Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area Research Articles

Audiovisual Storytelling in Secondary Schools Located in the Slums of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region

Abstract School in postmedia society falls prey to “systemic stupidity” (Stiegler, 2011), while the teacher-cum-coach heeds what is considered the new divine calling for education. In this framework, this video-article looks to elements from research that the author believes might serve as a roadmap for work with words and images in schools that lie beyond that stupidity. Through the audiovisual narratives of students in secondary schools located in a slum in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, the author explores possible approaches to the question of the audiovisual narrative in school and how school is or, rather, can continue to be the repository of the hopes that critical thought harbors. More specifically, the author asks whether audiovisual narratives can contribute to more complex conceptions of the world that help us go beyond the binary logics and infantilization.

[Use of screens, sedentary lifestyle, and physical activity in children under six years of age, during the period of preventive and compulsory social isolation in AMBA: online survey].

Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, children were confined to their homes. The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) region has the highest urban density in Argentina and has been the epicenter of COVID-19 infections and deaths. The objectives of this study are to characterize the habits of screen use, sedentary lifestyle and physical activity and describe their associations, in children under six years of age from AMBA, Argentina. analytical and cross-sectional study, in which data from the online survey (Google Forms®) were used. Through a non-probabilistic convenience sampling, fathers, mothers, legal guardians, and caregivers of children under six years of age were invited to participate. The survey was available during four months of the quarantine period and was made up of 31 questions about screen use, physical activity, and sedentary lifestyle of children. 256 surveys were answered, the majority (79.6%) were female and 50.8% in the age range of 31-40 years. The television is the most used and children begin to use touch screens from one year. The play time of adults with children and the time that they usually carry out activities such as reading a book or drawing is one to two hours per day. There was an association between owning the screen and using it for more hours. The lower the income level, the more time adults play with their children.

Historical evolution of intergenerational class mobility and educational effects in urban Argentina: 1960–2017

The Argentinean case –given an early modernization and the singularity of its reversal of development- is instructive about the role of education on intergenerational class mobility. We propose a wide historical analysis of time variations in intergenerational class mobility and the role of education over different periods in urban Argentina –specifically in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, from 1960 to 2017. This is the first time a long-term social mobility study has been conducted in Argentina. We analyse intergenerational social mobility according to EGP class scheme, using absolute rates, log-linear models, and long-term counterfactual analysis. Results show a social fluidity process for men but not for women. The counterfactual analysis exhibits that most social fluidity among men was due to a reduction in the direct class origin-class destination effect. No evidence of effects of educational expansion or educational equalization is observed. This presence of moderate social fluidity has not been linked to a modernization process which expands vertical upward mobility. Instead, it took place in a context of deindustrialization and the decline of the skilled working class.

Platform labour in contexts of high informality: Any improvement for workers? A critical assessment based on the case of Argentina

AbstractThe article analyses the effects of digital labour platforms in a context characterised by high informality, exploring the way platforms may or may not imply a disruption in this respect. To do so, it examines the labour transitions that lead to platform labour, taking into account the formal status of workers before and after joining platforms, as well as their evaluation of resulting labour conditions. The article relies on a quantitative survey and in depth interviews for three on‐demand occupations in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, ride‐hailing, home repairs and domestic service. Results show that a platform's influence on the formal status of workers (and their assessment of it) is highly contingent upon: the platform's business model, including the legal status that may be used to integrate the workforce, the pre‐existing formal/informal dynamics within the occupation and the general labour market situation.

