Prospective Study of Plasmodium vivax Malaria Recurrence after Radical Treatment with a Chloroquine-Primaquine Standard Regimen in Turbo, Colombia.

Plasmodium vivax recurrences help maintain malaria transmission. They are caused by recrudescence, reinfection, or relapse, which are not easily differentiated. A longitudinal observational study took place in Turbo municipality, Colombia. Participants with uncomplicated P. vivax infection received supervised treatment concomitantly with 25 mg/kg chloroquine and 0.25 mg/kg/day primaquine for 14 days. Incidence of recurrence was assessed over 180 days. Samples were genotyped, and origins of recurrences were established. A total of 134 participants were enrolled between February 2012 and July 2013, and 87 were followed for 180 days, during which 29 recurrences were detected. The cumulative incidence of first recurrence was 24.1% (21/87) (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.6 to 33.7%), and 86% (18/21) of these events occurred between days 51 and 110. High genetic diversity of P. vivax strains was found, and 12.5% (16/128) of the infections were polyclonal. Among detected recurrences, 93.1% (27/29) of strains were genotyped as genetically identical to the strain from the previous infection episode, and 65.5% (19/29) of infections were classified as relapses. Our results indicate that there is a high incidence of P. vivax malaria recurrence after treatment in Turbo municipality, Colombia, and that a large majority of these episodes are likely relapses from the previous infection. We attribute this to the primaquine regimen currently used in Colombia, which may be insufficient to eliminate hypnozoites

Sazón y formación: prácticas alimenticias e identidad cultural en las familias afrodescendientes de la comuna ocho de Medellín

This article is intended to build a hermeneutic path that generates a theoretical approach to changes in the nutritional practices of some families located in the Commune Eight of Medellin, in order to understand its conditions of possibility in the community of African descent, who for personal, group, cultural, political, or economic factors have been forced to migrate to a context different from theirs where its practices and lifestyles have undergone some changes. Along these lines, concepts such as nutritional practices, families, people of African descent, migration, and social action, that allowed you to give clarity and understanding to the topic of interest, were addressed.Con el presente artículo se pretende construir una ruta hermenéutica que genere un acercamiento teórico frente a los cambios en las prácticas alimenticias de algunas familias ubicadas en la comuna ocho de Medellín, para comprender sus condiciones de posibilidad en la comunidad afrodescendiente que por factores personales, grupales, culturales, políticos o económicos, se han visto obligados a migrar a un contexto diferente al suyo, donde sus prácticas y estilos de vida han sufrido algunas modificaciones. En ese orden de ideas, se abordaron conceptos tales como prácticas alimenticias, familias afrodescendientes, migración y acción social que permitieron dar claridad y comprensión al tema de interés

Seasoning and training: nutritional practices and cultural identity in people of african descent families of the commune eight of Medellin

This article is intended to build a hermeneutic path that generates a theoretical approach to changes in the nutritional practices of some families located in the Commune Eight of Medellin, in order to understand its conditions of possibility in the community of African descent, who for personal, group, cultural, political, or economic factors have been forced to migrate to a context different from theirs where its practices and lifestyles have undergone some changes. Along these lines, concepts such as nutritional practices, families, people of African descent, migration, and social action, that allowed you to give clarity and understanding to the topic of interest, were addressed.Con el presente artículo se pretende construir una ruta hermenéutica que genere un acercamiento teórico frente a los cambios en las prácticas alimenticias de algunas familias ubicadas en la comuna ocho de Medellín, para comprender sus condiciones de posibilidad en la comunidad afrodescendiente que por factores personales, grupales, culturales, políticos o económicos, se han visto obligados a migrar a un contexto diferente al suyo, donde sus prácticas y estilos de vida han sufrido algunas modificaciones. En ese orden de ideas, se abordaron conceptos tales como prácticas alimenticias, familias afrodescendientes, migración y acción social que permitieron dar claridad y comprensión al tema de interés

Challenges for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria in low transmission settings in San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas, Ecuador

