Low Lethality Research Articles

Small bowel neuroendocrine tumors: Unique features and low lethality compared with small bowel adenocarcinoma.

Population-based studies comparing clinical characteristics and survival disparities between patients with small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) and small bowel neuroendocrine tumors (SBNETs) in the United States are limited. Data for patients with SBA or SBNETs, obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for the years between 2000 and 2018 were analyzed. Between 2000 and 2018, the age-adjusted incidence of SBA experienced a marginal increase whereas SBNETs demonstrated a significant increase, emerging as the predominant subtype of small bowel cancer (SBC). Diagnoses peaked at ages 65-69years for SBA and 60-64years for SBNETs, with the latter exhibiting a heightened age-specific incidence and maintaining equilibrium in gender distribution. Clinicopathologic disparities revealed SBA's duodenal predilection, larger tumor size, and advanced stages, contrasting with SBNETs' ileal predilection, early-stage presentation, and superior outcomes. SBNETs patients underwent surgery more frequently but received less chemotherapy and radiation than SBA patients. Factors intricately correlated with a diagnosis of SBNETs included female gender, White race, advanced age, marital status, recent diagnoses, superior tumor differentiation, smaller size, distal location, and early-stage presentation. Survival analysis unveiled a remarkable 79% reduction in the mortality risk for SBNETs compared with SBA. Subgroup analysis further confirmed the consistently favorable survival advantages of SBNETs, highlighting the clinical relevance of histological classification in prognostication. Compared with SBA, SBNETs exhibited distinctive clinicopathological features characterized by a higher inclination toward low-grade and early-stage manifestations, thereby contributing to superior survival outcomes.

Detoxification of Paraquat: Scooping up the Moon from the Water?

Review Detoxification of Paraquat: Scooping up the Moon from the Water? Yanyan Zhu and Xiuping Chen * State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, 519000, China * Correspondence: xpchen@um.edu.mo; Tel.: +853-88224679 Received: 9 May 2024; Revised: 6 June 2024; Accepted: 12 June 2024; Published: 23 August 2024 Abstract: Paraquat poisoning is a global public health problem, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Ingestion of even small amounts of paraquat can be life-threatening. However, there is no specific antidote for this pesticide, which has a low lethal dose and high lethality in humans. Paraquat poisoning causes systemic toxicity with the primary target organ being the lungs, resulting in acute alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis. It can also lead to multiple organ failure. This review summarizes the current clinical management of patients with paraquat poisoning and the potentially effective compounds reported in the literature and patents for the treatment of paraquat poisoning. It also summarizes future directions for antidote development based on reports of available potential antidotes and provides ideas for paraquat antidote development.

Developmental Assets and Their Relationship to Suicidal Behavior in Mexican Young Adults.

Suicide in young people is a public health problem. Typically, protective factors for suicide are not studied; research tends to focus on measuring risk factors. However, knowing the risk factors does not mean that we also know the opposing factors that influence a group's health problems. For this reason, we examined the relationship between developmental assets in Mexican youth aged 18 to 25 years who are not at risk for suicide, exhibit self-injurious behavior, and whose last suicide attempt had low or high lethality. A cross-sectional study of 478 young people (73% female and 27% male) from Mexico City was conducted using an online survey and correlations were tested with dummy variables (groups) and multinomial logistic regression. The no-risk group showed associations with all developmental assets, the self-injurious group had an association with the house rules variable, the low lethality group was correlated with twelve assets and the high lethality group with four assets. Four internal developmental strengths were significant in the regression model: avoidance of risk behaviors, school expectations, resistance to pressure, and expression of anger. These results suggest that PYD is a useful framework for examining suicide risk and promotes skill development in young college students.

Association between Physical Activity and Dengue and Its Repercussions for Public Health: New Insights.

