Viral hepatitis and Treponema pallidum prevalence in persons who underwent premarital blood tests in Argentina

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of different serological markers of hepatitis A, B and C viruses and Treponema pallidum among the adult population of Argentina. To achieve this, adults who attended health services for premarital exams (which are mandatory and includes screening for syphilis) were recruited. A cross-sectional study was designed with a cluster sampling strategy. Couples who attended selected health services for premarital screening between 2013 and 2014 in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza and Santa Fe provinces were included. A total of 3833 individuals were recruited. Anti-HAV prevalence was 63.9%, anti-HCV 0.3%, anti-HBc (without HBsAg) 1.9%, HBsAg 0.3%, and T pallidum 0.8%. Anti-HAV was higher among older participants, foreigners and those from the lower strata. HBV increased with age and was higher among foreigners and those with lower formal educational level. Anti-HCV frequency increased with age. Premarital screening of viral hepatitis could constitute an instance of diagnosis, vaccination and inclusion in care of those in need. Results from this study will allow the national hepatitis programs to design public policies in order to diminish the impact of these infections on the population.Fil: Angeleri, Patricia. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Levite, Valeria. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Vidiella, Gabriela. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Solari, Joaquín. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Coronel, Emma. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Adaszko, Dan. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Adaszko, Ariel. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Moyano, Cecilia. Programa Provincial de ETS y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Bouchet, Diosnel. Programa Provincial de Lucha Contra El Vih-sida y Ets; ArgentinaFil: Cuello, Héctor. Programa Provincial de Hepatitis Virales; ArgentinaFil: Molfese, Viviana. Programa Provincial de VIH sida, ITS y Hepatitis Virales; ArgentinaFil: Skarzauskas, Rosario. Programa Provincial de VIH sida, ITS y Hepatitis Virales; ArgentinaFil: Vila, Marcelo. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Falistocco, Carlos. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Pando, María de los Ángeles. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentin

RBD-specific polyclonal F(ab´)2 fragments of equine antibodies in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive phase 2/3 clinical trial

Background: passive immunotherapy is a therapeutic alternative for patients with COVID-19. Equine polyclonal antibodies (EpAbs) could represent a source of scalable neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Methods: we conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess efficacy and safety of EpAbs (INM005) in hospitalized adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 pneumonia in 19 hospitals of Argentina. Primary endpoint was improvement in at least two categories in WHO ordinal clinical scale at day 28 or hospital discharge (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT04494984). Findings: between August 1st and October 26th, 2020, a total of 245 patients were enrolled. Enrolled patients were assigned to receive two blinded doses of INM005 (n = 118) or placebo (n = 123). Median age was 54 years old, 65 1% were male and 61% had moderate disease at baseline. Median time from symptoms onset to study treatment was 6 days (interquartile range 5 to 8). No statistically significant difference was noted between study groups on primary endpoint (risk difference [95% IC]: 5 28% [-3 95; 14 50]; p = 0 15). Rate of improvement in at least two categories was statistically significantly higher for INM005 at days 14 and 21 of follow-up. Time to improvement in two ordinal categories or hospital discharge was 14 2 (§ 0 7) days in the INM005 group and 16 3 (§ 0 7) days in the placebo group, hazard ratio 1 31 (95% CI 1 0 to 1 74). Subgroup analyses showed a beneficial effect of INM005 over severe patients and in those with negative baseline antibodies. Overall mortality was 6 9% the INM005 group and 11 4% in the placebo group (risk difference [95% IC]: 0 57 [0 24 to 1 37]). Adverse events of special interest were mild or moderate; no anaphylaxis was reported. Interpretation: Albeit not having reached the primary endpoint, we found clinical improvement of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, particularly those with severe disease.Fil: Lopardo, Gustavo. Municipalidad de Vicente Lopez (buenos Aires). Hospital Municipal Doctor Bernardo Houssay.; ArgentinaFil: Belloso, Waldo H.. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Nannini, Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Colonna, Mariana. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Sanguineti, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Zylberman, Vanesa. Inmunova; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Muñoz, Luciana. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Dobarro, Martín. Sanatorio Sagrado Corazón; ArgentinaFil: Lebersztein, Gabriel. Sanatorio Sagrado Corazón; ArgentinaFil: Farina, Javier. Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Alta Complejidad Cuenca Alta Doctor Nestor Carlos Kirchner.; ArgentinaFil: Vidiella, Gabriela. Sanatorio Agote. Dr. Luis Agote; ArgentinaFil: Bertetti, Anselmo. Sanatorio Guemes Sociedad Anonima.; ArgentinaFil: Crudo, Favio. Universidad Nacional de San Antonio de Areco; ArgentinaFil: Alzogaray, Maria Fernanda. Instituto Medico Platense.; ArgentinaFil: Barcelona, Laura. Municipalidad de Vicente Lopez (buenos Aires). Hospital Municipal Doctor Bernardo Houssay.; ArgentinaFil: Teijeiro, Ricardo. Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos Doctor Ignacio Pirovano; ArgentinaFil: Lambert, Sandra. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic; ArgentinaFil: Scublinsky, Darío. Clinica Zabala.; ArgentinaFil: Iacono, Marisa. Provincia del Neuquen. Hospital Provincial Neuquen "dr. E. Castro Rendon"; ArgentinaFil: Stanek, Vanina. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Solari, Rubén. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas "Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz"; ArgentinaFil: Cruz, Pablo. No especifíca;Fil: Casas, Marcelo Martín. Clinica Adventista Belgrano; ArgentinaFil: Abusamra, Lorena. Hospital Municipal Dr. Diego Thompson; ArgentinaFil: Luciardi, Héctor Lucas. Provincia de Tucuman. Ministerio de Salud. Sistema Provincial de Salud. Hosp. Centro de Salud "zenon Santillan"; ArgentinaFil: Cremona, Alberto. Hospital Italiano de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Caruso, Diego. Hospital Español; ArgentinaFil: de Miguel, Bernardo. No especifíca;Fil: Perez Lloret, Santiago. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentina. Universidad Abierta Interamericana. Secretaría de Investigación. Centro de Altos Estudios En Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud - Sede Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Millán, Susana. No especifíca;Fil: Kilstein, Yael. No especifíca;Fil: Pereiro, Ana. Fundación Mundo Sano; ArgentinaFil: Sued, Omar. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Cahn, Pedro. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Spatz, Linus. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Goldbaum, Fernando Alberto. Inmunova; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Centro de Rediseño E Ingenieria de Proteinas.; Argentin