Biomedical publications in the selected CARICOM countries

Objective: To compare biomedical research productivity among selected CARICOM countries. Design and Methodology: Biomedical publications of the selected CARICOM countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago) were retrieved using 'PubMed' and 'ScImago Journal & country Rank' (SJR) databases. The publications for each country were then normalized by factors such as total population, gross domestic product (GDP) and Internet usage rate. Results: Total number of papers published by all 9 countries was 7,281 and 8,378 in PubMed (1990- 2015) and SJR databases (1996-2017) respectively. Jamaica produced highest number of biomedical publications [PubMed: 3,928 (54%) and SJR: 2,850 (34%)]. However, when adjusted, Grenada had the highest research publications per million populations, per billion GDP and per 1,000 Internet users in both databases. For trend analysis, PubMed showed that Jamaica produced highest number of additional publications each year ­ on an average 4.8 followed by Trinidad & Tobago (4.4). According to SJR, Jamaica had also highest number of citations (42,311) and H-index (76) followed by Trinidad & Tobago (29,152 and 71). Barbados had the highest number of citations per document (24.9) followed by Haiti (18.4). Conclusion: There was a marked imbalance noted among the CARICOM countries in terms of biomedical research and publications. A CARICOM-wide research may be embarked to explore disparities in biomedical research productivity and thus formulate informed health policies to alleviate diseases and eradicate poverty.

Clinical isolates of bacteria from domestic cats in Grenada, and their antimicrobial susceptibility

Of a total of 57 consecutive clinical samples from domestic cats in Grenada, 23 were culture positive for aerobic bacteria. Of 25 isolates from these samples, 13 were Gram-negative bacteria, the majority (54%) being Escherichia coli from urinary tract infections and wounds/ abscesses, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Of the 12 Gram-positive isolates, the majority (75%) were staphylococci, originating from various infections. Among the less common isolates were, an Enterobacter cloacae strain associated with otitis externa, an Enterococcus faecalis strain associated with urinary tract infection, and a Streptococcus pneumoniae strain associated with upper respiratory infection. Antimicrobial resistance was least to enrofloxacin, the rate being 5.2%, followed by gentamicin (12%), chloramphenicol (14.2%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (15%), cephalothin (20%), and tetracycline (38.1%). All Gram-negative isolates were susceptible to enrofloxacin, and all Gram-positives to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.

Dengue in Costa Rica: the gap in local scientific research

Globalization has affected the reemergence of infectious diseases, with increased human travel and trade facilitating the introduction of diseases into new areas and the resurgence of diseases that had been eliminated in some places (1). However, the increased availability of scientific information from various research groups can help in the development of new and improved disease control measures. The combination of scientific research and reliable field assessments that consider different areas of knowledge and different geographic locations (world regions, countries, and communities) is essential for building greater understanding. This combination can also provide evidence that guides prevention and control measures at the local, national, regional, and global levels. Dengue is a reemerging and uncontrolled disease. With dengue, there is a need for more scientific research on the local factors that affect the disease system and the relationships among those factors. There is also a need to develop new or improved dengue control approaches (2). In this paper, the situation of scientific research on dengue is analyzed for the developing country of Costa Rica. Although dengue has become the most important vector-borne disease in Costa Rica over the last decade, published scientific research dealing with the local situation is scarce (3). This could be due to various factors such as the historical and political context and limited financial and human resources. Filling this gap in Costa Rica and other developing countries would benefit local control programs and help efforts around the world to develop best practices for dengue prevention and control. Making this new knowledge broadly available could help improve the global dengue situation.