Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus during Computed Tomography Scanning with Contrast

Six cases of acute hepatitis C related to computed tomography scanning with contrast were identified in 3 hospitals. A patient with chronic hepatitis C had been subjected to the same procedure immediately before each patient who developed acute infection. Viral molecular analysis showed identity between isolates from cases with acute and chronic hepatitis C

Development of spatial density maps based on geoprocessing web services: application to tuberculosis incidence in Barcelona, Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health professionals and authorities strive to cope with heterogeneous data, services, and statistical models to support decision making on public health. Sophisticated analysis and distributed processing capabilities over geocoded epidemiological data are seen as driving factors to speed up control and decision making in these health risk situations. In this context, recent Web technologies and standards-based web services deployed on geospatial information infrastructures have rapidly become an efficient way to access, share, process, and visualize geocoded health-related information.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data used on this study is based on Tuberculosis (TB) cases registered in Barcelona city during 2009. Residential addresses are geocoded and loaded into a spatial database that acts as a backend database. The web-based application architecture and geoprocessing web services are designed according to the Representational State Transfer (REST) principles. These web processing services produce spatial density maps against the backend database.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results are focused on the use of the proposed web-based application to the analysis of TB cases in Barcelona. The application produces spatial density maps to ease the monitoring and decision making process by health professionals. We also include a discussion of how spatial density maps may be useful for health practitioners in such contexts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this paper, we developed web-based client application and a set of geoprocessing web services to support specific health-spatial requirements. Spatial density maps of TB incidence were generated to help health professionals in analysis and decision-making tasks. The combined use of geographic information tools, map viewers, and geoprocessing services leads to interesting possibilities in handling health data in a spatial manner. In particular, the use of spatial density maps has been effective to identify the most affected areas and its spatial impact. This study is an attempt to demonstrate how web processing services together with web-based mapping capabilities suit the needs of health practitioners in epidemiological analysis scenarios.</p

Prevention of sexually transmitted infections using mobile devices and ubiquitous computing

Advances in the development of information and communication technologies have facilitated social interrelationships, but also sexual contacts without appropriate preventive measures. In this paper, we will focus on situations in which people use applications to meet sexual partners nearby, which could increase their chance of exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STI). How can we encourage users to adopt preventive measures without violating their privacy or infringing on the character of the application

Tuberculosis treatment adherence and fatality in Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The adherence to long tuberculosis (TB) treatment is a key factor in TB control programs. Always some patients abandon the treatment or die. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with defaulting from or dying during antituberculosis treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Prospective study of a large cohort of TB cases diagnosed during 2006-2007 by 61 members of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR). Predictive factors of completion outcome (cured plus completed treatment vs. defaulters plus lost to follow-up) and fatality (died <it>vs. </it>the rest of patients) were based on logistic regression, calculating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 1490 patients included, 29.7% were foreign-born. The treatment outcomes were: cured 792 (53.2%), completed treatment 540 (36.2%), failure 2 (0.1%), transfer-out 33 (2.2%), default 27 (1.8%), death 27 (1.8%), lost to follow-up 65 (4.4%), other 4 (0.3%). Completion outcome reached 93.5% and poor adherence was associated with: being an immigrant (OR = 2.03; CI:1.06-3.88), living alone (OR = 2.35; CI:1.05-5.26), residents of confined institutions (OR = 4.79; CI:1.74-13.14), previous treatment (OR = 2.93; CI:1.44-5.98), being an injecting drug user (IDU) (OR = 9.51; CI:2.70-33.47) and treatment comprehension difficulties (OR = 2.93; CI:1.44-5.98). Case fatality was 1.8% and it was associated with the following variables: age 50 or over (OR = 10.88; CI:1.12-105.01), retired (OR = 12.26;CI:1.74-86.04), HIV-infected (OR = 9.93; CI:1.48-66.34), comprehension difficulties (OR = 4.07; CI:1.24-13.29), IDU (OR = 23.59; CI:2.46-225.99) and Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) (OR = 3.54; CI:1.07-11.77).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Immigrants, those living alone, residents of confined institutions, patients treated previously, those with treatment comprehension difficulties, and IDU patients have poor adherence and should be targeted for DOT. To reduce fatality rates, stricter monitoring is required for patients who are retired, HIV-infected, IDU, and those with treatment comprehension difficulties.</p

Prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections by geofencing and contextualized messages with a gamified APP, UBESAFE : Design and creation study

