Latin Research Articles

Understanding Host–Pathogen Interactions in Congenital Chagas Disease Through Transcriptomic Approaches

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a parasitic zoonosis with significant health impacts, particularly in Latin America. While traditionally associated with vector-borne transmission, increased migration has expanded its reach into urban and non-endemic regions. Congenital transmission has become a critical route of infection, involving intricate maternal–fetal immune interactions that challenge diagnosis and treatment. This review synthesizes findings from three RNA-seq studies that explore the molecular underpinnings of congenital Chagas disease, emphasizing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) implicated in host–pathogen interactions. The DAVID tool analysis highlighted the overexpression of genes associated with the innate immune response, including pro-inflammatory cytokines that drive chemotaxis and neutrophil activation. Additionally, calcium-dependent pathways critical for parasite invasion were modulated. T. cruzi exploits the maternal–fetal immune axis to establish a tolerogenic environment conducive to congenital transmission. Alterations in placental angiogenesis, cellular regeneration, and metabolic processes further demonstrate the parasite’s ability to manipulate host responses for its survival and persistence. These findings underscore the complex interplay between the host and pathogen that facilitates disease progression. Future research integrating transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches is essential to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying congenital Chagas disease, with a particular focus on the contributions of genetic diversity and non-coding RNAs in immune evasion and disease pathogenesis.

P0915 Real-life experience with Upadacitinib in Crohn’s disease (UPARECOL-CD Induction): A Colombian cohort

Abstract Background In Latin America, clinical experience with Upadacitinib for CD in terms of effectiveness and safety is limited. In Colombia, CD is an orphan disease and in many cases is highly refractory to conventional treatments. The objective of this study is to describe the real-life experience in Colombian patients with CD treated with Upadacitinib. Methods Descriptive observational study, patients with CD treated with Upadacitinib in induction phase (45 mg orally once a day for 12 weeks) in different reference centers nationwide. The therapeutic response was evaluated in endoscopic and/or imaging, paraclinical and clinical terms (CDAI). Additionally, the frequency of adverse events (AE), steroid use and extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) were measured. Results 10 patients, 5/10 (50%) female, mean age 43.15 years (SD; 22.7 range 14.2-21.3). Mean age at diagnosis of CD 37.7 (SD 23.15) years (range 6.9-67.5). Mean time between disease onset and start of Upadacitinib 3.33 (SD 8.17) years (range 0.1-15.9). Most patients had moderate to severe CD; 7/10 (70%) patients with ileocolonic disease and 3 (30%) with ileal disease. 5 patients with stricturing disease and 3 patients with active penetrating disease. All patients had previously failed tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, 8/10 (80%) had failed integrin alpha4 beta7 inhibitors (Vedolizumab). Six patients had EIM. Six patients had a history of surgery for CD. Additionally, 4/10 (40%) patients were using a steroid before starting Upadacitinib and 6/10 (60%) patients were using an immunomodulator. During the induction phase, 7/10 (70%) achieved clinical response, 2/10 (20%) clinical remission, and 5/10 (50%) paraclinical remission. 4/6 (66.6%) patients achieved improvement in imaging findings. All patients with EIM showed improvement of EIM. 2/5 (40%) patients showed improvement of perianal disease. Only one patient required surgery for CD. 3/4 (75%) were able to discontinue corticosteroid and 1/4 (25%) achieved steroid dose reduction. One patient required discontinuation of Upadacitinib, due to lack of response and severe sepsis. One patient reported acne after induction. No other AEs were reported. Conclusion Upadacitinib is an effective option for patients with CD with inflammatory, stenosing and penetrating phenotypes refractory to multiple treatments, suggesting a reduced requirement for surgical procedures. Long-term real-life studies are needed to determine whether there is persistence of response in maintenance.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol consumption in young adults: A systematic review.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented restrictions, leading to differences in the frequency and patterns of alcohol consumption, especially among young adults. This systematic review aims to investigate the overall evidence concerning changes in alcohol consumption in this period. Systematic review. Adhering to PRISMA and SWiM guidelines, this study's review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023464591). The studies research was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria involved observational studies focusing on participants aged 18 to 35, exploring alcohol consumption during at least the first wave of COVID-19, and publications in English or Spanish. A total of 28 studies conducted in different countries were included, European (18), North American (9), and Latin American (1). Although in many studies the overall prevalence of alcohol use was reduced, it was mainly among occasional users, in which the main motivation was the lack of social contact. It was exposed that participants with a high risk of problematic use increased their alcohol consumption, showing associated factors such as poor mental health, depressive symptoms, stress, and coping motivations. Males generally exhibited a higher risk of problem use and risky behaviours than females. During COVID-19, youth alcohol consumption decreased overall, especially among social drinkers, but increased among high-risk users due to factors like distress and loneliness. Similar trends during other disasters emphasize the importance of addressing high-risk drinking in disaster planning. Also, preventing high-risk drinking from adolescence and youth could be helpful in reducing the global burden and impact of alcohol consumption.