Impact of Preventive and Mandatory Social Isolation in the control of type I diabetes in adults in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area

Introduction: The measures taken by the Argentine government to avoid contagion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus consisted in what was called Preventive and Mandatory Social Isolation (Aislamiento Social Preventivo y Obligatorio, ASPO), which was established on March 20th of 2020. The disposition restricted medical checkups and physical activity for several months and modified the population’s eating habits. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a high incidence and prevalence pathology worldwide. While the majority of the patients suffer from DM II, the percentage of DM I and its peculiarities make worth an analysis regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Assessing the impact of ASPO on the metabolic control of patients who live in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) during the period March-December 2020. Results: Of the 45 subjects involved in the study, 42.2 % saw an increase in their HbA1c level, did not know the value, or did not get tested. This is a situation of clinical interest for a more exhaustive follow-up. In addition, 60 % of the total gained weight and 38 % decreased the frequency of physical activity, while 35 % did not perform any activity at all. Furthermore, 73.3 % reported having experienced anxiety, 64.4 % apathy, and 60 %, sadness. Conclusion: The impossibility of carrying out ordinary activities, the suspension or reduction of frequency of physical exercise, and the increase and modification of the quality of meals with the resulting weight gain had an impact on the rising of HbA1c levels during the Preventive and Mandatory Social Isolation.

Detección de SARS-CoV-2 en aguas residuales como alerta temprana en el Área Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (BAMA)

RESUMEN Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos S.A. (AySA) brinda servicios esenciales que abarcan la producción de agua potable y el tratamiento de aguas residuales para una población que supera los 14,5 millones de habitantes en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA), Argentina. En respuesta a la declaración de pandemia por COVID-19 por parte de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), AySA desarrolló una metodología para evaluar la carga genética viral del SARS-CoV-2 en aguas residuales sin tratar. Este enfoque tenía como objetivo aprovechar el potencial de la vigilancia epidemiológica basada en aguas residuales, basándose en experiencias internacionales. Para monitorear la carga viral en las secciones representativas del sistema de recolección de aguas residuales, empleamos una técnica de ultracentrifugación adaptada para concentrar muestras. Después de esto, se realizaron la extracción de ARN y RT-qPCR para cuantificar el gen Orf1ab del SARS-CoV-2. Este estudio se realizó de diciembre de 2020 a junio de 2021, para anticipar la segunda ola de la pandemia. Al analizar los datos de cuatro grandes plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales, identificamos asociaciones estadísticamente significativas entre la carga genómica viral log10 y los casos positivos log10 informados una o dos semanas después. En base a los resultados obtenidos, concluimos que los niveles de virus del alcantarillado podrían ser un buen predictor de futuros casos clínicos a ser diagnosticados en un futuro inmediato.

Comprehensive Phenotyping in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Search for Biomarker Algorithms in the Transkingdom Interactions Context.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the most common form of intestinal inflammation associated with a dysregulated immune system response to the commensal microbiota in a genetically susceptible host. IBD includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), both of which are remarkably heterogeneous in their clinical presentation and response to treatment. This translates into a notable diagnostic challenge, especially in underdeveloped countries where IBD is on the rise and access to diagnosis or treatment is not always accessible for chronic diseases. The present work characterized, for the first time in our region, epigenetic biomarkers and gut microbial profiles associated with UC and CD patients in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan area and revealed differences between non-IBD controls and IBD patients. General metabolic functions associated with the gut microbiota, as well as core microorganisms within groups, were also analyzed. Additionally, the gut microbiota analysis was integrated with relevant clinical, biochemical and epigenetic markers considered in the follow-up of patients with IBD, with the aim of generating more powerful diagnostic tools to discriminate phenotypes. Overall, our study provides new insights into data analysis algorithms to promote comprehensive phenotyping tools using quantitative and qualitative analysis in a transkingdom interactions network context.

Cadenas migratorias en la diáspora de las travestis/trans sudamericanas residentesdel Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires

The article analyzes the migratory chains that constitute South American transvestites and trans women who reside in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area during the period 2017-2019, paying special attention to the role of godmothers. The migratory projects of these people are produced becauseof the hostility and vulnerability they experience in their surroundings and have different instances. One of them is the migratory chains that refer to the social capital necessary to be able to leave the sending society and settle in the receiving society. In this way, South American transvestites/trans women constitute diverse migratory chains that can be characterized as horizontal and vertical, being the godmothers key actors in their diasporas. The focus of the article is qualitative and the method used is grounded theory. According to a theoretical sample consisting of 41 interviews, the information was analyzed usingAtlas.Ti.

