The improbable transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi to human: the missing link in the dynamics and control of Chagas disease

Chagas disease has a major impact on human health in Latin America and is becoming of global concern due to international migrations. Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of the disease, is one of the rare human parasites transmitted by the feces of its vector, as it is unable to reach the salivary gland of the insect. This stercorarian transmission is notoriously poorly understood, despite its crucial role in the ecology and evolution of the pathogen and the disease. The objective of this study was to quantify the probability of T. cruzi vectorial transmission to humans, and to use such an estimate to predict human prevalence from entomological data. We developed several models of T. cruzi transmission to estimate the probability of transmission from vector to host. Using datasets from the literature, we estimated the probability of transmission per contact with an infected triatomine to be 5.8x10(-4) (95%CI: [2.6; 11.0] x 10(-4)). This estimate was consistent across triatomine species, robust to variations in other parameters, and corresponded to 900-4,000 contacts per case. Our models subsequently allowed predicting human prevalence from vector abundance and infection rate in 7/10 independent datasets covering various triatomine species and epidemiological situations. This low probability of T. cruzi transmission reflected well the complex and unlikely mechanism of transmission via insect feces, and allowed predicting human prevalence from basic entomological data. Although a proof of principle study would now be valuable to validate our models' predictive ability in an even broader range of entomological and ecological settings, our quantitative estimate could allow switching the evaluation of disease risk and vector control program from purely entomological indexes to parasitological measures, as commonly done for other major vector borne diseases. This might lead to different quantitative perspectives as these indexes are well known not to be proportional one to another

PhDAY 2020 -FOO (Facultad de Óptica y Optometría)

Por cuarto año consecutivo los doctorandos de la Facultad de Óptica y Optometría de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid cuentan con un congreso propio organizado por y para ellos, el 4º PhDAY- FOO. Se trata de un congreso gratuito abierto en la que estos jóvenes científicos podrán presentar sus investigaciones al resto de sus compañeros predoctorales y a toda la comunidad universitaria que quiera disfrutar de este evento. Apunta en tu agenda: el 15 de octubre de 2020. En esta ocasión será un Congreso On-line para evitar que la incertidumbre asociada a la pandemia Covid-19 pudiera condicionar su celebración

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Principios de organización de las remesas sociales: migrantes en ‘comunidad’ antes que organizados por el estado

En los grupos que han emprendido la migración internacional, principalmente del México rural, existen factores inherentes a la organización social de cada uno que le imprimen características específicas a dicho fenómeno. En algunos casos puede resaltar una variable para determinar una diferencia significativa. En este artículo me propongo exponer y analizar lo relativo al sentido de comunidad y su influencia en la migración nternacional, particularmente en la manera de organizarse desde EU y sus efectos en las remesas sociales. Expongo algunos aspectos de una localidad indígena de la Mixteca Alta de Oaxaca

Principios de Organización de las Remesas Sociales: Migrantes en ‘Comunidad’ antes que Organizados por el Estado

En los grupos que han emprendido la migración internacional, principalmente del México rural, existen factores inherentes a la organización social de cada uno que le imprimen características específicas a dicho fenómeno. En algunos casos puede resaltar una variable para determinar una diferencia significativa. En este artículo me propongo exponer y analizar lo relativo al sentido de comunidad y su influencia en la migración nternacional, particularmente en la manera de organizarse desde EU y sus efectos en las remesas sociales. Expongo algunos aspectos de una localidad indígena de la Mixteca Alta de Oaxaca

La aceptabilidad de tecnologías alternativas: uso de estufas solares y beneficios ambientales en Santa Fe de la Laguna, Michoacán, México

This paper is the product of an investigation that evaluated the degree of acceptance of solar stoves implemented by a team of university in an indigenous community in Michoacán, Mexico, in order to reduce the consumption of firewood, fuel costs for cooking, reduce exposure to smoke and contribute to the recovery of forests. For our part, quantitative data was collected for the evaluation and the information was supplemented by ethnographic techniques. This presentation begins with the analysis of the purposes and implications of the technologies, then the results, which are not very encouraging, are presented, and it concludes with some criticisms and recommendations.  El presente documento es producto de una investigación con la que se evaluó el grado de aceptación de estufas solares implementadas por un equipo de universitarios en una comunidad indígena de Michoacán, México, con el fin de reducir el consumo de leña, costos de combustibles para cocinar, disminuir la exposición al humo y contribuir a la recuperación de los bosques. Por nuestra parte, para la evaluación se recabaron datos cuantitativos y se complementó la información mediante técnicas etnográficas. Esta presentación inicia con el análisis de los fines e implicaciones de las tecnologías, luego se exponen los resultados, que son poco halagüeños, y se concluye con algunas críticas y recomendaciones