TB-HIV co-infection: spatial and temporal distribution in the largest Brazilian metropolis

OBJECTIVE: To describe the spatial and temporal distribution of TB-HIV co-infection, as well as the profile of the characteristics of the co-infected population in the municipality of São Paulo. METHODS: This is an ecological and time series study with data from the Tuberculosis Patient Control System (TBWeb), including all new cases of tuberculosis co-infected individuals with HIV living in the municipality from 2007 to 2015. Time trends of the disease were analyzed using Prais-Winsten regression. The cases were geocoded by the address of residence for the elaboration of maps with the incidence rates smoothed by the local empirical Bayesian method. The global and local Moran indexes evaluated spatial autocorrelation. Individuals’ profiles were described and the characteristics of the cases with and without fixed residence were compared by Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. RESULTS: We analyzed 6,092 new cases of TB-HIV co-infection (5,609 with fixed residence and 483 without fixed residence). The proportion of TB-HIV co-infection ranged from 10.5% to 13.7%, with a drop of 3.0% per year (95%CI -3.4 – -2.6) and was higher in individuals without fixed residence. Incidence rates decreased by 3.6% per year (95%CI -4.4% – -2.7%), declining from 7.0 to 5.3 per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Co-infection showed positive and significant spatial autocorrelation, with heterogeneous spatial pattern and a high-risk cluster in the central region of the municipality. Cure was achieved in 55.5% of cases with fixed residence and in 32.7% of those without a fixed residence. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate an important advance in the control of TB-HIV co-infection in the period analyzed. However, we identified areas and populations that were unequally affected by the disease and that should be prioritized in the improvement of actions to prevent and control co-infection.OBJETIVO: Descrever a distribuição espacial e temporal da coinfecção TB-HIV, assim como o perfil das características da população coinfectada no município de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: E studo e cológico e d e s érie t emporal c om d ados d o S istema d e C ontrole d e Pacientes com Tuberculose (TBWeb), incluindo todos os casos novos de tuberculose coinfectados pelo HIV residentes no município no período de 2007 a 2015. Tendências temporais do agravo foram analisadas por regressão de Prais-Winsten. Os casos foram geocodificados pelo endereço de residência para a elaboração de mapas com as taxas de incidência suavizadas pelo método bayesiano empírico local. Os índices de Moran global e local avaliaram a autocorrelação espacial. O perfil dos indivíduos foi descrito e as características dos casos com e sem residência fixa foram comparadas pelos testes de qui-quadrado ou exato de Fisher. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 6.092 casos novos de coinfecção TB-HIV (5.609 com residência fixa e 483 sem residência fixa). A proporção de coinfecção TB-HIV variou de 10,5% a 13,7%, com queda de 3,0% ao ano (IC95% -3,4 – -2,6), e foi maior nos indivíduos sem residência fixa em todo o período. As taxas de incidência apresentaram diminuição de 3,6% ao ano (IC95% -4,4% – -2,7%), declinando de 7,0 para 5,3 por 100 mil habitantes/ano. A coinfecção apresentou autocorrelação espacial positiva e significativa, com padrão espacial heterogêneo e um aglomerado de alto risco na região central do município. A cura foi alcançada em 55,5% dos casos com residência fixa e em 32,7% daqueles sem residência. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados indicam um importante avanço no controle da coinfecção TB-HIV no período analisado. Todavia, foram identificadas áreas e populações que se apresentaram desigualmente afetadas pelo agravo, e que devem ser priorizadas no aprimoramento das ações de prevenção e controle da coinfecção

Accuracy of yellow fever case definition of epidemiologic surveillance, São Paulo, 2018

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of yellow fever (YF) suspected case definitions from the Brazilian Ministry of Health (BMH) and World Health Organization (WHO), as well as propose and evaluate new definitions of suspected cases, considering confirmed and discarded cases. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas (IIER), using the Epidemiologic Surveillance Form of YF cases. From the confirmed and discarded cases of YF, a logistic regression model was developed. The independent variables were used in a proposed definition of a suspected case of YF and its accuracy was evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 113 YF suspect cases were reported, with 78 confirmed (69.0%). The definitions by BMH and WHO presented low sensitivity, 59% and 53.8%, and reduced accuracy, 53.1% and 47.8%, respectively. Predictive factors for YF were thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and elevation of transaminases greater than twice normal. The definition including individual with acute onset of fever, followed by elevation of ALT or AST greater than twice the reference value AND leukopenia OR thrombocytopenia presented high sensitivity (88.3%), specificity (62.9%), and the best accuracy (80.4%), as proposed in the model. CONCLUSION: The YF suspected case definitions of the BMH and the WHO have low sensitivity. The inclusion of nonspecific laboratory tests increases the accuracy of YF definition

