Rinovirus y metapneumovirus en pacientes con infección respiratoria aguda grave / Rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in patients with severe acute respiratory infection

Introducción. Los virus son los principales agentes etiológicos en las infecciones respiratorias agudas graves; un alto porcentaje queda sin diagnóstico viral. Objetivo. Describir la frecuencia de rinovirus y metapneumovirus en pacientes pediátricos de una unidad centinela de Mar del Plata con infección respiratoria aguda grave y resultado negativo para virus clásicos por inmunofluorescencia y biología molecular. Población y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se evaluó la presencia de rinovirus y metapneumovirus por biología molecular en 163 casos negativos para panel respiratorio por técnicas de vigilancia referencial, durante todo el año 2015. Resultados. Se detectó rinovirus en el 51,5 % de los casos, metapneumovirus en el 9,8 % y coinfección rinovirus-metapneumovirus en el 6,1 %. Fueron negativos para ambos virus el 32,5 %. Conclusiones. La selección de muestras sin diagnóstico virológico permitió identificar rinovirus y metapneumovirus como agentes causales de infecciones respiratorias agudas graves pediátricas y su impacto en la morbimortalidad infantil y en nuestro sistema sanitario.

Introduction. Viruses are the main etiologic agents involved in severe acute respiratory tract infections; a viral diagnosis is not established in a high percentage of cases. Objective. To describe the frequency of rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory infection and negative results for typical viruses by immunofluorescence and molecular biology at a sentinel unit of Mar del Plata. Population and methods. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The presence of rhinovirus and metapneumovirus was assessed by molecular biology in 163 cases negative for respiratory panel by referral surveillance techniques throughout 2015. Results. Rhinovirus was detected in 51.5% of cases, metapneumovirus in 9.8%, and coinfection with rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in 6.1%. Results were negative for both viruses in 32.5%. Conclusions. The selection of samples without a viral diagnosis allowed us to identify rhinovirus and metapneumovirus as causative agents of severe acute respiratory infections in children and assess their impact on child morbidity and mortality and on our health care system

Rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in patients with severe acute respiratory infection. / Rinovirus y metapneumovirus en pacientes con infección respiratoria aguda grave.

Introduction. Viruses are the main etiologic agents involved in severe acute respiratory tract infections; a viral diagnosis is not established in a high percentage of cases. Objective. To describe the frequency of rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory infection and negative results for typical viruses by immunofluorescence and molecular biology at a sentinel unit of Mar del Plata. Population and methods. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The presence of rhinovirus and metapneumovirus was assessed by molecular biology in 163 cases negative for respiratory panel by referral surveillance techniques throughout 2015. Results. Rhinovirus was detected in 51.5% of cases, metapneumovirus in 9.8%, and coinfection with rhinovirus and metapneumovirus in 6.1%. Results were negative for both viruses in 32.5%. Conclusions. The selection of samples without a viral diagnosis allowed us to identify rhinovirus and metapneumovirus as causative agents of severe acute respiratory infections in children and assess their impact on child morbidity and mortality and on our health care system.

Introducción. Los virus son los principales agentes etiológicos en las infecciones respiratorias agudas graves; un alto porcentaje queda sin diagnóstico viral. Objetivo. Describir la frecuencia de rinovirus y metapneumovirus en pacientes pediátricos de una unidad centinela de Mar del Plata con infección respiratoria aguda grave y resultado negativo para virus clásicos por inmunofluorescencia y biología molecular. Población y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se evaluó la presencia de rinovirus y metapneumovirus por biología molecular en 163 casos negativos para panel respiratorio por técnicas de vigilancia referencial, durante todo el año 2015. Resultados. Se detectó rinovirus en el 51,5 % de los casos, metapneumovirus en el 9,8 % y coinfección rinovirus-metapneumovirus en el 6,1 %. Fueron negativos para ambos virus el 32,5 %. Conclusiones. La selección de muestras sin diagnóstico virológico permitió identificar rinovirus y metapneumovirus como agentes causales de infecciones respiratorias agudas graves pediátricas y su impacto en la morbimortalidad infantil y en nuestro sistema sanitario.

Strategy to enhance influenza surveillance worldwide.

The emergence of a novel strain of influenza virus A (H1N1) in April 2009 focused attention on influenza surveillance capabilities worldwide. In consultations before the 2009 outbreak of influenza subtype H1N1, the World Health Organization had concluded that the world was unprepared to respond to an influenza pandemic, due in part to inadequate global surveillance and response capacity. We describe a sentinel surveillance system that could enhance the quality of influenza epidemiologic and laboratory data and strengthen a country's capacity for seasonal, novel, and pandemic influenza detection and prevention. Such a system would 1) provide data for a better understanding of the epidemiology and extent of seasonal influenza, 2) provide a platform for the study of other acute febrile respiratory illnesses, 3) provide virus isolates for the development of vaccines, 4) inform local pandemic planning and vaccine policy, 5) monitor influenza epidemics and pandemics, and 6) provide infrastructure for an early warning system for outbreaks of new virus subtypes.

Influenza virus epidemiological surveillance in Argentina, 1987-1993, with molecular characterization of 1990 and 1993 isolates

This report describes findings from epidemiological surveillance of influenza virus in two cities in Argentina (Mar del Plata and Córdoba) from 1987 to 1993. It includes information on reporting and serologic characterization of isolated influenza viruses. In addition, determination was made of the nucleotide sequences of the HA1 subunits of five type A (subtype H3) viral strains isolated in the epidemics of 1990 and 1993. The incidence of illness, type of viruses isolated, and H gene sequences were similar to what has been reported from other parts of the world during the same period. The H3 strains isolated in the 1990 and 1993 seasons were somewhat removed in their molecular characteristics from the strains the World Health Organization recommended for vaccines for those years, and appeared closer to the strains recommended for vaccination in subsequent seasons

Anticuerpos de rubéola en mujeres solicitantes de certificado prenupcial en Mar del Plata, Argentina / Rubella antibodies in women applying for a medical certificate for marriage in Mar del Plata, Argentina

Se realizó éste trabajo con el fin de conocer la tasa de susceptibles a la infección por el virus de la rubéola en la población femenina solicitante del certificado prenupcial, dado que éste es uno de los factores causantes de malformaciones congénitas

Vigilancia epidemiológica intensificada de influenza / Intensified epidemiological surveillance of influenza

Se presentan los resultados del Proyecto de Investigación para Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Influenza, realizado durante la temporada gripal de 1983.Se estudiaron los soldados de la clase 1964 que aquejaron síndrome gripal. Sobre 34 muestras de sueros pareados se obtubieron 24 conversiones serológicas, 14 de las cuales correspondieron a la cepa A/England/333/80 con títulos significativos que podrían señalar la presencia de un brote originado por la misma y otra similar