Measuring the duration of kangaroo mother care for neonates: a scoping review

ObjectivesKangaroo mother care (KMC) is high impact for survival of low birth weight neonates, but there are few rigorous evaluations of duration required for impact. We conducted a scoping review...

‘I take to the streets because you have to listen to me!’ Latin American women protesting in Europe

‘A rapist on your path’ is a performance created by Las Tesis in Chile in 2019. The performance spread across the world and was performed by other groups of women in different countries. It is a rare example of a Southern-born protest making its way to Western contexts. This article highlights the role of women of Latin American origin in organising the re-creations of the performance and analyses their activism in two European cities, Helsinki and Brussels. It is argued that performing in the streets was about spreading the message of the performance and an act of solidarity with activists in Chile. The performance also enabled the performing groups to gain visibility and voice and to network with other groups. Performing in the streets was also a way of breaking away from the Western feminism entrenched in institutions and the academia, and to critically assess Western feminist approaches. Feminist protesting on the streets targets patriarchal structures as the root cause of gender-based violence. Spreading Southern perceptions on the streets of European cities challenges understandings of feminism as entrenched in the academy and in institutions and instead, opens feminist debates to all.

Global, Regional, and National Burden of Low Back Pain: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and Projections to 2050.

This was an observational study. Assessing the global burden of disease for low back pain (LBP) using the 2021 GBD (Global Burden of Disease) database. LBP is a leading cause of workforce loss and disability. With societal aging and changes in lifestyle and work habits, the incidence of LBP is expected to rise. This study comprehensively analyzes the epidemiological trends of global LBP from 1990 to 2021. Data publicly available from the 2021 GBD study were utilized, and a systematic analysis was conducted to assess the global burden and epidemiological trends of LBP. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence, incidence, and Years Lived with Disability (YLD) rates of LBP have slightly declined globally. However, the number of affected individuals, new cases, and YLD numbers have significantly increased, making LBP a leading cause of YLD in 2021. The number of affected individuals increases with age, peaking in both men and women between the ages of 50 and 54. Worldwide, women have a higher prevalence of LBP than men, and this increases with age, with both genders reaching peak prevalence between 80 and 84 years in 2021. Overall, over the past 3 decades, age-standardized YLD rates have shown a positive correlation with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI). In terms of region and nation, Tropical Latin America and Kingdom of Sweden have seen the greatest increase in age-standardized prevalence rates from 1990 to 2021. Globally, LBP remains a notable public health concern, carrying a consistently high burden. To alleviate the future impact of this disease, it is imperative to increase public awareness regarding its risk factors and to implement preventive measures.