DISTRIBUIÇÃO ESPACIAL DAS NOTIFICAÇÕES DE AIDS EM MULHERES NO MUNICÍPIO DE SÃO PAULO NOS PERÍODOS DE 1999-2001 E 2009-2011: UMA ANÁLISE SOB A ÓTICA DA DESIGUALDADE SOCIOESPACIAL

In Brazil, from 1980 to 2014, AIDS reached 757.042 cases, with concentration in the Southeast and South regions, which account for 75% of all Brazilian cases. Since 1989, the AIDS epidemic in Brazil has presented characteristics of feminization and impoverishment, indicating the overlapping of vulnerabilities in women, related to income, education, violence and gender inequity. The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the spatial distribution of AIDS in women aged 13 or older in the city of Sao Paulo, according to the administrative district of residence. The incidences of disease were analyzed from the perspective of social exclusion/inclusion and illiteracy in householder women in two periods: 1999-2001 and 2009-2011. The results denoted a correlation between the incidence of AIDS in women and the two indexes analyzed - social exclusion (IEX-Composed) and illiteracy in householder women (IEX-Illiterate householder women) in the second three-year period (2009- 2011). These findings indicate the need of implementing specific public policies for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in women, prioritizing those living in geographic areas with high inequality and social exclusion.No Brasil, desde 1980 até o ano de 2014, a Aids atingiu 757.042 indivíduos, com concentração nas regiões Sudeste e Sul, que somaram 75% dos casos do país. Desde 1989, a epidemia tem exibido características de feminização e pauperização, indicando a sobreposição de vulnerabilidades em mulheres, relativas à renda, escolaridade, violência e iniquidade de gênero. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi descrever e avaliar a distribuição espacial da Aids em mulheres com 13 anos ou mais de idade no município de São Paulo, segundo distritos administrativos de residência. As incidências da doença foram analisadas sob a ótica da exclusão/inclusão social e do analfabetismo em chefes de família mulher em dois períodos: 1999-2001 e 2009-2011. Os resultados obtidos denotaram a existência de uma correlação entre a incidência de Aids em mulheres e os dois indicadores analisados - a exclusão social (IEX-Composto) e o analfabetismo em mulheres chefes de família (IEX-Chefe de família mulher sem alfabetização) no segundo triênio (2009-2011). Esses achados indicam a necessidade de implementação de políticas públicas específicas para a prevenção e o tratamento do HIV/Aids em mulheres, com priorização daquelas que vivem em áreas geográficas com elevada iniquidade e exclusão social

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health care workers in a reference hospital in Brazil

Health care workers (HCW) are the frontline workforce for COVID-19 patient care and, consequently, are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection due to close contact to infected patients. Here, we evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCW from an infectious disease hospital, reference center for COVID-19 care in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo city, Brazil. Among 2,204 HCW, 1,417 (64.29%) were subjected to detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by chemiluminescent immunoassay. Out of the total, 271 (19.12%) presented anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Prevalence varied according to HCW categories. The highest prevalence was observed in workers from outsourced companies, cooks and kitchen assistants, hospital cleaning workers, and maintenance workers. On the other hand, resident physicians and HCW from the institution itself presented lower prevalence (nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, laboratory technicians). Social and environmental factors are important determinants, associated with exposure in the hospital environment, which can determine the greater or lesser risk of infection by pathogens that spread rapidly by air

