SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence on the north coast of Peru: A cross-sectional study after the first wave

Peru had the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Latin America. After the first wave, Peru registered more than 900,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 36,000 confirmed deaths from the disease. Tumbes, a border area with poor sanitation and not enough water, had the fifth highest death rate. The cross-sectional analytic study aimed: a) to assess seroprevalence of COVID-19 after the first wave; b) to assess sociodemographic determinants and symptoms associated with a positive COVID-19 antibody lateral flow test

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence on the north coast of Peru: A cross-sectional study after the first wave

During the first wave, COVID-19 had devastating effects on developing countries like Peru, which reported more than 900,000 cases of the disease and more than 36,000 confirmed deaths from it. The informal settlements are counted in COVID-19 regional statistics, but they are very different from the rest of the region in terms of sanitation, access to water and sewage, housing conditions, and others. To make good decisions about public health, it is important to understand how the disease is spread in informal settlements. We did an observational, cross-sectional study in Puerto Pizarro, a remote port village in Tumbes, from November 11, 2020, to November 30, 2020, to assess the seroprevalence of COVID-19 after the first wave, as well as the sociodemographic factors and symptoms linked to a positive COVID-19 antibody lateral flow test. 1391 people older than 2 years old were given census and symptom questionnaires. They were also tested for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgG and IgM) in their blood. This study shows an adjusted seroprevalence of 24.82 percent (95% CI 22.49–27.25) posterior to the first wave of COVID-19 in Tumbes. Women had higher adjusted seroprevalence (28.03% vs. 21.11% [95% CI 24.83–31.41], p = 0.002). Extrapolating our adjusted prevalence of 24.82 per 100 persons to Tumbes (N = 251,541), 62,432 people were infected during the first wave, which is too high for adequate primary care in health institutions. Puerto Pizarro’s causespecific mortality rate was 198.49 per 100,000 inhabitants (deaths documented between May and December 2020), which was higher than Tumbes’ up to December 2020 (137.6 per 100,000 inhabitants). The presence of mostly symptomatic patients at health care facilities, the limited use of social networks, the scarce availability of eHealth technologies in government institutions, unused emergency telephone numbers, and the fear of dying if referred to the hospital may have led to underreporting cases. Participation of the community in epidemiological surveillance strategies is critical to assisting the Ministry of Health in the future success of the establishment of an eHealth surveillance monitoring program

Prevalence, Age Profile, and Associated Risk Factors for \u3ci\u3eHymenolepis nana\u3c/i\u3e Infection in a Large Population-Based Study in Northern Peru

Hymenolepis nana, the dwarf tapeworm, is a common intestinal infection of children worldwide. We evaluated infection and risk factor data that were previously collected from 14,761 children aged 2-15 years during a large-scale program in northern Peru. We found that 1,124 of 14,761 children (7.61%) had H. nana infection, a likely underestimate given that only a single stool sample was examined by microscopy for diagnosis. The strongest association with infection was lack of adequate water (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82-2.48) and sanitation infrastructure in the house (aPR 1.94, 95% CI 1.64-2.29). One quarter of those tested did not have a bathroom or latrine at home, which doubled their likelihood of infection. Similarly, one quarter did not have piped public water to the house, which also increased the likelihood of infection. Continued efforts to improve access to basic water and sanitation services will likely reduce the burden of infection in children for this and other intestinal infections

Porcine Cysticercosis: Possible Cross-Reactivity of Taenia hydatigena to GP50 Antigen in the Enzyme-Linked Immunoelectrotransfer Blot Assay

The lentil lectin glycoprotein enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (LLGP EITB, reported sensitivity 99% and specificity 100%) is used as a serologic marker of exposure to Taenia solium in pigs. However, only a limited number of parasites have been evaluated for cross reactivity. Pigs may host other related cestode infections, including Taenia hydatigena, which have not been formally evaluated for cross-reactions. We investigated a corral in Tumbes, Peru, a region where a cysticercosis elimination demonstration project was completed in 2012. In this corral, 14/19 (73.7%) 6-8-week-old piglets were reactive to GP50 on LLGP EITB, and all had circulating Taenia sp. antigens. From eight necropsied piglets; four were infected with T. hydatigena metacestodes whereas none had evidence of T. solium infection. Two resident dogs were subsequently confirmed to have T. hydatigena taeniasis. These results suggest GP50 cross-reactivity in T. hydatigena-infected pigs, although controlled experimental infection is needed to confirm this hypothesis

Evaluating Urban Taeniasis as a Threat to Cysticercosis Elimination in Northern Peru

Reintroduction of Taenia solium into a region in Peru where it had been eliminated prompted evaluation of the possibility of reintroduction from an urban reservoir of taeniasis. In a cross-sectional study of an adjacent urban area, we found low prevalence of taeniasis (4/1,621; 0.25%), suggesting minimal risk of parasite reintroduction into rural areas through this route

Prevalence of stroke survival in rural communities living in northern Peru. S1 Data

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is the leading cause of neurological impairment in the South American Andean region. However, the epidemiology of stroke in the region has been poorly characterized. METHODS: We conducted a staged three-phase population-based study applying a validated eight-question neurological survey in 80 rural villages in Tumbes, northern Peru, then confirmed presence or absence of stroke through a neurologist's examination to estimate the prevalence of stroke. RESULTS: Our survey covered 90% of the population (22,278/24,854 individuals, mean age 30±21.28, 48.45% females), and prevalence of stroke was 7.05/1,000 inhabitants. After direct standardization to WHO's world standard population, adjusted prevalence of stroke was 6.94/1,000 inhabitants. Participants aged ≥85 years had higher stroke prevalence (>50/1000 inhabitants) compared to other stratified ages, and some unusual cases of stroke were found among individuals aged 25-34 years. The lowest age reported for a first stroke event was 16.8 years. High blood pressure (aPR 4.2 [2.7-6.4], p>0.001), and sedentary lifestyle (aPR 1.6 [1.0-2.6], p = 0.045) were more prevalent in people with stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The age-standardized prevalence of stroke in this rural coastal Peruvian population was slightly higher than previously reported in studies from surrounding rural South American settings, but lower than in rural African and Asian regions. The death rate from stroke was much higher than in industrialized and middle-income countries