Decolonising Global North terrorism studies in Southeast Asian Muslim-majority countries

ABSTRACT Over the past few decades, the call to decolonise academia has garnered significant momentum in some Global North and Global South countries and settler states. This shift reflects a growing recognition among scholars that academia perpetuates various forms of coloniality. However, terrorism studies scholars, particularly those in Global South countries, have largely refrained from addressing the need to decolonise the discipline and the broader terrorism industry. This situation is troubling given the role that ‘Global North terrorism studies' – and, by extension, the terrorism industry – plays in supplying Northern-centric intellectual frameworks that work to ‘civilise’ the ‘other,’ support settler colonial projects, and suppress Indigenous and alternative perspectives. This article draws theoretical and methodological insights from the Latin American School of Decoloniality and the Southeast Asian School of Autonomous Knowledge. It seeks to start a conversation among terrorism studies scholars in Southeast Asian Muslim-majority countries on the need to develop an ‘independent and alternative’ terrorism studies discipline based on epistemologies and methodologies from their region to what I call Global North terrorism studies.

P1261 Reproductive Health Outcomes in Colombian Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multicenter Cohort Study on Pregnancy, Fertility, and Disease Impact (REINFORCE Study)

Abstract Background The impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) on women's health, particularly in relation to reproductive health, remains an underexplored area in Latin American populations. This study aims to assess the effects of IBD on women's reproductive health, including pregnancy outcomes, fertility, and related complications, within a cohort of Colombian women. Methods Observational, multicenter and descriptive study involving adult and pediatric patients from two IBD Centers in different cities in Colombia. The study focused on evaluating aspects of sexual and reproductive health in women with IBD, with detailed data collection on pregnancy, fertility, childbirth, and cancer screening. Results Out of a total of 121 women with IBD, 63.6% (77/121 patients) were in reproductive age (15–44 years according to World Health Organization) (Table 1), the mean age was 33.2 years (range: 17.2–44.8 years, SD: 8), with a mean age at diagnosis of 28 years (range: 9.3–45.1 years, SD: 8.8) and a disease duration of 5.2 years (range: 0.3–21.9 years, SD: 4.7). UC was more prevalent in this group (71.4%). Most women had low rates of smoking, hospitalization, and surgical interventions for IBD, and pregnancy-related complications were generally rare. The majority of births were vaginal deliveries, and breastfeeding beyond 6 months was common, suggesting protective effects against IBD risk in offspring. Notably, while HPV vaccination rates were low, the prevalence of cervical cancer was also low. Family planning was reported by 48% of participants, and 1% required assisted reproductive technologies. Statistical analysis showed no significant association between age and pregnancy complications across age groups. However, UC was significantly associated with a higher risk of pregnancy complications (OR 5.5; 95% CI: 1.9–14.9; p=0.0001), and Crohn's disease (CD) also showed a trend toward increased risk (OR 4.6; 95% CI : 0.2–20.4; p=0.00002). Previous history of hospitalization due to disease activity, surgery, and the use of biological therapy was associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications when it occurred (OR 1.97; 95% CI: 1.6–2.5; p= 0.07 for hospitalization, OR 12.12; 95% CI: 4.2–27.8; p=0.03 for surgery, OR 5.2; 95% CI: 1.64-13.1 ;p=0.00001). Conclusion This study underscores the significant impact of IBD on reproductive health in Colombian women, similar to trends in other populations. It emphasizes the importance of effective disease management before conception, given that the use of biological therapies that usually are associated with more severe disease, ongoing disease activity, and prior surgical interventions are risk factors for increased pregnancy complications.

Lessons from the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction from Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract Over the past decade, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have made progress in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR). Still, significant challenges remain in assessing its impact. The region’s high levels of inequality and vulnerability to disasters continue to hinder the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts. This article emphasizes the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach in SFDRR implementation, particularly the role of regional intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and networks that promote collaboration among civil society, the private sector, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, youth, and marginalized groups. Despite government efforts to integrate SFDRR into national policies, gaps in stakeholder engagement, resource allocation, and governance limit DRR effectiveness. The article underscores the value of co-production for involving communities to contribute to designing DRR strategies that address their specific needs. Co-produced strategies can bridge the gap between high-level policies and practical solutions by leveraging local knowledge and fostering partnerships. The review of regional networks’ efforts highlights the central role of IGOs in coordinating DRR strategies. These networks help create innovative solutions that empower communities. The article advocates for thinking about the subsequent phases post-SFDRR, drawing on the lessons from the regional networks and calls for more strategic collaborations and experimentation as a model to promote effective governance of DRR by engaging multiple stakeholders to design and pilot locally-driven solutions that can accelerate the implementation of the priorities of the SFDRR to reduce disaster risks in LAC through collaborations that build capacity through action and ensure meaningful engagement.