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

TB-HIV Coinfection: spatial and temporal analysis in the city of São Paulo

Introdução - A tuberculose (TB) e a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (AIDS) são os agravos de origem infecciosa com maior mortalidade no mundo. O vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV) compromete o sistema imunológico e favorece o adoecimento por TB e, nesta perspectiva, a coinfecção TB-HIV constitui uma associação potencialmente fatal. Objetivos - Descrever os casos novos de TB coinfectados pelo HIV e analisar os padrões de distribuição espacial e temporal da coinfecção no município de São Paulo. Método - Estudo descritivo, analítico e de série temporal com dados do Sistema de Notificação e Acompanhamento dos Casos de Tuberculose (TBWEB). Foram incluídos todos os casos novos de TB coinfectados pelo HIV residentes no município de São Paulo, no período de 2007 a 2015. Foram calculadas as proporções de infecção pelo HIV entre os casos novos de TB e as taxas anuais de incidência de coinfecção TB-HIV, e a tendência temporal foi analisada por regressão de Prais-Winsten. Casos foram descritos segundo as características sociodemográficas, clínicas e epidemiológicas, e casos com e sem residência fixa foram comparados pelo teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson ou teste exato de Fisher. Casos sem residência fixa foram espacialmente distribuídos segundo o distrito administrativo de tratamento da TB. Casos com residência fixa foram geocodificados pelo endereço de residência, e foram utilizados para o cálculo das taxas brutas de incidência e taxas suavizadas pelo Método Bayesiano Empírico Local. Índices de Moran Global e Local avaliaram a autocorrelação espacial dos dados. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Resultados - Foram analisados 6.092 casos novos de coinfecção TB-HIV: 5.609 indivíduos com residência fixa e 483 sem residência fixa. A proporção de coinfecção TB-HIV variou de 13,7%, em 2007, a 10,5%, em 2015, com queda de 3,0%/ano. A proporção de coinfecção pelo HIV entre casos de TB sem residência fixa foi maior em todo o período, com queda de 4,3%/ano, enquanto na população com residência fixa a diminuição anual foi de 3,3%. As taxas brutas de incidência de coinfecção TB-HIV apresentaram diminuição de 3,6% ao ano, passando de 7,0 em 2007, para 5,3 em 2015 (por 100 mil habitantes/ano). A população coinfectada por TB-HIV alcançou baixas taxas de cura (20,0%). O perfil dos indivíduos sem residência fixa diferiu em alguns aspectos daqueles com residência, e foram, sobretudo, atendidos nas regiões Centro, Oeste e Sudeste do município. A incidência da coinfecção TB-HIV na população com residência fixa apresentou autocorrelação espacial positiva e significativa em todo o período, com um padrão espacial heterogêneo, e com um aglomerado de alto risco na região central do município. Conclusões - A tendência de queda na coinfecção TB-HIV indica importante avanço no controle da TB e do HIV/AIDS entre 2007 e 2015 no município de São Paulo. As análises revelaram áreas que se apresentaram contínua e desigualmente afetadas pelo agravo, e que devem ser priorizadas nas formulações de políticas para o aprimoramento das ações de prevenção e controle da coinfecção TB-HIV.Introduction - Tuberculosis (TB) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are the infectious diseases with the highest mortality in the world. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects the immune system and facilitates the progress to active TB, therefore TB-HIV coinfection is a potentially fatal association. Objectives - Describing the new TB-HIV coinfected cases and analyzing the spatial and temporal patterns of coinfection in the city of São Paulo. Method - Descriptive, analytical and time series study with data from the reporting and monitoring system of TB cases (TBWEB). All new cases of TB with HIV coinfection living in the city of São Paulo were included, in the period from 2007 to 2015. The HIV infection proportions among new TB cases and annual incidence rates of TB-HIV coinfection were calculated, and temporal trends were analyzed by Prais-Winsten regression. The cases were described according to sociodemographic, clinical and epidemiological characteristics, and cases with fixed residence and homeless cases were compared by the Pearson\'s chi-square test or Fisher\'s exact test. Homeless cases were spatially distributed according to the district of TB treatment. Cases with fixed residence were geocoded by the home address, and used to calculate the crude incidence rates and the Empirical Bayes smoothed rates. Global and Local Moran indexes evaluated the spatial autocorrelation. The level of significance was 5%. Results - A total of 6,092 new cases of TB-HIV coinfection were analyzed: 5,609 had fixed residence and 483 were homeless. The proportion of TB-HIV coinfection ranged from 13.7% in 2007 to 10.5% in 2015, with a decrease of 3.0%/year. Coinfection by HIV among homeless TB cases was higher in the entire period, but decreasing 4.3% per year, while in the population with fixed residence the annual decline was equal to 3.3%. The incidence rates of TB-HIV coinfection presented a decrease of 3.6% per year, ranging from 7.0 in 2007 to 5.3 in 2015 (per 100 thousand people/year). The TB-HIV coinfected population achieved low rates of cure ( 20.0%). The profile of homeless cases differed in some aspects from those with a fixed residence, and they were mainly attended in the Central, West and Southeast regions of the city. Incidence rates of TB-HIV coinfection among the population with fixed residence presented positive and significant spatial autocorrelation throughout the period, with a heterogeneous spatial pattern, and a high-risk cluster in the central region of the city. Conclusions - Decreasing trend of TB-HIV coinfection indicates an important advance in TB and HIV/AIDS control from 2007 to 2015 in the city of São Paulo. Spatial and temporal analyzes revealed areas continuously and unequally affected by disease, and should be prioritized for guiding policy formulation in order to improve prevention and control actions of TB-HIV coinfection

An international observational study to assess the impact of the Omicron variant emergence on the clinical epidemiology of COVID-19 in hospitalised patients

