Acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Vaccination represents an important strategy to mitigate COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality by protecting against severe forms of the disease and reducing hospitalization and death rates. In this sense, the objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of Vaccination Intention (VI) against COVID-19 in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). Methods: We conducted a systematic review with a comprehensive search strategy for the following databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. A random-effect model meta-analysis was carried out using observational studies assessing the intention to vaccines against COVID-19 in LAC countries. The Clopper-Pearson method was used to estimate 95% Confidence Intervals. The quality assessment was developed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional studies. A subgroup analysis by study location and a sensitivity analysis were developed. Results: Nineteen cross-sectional studies were included. Five meta-analyzes were performed according to the target population of the included studies. The VI in the general population of LAC was 78.0% (95%CI: 74.0%–82.0%). The VI for non-pregnant women was 78.0% (95%CI: 58.0%–99.0%), for elderly population was 63.0% (95%CI: 59.0%–69.0%), for pregnant women was 69.0% (95%CI: 61.0%–76.0%) and for health-personnel was 83.0% (95% CI: 71.0%–96.0%). The sensitivity analysis for general population meta-analysis that included only low risk of bias studies showed a 77.0% VI (95%CI: 73.0%–82.0%) and for non-pregnant women, 85.0% VI (95%CI: 79.0%–90.0%). Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of VI in general population found in our study, VI prevalence from elderly people and pregnant women are lower than other population groups and overall population.Revisión por pare

Management of anaphylaxis due to COVID-19 vaccines in the elderly

Older adults, especially men and/or those with diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity, are prone to severe COVID-19. In some countries, older adults, particularly those residing in nursing homes, have been prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccines due to high risk of death. In very rare instances, the COVID-19 vaccines can induce anaphylaxis, and the management of anaphylaxis in older people should be considered carefully. An ARIA-EAACI-EuGMS (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and European Geriatric Medicine Society) Working Group has proposed some recommendations for older adults receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines is extremely rare (from 1 per 100,000 to 5 per million injections). Symptoms are similar in younger and older adults but they tend to be more severe in the older patients. Adrenaline is the mainstay treatment and should be readily available. A flowchart is proposed to manage anaphylaxis in the older patients.Peer reviewe

Sexually-transmitted disease prevalence and the factors associated with it in sexually-exploited children in Bogota, Colombia.

Objective Presenting the characteristics of a group of children who have been sexually exploited in Bogota, determining the prevalence of sexually-transmitted disease (STD) in this group of children and establishing the factors associated with STD in this population. Methodology This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The medical charts of children aged 10 to 17 years who sought medical attention at Fundación Renacer between January 2002 and June 2004 were reviewed. The analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations and binomial logistic regression. Results 255 children's charts were included, producing the following characteristics: being female (58.8%), average age was 15.4, 5.9% were affiliated to social security, 89.8% engaged in substance abuse, 41.2% used family planning, 3.9% used a condom during every intercourse and there were 0.86 average pregnancies per female adolescent. Sexually-transmitted disease prevalence was 30.9%. The most common diseases were condilomatosis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection. Substance abuse and infrequent condom use were associated with a diagnosis of STD. Conclusion Child sexual exploitation is a reality in Colombia. In spite of the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that STDs are an important problem in the sexually-abused child population in Bogota. Preventing child sexual exploitation and integral attention for these children (including health service provision) must become a priority

A first-in-human study to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies against human cytomegalovirus in healthy volunteers