La gobernanza regional compleja del comercio electrónico latinoamericano: una perspectiva comparada de la Alianza del Pacífico, la Comunidad Andina y el Mercosur

Objective/context: The proliferation in the number, depth, and scope of e-commerce agreements has integrated shared agendas and memberships within Latin America’s complex regional governance, making cooperation and fragmentation non-exclusive practices. Therefore, this article asks about the conditions that have facilitated or limited the development of a Latin American digital market. Methodology: A comparative qualitative analysis of the Pacific Alliance, the Andean Community, and Mercosur, together with process tracing, will shed light on their progress in this area, taking into account the degree of linkage they maintain with three mechanisms that foster collaboration and coordination dynamics among various institutions an d actors. Conclusions: The analysis shows that, within systems characterized by growing institutional density and diversity— such as the Latin American e-commerce environment—regional cooperation can be facilitated when regional trade agreements are embedded in a broader trade regime, where there is a clear sequencing among different agreements, and when orchestrators and policy networks are present. In contrast, their absence leads to ineffective agreement implementation and increased regional fragmentation. Originality: This work connects studies on complex regional governance with a relatively underexplored agenda in Latin American academic literature: e-commerce.

Prevalence of <i>Trypanasomiasis</i> in Northern Nigeria: A review

Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Trypanosoma, is a significant public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, including Northern Nigeria. The disease, transmitted by tsetse flies, poses a significant threat to human health, livestock production, and economic development. Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT), also known as Nagana, is caused by various trypanosome species, including T. brucei, T. congolense, T. vivax, T. equiperdum, T. evansi, T. simiae, T. suis, and T. theileri. Cattle are the most affected, but other animals such as goats, dogs, sheep, pigs, and wild animals are also susceptible. Symptoms of AAT include parasitaemia, anemia, loss of weight, reduced productivity, and high mortality, which limit the pace of rural development in tropical Africa. The current threat of AAT ranks among the top cattle diseases on sustainable livestock production and mixed farming. At least 3 million livestock deaths each year are caused by AAT, with a loss in livestock production and mixed agriculture valued at $5 billion US dollars yearly in Africa. Effective and sustainable control measures can result in up to threefold increases in the estimated livestock population in Nigeria. Trypanosomiasis is considered a haemoparasites, posing a major threat for the development of the cattle industry in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It kills a variety of domestic and wild animals and causes anemia, weight loss, miscarriage, and productivity losses. In Northern Nigeria, both human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) are prevalent. The epidemiology of trypanosomosis depends on the distribution of vectors, the virulence of the parasite, and the host's response.

SGLT2 inhibitors in lupus nephritis: a multicentric study in Latin America

SGLT2 inhibitors in lupus nephritis: a multicentric study in Latin America

Criminal justice reform, conviction without trial and the role of the criminal judge in Argentina

AbstractThis article addresses the role of criminal judges in mechanisms of conviction without trial that have spread in recent decades in Latin America, in the context of criminal justice reforms towards an adversarial model. These mechanisms in the region are the result of a complex translation of plea bargaining from USA legal tradition which included adaptations and innovations. One of those is a strongly active and interventionist role for the criminal judge in ‘law in books’. However, through empirical research in the Province of Santa Fe (Argentina), this article shows how a judicial practice of routine and fast ‘homologation’ of agreements is effectively structured in ‘law in action’. This role implies a sort of deresponsibilisation in relation to the exercise of the power to punish, in stark contrast with the inquisitorial model, precisely in a warm climate of strong public distrust and criticism of state crime control institutions.