Advances in the development of information and communication technologies have facilitated social and sexual interrelationships, thanks to the websites and apps created to this end. However, these resources can also encourage sexual contacts without appropriate preventive measures in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). How can users be helped to benefit from the advantages of these apps while keeping in mind those preventive measures? This study aimed to prevent STIs by helping users to remember preventive measures in the risky situations. We have used the design and creation methodology and have developed a software system. This system has two parts: an Android operating system app with emphasis on ubiquitous computing and gamification as well as a server with a webpage. First, a functional test with 5 men who have sex with men (MSM) allowed us to test the app with end users. In addition, a feasibility test with 4 MSM for a month allowed us to try the UBESAFE system with all its functionalities. The main output is a system called UBESAFE that is addressed to MSM. The system has two main parts: (1) an app that sends preventive contextualized messages to users when they use a contact app or when they are near a point where sexual contacts are likely and (2) a server part that was managed by the public health agency of Barcelona (ASPB), which preserves the quality and pertinence of messages and places and offers instant help to users. To increase users' adherence, UBESAFE uses a gamified system to engage users in the creation of preventive messages. Users increased the initial pool of messages by more than 100% (34/30) and created more than 56% (9/16) of places (named hot zones). The system helped MSM who used it to become conscious about HIV and other STIs. The system also helped the ASPB to stay in contact with MSM and to detect behaviors that could benefit from preventive measures. All functions were performed in a nonintrusive manner because users used the app privately. Furthermore, the system has shown how important it is to make users a part of the creation process as well as to develop apps that work by themselves and thus become useful to the users

Auditing the management of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks: the need for a tool

Public health activities, especially infectious disease control, depend on effective teamwork. We present the results of a pilot audit questionnaire aimed at assessing the quality of public health services in the management of VPD outbreaks. Audit questionnaire with three main areas indicators (structure, process and results) was developed. Guidelines were set and each indicator was assessed by three auditors. Differences in indicator scores according to median size of outbreaks were determined by ANOVA (significance at p (greater than or equal to) 0.05). Of 154 outbreaks; eighteen indicators had a satisfactory mean score, indicator "updated guidelines" and "timely reporting" had a poor mean score (2.84±106 and 2.44±1.67, respectively). Statistically significant differences were found according to outbreak size, in the indicators "availability of guidelines/protocol updated less than 3 years ago" (p = 0.03) and "days needed for outbreak control" (p = 0.04). Improving availability of updated guidelines, enhancing timely reporting and adequate recording of control procedures taken is needed to allow for management assessment and improvement

Social, Clinical and Microbiological Differential Characteristics of Tuberculosis among Immigrants in Spain

BACKGROUND: To identify the differential tuberculosis (TB) characteristics within the immigrant population with respect to natives in Spain. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A prospective cohort study design was implemented to examine the TB cases diagnosed and starting standard antituberculous treatment in Spain, between January 1st 2006 and March 31st 2007. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine differential characteristics. 1,490 patients were included in the study population, 1,048 natives and 442 (29.7%) immigrants. According to the multivariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with immigrant TB cases: younger age (OR = 3.79; CI:2.16-6.62), living in group situation (OR = 7.61; CI:3.38-12.12), lower frequency of disabled (OR:0.08; CI:0.02-0.26) and retired (OR:0.21; CI:0.09-0.48) employment status, lower frequency of pulmonary disease presentation (OR = 0.47; CI:0.24-0.92), primary or emergency care admission (OR = 1.80; CI:1.05-3.06 and OR = 2.16; CI:1.36-3.45), drug resistance (OR = 1.86; CI:1.01-3.46), treatment default (OR:2.12; CI:1.18-3.81), lower frequency of alcohol and cigarette consumption (OR = 2.10; CI:1.42-3.11 and OR = 2.85; CI:2.10-3.87 respectively), more directly observed treatment (OR = 1.68; CI:1.04-2.69), and poor understanding of TB disease and its treatment (OR = 3.11; CI:1.86-5.20). The low percentage of primary MDR-TB in the native population (0.1% vs. 2.2% of immigrants) should be noted. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The differences show the need to introduce specific strategies in the management of TB within the immigrant population, including the improvement of social and work conditions

Epidemiology of pertussis in two Ibero-American countries with different vaccination policies: lessons derived from different surveillance systems

