Association of bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae) and bats: Richness and host specificity in Western Mexico.

As part of a widespread ecological study on the ectoparasites of bats in Western Mexico, we report new information on the specificity, and distribution of bat flies in a geographical transition zone between the neartic and neotropical zones. Fifteen (15) species of bats representing three families (Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, and Vespertilionidae) were collected in 10 locations throughout western Mexico. A total of 276 bat flies, representing 6 genera and 25 species, were identified four species of the bat flies are new records for the region indicating an expansion of the distribution for Trichobius corynorhini (Cockerll, 1910), T. hoffmannae (Guerrero & Morales-Malacara, 1996), T. intermedius (Peterson & Hürka, 1974) and Nycterophilia natali (Wenzel, 1966). These records update the species richness of streblids to 40 species in the state of Jalisco, representing 65.6% of the total number of 61 species of streblids recorded in Mexico. The interaction network showed a high degree of specialization of the bat flies towards their hosts (H2' = 0.92). Similarly, the specificity indices showed that there is a high ecological specificity (SI) with an average of 92%. of all the bat flies was associated with their primary hosts, while the average value of specificity of the phylogenetic trees (STD) of the six streblid species that presented more than one host was 1.7%, indicating a high specificity. The results of this study provide relevant information on bat-parasite associations and highlight the need for further research to obtain information on the geographic distribution of streblids and their hosts.

The PRONTO study: Clinical performance of ID NOW in individuals with compatible SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in walk-in centres-accelerated turnaround time for contact tracing.

Background: This PRONTO study investigated the clinical performance of the Abbott ID NOWTM (IDN) COVID-19 diagnostic assay used at point of care and its impact on turnaround time for divulgation of test results. Methods: Prospective study conducted from December 2020 to February 2021 in acute symptomatic participants presenting in three walk-in centres in the province of Québec. Results: Valid paired samples were obtained from 2,372 participants. A positive result on either the IDN or the standard-of-care nucleic acid amplification test (SOC-NAAT) was obtained in 423 participants (prevalence of 17.8%). Overall sensitivity of IDN and SOC-NAAT were 96.4% (95% CI: 94.2-98.0%) and 99.1% (95% CI: 97.6-99.8), respectively; negative predictive values were 99.2% (95% CI: 98.7-99.6%) and 99.8% (95% CI: 99.5-100%), respectively. Turnaround time for positive results was significantly faster on IDN. Conclusion: In our experience, IDN use in symptomatic individuals in walk-in centres is a reliable sensitive alternative to SOC-NAAT without the need for subsequent confirmation of negative results. Such deployment can accelerate contact tracing, reduce the burden on laboratories and increase access to testing.

Epidemiology of prelingual sensorineural hearing impairment at a children’s center in Bogotá, Colombia between 1997 and 2008 / Epidemiología de la pérdida auditiva neurosensorial pre-lingual en un centro de atención a niños de Bogotá, Colombia entre 1997 y 2008

Introduction: Hearing loss is a frequent problem in childhood with an incidence of about one case per 1000 births. Control of deafness should be aimed at prevention and early diagnosis in efforts to provide appropriate treatment and stimulate adequate communication in children affected. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of different etiologies among deaf children with a diagnosis of prelingual sensorineural hearing loss referred to the Fundación CINDA in Bogotá, Colombia, between 1997 and 2008. Materials and methods: The medical records were selected from those with prelingual hearing loss. Information was gathered in a format containing variables related to the risk factors suggested by the Joint Committee of Infant Hearing. Results: We studied 254 children; boys and girls were equally distributed. The most common etiological diagnosis was ®unknown cause¼, followed by genetic causes (31 cases), and 38 cases from TORCH infections (toxoplasmosis, others – syphilis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes), with rubella as the most common cause. Conclusions: Review of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal history often reveals the cause of the deafness in children; therefore, appropriate evaluation of pregnant mothers could result in decreased frequency of deafness in children in our country.

Introducción: La deficiencia en la capacidad auditiva es la alteración sensorial que con más frecuencia se encuentra en la literatura científica. La incidencia en la infancia es de un niño con pérdida auditiva profunda por cada mil recién nacidos. Los esfuerzos en el manejo de la pérdida auditiva deben estar orientados a la prevención primaria y a la detección temprana para estimular el desarrollo de la comunicación en los niños. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue establecer la prevalencia de los diferentes factores etiológicos en una población de niños sordos que asistieron a la Fundación CINDA, entre 1997 y 2008. Material y métodos: Se seleccionaron las historias clínicas de aquellos con pérdida auditiva pre-lingual y se recolectó la información en un formato que contenía las variables relacionadas con los factores de riesgo planteados por el Joint Committee of Infant Hearing. Resultados: Cumplieron el criterio de selección 254 niños (56.7% niños y 43.3% niñas). El diagnóstico etiológico más frecuente (47.2%) fue desconocido, 31 casos se identificaron como genéticos y 38 tuvieron diagnóstico de STORCH (sífilis, toxoplasmosis, rubeola, citomegalovirus, herpes), entre los que se encontró con mayor frecuencia la rubeola. Conclusiones: Los antecedentes positivos de tipo pre (63.4%), peri (37.8%) y post-natal (75.2%) permiten afirmar que un control adecuado del embarazo probablemente lograría disminuir en forma importante la incidencia de sordera en Colombia.

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pediatric patients in Lima, Peru.

We conducted a prospective study in three hospitals in Lima in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) children to determine the frequency of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Five E. coli colonies/patients were studied by a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction to identify the six currently recognized groups of diarrhea-associated E. coli. We have analyzed 70 HIV-associated diarrheal and 70 control samples from HIV-infected children without diarrhea. Among the diarrheal episodes 19% were persistent, 3% dysenteric, and 33% were associated with moderate or severe dehydration. The diarrheagenic E. coli were the most commonly isolated pathogens in diarrhea (19%) and control samples (26%) (P = 0.42), including enteroaggregative (6% versus 10%), enteropathogenic (6% versus 10%), and enterotoxigenic E. coli (4% versus 3%), respectively. The HIV-infected children with diarrhea had the worse age-related immunosuppression, higher viral loads, and were on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) less often than HIV-infected children without diarrhea. Diarrheagenic E. coli were highly resistant to ampicillin (74%) and cotrimoxazole (70%).

Morbi-mortalidad neonatal; Hospital "Dr. Jaime Mendoza" (CNS) Enero 1976 - Octubre 1994 / Neonatal morbidity and mortality, \"Jaime Mendoza\", Hospital CNS, 1976 october 1994

El presente trabajo de tipo retrospectivo fue realizado en el Servicio de Neonatologia del Hospital Jaime Mendoza dependiente de la Caja Nacional de Salud. Se revisaron en forma completa 11.359 historias clinicas de recien nacidos, correspondiendo estas a la totalidad de neonatos atendidos entre el 1 de enero de 1976 y el 31 de octubre de 1994 (periodo de 19 años). Se obtuvieron indicadores epidemiologicos morbi-mortalidad neonatal; morbilidad = 4.83 por ciento (N=549 pacientes); mortalidad = 1.70 por ciento (n=193). La frecuencia de recien nacidos enfermos aumento progresivamente año tras año; la mortalidad de los mismos disminuyo. Existio una relacion directa entre las primeras causas de morbilidad y de mortalidad. Los niños naciods pretermino presentan la mayor probabilidad de morir.