Yellow wattle (Acacia) - Three versions - English, Spanish, Indonesian

Ian Campbell’s trilingual poem series explores the Acacia genus, Australia’s national floral emblem, across English, Spanish, and Indonesian. Inspired by Campbell’s family history and A.J. Campbell’s 1921 Golden Wattle – Our National Floral Emblem, the series examines the cultural and ecological significance of Acacia in Australia, Latin America, and Indonesia. Each version reflects linguistic and regional nuances, showcasing how the essence of a shared theme transforms across languages.

Экономический потенциал Республики Камерун в мировой экономике и в отношениях с Россией

Against the backdrop of fairly dynamically developing countries in Asia and Latin America, the African continent is of increasing interest. The Republic of Cameroon has rich resources of oil, gas, various minerals, and agricultural lands. All this forms the basis of economic potential for the country’s inclusion in world economic relations.

Health-related quality of life in people with HIV from the multicentre CoRIS cohort in Spain: Associated factors and short-term changes over time.

We aimed to describe health-related quality of life (HRQoL), overall and across its dimensions, identify associated factors, and assess changes over time among people with HIV (PWH) from the Spanish multicentre CoRIS cohort. We developed a mobile app to collect HRQoL data every 3 months using the WHOQOL-HIV-BREF questionnaire (31 items across six domains), among PWH followed in CoRIS in 2021-2023. Factors associated with good/very good global HRQoL and with domain-specific mean scores were identified using multivariable logistic and linear regression, respectively. Of 414 PWH (94.2% on antiretroviral treatment, 91.1% virally suppressed), 51.2% reported good/very good HRQoL. Latin American migrants (adjusted OR: 0.60 [95% CI: 0.36; 1.00]), and participants with lower educational level (0.36 [0.21; 0.64]), a previous AIDS diagnosis (0.56 [0.29; 1.11]) and a history of non-AIDS-related cancers (0.40 [0.14; 1.14]) were less likely to report good/very good global HRQoL. The most affected items included sexual satisfaction, forgiveness and blame, sleep and rest, and concerns about the future, with spirituality, religion and personal beliefs as the most affected domain. Latin American origin, lower educational level and shorter (<2 years) or longer (>15 years) time since HIV diagnosis were associated with poorer HRQoL in specific domains. No significant changes in HRQoL were observed after 12 months except slightly higher scores in physical health. Only half of PWH reported good/very good global HRQoL. This highlights the need to develop targeted strategies to improve HRQoL among PWH, focusing on addressing the most affected dimensions and supporting the most vulnerable groups.

Results of the Latin American Pediatric Oncology Group (GALOP-2011) Trial for Patients With Localized Ewing Sarcoma: A Multicentric Study of Interval-Compressed Multiagent Chemotherapy.

GALOP investigators developed a prospective cooperative protocol for localized Ewing sarcoma (ES) incorporating interval-compressed chemotherapy (VDC/IE, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide/ifosfamide and etoposide). After completing conventional treatment, patients were randomized to 1year of metronomic chemotherapy (vinblastine and cyclophosphamide). Phase III randomized prospective trial. Induction consisted of six alternating cycles of VDC/IE every 14days, followed by local control, and eight cycles of consolidation every 21days. After consolidation, patients were randomized 1:1 to metronomic chemotherapy or stop treatment, balanced by age (>/<14years-old), sex (M/F), site (pelvic/non-pelvic), and size (>/<8cm). The results of randomization will be published elsewhere with longer follow-up. Between 2011 and 2019, 315 patients (59.7% male, median age 11.0years) were recruited across 34 centers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. The most frequent localizations were axial (45.1%), extremity (38.1%), and pelvic (16.8%). The median time interval between cycles was 19 and 22days at induction and consolidation, respectively. There were no unexpected toxicity or toxic deaths related to interval compression. The overall response rate post-induction was 81.6%. Local treatment with surgery (50.8%), radiotherapy (19.7%), or a combination (26%) was performed in 304 (96.5%) patients. With a median follow-up of 50months (range: 1.67-121.7), the 5-year overall and event-free survivals were 68.6% (SE: 0.030) and 63.7% (SE: 0.029), respectively. Implementation of a multi-institutional protocol with the strategy of interval-compressed induction for ES in South America was feasible with favorable results. This success is attributed to rigorous protocol adherence, extensive educational efforts, and a strong emphasis on data quality maintenance, demonstrating a reproducible model for countries with similar resource limitations.