Dengue is an endemic disease in tropical countries, mainly in South America, Southwest Asia, and Africa, which, despite having a low lethality rate, can overwhelm health systems. Strengthening the immune system through regular physical activity can be an important tool to prevent contagion, worsening, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by the disease, as seen in the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this point of view aims to analyze the possible association between physical activity and dengue and its repercussions on public health. Comments were made on the main characteristics of dengue as well as on the main vaccines available to date. It was also discussed the impacts of dengue on health systems, in addition to the main repercussions for public health when a very large number of people are infected. It was also commented on the main factors that contribute to the worsening of the clinical stage of dengue, in addition to discussions and reflections on physical activity, strengthening the immune system, and dengue. There are assumptions that regular physical activity can be an important public health strategy to prevent contagion, severity, and hospitalizations caused by dengue and that it needs to be promoted by governments around the world as a tool for preventing and treating not only chronic communicable diseases but also infectious diseases.

Prediction of potential public health risk of the recent multicountry monkeypox outbreak: An update after the end declaration of global public health emergency.

A double-stranded DNA virus called monkeypox virus (MPV) belonging to the Poxviridae family and Orthopoxvirus genus causes monkeypox (mpox) infection. This virus used to infect only Central, East, and West Africa. However, it has spread to an extent outside Africa recently. The range of MPV outbreaks was so high that on July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). About a year later, the WHO notified the end of a global public health emergency for mpox on May 11, 2023. Here, we aimed to assess the current pathogenicity and potential risk of MPV causing public health emergencies. We searched information from published articles available in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. We used monkeypox, mpox, monkeypox outbreak, and monkeypox virus as keywords during the literature search. Many new variants of MPV have emerged throughout the world that created PHEIC for mpox. Considering the low lethality and transmission rate, mpox is no longer a global public health threat. In addition, the availability of therapeutic and preventive measures helped the healthcare authorities fight the mpox infection in an efficient manner. In this review, we have portrayed the history and evolution of mpox from past to present and an idea of its future outcomes. Also, we have discussed the symptoms related to mpox and approved antiviral treatment strategies to fight off the infection in this piece. This review also emphasized the preventive guidelines set by the WHO for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to control the outbreak of mpox infection. We believe this article would give an idea about the potential public health threats of the recent multi-country monkeypox outbreak to the healthcare authorities for taking measures accordingly.

Characterizing the differential susceptibility and resistance to insecticides in populations of Chrysodeixis includens and Rachiplusia nu (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil.

Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) and Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) are major Plusiinae pests of soybean in the Southern Cone region of South America. In recent decades, C. includens was the main defoliator of soybean in Brazil, but from 2021 onwards, R. nu emerged as an important soybean pest in various regions of the country. Here, we characterize the differential susceptibility and resistance to insecticides in these Plusiinae pests from two soybean regions of Brazil. Except for spinetoram and chlorfenapyr (comparable lethality against both species) and a Bt-based biopesticide (more lethal for C. includens), the tested insecticides showed higher lethality against R. nu than against C. includens, but populations of the same species, even separated by long distances, presented similar resistance levels. For both species, the 90% lethal concentration (LC90) values of most insecticides were higher than the field-recommended dose. Nevertheless, the field-recommended doses of spinetoram, metaflumizone, emamectin benzoate, cyclaniliprole and chlorfenapyr showed comparable control efficacy against both species, whereas indoxacarb, chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide, teflubenzuron and chlorfluazuron were more lethal for R. nu, and methoxyfenozide and the Bt-based insecticide were more lethal for C. includens. Thiodicarb, methomyl and lambda-cyhalothrin showed low lethality against both species. Large interspecific differences in the susceptibility to insecticides was found in major Plusiinae pests of soybean in Brazil. Furthermore, variations in susceptibility to insecticides occurred consistently among species and populations, regardless of the collection site and thus despite unequal temporal and spatial exposure to insecticides. These results demonstrate that accurate species identification is essential for effective control of Plusiinae in soybean. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Therapeutic mitigation of measles-like immune amnesia and exacerbated disease after prior respiratory virus infections in ferrets