Influence of emission inventory resolution on the modeled spatio-temporal distribution of air pollutants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, using WRF-Chem

The temporal and spatial resolution of the emission inventory included into an air quality model plays a key role in the appropriate representation of air pollution events and background atmospheric chemistry. Here, we use the Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem v4.0) model to perform high-resolution air quality simulations over the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with two different anthropogenic emissions datasets: the High-resolution Emissions Inventory of Argentina (GEAA-AEI) and the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research - Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (EDGAR-HTAP). A local optimized configuration considering 3 nested domains with a horizontal grid size of 20 × 20 km, 4 × 4 km, and 1.3 × 1.3 km and the MOZART chemical scheme was used. The model performance for NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and O3 concentrations was validated against measurements from the existing air quality monitoring stations in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) during austral fall 2018. Our results show that the daytime concentrations of air pollutants are influenced by the shape and shift of the hourly emissions profile, especially for NO2 where the reduction in nighttime emissions decreased the mean model bias by ∼50%. PM10 and PM2.5 generally satisfied the model performance criteria, but underestimation tended to occur in the GEAA-AEI simulations and overestimation for the EDGAR-HTAP case. Comparison with TROPOMI-derived tropospheric NO2 columns showed a high positive correlation (r > 0.75) and a positive bias. We found large discrepancies between the spatial distribution patterns of the simulations within the innermost high-resolution domain centered on AMBA, mostly in suburban areas where no observations are available. We propose additional monitoring sites to address such differences and determine the size and shape of the main pollutant plume. We conclude that high-resolution air quality modeling is important within underdeveloped or developing South American cities that lack continuous air quality measurements, as it represents a powerful tool in supporting the design of governmental monitoring networks and air pollution mitigation policies.

"Breaking Down": Afflictions and Treatments During Times of Crisis in Buenos Aires.

Based on the ethnographic research carried out on speech-based therapies at health centers in marginalized areas of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, this article problematizes the "breaking down" or "being broken" as a local language of afflictions that emerges from the rapidly deteriorating material living conditions related to downward social mobility. Specifically, I analyze how these discomforts turn into narrative in terms of economic and political subjective and collective crises, which combine and hybridize personal experiences with mainstream discourses of the country's recent history. Based on a brief analysis of the changing relationships between psychoanalysis and poverty in the Buenos Aires area, I also examine how speech-based approaches classify these afflictions as "social issues," external to their logic, as they resist to be entirely subdued to current psychological knowledge, categories, and techniques.

Caracterización de viveros de plantas nativas y su posible aporte a la restauración de los talares bonaerenses

The talares represent the main native forest of the Buenos Aires province; however, they are in danger. Given their extreme vulnerability, it is not only necessary to promote their conservation, but also their restoration. The native plant nurseries represent a key link in restoration projects. In this work, the first survey of native plant nurseries in the distribution area of talares of Buenos Aires was carried out to characterize and evaluate them as possible restoration nodes. During 2019, surveys to these nurseries were carried out either in person or online. More than 70% of the nurseries were concentrated in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area and their objectives comprise commercialization, conservation/restoration or education. More than 60% of the nurseries were less than 5 years old and less than 500 m2 in size, and they do not control humidity, temperature and/or light; however, they have greenhouses. These characteristics seem to reflect an increase in society’s interest on native plants in recent years, which would have led to the development of new nurseries at small scale. The main plant species of the talares were cultivated in these nurseries, so they could be very important actors when planning restoration projects of these forests. We emphasize the importance of consolidating a network of collaboration between nurseries, scientists, protected areas, and government agencies in order to restore this ecosystem. In this way, it is necessary to expand the scope of this study in order to know the native plant nurseries in the rest of the country, associated with other endangered ecosystems, and to be able to evaluate if Argentina is in a position to meet its internal goals and international restoration commitments. We hope that the results of this work will promote joint collaborations to restore the talares of Buenos Aires and other ecosystems in Argentina.