Las voces del pueblo ecuatoriano: construcción del pueblo en el fenómeno populista de Rafael Correa

Objective/context: To understand how Ecuadorian men and women construct the idea of “the people” through their discourses, following the populist phenomenon of Rafael Correa in Ecuador (2007–2017). Methodology: Ecuador was chosen as a case study, and through a qualitative approach, this study included 26 in-depth interviews and 4 discussion groups with people across the country. This research followed an approach based on grounded theory and discourse analysis and data processing was carried out using the Atlas.ti. Conclusions: This study provides insights into Ecuadorians’ imaginaries regarding politics and populism, and it also enabled an understanding of the collective from the individual perspective, as well as how the homogeneity of the Ecuadorian people emerges from the individuals who make it up. Originality: It addresses the narratives constructed about “the people,” focusing on those who comprise it as key actors in the Latin American populist phenomenon.

MIAU: An analysis-ready dataset on presence-only and presence-absence data of Neotropical carnivores (Mammalia, Carnivora) from 2000 to 2021

In the last decade, databases of records of species observed at the same location at different points in time over large spatial extents have been made available. Unfortunately, these sources are scarce in regions such as Latin America. We present a dataset of 60,179 point occurrences (i.e. presence-only data, PO) and 45,468 camera-trap survey records (i.e. presence-absence data, PA) for 63 species of carnivores of the Neotropical Region from 2000 to 2021. We collated the data from various sources, including 64 newly-digitised bibliographic references. We cleaned, taxonomically harmonised and standardised the data following the Darwin Core and Humboldt Core standards and present them here as csv files. We have also made these data fit for analyses by aggregating the data into two time periods (time1: 2000–2013 and time2: 2014–2021), with PO grid cell counts of 100 × 100 km and PA polygons of varying size, presented as geopackage files. These data can be used for large-scale species distribution models, calculation of population trends, extinction risk analyses and educational purposes.

A descriptive study of smoking, socioeconomic position, and health-related behaviors in urban Colombia

IntroductionData about recent trends in smoking in Latin America are scarce. We estimated the prevalence of smoking, and explored its association with socioeconomic position, health-related behaviors, perceptions, and trusted information sources in Colombian cities.MethodsWe collected a population-based, multi-stage, stratified probabilistic sample of individuals aged 14–80 years, between November and December 2022. We compared the prevalence of health-related behaviors and perceptions in smokers versus non-smokers employing sample weights according to the sampling design.ResultsThe study included 1904 participants (53.9% female, age 47 ± 19 years). The estimated prevalence of smoking was 22.0% (29.0% in males, 15.7% in females), underage smoking was 4.8%. Among males, the prevalence of smoking was highest in the lowest socioeconomic stratum (31.0%), while among females it was lowest in this stratum (8.3%). Educational level was negatively associated with smoking among men, going from 38.8% for those with only elementary school to 25.5% for college graduates, while among women the trend was the complete opposite. Perceptions about healthy foods and lifestyle habits incorporated in the last year were largely similar between smokers and non-smokers. Smokers and non-smokers appealed essentially to the same health information sources, especially healthcare professionals.ConclusionThe worldwide trend towards a reduction in smoking seems to have been reversed in Colombia, smoking is increasing fast in disadvantaged population segments. Strong tobacco control policies should focus on men with less income and lower education. The same communication avenues can be used to convey health information and motivational campaigns to smokers and non-smokers.