Background Pertussis is a re-emerging disease worldwide despite its high vaccination coverage. European and Latin-American countries have used different surveillance and vaccination policies against pertussis. We compared the epidemiology of this disease in two Ibero-American countries with different vaccination and surveillance policies. Methods We compared the epidemiology of pertussis in Spain and the Dominican Republic (DR). We present a 10-year observational study of reported pertussis based on suspected and/or probable cases of pertussis identified by the national mandatory reporting system in both countries between 2005 and 2014. Both countries have a similar case definition for pertussis surveillance, although Spain applies laboratory testing, and uses real time PCR and/or culture for case confirmation while in DR only probable and/or suspected cases are reported. We analyzed incidence, hospitalization, case-fatality rates, mortality and vaccination coverage. Results The average annual incidence in children aged <1 year was 3.40/100,000 population in Spain and 12.15/100,000 in DR (p = 0.01). While the incidence in DR was generally higher than in Spain, in 2011 it was six times higher in Spain than in DR. The highest infant mortality in Spain was 0.017/100,000 in 2011, and the highest in DR was 0.08/100,000 in 2014 (p = 0.01). The proportion of hospitalized cases per year among children <1 year varied between 22.0% and 93.7% in Spain, and between 1.1% and 29.4% in DR (p = 0.0002), while mortality varied from 0 to 0.017 and 0 to 0.08 per 100,000 population in Spain and DR, respectively (p = 0.001). Vaccination coverage was 96.5% in Spain and 82.2% in DR (p = 0.001). Conclusions Pertussis is a public health problem in both countries. Surveillance, prevention and control measures should be improved, especially in DR. Current vaccination programs are not sufficient for preventing continued pertussis transmission, even in Spain which has high vaccination coverag

Retrospective study of clinical and lesion characteristics of patients undergoing surgical treatment for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Georgia

Altres ajuts: This work was supported by CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CB06/06/0031); and the SEPAR trough Project 2016/023.Our aim was to retrospectively compare clinical data and characteristics of removed lesions of the cohort of patients undergoing therapeutical surgery for their tuberculosis. Demographic and epidemiological details, clinical data, data on the surgery performed, macroscopic characteristics of the TB lesions removed, and outcome were recorded retrospectively from the 137 patients who underwent therapeutical surgery for their TB in Tbilisi, Georgia during 2014 and 2015. Men represented 70% of the included patients, presented more comorbidities and underwent operation earlier in terms of days between diagnostic and surgery. Women underwent operation at younger ages, and in MDR/XDR-TB cases, showed higher percentages of sputum conversion at >2 months and of fresh necrosis in the surgical specimens, suggesting a worse evolution. Half of cases were MDR/XDR-TB cases. In spite of being considered microbiologically cured according to WHO, a non despricable percentage of cases showed viable bacilli in the surgical specimen. Even if no causality could be statistically demonstrated, differences could be encountered according to gender and drug susceptibility of the responsible strains. According to our results, host factors such as gender, type of necrosis found in the lesions, size of lesions and presence of viable bacilli in the surgical specimen, should be included in future studies on therapeutical surgery of TB. As most of studies are done in MDR/XDR-TB, more data on DS-TB operated cases are needed. Our results also highlight that, in spite of achieving the microbiologically cured status, sterilization might not occur, and thus new biomarkers and new methods to evaluate the healing process of TB patients are urgently needed and radiological assays should be taken into account

El papel de los farmacéuticos comunitarios en la prevención y control de la Covid-19 en Cataluña

Introducción: En las últimas décadas, tanto la farmacia como el farmacéutico han estado en constante evolución, siendo fundamentales en el control de enfermedades infecciosas. Los objetivos de este artículo son mostrar el papel de los farmacéuticos comunitarios en el control de la COVID-19 y conocer la percepción que tienen sobre su papel en el control de esta pandemia. Métodos: Se realizó y envió una encuesta a 8556 farmacéuticos comunitarios colegiados en Cataluña, donde se les preguntaba por su opinión y la percepción que tenían de su rol en distintas actividades de control de la COVID-19. Se realizó un análisis bivariante y descriptivo de las diferentes variables de la encuesta de manera global y estratificado por grupos de edad (60 años) y por tipo de farmacia (urbana vs otras). Resultados: La tasa de respuesta de la encuesta fue del 14,63% (1253). A pesar de la percepción positiva que tienen los farmacéuticos sobre su rol en la pandemia, el 90,9% de los encuestados considera que la Administración Sanitaria no contó mucho con las farmacias al inicio de esta. Se han encontrado diferencias estadísticamente significativas en determinados aspectos, como por ejemplo en la percepción que el farmacéutico tiene sobre el nivel de información del usuario, o en la frecuencia de encuentros con negacionistas, ambos hechos relacionados con la edad del farmacéutico (p=0,047 y p=0,001 respectivamente). Conclusiones: Las farmacias son establecimientos sanitarios estratégicamente posicionados para realizar actividades de salud pública para colaborar en el control de pandemias. Por lo que el farmacéutico comunitario, en tanto que profesional de la salud, debe ser considerado una pieza más del engranaje para mejorar la eficiencia del sistema sanitario