Measles cases have surged pre-COVID-19 and the pandemic has aggravated the problem. Most measles-associated morbidity and mortality arises from destruction of pre-existing immune memory by measles virus (MeV), a paramyxovirus of the morbillivirus genus. Therapeutic measles vaccination lacks efficacy, but little is known about preserving immune memory through antivirals and the effect of respiratory disease history on measles severity. We use a canine distemper virus (CDV)-ferret model as surrogate for measles and employ an orally efficacious paramyxovirus polymerase inhibitor to address these questions. A receptor tropism-intact recombinant CDV with low lethality reveals an 8-day advantage of antiviral treatment versus therapeutic vaccination in maintaining immune memory. Infection of female ferrets with influenza A virus (IAV) A/CA/07/2009 (H1N1) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) four weeks pre-CDV causes fatal hemorrhagic pneumonia with lung onslaught by commensal bacteria. RNAseq identifies CDV-induced overexpression of trefoil factor (TFF) peptides in the respiratory tract, which is absent in animals pre-infected with IAV. Severe outcomes of consecutive IAV/CDV infections are mitigated by oral antivirals even when initiated late. These findings validate the morbillivirus immune amnesia hypothesis, define measles treatment paradigms, and identify priming of the TFF axis through prior respiratory infections as risk factor for exacerbated morbillivirus disease.

Self-DNA Inhibition in Drosophila melanogaster Development: Metabolomic Evidence of the Molecular Determinants.

We investigated the effects of dietary delivered self-DNA in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster. Self-DNA administration resulted in low but significant lethality in Drosophila larvae and considerably extended the fly developmental time. This was characterized by the abnormal persistence of the larvae in the L2 and L3 stages, which largely accounted for the average 72 h delay observed in pupariation, as compared to controls. In addition, self-DNA exposure affected adult reproduction by markedly reducing both female fecundity and fertility, further demonstrating its impact on Drosophila developmental processes. The effects on the metabolites of D. melanogaster larvae after exposure to self-DNA were studied by NMR, LC-MS, and molecular networking. The results showed that self-DNA feeding reduces the amounts of all metabolites, particularly amino acids and N-acyl amino acids, which are known to act as lipid signal mediators. An increasing amount of phloroglucinol was found after self-DNA exposure and correlated to developmental delay and egg-laying suppression. Pidolate, a known intermediate in the γ-glutamyl cycle, also increased after exposure to self-DNA and correlated to the block of insect oogenesis.

Analysis of In-Hospital Mortality of Patients with New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) of Clinical Centre of Sechenov University

INTRODUCTION: The epidemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) required a restructure of the entire healthcare system of the Russian Federation within a limited period of time. Here, the mortality of patients is the most important effective parameter that reflects successfulness of organization measures for improvement of the activity of medical institutions. The initial preparedness of the infrastructure permitted to rapidly deploy a hospital on the base of the Clinical Centre of Sechenov University for providing medical assistance to patients with COVID-19.
 AIM: To analyze the in-hospital mortality of patients with COVID-19 at the Clinical Center of Sechenov University.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The COVID-19 database (n = 19 230) of the Clinical Centre of Sechenov University for 20202022 was analyzed.
 RESULTS: The overall in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 hospitals of the Clinical Centre of Sechenov University was 8.5%, which is the lower level compared to the data of foreign studies (Italy, Spain, Great Britain, USA, Iran). The main predictors of mortality are: basic male gender, age (mainly 75 years); existence of malignant neoplasms, diseases of the nervous system, diseases of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the endocrine system in patients; diseases occurring in the course of hospital treatment artificial lung ventilation, past surgical interventions.
 CONCLUSION: The working experience of the Clinical Center of Sechenov University shows a possibility for quick salvation of organizational tasks facing the healthcare system in the period of COVID-19 pandemic, with the results characterized by low lethality of hospitalized patients.

Terrorism: The present, the future and the unpredictability of the threat

The terrorist threat in 2023 has been characterised by new levels of unpredictability. This is due to two main factors that have unfolded only recently with unparalleled intensity. The first is the bipolarity of the threat. On the one hand, structured and semi-structured radical groups are operating in complex scenarios, such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. On the other, in the West we have been witnessing a recrudescence of lone-actor attacks that, although characterised by low lethality, represent a cause for concern. There is a risk that this dichotomy could catch experts off guard. The second factor that makes the threat particularly unpredictable is the ideological fluidity that is pervading contemporary radical milieux and radicalisation trends: individuals with diverse ideological backgrounds borrow tropes, narratives and communication strategies from other ideologies and adapt them to match their worldviews through processes of reciprocal influencing and cross-pollination. This article aims to analyse the bipolarity between the focus on international crises amid a rise in lone-actor attacks and the ideological fluidity of radical environments to assess how these two factors have generated unprecedented levels of unpredictability when it comes to terrorism and radicalisation.

A scoping review of literature on clozapine from former USSR states published in Russian language

ObjectiveAccess to literature on clozapine in Russian language remains strikingly limited. We aimed to identify and translate clinical evidence on clozapine-based treatment outcomes. MethodsWe performed a systematic review in PubMed, Embase and scientific indexes from former USSR states searching for articles published in Russian from the database inception till January 2023 and summarized the data in a scoping review (PROSPERO Reg. Number CRD42023386737). ResultsA total of 60 papers were included comprising eight main topic categories: 1) clozapine-related intoxications (n = 20), 2) effectiveness/efficacy and safety of clozapine treatment (n = 14), 3) adverse drug-induced reactions (ADRs) related to clozapine treatment (n = 9), 4) therapeutic drug monitoring for clozapine (n = 5), 5) combination of clozapine and non-pharmacological treatments (n = 4), 6) pharmacoepidemiology of clozapine (n = 3), 7) effects of clozapine on the brain electrical activity (n = 3), and 8) novel clozapine formulations (n = 2). Among clozapine-related intoxications there were reports of criminal poisoning, which was associated with low lethality. Worse outcomes were accompanied by systemic reactions to intoxications. Clinical benefits of hemoadsorption were reported in the management of clozapine-related intoxications. Only half of studies reporting clozapine effectiveness used standardized scales to assess outcomes. Clozapine superiority in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) was replicated in one trial. No reports of clozapine-related agranulocytosis were identified. Clozapine ranked among most prescribed antipsychotics for TRS and non-TRS. ConclusionsAs clinical research in former USSR states is advancing to adopt western clinical research standards, comparability and extrapolation of findings is expected to increase, with transfer of older findings to clinical practice being particularly challenging.

Toxic effects of AB-CHMINACA on liver and kidney and detection of its blood level in adult male mice

BackgroundAB-CHMINACA is a cannabimimetic indazole derivative. In 2013, it was reported in different countries as a substance of abuse.PurposeThis study evaluated the subacute toxic effects of AB-CHMINACA on the liver and kidneys and measured its blood level in adult male mice.MethodsThe histological and biochemical subacute toxic effects on the liver and kidneys were assessed after four weeks of daily intraperitoneal injections of one of the following doses: 0.3 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, or 10 mg/kg as the highest dose in adult male albino mice. In addition, the blood concentration level of AB-CHMINACA was determined by GC–MS-MS.ResultsThe histological effects showed congestion, hemorrhage, degeneration, and cellular infiltration of the liver and kidney tissues. Considering the control groups as a reference, biochemical results indicated a significant increase in the serum AST only in the highest dose group, while the ALT and creatinine levels did not significantly change. The mean values of AB-CHMINACA blood levels were 3.05 ± 1.16, 15.08 ± 4.30, and 54.43 ± 8.70 ng/mL for the three treated groups, respectively, one hour after the last dose of intraperitoneal injection. The calibration curves were linear in the 2.5–500 ng/mL concentration range. The intra-assay precision and accuracy of the method were less than 7.0% (RSD) and ± 9.2% (Bias).ConclusionThis research supports the available case reports on AB-CHMINACA toxicity that it has low lethality; still, the chronic administration causes evident liver and kidney histotoxic effects even at low doses with unnoticeable clinical effects in mice.

From dengue outbreaks to endemicity: Reunion Island, France, 2018 to 2021.

BackgroundAfter 40 years of limited viral circulation, Reunion Island has since 2018 experienced recurrent dengue outbreaks of increasing intensity and severity.AimWe aimed to report on the epidemiology and characteristics of dengue in Reunion Island between 2018 and 2021.MethodsBetween 2018 and August 2021, we systematically collected data on dengue cases via an automated transmission system between the health authorities and the medical laboratories. We set up additional surveillance systems for dengue-related activity in primary care, in emergency departments and in inpatient departments.ResultsUntil 2020, despite numerous cases, outbreaks had a limited public health impact because of few severe cases, low lethality and no heavy burden for the health care system. In 2021, however, the number of severe cases increased (from 0.4% of all cases in 2018 to 0.8% in 2021), as did the number of paediatric cases (from 8% in 2018 to 15% in 2021) and atypical clinical forms of dengue (108 cases of post-dengue maculopathy). Of note, haemorrhagic forms were rare and multi-organ failure was the most frequent severity throughout the study period. In parallel, the dominant serotype switched from DENV2 to DENV1 in 2020 and DENV1 became the only serotype detected in 2021.ConclusionThese findings indicate that dengue is becoming endemic in Reunion Island. Since comorbidities associated with severity of dengue are common in the population, health authorities should carefully consider the impact of dengue when addressing public health policies.

Lethal and mutagenic effects of different LET radiations on Bacillus subtilis spores

New, useful microorganism resources have been generated by ionizing radiation breeding technology. However, the mutagenic effects of ionizing radiation on microorganisms have not been systematically clarified. For a deeper understanding and characterization of ionizing radiation-induced mutations in microorganisms, we investigated the lethal effects of seven different linear energy transfer (LET) radiations based on the survival fraction (SF) and whole-genome sequencing analysis of the mutagenic effects of a dose resulting in an SF of around 1% in Bacillus subtilis spores. Consequently, the lower LET radiations (gamma [surface LET: 0.2 keV/µm] and 4He2+ [24 keV/µm]) showed low lethality and high mutation frequency (MF), resulting in the major induction of single-base substitutions. Whereas higher LET radiations (12C5+ [156 keV/µm] and 12C6+ [179 keV/µm]) showed high lethality and low MF, resulting in the preferential induction of deletion mutations. In addition, 12C6+ (111) ion beams likely possess characteristics of both low- and high-LET radiations simultaneously. A decrease in the relative biological effectiveness and an evaluation of the inactivation cross section indicated that 20Ne8+ (468 keV/µm) and 40Ar13+ (2214 keV/µm) ion beams had overkill effects. In conclusion, in the mutation breeding of microorganisms, it should be possible to regulate the proportions, types, and frequencies of induced mutations by selecting an ionizing radiation of an appropriate LET in accordance with the intended purpose.

2-Octylcyclopentanone Inhibits Beta Lactam Resistant Diabetic Wound Pathogens.

Microbial infection is a frequent complication of diabetic foot ulcers, with up to 82% of ulcers being infected at the initial stage of diabetes. Furthermore, the emergence of beta lactam resistant pathogens managed to eliminate the use of beta lactam antibiotics as a chemotherapeutic alternative. This further increases the amputation and mortality rate. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate antimicrobial efficacy of a ketone derivative 2-octylcyclopentanone against diabetic wound pathogens. The inhibitory activity of the compound was determined using disc diffusion and broth microdilution assay. Generally, 2-octylcyclopentanone showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, particularly against beta lactam resistant pathogens. The compound showed comparably better antimicrobial activity than all reference antibiotics, including chloramphenicol, streptomycin, ampicillin and penicillin. In addition, the same compound also inhibits a clinically isolated Pseudonomas aeruginosa that was resistant to all reference antibiotics. The activity was microbicidal based on the low minimal lethality concentration recorded, particularly on MRSA, P. aeruginosa and Candida utilis. The killing efficiency of the compound was concentration dependent. During kill curve analysis, the inhibitory activity of 2-octylcyclopentanone was concentration and time-dependent. 99.9% of reduction of bacterial growth was observed. MRSA and P. aeruginosa, two significant diabetic wound infections, are totally inhibited by the molecule at a concentration of minimum lethality concentration. In short, 2-octylcyclopentanone exhibited significant inhibitory towards wide range of diabetic wound pathogens. Which is considered crucial since it will provide a safe and effective alternative treatment for diabetic ulcer infection.

Construction and immunogenicity of an mRNA vaccine against chikungunya virus.

Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) has spread to more than 100 countries worldwide, with frequent outbreaks in Europe and the Americas in recent years. Despite the relatively low lethality of infection, patients can suffer from long-term sequelae. Until now, no available vaccines have been approved for use; however, increasing attention is being paid to the development of vaccines against chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and the World Health Organization has included vaccine development in the initial blueprint deliverables. Here, we developed an mRNA vaccine using the nucleotide sequence encoding structural proteins of CHIKV. And immunogenicity was evaluated by neutralization assay, Enzyme-linked immunospot assay and Intracellular cytokine staining. The results showed that the encoded proteins elicited high levels of neutralizing antibody titers and T cell-mediated cellular immune responses in mice. Moreover, compared with the wild-type vaccine, the codon-optimized vaccine elicited robust CD8+ T-cell responses and mild neutralizing antibody titers. In addition, higher levels of neutralizing antibody titers and T-cell immune responses were obtained using a homologous booster mRNA vaccine regimen of three different homologous or heterologous booster immunization strategies. Thus, this study provides assessment data to develop vaccine candidates and explore the effectiveness of the prime-boost approach.

Proteomic and functional analyses of Lachesis acrochorda snake venom from the Valle del Cauca Department of Colombia

Lachesis acrochorda envenomation has a lethality rate of approximately 90%. Despite its high lethality, little is known about its local and systemic effects and its relationship with its protein content. Thus, to increase knowledge of L. acrochorda snake venom from the Southwestern ecoregion of Colombia, we developed a proteomic analysis using a "bottom-up shotgun proteomic profiling" approach. Besides, we evaluated toxinological properties and compared the effects with the Bothrops asper snake venom activities. The RP-HPLC profile showed similarities with the L. acrochorda snake venom from the Northwestern ecoregion of Colombia. However, the results displayed differences in the protein families identified, probably due to the proteomic identification strategy. The in vitro and in vivo tests showed a L. acrochorda snake venom with Phospholipase A2 and metalloproteinase activities related to myotoxic, edematic, and hemorrhagic effects. Nevertheless, the L. acrochorda snake venom displayed a low lethality despite a large amount of inoculated venom. This investigation's results will help us improve the knowledge about the relationship between the clinical manifestations of L. acrochorda envenomation and the venom protein content.

Disease Course, Management and Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection during the Omicron-Variant Wave: A Single-Center Experience

Since December 2019, kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have experienced a great impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. Preliminary data in KTRs suggest that the Omicron variant, which has been dominant since December 2021, is more infectious than the previous ones but is associated with reduced risk of severity and low lethality rates. The purpose of our study was to assess the disease course and outcomes of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTRs during the Omicron-surge. This retrospective study included 451 KTRs diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection between 1 December 2021 and 30 September 2022. Demographic and clinical characteristics at the time of infection, vaccination data, treatment, clinical course, and outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Mean age was 51.8 ± 13.7 years with a male predominance (61.2%). The majority (76.1%) were vaccinated with at least three doses of the available mRNA vaccines, although serology revealed low anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers before infection (33 [3.3-1205] AU/mL). Only 6% of the patients experienced moderate-severe disease. Accordingly, there was low prevalence of adverse outcomes, such as SARS-CoV-2-related hospitalization (11.3%) and death (0.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that only age significantly increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2-related hospitalization. During the Omicron wave, the clinical course of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTRs has substantially changed, with lower rates of moderate and severe disease and a low prevalence of adverse outcomes. Prospective clinical trials are warranted to further elucidate the evolving pathogenesis, management, and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 in such high-risk populations.

Prevalencia de dermatofitosis en Chimborazo, Ecuador, 2022

Dermatophytoses are superficial mycoses that affect the general population, due to their low lethality they can be underestimated as part of neglected diseases. As an objective, it was proposed to determine the prevalence of dermatophytosis in Chimborazo, Ecuador, during the period January 2021 to July 2022. The study was quantitative-descriptive, cross-sectional, whose sample consisted of 279 patients with suggestive lesions. As a data collection instrument, a sociodemographic survey was applied and samples of the lesions were taken from each patient, grouped into 7 topographies, it was carried out directly with 40% KOH and cultures in Sabouraud honey agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar and potato agar for identification. differentiation and diagnosis of the pathogen. Data were stored in Microsoft Excel® and analyzed using the Epidat 3.0 statistical package. As a result, a general prevalence of 72.04% (201/279) was found, of which 46.59% (130/279) corresponded to the male sex between 20 and 29 years of age (14.70%), where 33.33% (93/279) were identified with dermatophytes, 17.56% (49/279) with Malassezia spp., 16.49% (46/279) with Candida spp., 3.23% (9/279) with non-dermatophyte Mold, 1.08% (3/279) with Dermatophytes and Candida spp. and 0.36% (1/279) with No dermatophytes and Candida spp. respectively, whose most affected areas were the nails and smooth skin and the most noticeable risk factor was living with animals. In conclusion, it is essential to continue with prevalence studies in locations in Ecuador, so that actions can be taken at the public health level.

Foreigners living in Tuscany at the time of coronavirus outbreak

BackgroundDuring the coronavirus outbreak, a worldwide state of emergency and lockdown significantly affected the volunteer services for foreigners. The SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program was strengthened among migrants arriving in Italy. However, few screening measures for SARS-CoV2 infection have been conducted on the foreign population already present in Italy. In Tuscany, a great effort was made to know the epidemiological features of coronavirus outbreaks in the foreigners. Based on these premises, this study describes the prevalence and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in foreigners present in the Tuscan territory during the months of the highest incidence of this pandemic. MethodsMinistry of Health established the COVID-19 surveillance and predisposed the methods for reporting cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in agreement with the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Data on SARS-CoV-2, updated daily, were collected based on the platform of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.For each patient were available data on diagnosis, gender, age, nationality, exposure place, hospitalization and symptoms severity. Symptoms severity was classified using a 6-level scale (asymptomatic, paucisymptomatic, mild symptoms, severe symptoms, critic, and died). ResultsBy July 14, 2020, 10,090 SARS-CoV-2 cases were recorded. Out of 10,090 cases, 8,947 were Italians (88.7%), 608 foreigners (6%); in 535 patients (5.3%) citizenship was missing. The average age of foreigners was 44.1 years (range: 42.9–45.4), compared to 61.1 years (range: 60.7–61.5) of Italians. Chronic pathologies affected 16.8% of foreigners (14.0% -20.0%) and 36.4% of Italians (35.4% -37.4%). Foreigners with asymptomatic or mild symptoms of COVID-19 were 81.7% (78.4% -84.6%), while the Italians were 67% (66.6% -68.5%). Foreigners with severe COVID-19 were 15.2% (12.6% -18.4%) and Italians were 17.6% (16.8% -18.4%). Foreigners in critical conditions were 1.0% (0.5% -2.2%) and Italians were 2.6% (2.3% -3.0%). 38.6% (33.7% -43.7%) of foreigners were infected at the workplace as a health or social-health worker, compared to 24.2% (23.1% -25.4%) of Italians. ConclusionThe time between the onset of symptoms and the execution of the laboratory tests was similar between foreigners and Italians. The foreigners infected by SARS-COV-2 were younger compared to the Italians. Foreigners showed few comorbidities, and asymptomatic or mild symptomatic COVID-19, and consequently, a low lethality index. National and Tuscany policy decisions are needed to create equity in the access to the health care system for immigrants and their families, regardless of their immigration status.