Background: Whilst timely clinical characterisation of infections caused by novel SARS-CoV-2 variants is necessary for evidence-based policy response, individual-level data on infecting variants are typically only available for a minority of patients and settings. Methods: Here, we propose an innovative approach to study changes in COVID-19 hospital presentation and outcomes after the Omicron variant emergence using publicly available population-level data on variant relative frequency to infer SARS-CoV-2 variants likely responsible for clinical cases. We apply this method to data collected by a large international clinical consortium before and after the emergence of the Omicron variant in different countries. Results: Our analysis, that includes more than 100,000 patients from 28 countries, suggests that in many settings patients hospitalised with Omicron variant infection less often presented with commonly reported symptoms compared to patients infected with pre-Omicron variants. Patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospital after Omicron variant emergence had lower mortality compared to patients admitted during the period when Omicron variant was responsible for only a minority of infections (odds ratio in a mixed-effects logistic regression adjusted for likely confounders, 0.67 [95% confidence interval 0.61-0.75]). Qualitatively similar findings were observed in sensitivity analyses with different assumptions on population-level Omicron variant relative frequencies, and in analyses using available individual-level data on infecting variant for a subset of the study population. Conclusions: Although clinical studies with matching viral genomic information should remain a priority, our approach combining publicly available data on variant frequency and a multi-country clinical characterisation dataset with more than 100,000 records allowed analysis of data from a wide range of settings and novel insights on real-world heterogeneity of COVID-19 presentation and clinical outcome

A multi-country analysis of COVID-19 hospitalizations by vaccination status

Background: Individuals vaccinated against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), when infected, can still develop disease that requires hospitalization. It remains unclear whether these patients differ from hospitalized unvaccinated patients with regard to presentation, coexisting comorbidities, and outcomes. Methods: Here, we use data from an international consortium to study this question and assess whether differences between these groups are context specific. Data from 83,163 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (34,843 vaccinated, 48,320 unvaccinated) from 38 countries were analyzed. Findings: While typical symptoms were more often reported in unvaccinated patients, comorbidities, including some associated with worse prognosis in previous studies, were more common in vaccinated patients. Considerable between-country variation in both in-hospital fatality risk and vaccinated-versus-unvaccinated difference in this outcome was observed. Conclusions: These findings will inform allocation of healthcare resources in future surges as well as design of longer-term international studies to characterize changes in clinical profile of hospitalized COVID-19 patients related to vaccination history. Funding: This work was made possible by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Wellcome (215091/Z/18/Z, 222410/Z/21/Z, 225288/Z/22/Z, and 220757/Z/20/Z); the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1209135); and the philanthropic support of the donors to the University of Oxford's COVID-19 Research Response Fund (0009109). Additional funders are listed in the "acknowledgments" section

Paediatric COVID-19 mortality: a database analysis of the impact of health resource disparity

Background The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric populations varied between high-income countries (HICs) versus low-income to middle-income countries (LMICs). We sought to investigate differences in paediatric clinical outcomes and identify factors contributing to disparity between countries.Methods The International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC) COVID-19 database was queried to include children under 19 years of age admitted to hospital from January 2020 to April 2021 with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Univariate and multivariable analysis of contributing factors for mortality were assessed by country group (HICs vs LMICs) as defined by the World Bank criteria.Results A total of 12 860 children (3819 from 21 HICs and 9041 from 15 LMICs) participated in this study. Of these, 8961 were laboratory-confirmed and 3899 suspected COVID-19 cases. About 52% of LMICs children were black, and more than 40% were infants and adolescent. Overall in-hospital mortality rate (95% CI) was 3.3% [=(3.0% to 3.6%), higher in LMICs than HICs (4.0% (3.6% to 4.4%) and 1.7% (1.3% to 2.1%), respectively). There were significant differences between country income groups in intervention profile, with higher use of antibiotics, antivirals, corticosteroids, prone positioning, high flow nasal cannula, non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation in HICs. Out of the 439 mechanically ventilated children, mortality occurred in 106 (24.1%) subjects, which was higher in LMICs than HICs (89 (43.6%) vs 17 (7.2%) respectively). Pre-existing infectious comorbidities (tuberculosis and HIV) and some complications (bacterial pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and myocarditis) were significantly higher in LMICs compared with HICs. On multivariable analysis, LMIC as country income group was associated with increased risk of mortality (adjusted HR 4.73 (3.16 to 7.10)).Conclusion Mortality and morbidities were higher in LMICs than HICs, and it may be attributable to differences in patient demographics, complications and access to supportive and treatment modalities

ISARIC-COVID-19 dataset: A Prospective, Standardized, Global Dataset of Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19

The International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) COVID-19 dataset is one of the largest international databases of prospectively collected clinical data on people hospitalized with COVID-19. This dataset was compiled during the COVID-19 pandemic by a network of hospitals that collect data using the ISARIC-World Health Organization Clinical Characterization Protocol and data tools. The database includes data from more than 705,000 patients, collected in more than 60 countries and 1,500 centres worldwide. Patient data are available from acute hospital admissions with COVID-19 and outpatient follow-ups. The data include signs and symptoms, pre-existing comorbidities, vital signs, chronic and acute treatments, complications, dates of hospitalization and discharge, mortality, viral strains, vaccination status, and other data. Here, we present the dataset characteristics, explain its architecture and how to gain access, and provide tools to facilitate its use