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can cause significant disease in immunocompromised patients and treatment options are limited by toxicities. CSJ148 is a combination of two anti-HCMV human monoclonal antibodies (LJP538 and LJP539) that bind to and inhibit the function of viral HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) and the pentameric complex, consisting of glycoproteins gH, gL, UL128, UL130, and UL131. Here, we evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a single intravenous dose of LJP538 or LJP539 or their combination in healthy volunteers. Adverse events and laboratory abnormalities occurred sporadically with similar incidence between antibody and placebo groups and without any apparent relationship to dose. No subject who received antibody developed a hypersensitivity, infusion-related reaction or anti-drug antibodies. After intravenous administration, both LJP538 and LJP539 demonstrated typical human IgG1 pharmacokinetic properties, with slow clearances, limited volumes of distribution, and long terminal half-lives. The pharmacokinetic parameters were linear and dose proportional for both antibodies across the 50-fold range of doses evaluated in the study. There was no apparent impact on pharmacokinetics when the antibodies were administered alone or in combination. CSJ148 and the individual monoclonal antibodies were safe and well tolerated, with pharmacokinetics as expected for human immunoglobulin

Coastal Impacts Driven by Sea-Level Rise in Cartagena de Indias

This work analyzes the coastal impacts of the combined effect of extreme waves and sea level extremes, including surges and projected mean sea level rise in Bocagrande, Cartagena (Colombia). Extreme waves are assessed from a wave reanalysis that are propagated from deep waters to the beach considering the hydrodynamic processes and taking into account the interaction between waves and the coastal elevation within the study area. First, we consider present sea level, storm surges and waves affecting the area. Next, we analyze the effect of sea level rise according to a moderate (RCP4.5) climate change scenario for the 21st century (years 2025, 2050, 2075, and 2100). The most pessimistic scenario (year 2100) yields a percentage of flooded area of 97.2%, thus revealing the major threat that represents sea level rise for coastal areas in theCaribbean Sea.Environmental Fluid Mechanic

CARIACO time series individual CTD profiles from B/O Hermano Gines HG93_CARIACO in the CARIACO basin from 1995-2017 (CARIACO project)

Dataset: CTD Individual ProfilesThis collection of data comprises all the Individual CTD profiles from the Cariaco basin taken as part of the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program from November 1995 to January 2017. These include all the CTD profiles taken during the monthly hydrographic cruises at the CARIACO station (10.50° N, 64.67° W), as well as other CTD profiles from extra legs of the monthly cruises, and few spatial cruises collected in and around the Cariaco basin. CTD’s Salinity and Oxygen where calibrated with in-situ measurements (see Acquisition Description). This dataset is complimentary to the monthly “CTD Composite Profiles” (https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/3092), and many fields are very similar to that data-base. The difference with that dataset, is that here we present all the CTD casts for each cruise, the CTD profiles are single (not composite), and the salinity and oxygen profiles were calibrated with in-situ measurements, but fluorescence was no calibrated. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/773146Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Venezuela (FONACIT) unknown CARIACO FONACIT, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9401537, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9729697, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0326268, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9216626, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9711318, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NAS5-97128, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9415790, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9729284, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NAG5-6448, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0963028, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0752139, Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Venezuela (FONACIT) 96280221, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) unknown CARIACO NSF OCE, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0326313, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NNX14AP62

Time-series Niskin-bottle sample data from R/V Hermano Gines cruises in the Cariaco Basin from 1995 through 2017 (CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program)

Dataset: Niskin bottle samplesThe CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program (formerly known as CArbon Retention In A Colored Ocean) started on November 1995 (CAR-001) and ended on January 2017 (CAR-232). Monthly cruises were conducted to the CARIACO station (10.50° N, 64.67° W) onboard the R/V Hermano Ginés of the Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales de Venezuela. During each cruise, a minimum of four hydrocasts were performed to collect a suite of core monthly observations. We conducted separate shallow and deep casts to obtain a better vertical resolution of in-situ Niskin-bottles samples for chemical observations, and for productivity, phytoplankton, and pigment observations. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/3093Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Venezuela (FONACIT) unknown CARIACO FONACIT, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9401537, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9729697, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0326268, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9216626, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9711318, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NAS5-97128, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9415790, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-9729284, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NAG5-6448, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0963028, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0752139, Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Venezuela (FONACIT) 96280221, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) unknown CARIACO NSF OCE, NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-0326313, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NNX14AP62