Abstract Background Ecuador is on the verge of eliminating malaria according to the World Health Organization criteria. Nevertheless, active transmission foci still persist in the country, and these represent an important challenge for achieving the objectives set out. Diagnosis and treatment are a mainstay in the control and elimination of this disease. This study aimed to explore the barriers hindering the implementation of malaria diagnosis and treatment strategies in a focus of active transmission in the San Lorenzo canton, Ecuador. Methods Using a convergent mixed methods design during 2017, the researchers assessed the physical and human resources of the services network at the primary level of care along with the quality assurance activities, patient access to healthcare services and perceptions regarding the care provided to patients with malaria. Results The programme’s administrative transition from the National Service of Vector-borne Diseases to the Ministry of Public Health is perceived from the interviewed participants to have weakened the diagnosis network established in recent years. A mean of 6.4 ± 0.88 months was found for anti-malarial medication shortage at the primary level of care. Likewise, there was high healthcare staff turnover (permanence, Me = 7 months; IQR = 5–16) and a deficit of general knowledge on the disease among the entirety of healthcare staff, as only 29% of physicians were aware of the correct first-line treatment for malaria by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. It was evidenced that 95.7% of patients were hospitalized to receive anti-malarial treatment. Both patients and healthcare staff considered the area to be difficult to reach due to its geography and the presence of groups outside the law. They also identified the lack of personnel and microscopy posts in this border area as the main barrier. Conclusion The network of diagnostic services for malaria is weak in San Lorenzo, and socio-economic, political and historical factors hinder the implementation of the universal malaria elimination strategy based on diagnosis and treatment

Sazón y formación: Prácticas alimenticias e identidad cultural en las familias afrodescendientes de la comuna ocho de Medellín

This article is intended to build a hermeneutic path that generates a theoretical approach to changes in the nutritional practices of some families located in the Commune Eight of Medellin, in order to understand its conditions of possibility in the community of African descent, who for personal, group, cultural, political, or economic factors have been forced to migrate to a context different from theirs where its practices and lifestyles have undergone some changes. Along these lines, concepts such as nutritional practices, families, people of African descent, migration, and social action, that allowed you to give clarity and understanding to the topic of interest, were addressed.Con el presente artículo se pretende construir una ruta hermenéutica que genere un acercamiento teórico frente a los cambios en las prácticas alimenticias de algunas familias ubicadas en la comuna ocho de Medellín, para comprender sus condiciones de posibilidad en la comunidad afrodescendiente que por factores personales, grupales, culturales, políticos o económicos, se han visto obligados a migrar a un contexto diferente al suyo, donde sus prácticas y estilos de vida han sufrido algunas modificaciones. En ese orden de ideas, se abordaron conceptos tales como prácticas alimenticias, familias afrodescendientes, migración y acción social que permitieron dar claridad y comprensión al tema de interés

Biodiversidad 2017. Estado y tendencias de la biodiversidad continental de Colombia

En la cuarta versión del Reporte, que corresponde al año 2017, es una obligación preguntarnos cuál ha sido y es el papel de esta publicación y si ha abarcado la diversidad de formas y conceptos que definen el estado y el futuro de la biodiversidad colombiana. Las temáticas que constituyen la columna vertebral de cada uno de los reportes anuales responden a temas de pertinencia, nivel de incidencia y actualidad desde cada uno de los diferentes niveles de organización de la biodiversidad y buscan responder las siguientes preguntas fundamentales: 1) ¿Cómo se encuentra la biodiversidad del país? 2)¿Qué factores, en dónde y en qué medida está siendo afectada? 3)¿Cuáles son las iniciativas que desde la sociedad civil o a nivel de políticas públicas buscan evitar esa pérdida? 4)¿Cuáles son las grandes oportunidades para mejorar su gestión y manejo? Si bien evaluar la incidencia que puede tener el Reporte sobre acciones de gestión no es tarea fácil, se debe reconocer la buena acogida que han tenido los textos, las ilustraciones y la cifras entre los distintos tipos de lectores y el papel fundamental que ha jugado el Reporte en comunicar información de altísima calidad sobre la biodiversidad colombiana en diferentes momentos coyunturales. En ese sentido esta publicación es cada vez más una herramienta de consulta y referencia que está abierta al público tanto en formato impreso como digital, y de la misma manera busca fortalecerse para continuar brindando información relevante para la toma de decisiones en materia ambiental.BogotáSubdirección de Investigacione