Peritonitis caused by Bifidobacterium longum: case report and literature review.

Bifidobacterium spp. rarely causes human infections. We report a case of a 42-year-old man with a history of pancolonic diverticulosis, who suffered a purulent peritonitis caused by Bifidobacterium longum secondary to intestinal perforation. Clinical outcome was good after urgent surgery and antibiotic treatment with imipenem and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Our case shows that Bifidobacterium spp. should be considered as a cause of peritonitis, especially in patients with risk of intestinal perforation. The review of the literature shows that these organisms can cause a wide spectrum of severe infections, especially in patients with underlying diseases. Infections caused by Bifidobacterium spp. may be overlooked or underreported since it may be considered normal microbiota.

Skin and soft-tissue infections caused by Actinobaculum schaalii: report of two cases and literature review.

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by Actinobaculum spp. are very rare. In the present study, we report two cases and review the literature. The first case was an immunocompromised patient with an extensive cellulitis secondary to an inguinal abscess, and the second case was a patient with a pilonidal abscess. Clinical outcomes of both patients were good after surgical drainage and treatment with cloxacillin. The review of the literature showed that SSTIs caused by Actinobaculum spp. are usually located on the perineal and inguinal regions and can be severe, particularly in immunocompromised patients. SSTIs caused by Actinobaculum spp. can be overlooked because identification is often difficult and they can be considered as contaminants.

CardiOmics signatures reveal therapeutically actionable targets and drugs for cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, with heart failure being a complex condition that affects millions of individuals. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing has recently emerged as a powerful tool for unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind cardiovascular diseases. This cutting-edge technology enables the identification of molecular signatures, intracellular networks, and spatial relationships among cardiac cells, including cardiomyocytes, mast cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, lymphatic endothelial cells, endocardial cells, endothelial cells, epicardial cells, adipocytes, fibroblasts, neuronal cells, pericytes, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Despite these advancements, the discovery of essential therapeutic targets and drugs for precision cardiology remains a challenge. To bridge this gap, we conducted comprehensive in silico analyses of single-nucleus RNA sequencing data, functional enrichment, protein interactome network, and identification of the shortest pathways to physiological phenotypes. This integrated multi-omics analysis generated CardiOmics signatures, which allowed us to pinpoint three therapeutically actionable targets (ADRA1A1, PPARG, and ROCK2) and 15 effective drugs, including adrenergic receptor agonists, adrenergic receptor antagonists, norepinephrine precursors, PPAR receptor agonists, and Rho-associated kinase inhibitors, involved in late-stage cardiovascular disease clinical trials.

Gastric cancer actionable genomic alterations across diverse populations worldwide and pharmacogenomics strategies based on precision oncology.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the Global Cancer Statistics (GLOBOCAN) reported an age standardized global incidence rate of 9.2 per 100,000 individuals for gastric cancer in 2022, with a mortality rate of 6.1. Despite considerable progress in precision oncology through the efforts of international consortia, understanding the genomic features and their influence on the effectiveness of anti-cancer treatments across diverse ethnic groups remains essential. Methods: Our study aimed to address this need by conducting integrated in silico analyses to identify actionable genomic alterations in gastric cancer driver genes, assess their impact using deleteriousness scores, and determine allele frequencies across nine global populations: European Finnish, European non-Finnish, Latino, East Asian, South Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Amish. Furthermore, our goal was to prioritize targeted therapeutic strategies based on pharmacogenomics clinical guidelines, in silico drug prescriptions, and clinical trial data. Results: Our comprehensive analysis examined 275,634 variants within 60 gastric cancer driver genes from 730,947 exome sequences and 76,215 whole-genome sequences from unrelated individuals, identifying 13,542 annotated and predicted oncogenic variants. We prioritized the most prevalent and deleterious oncogenic variants for subsequent pharmacogenomics testing. Additionally, we discovered actionable genomic alterations in the ARID1A, ATM, BCOR, ERBB2, ERBB3, CDKN2A, KIT, PIK3CA, PTEN, NTRK3, TP53, and CDKN2A genes that could enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies, as suggested by in silico drug prescription analyses, reviews of current pharmacogenomics clinical guidelines, and evaluations of phase III and IV clinical trials targeting gastric cancer driver proteins. Discussion: These findings underline the urgency of consolidating efforts to devise effective prevention measures, invest in genomic profiling for underrepresented populations, and ensure the inclusion of ethnic minorities in future clinical trials and cancer research in developed countries.

