.013). Conclusions: Community-acquired SSTIs in Colombia are commonly caused by MRSA. Therefore, clinicians should consider MRSA when designing the initial empirical treatment for purulent SSTI in Colombia, although there seems to be low awareness of this fact

Annual Conference on Formative Research on EFL. Current trends in language teaching and teacher training.

The conference papers of the Annual Conference on Formative Research on EFL. Current trends in language teaching and teacher training collect pedagogical experiences and research reports on language teaching, teaching practices and communication. Each paper invites the community of the language teaching field to reflect on the development of life skills, didactic competences, critical incidents and practice and the use of English in the communication of organizations. We expect to make visible those innovative experiences and enrich the practice and knowledge of the ELT community

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality