Another vision of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico during 2020

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths registered in Mexico during 2020 could be underestimated, due to the sentinel surveillance adopted in this country. Some consequences of following this type of epidemiological surveillance were the high case fatality rate and the high positivity rate for COVID-19 shown in Mexico in 2020. During this year, the Mexican Ministry of Health only considered cases from the public health system, which followed this sentinel surveillance, but did not consider those cases from the private health system. To better understand this pandemic, it is important to include all the results obtained by all the institutions capable of testing for COVID-19, thus the Mexican Government could make good decisions to protect the population from this disease.

Seroprevalence of Avian Influenza virus subtype H5N1 in chickens of the two main poultry market in Surakarta area, Central Java

Avian influenza (AI) subtype H5N1 virus is very contagious among domestic poultry such as chicken (Gallus gallus) and potentially infecting humans through direct or indirect contact with the infected animal. In the Surakarta area, Central Java, there are two major poultry markets, Silir poultry market and Jumantono farm. Here, we determined the seroprevalence of the AI virus in chickens sold in both poultry markets. The method was conducted using an explorative experiment by collecting 140 samples of chicken blood serum. The presence of antibodies to the AI virus subtype H5N1 was measured through a standard serological test via hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay. The HI assay detected a large antibody difference against AI from samples of both locations; 4.28% from Silir poultry market and 48.57% from Jumantono farm. Because the chickens from the Silir poultry market were not vaccinated, the level of antibody detected indicatesd that some chickens were exposed to the virus through infection. Meanwhile, the high positivity rate in Jumantono farm might reflect the presence of neutralizing antibody, since the chickens from this farm received periodic vaccinations. Continuous quality surveillance in the environment of the poultry market is essential to reduce the impact of AI outbreaks against chickens and humans.

Association of blood culture with carbapenem use in pyogenic liver abscess: a two-center retrospective study

Background Highly empiric use of carbapenem in pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is widespread problem. However, few studies have examined the association between blood culture and carbapenem use in patients with PLA in China. Thus, we conducted this observational study. Methods The data of patients diagnosed with PLA at two comprehensive tertiary care centers from 2014 to 2020 were retrospectively collected. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between blood culture and carbapenem use. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore whether the effect is different in sepsis. Results Blood culture was performed in 110 (46.0%) patients, of whom 44 (40.0%) patients had positive results for bacterial culture. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive blood culture isolates were detected in 8 (7.3%) patients. The positivity rate of blood culture in sepsis was higher than in non-sepsis (58.1% vs. 32.9%, P = 0.015). Fewer patients who had a blood culture received carbapenem treatment in comparison to patients without blood culture (19.1% vs. 31.8%, P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis showed that blood culture was independently associated with less carbapenem exposure (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16–0.68, P = 0.003), and this effect remained significant in the sepsis subgroup (adjusted OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.05–0.53, P = 0.002). Conclusion Blood culture had a high positivity rate and was associated with less carbapenem use in PLA, especially those who developed sepsis. More attention should be paid to performing early blood culture and less carbapenem use in PLA.

Enteroparasites in Riverside Settlements in the Pantanal Wetlands Ecosystem

Background. Intestinal parasites are a major source of health problems in developing countries, where socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions contribute in maintaining the biological cycles of various parasites and facilitating their spread. The objective of this study, conducted in Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, was to investigate the occurrence of intestinal parasites in riverside communities in the South Pantanal wetlands and conduct educational interventions focused on health and environmental preservation. Method. In total, 196 stool samples were tested for parasites using the merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde concentration (MIFC) technique and spontaneous sedimentation and educational activities were carried out. Results. Enteroparasite prevalence was 72% (65.6–78.2%; 95% CI). Of the 141 positive cases, monoparasitism was found in 34.7%, biparasitism in 23%, and polyparasitism in 14.3%. Entamoeba coli was the most frequent protozoan (70.2%). Among helminths, hookworms were the most prevalent. Enteroparasitosis prevalence did not differ for sex or place of abode but proved higher in individuals older than 10 years. Conclusion. The high positivity rate for enteroparasites found for the communities stems from lack of sanitation and poor personal and environmental hygiene habits, indicating that effective health policies and educational interventions are needed to reduce the current risk levels.