The pharmacoepigenetic paradigm in cancer treatment.

Epigenetic modifications, characterized by changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, play a crucial role in the development and progression of cancer by significantly influencing gene activity and cellular function. This insight has led to the development of a novel class of therapeutic agents, known as epigenetic drugs. These drugs, including histone deacetylase inhibitors, histone acetyltransferase inhibitors, histone methyltransferase inhibitors, and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, aim to modulate gene expression to curb cancer growth by uniquely altering the epigenetic landscape of cancer cells. Ongoing research and clinical trials are rigorously evaluating the efficacy of these drugs, particularly their ability to improve therapeutic outcomes when used in combination with other treatments. Such combination therapies may more effectively target cancer and potentially overcome the challenge of drug resistance, a significant hurdle in cancer therapy. Additionally, the importance of nutrition, inflammation control, and circadian rhythm regulation in modulating drug responses has been increasingly recognized, highlighting their role as critical modifiers of the epigenetic landscape and thereby influencing the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions and patient outcomes. Epigenetic drugs represent a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, offering targeted therapies that promise a more precise approach to treating a wide spectrum of tumors, potentially with fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. This progress marks a step towards more personalized and precise interventions, leveraging the unique epigenetic profiles of individual tumors to optimize treatment strategies.

Advantages of early cholecystectomy in clinical practice of a terciary care center.

BACKGROUND: Despite a number of studies show the superiority of early over delayed cholecystectomy in the treatment of acute cholecystitis, there is still controversy over the time for intervention. This study aimed to assess the use of early versus delayed cholecystectomy for the treatment of acute cholecystitis in terms of complications, conversion to open surgery and mean hospital stay. METHOD: We collected patients with acute cholecystitis treated at a referral center for a year, and retrospectively analyzed the chosen therapeutic approach, the percentage of conversion of early cholecystectomy to open surgery, appearance of surgical complications, and mean hospital stay. RESULTS: The study included 117 patients, 44 women and 73 men, who had a mean age of 67.36+/-15.74 years. Early cholecystectomy was chosen in 31 (26.5%) and delayed cholecystectomy in 74 patients (63.2%). Of the 74 patients, 28 (37.8%) required emergency performance of delayed cholecystectomy, and 19 (25.7%) had not undergone surgery by the end of the study. While no differences were observed between early and delayed cholecystectomy in terms of surgical complications and conversion to open surgery, mean hospital stay was nevertheless significantly shorter in the early versus the delayed cholecystectomy group (8.32+/-4.98 vs 15.96+/-8.89 days). CONCLUSION: Under the routine working conditions of a hospital that is neither specially dedicated to the surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis nor provided with specific management guidelines, early cholecystectomy can reduce the hospital stay without increase of the conversion rate or complications.

Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals the molecular interplay between circadian clocks and cancer pathogenesis.

Circadian rhythms (CRs) are fundamental biological processes that significantly impact human well-being. Disruption of these rhythms can trigger insufficient neurocognitive development, insomnia, mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic dysfunctions, and cancer. The field of chronobiology has increased our understanding of how rhythm disturbances contribute to cancer pathogenesis, and how circadian timing influences the efficacy of cancer treatments. As the circadian clock steadily gains recognition as an emerging factor in tumorigenesis, a thorough and comprehensive multi-omics analysis of CR genes/proteins has never been performed. To shed light on this, we performed, for the first time, an integrated data analysis encompassing genomic/transcriptomic alterations across 32 cancer types (n = 10,918 tumors) taken from the PanCancer Atlas, unfavorable prognostic protein analysis, protein-protein interactomics, and shortest distance score pathways to cancer hallmark phenotypes. This data mining strategy allowed us to unravel 31 essential CR-related proteins involved in the signaling crossroad between circadian rhythms and cancer. In the context of drugging the clock, we identified pharmacogenomic clinical annotations and drugs currently in late phase clinical trials that could be considered as potential cancer therapeutic strategies. These findings highlight the diverse roles of CR-related genes/proteins in the realm of cancer research and therapy.

Molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance mechanisms of Streptococcus pyogenes isolates resistant to erythromycin and tetracycline in Spain (1994-2006).

BACKGROUND: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes human diseases ranging in severity from uncomplicated pharyngitis to life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis and shows high rates of macrolide resistance in several countries. Our goal is to identify antimicrobial resistance in Spanish GAS isolates collected between 1994 and 2006 and to determine the molecular epidemiology (emm/T typing and PFGE) and resistance mechanisms of those resistant to erythromycin and tetracycline. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-five out of 898 isolates (32.8%) were erythromycin resistant, with the predominance of emm4T4, emm75T25, and emm28T28, accounting the 67.1% of the 21 emm/T types. Spread of emm4T4, emm75T25 and emm28T28 resistant clones caused high rates of macrolide resistance. The distribution of the phenotypes was M (76.9%), cMLSB (20.3%), iMLSB (2.7%) with the involvement of the erythromycin resistance genes mef(A) (89.5%), msr(D) (81.7%), erm(B) (37.3%) and erm(A) (35.9%).Sixty-one isolates were tetracycline resistant, with the main representation of the emm77T28 among 20 emm/T types. To note, the combination of tet(M) and tet(O) tetracycline resistance genes were similar to tet(M) alone reaching values close to 40%. Resistance to both antibiotics was detected in 19 isolates of 7 emm/T types, being emm11T11 and the cMLSB phenotype the most frequent ones. erm(B) and tet(M) were present in almost all the strains, while erm(A), mef(A), msr(D) and tet(O) appeared in less than half of them. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish GAS were highly resistant to macrolides meanwhile showed minor resistance rate to tetracycline. A remarkable correlation between antimicrobial resistance and emm/T type was noticed. Clonal spread of emm4T4, emm75T25 and emm28T28 was the main responsable for macrolide resistance where as that emm77T28 clones were it to tetraclycline resistance. A wide variety of macrolide resistance genes were responsible for three macrolide resistance phenotypes.

Molecular Pathogenesis and New Therapeutic Dimensions for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

The condition known as 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease caused by a deficiency of the ubiquitous protein survival of motor neuron (SMN), which is encoded by the SMN1 and SMN2 genes. It is one of the most common pediatric recessive genetic diseases, and it represents the most common cause of hereditary infant mortality. After decades of intensive basic and clinical research efforts, and improvements in the standard of care, successful therapeutic milestones have been developed, delaying the progression of 5q SMA and increasing patient survival. At the same time, promising data from early-stage clinical trials have indicated that additional therapeutic options are likely to emerge in the near future. Here, we provide updated information on the molecular underpinnings of SMA; we also provide an overview of the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape for SMA, including SMN-targeted therapies, SMN-independent therapies, and combinational therapies that are likely to be key for the development of treatments that are effective across a patient's lifespan.

Pulmonary Inflammatory Response in Lethal COVID-19 Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets and Drugs in Phases III/IV Clinical Trials.