Interplay between climate, pollution and COVID-19 on ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a large metropolitan region.

Collective risk factors such as climate and pollution impact on the risk of acute cardiovascular events, including ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). There is limited data however on the precise temporal and independent association between these factors and STEMI, and the potentially interacting role of government policies against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially for Latin America. We retrospectively collected aggregate data on daily STEMI admissions at 10 tertiary care centers in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, Argentina, from January 1, 2017 to November 30, 2020. Daily measurements for temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, wind speed, and rainfall, as well as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter <10 µm (PM10), were retrieved. Exploratory analyses focused on key COVID-19-related periods (e.g. first case, first lockdown), and Stringency Index quantifying the intensity of government policy response against COVID-19. A total of 1498 STEMI occurred over 1430 days, for an average of 0.12 STEMI per center (decreasing from 0.130 in 2018 to 0.102 in 2020, P=0.016). Time series analysis showed that lower temperature and higher concentration of CO and PM10 were all significantly associated with an increased rate of STEMI (all P<0.05), whereas COVID-19 outbreak, lockdown, and stringency of government policies were all inversely associated with STEMI (all P<0.05). Notably, environmental features impacted as early as 28 days before the event (all P<0.05), even if same or prior day associations proved stronger (all P<0.05). Multivariable analysis suggested that maximum temperature (P=0.001) and PM10 (P=0.033) were the strongest predictor of STEMI, even after accounting for COVID-19-related countermeasures (P=0.043). Lower temperature and higher concentrations of CO and PM10 are associated with significant increases in the rate of STEMI in a large Latin American metropolitan area. The reduction in STEMI cases seen during the COVID-19 pandemic is at least in part mediated by improvements in pollution, especially reductions in PM10.

Concentración y diversificación de universidades en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires. Algunas consideraciones de su dinámica contemporánea

The present article aims to revisit universities´ concentration in Buenos Aires metropolitan area, Argentina, since 1989 until the present. First, we will review the dynamics which characterize the Argentinian higher education system from a geographic analysis, emphasizing the role of Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area and its relationship with university hierarchy. Second, we will comment on four aspects that characterize this concentration, from an analysis of the official statistics and the location of the educational establishments. Third, we will present some distinctive elements of university diversification and segmentation within the metropolitan urban area. Finally, the article presents summary comments and conclusions.

Imaginarios geográficos y desigualdad urbana en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

The present article aims to address geographical representations (also called urban imaginaries) of Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area´s inhabitants, about their urban region. In order to accomplish this goal, interviews were carried out with neighbors that reside in different types of housing (popular settlements, social dwellings both in height and single-family, low density middle-class neighborhoods, high density buildings and closed urbanizations). These interviews were analyzed and gave as result the predominance of urban imaginaries that naturalize metropolitan inequalities. Furthermore, it was possible to distinguish a system of social hierarchies (or socio-spatial order) between neighborhoods and differentiated geographical representations within neighborhood spaces, within the urban experience of its inhabitants.

A qualitative study on the elderly and mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Part 1.

On March 19, 2020, preventive and mandatory social isolation was decreed in Argentina in response to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes (COVID-19). This measure aimed to reduce the transmission of the virus and the resulting severe respira-tory condition that frequently besets older adults. However, this measure can also affect the support networks of these isolated people. To explore the emerging needs related to the mental health of isolated older adults in this period and to identify the main support networks they have and the emerging coping strategies in the face of the situation. We carried out an exploratory qualitative study, summoning participants over 60 years of age. Using snowball sampling, a group of researchers contacted them by phone to collect data. The analysis of the findings was triangulated among researchers with different academic backgrounds (medicine, psychology, and sociology). The concepts emerging from the interviews were linked in conceptual networks using an inductive methodology and were mapped into conceptual frameworks available to researchers. Atlas.ti 8 software was used for coding. Thirty-nine participants belonging to the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area were interviewed between April and July 2020. For greater clarity, the main themes were described in five cross-sectional axes: network configurations, resources and coping strategies, affective states and emo-tions, perceptions and reflections on the future, and actions emerging from the participatory approach. Participants reported distress, anxiety, anger, uncertainty, exhaustion, and expressed fear of contagion from themselves and their loved ones. We identify greater vulnerability in people living alone, in small and closed environments, with weak linkages and networks, or limited access to technologies. We also found vari-ous coping strategies and technology was a fundamental factor in maintaining the bonds. The findings of this research have implications for decision-making at the individual level, health systems, professional care, and policy devel-opment. Future research may elucidate the regional, temporal, and socioeconomic variations of the phenomena explored in our research.

Clinical characteristics of vulnerable populations hospitalized and diagnosed with COVID-19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

There is not in Argentina publications regarding the presentation of patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalized and emergency care in vulnerable populations (lower incomes and less education tend at greater risk for poor health status and healthcare access), and it has few reports in developing countries. The objective is to determine whether in the care of vulnerable patients, to succeed against COVID-19, multiple public health tools and interventions will be needed to minimize morbidity and mortality. The study is a prospective cohort investigation of patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19, who required to any of the Health Centers response from April 8, 2020, to August 18, 2020. In Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA), April 8, 2020 the virus was identified in patients hospitalized in the "Southeast Network" (SN), AMBA. SN covering an area of 661 square kilometers, with 1.8 million inhabitants residing in urban, and rural areas. A total of 14 health centers with different levels of care complexity provide care to patients in the region. The information of each patient with COVID-19 evaluated by SN, was incorporated in an Epidemiological Dashboard. The investigation was designed and reported with consideration of observational studies in epidemiology. We describe the hospitals presentation and care of persons who required SN response and were ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19. From April 8, 2020, to August 18, 2020, were included 1495 patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19 in SN. A total of 58% patients were men, and the mean age (SD) was 48.9 (15.59) years. Eighty one percent patients with pre-existing diseases, most frequent hypertension and diabetes, but hypertension, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease presented higher risk. A total of 13% were hospitalized in Intensive Therapy Unit. The mortality of the cohort was 9.77%. Mortality was higher for patients aged 65 or more (OR 5.09), and for those had some pre-existing disease (OR 2.61). Our observations are consistent with reports demonstrating older persons, and those with comorbidities have the highest risk of mortality related to COVID-19. However, unlike other reports from developed or some developing countries, the mortality in our study is lower. This finding may be related to age of our cohort is younger than other published. Also, the health system was able to respond to the demand.

Doing Fieldwork in Informal Settlements in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area During the Pandemic

Doing Fieldwork in Informal Settlements in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area During the Pandemic

Evaluación de la Calidad Docente Universitaria desde la Perspectiva de los Estudiantes

El presente trabajo se plantea dos objetivos: a) analizar las propiedades psicométricas de fiabilidad y validez del Cuestionario de Competencias Docentes del Profesorado Universitario (CCDPU) para su aplicación en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA), y b) identificar las competencias y atributos mejores valorados por los estudiantes universitarios de Buenos Aires en la evaluación de la calidad docente. Método: Se llevó a cabo un estudio empírico de alcance descriptivo-correlacional para la validación del cuestionario y el análisis de los datos obtenidos. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 120 estudiantes universitarios (94 mujeres y 26 hombres) residentes en el AMBA. Resultados: Se observó que la mayoría de las subescalas del CCDPU obtuvieron valores de alfa superiores a .70 y todos los ítems fueron clasificados como coherentes, suficientes y representativos por el juicio de expertos. La subescala del cuestionario mejor valorada por los estudiantes fue Actitud del Profesorado, la cual incluye aspectos relacionados a creencias, actitudes y formas de ser del profesor que influyen en su labor y actuación docente. Discusión: Según los resultados obtenidos se deduce que, desde la perspectiva de los alumnos, los buenos docentes son aquellos que se muestran receptivos con sus estudiantes, buscan motivarlos, se interesan activamente por su aprendizaje y crean un clima adecuado de trabajo y participación. A su vez, se concluye que el CCDPU constituye una herramienta útil y válida para futuras investigaciones sobre el tema. 

Effects of time to chemoradiation on high-grade gliomas from the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area.

High-Grade Gliomas (HGG) are the most frequent brain tumor in adults. The gold standard of clinical care recommends beginning chemoradiation within 6 weeks of surgery. Disparities in access to healthcare in Argentina are notorious, often leading to treatment delays. We conducted this retrospective study to evaluate if time to chemoradiation after surgery is correlated with progression-free survival (PFS). Our study included clinical cases with a histological diagnosis of Glioblastoma (GBM), Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA) or High-Grade Glioma (HGG) in patients over 18 years of age from 2014 to 2020. We collected data on clinical presentation, type of resection, time to surgery, time to chemoradiation, location within the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (BAMA) and type of health insurance. We found 63 patients that fit our inclusion criteria, including 26 (41.3%) females and 37 (58.7%) males. Their median age was 54 years old (19-86). Maximal safe resection was achieved in 49.2% (n = 31) of the patients, incomplete resection in 34.9% (n = 22) and the other 15.9% (n = 10) received a biopsy, but no resection. The type of health care insurance was almost evenly divided, with 55.6% (n = 35) of the patients having public vs. 44.4% (n = 28) having private health insurance. Median time to chemoradiation after surgery was 8 (CI 6.68-9.9) weeks for the global population. When we ordered the patients PFS by time to chemoradiation we found that there was a statistically significant effect of time to chemoradiation on patient PFS. Patients had a PFS of 10 months (p = 0.014) (CI 6.89-13.10) when they received chemoradiation <5 weeks vs a PFS of 7 months (CI 4.93-9.06) when they received chemoradiation between 5 to 8 weeks and a PFS of 4 months (CI 3.76-4.26 HR 2.18 p = 0.006) when they received chemoradiation >8 weeks after surgery. Also, our univariate and multivariate analysis found that temporal lobe location (p = 0.03), GMB histology (p = 0.02) and biopsy as surgical intervention (p = 0.02) all had a statistically significant effect on patient PFS. Thus, time to chemoradiation is an important factor in patient PFS. Our data show that although an increase in HGG severity contributes to a decrease in patient PFS, there is also a large effect of time to chemoradiation. Our results suggest that we can improve patient PFS by making access to healthcare in Buenos Aires more equitable by reducing the average time to chemoradiation following tumor resection.

Human Enterovirus Diversity by Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis in Urban Sewage Samples From Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, Argentina: A Retrospective Study.

Human Enteroviruses (hEVs) are responsible for a wide variety of human diseases. During hEVs infection, virions are excreted in human feces and the fecal-oral route is the primary pathway for person-to-person transmission. Sewage surveillance could help in monitoring hEVs circulation and describing their diversity in a specific population. In this study, sewage samples collected in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (Argentina) were retrospectively studied through an amplicon-deep sequencing approach and phylogenetic analyses to characterize hEVs spread. We identified 17 different hEVs types belonging to A, B, and C species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in Buenos Aires for 7 identified hEV-C types. Phylogenetic analyses suggest several introductions of coxsackievirus B4, echovirus 1, and echovirus 9 in the country, along with the national spread reached by some variants. Besides, well-supported monophyletic groups of Argentine, Uruguayan, and Brazilian strains unveiled regional circulation patterns for some variants. These results extend our knowledge about hEVs circulation in Buenos Aires and might exhort authorities to implement more active sewage surveillance in the region.