Background: It is imperative to identify drugs that allow treating symptoms of severe COVID-19. Respiratory failure is the main cause of death in severe COVID-19 patients, and the host inflammatory response at the lungs remains poorly understood. Methods: Therefore, we retrieved data from post-mortem lungs from COVID-19 patients and performed in-depth in silico analyses of single-nucleus RNA sequencing data, inflammatory protein interactome network, and shortest pathways to physiological phenotypes to reveal potential therapeutic targets and drugs in advanced-stage COVID-19 clinical trials. Results: Herein, we analyzed transcriptomics data of 719 inflammatory response genes across 19 cell types (116,313 nuclei) from lung autopsies. The functional enrichment analysis of the 233 significantly expressed genes showed that the most relevant biological annotations were inflammatory response, innate immune response, cytokine production, interferon production, macrophage activation, blood coagulation, NLRP3 inflammasome complex, and the TLR, JAK-STAT, NF-κB, TNF, oncostatin M signaling pathways. Subsequently, we identified 34 essential inflammatory proteins with both high-confidence protein interactions and shortest pathways to inflammation, cell death, glycolysis, and angiogenesis. Conclusion: We propose three small molecules (baricitinib, eritoran, and montelukast) that can be considered for treating severe COVID-19 symptoms after being thoroughly evaluated in COVID-19 clinical trials.

Adoption of preventive measures during and after the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus pandemic peak in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: This study describes the preventive measures adopted by the Spanish population towards 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus and their associated factors. METHOD: An anonymous computer-assisted telephone interview survey was conducted in Spain in December 2009 and February 2010. Respondents were asked about their perceptions of influenza A (H1N1) virus and the preventive measures adopted. Factors associated with the adoption of preventive measures were assessed by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Out of 4892 households approached, 1627 valid responses were obtained (response rate of 33.3%). The most commonly adopted preventive measures were respiratory hygiene and hand washing. Factors independently associated with the adoption of the preventive measures recommended by the Spanish Ministry of Health were female gender, higher educational level, size of municipality of residence >50,000 inhabitants, high perceived susceptibility to infection, high perceived effectiveness of the measures and high perceived usefulness of the information provided by the government. The presence of school-aged children in household was associated with purchasing masks and hand sanitizer. CONCLUSION: In addition to demographic factors, modifiable factors such as personal beliefs and expectations play a role in the adoption of preventive measures.

[Process evaluation of the school-based cannabis use prevention program "xkpts.com" in adolescents from Barcelona in 2006]. / Evaluación de proceso del programa escolar de prevención del consumo de cánnabis xkpts.com en adolescentes de Barcelona en 2006.

BACKGROUND: The observed positive effects of school-based prevention programs are frequently lower than what was expected, usually due to inadequate implementation. AIMS: To describe the process evaluation of a cannabis use school-based prevention program (xkpts.com), to measure teachers' satisfaction with the program and to define quantitative and qualitative parameters for assessing the exhaustiveness of the intervention. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study. SAMPLE: 117 9th-grade classes in 39 schools (2812 students). The information was gathered by means of a self-report questionnaire for teachers and families. A descriptive analysis was made of the implementation of the intervention in the classrooms and of the families' participation. RESULTS: Teachers' response rate was 65%. Discussion was the method most widely applied (100% of the classrooms) and DVD was the most widely used material (93.4%). Skills training was applied in 72.4% of the classrooms. In 59.2% of the classrooms there was an acceptable intervention (at least 8 of the 16 preventive activities), while in 38.2% there was a qualified intervention (at least 1 activity for each general lesson and 2 for each specific one). Mean score given to the program by teachers was 7.4, and 81.6% of them reported their intention to apply it again. Participation rate of the students' families was 28.3% (796). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was acceptable in two out of three classrooms, while in four out of ten the protocol was applied strictly. Greater participation of the students' families corresponded to those schools in which the intervention was better implemented.

Experiencias de cuidado de padres y profesionales de enfermería en la Unidad de Cuidados intensivos neonatal / Care experiences of parents and nursing professionals in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Objetivo Analizar de manera comprensiva la relación entre el cuidador informal y Profesional de enfermería en el acto de cuidado al Recién Nacido hospitalizado en la Unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales. Metodología Estudio cualitativo, fenomenológico-hermenéutico, empleando el referente teórico de Van Manen, 5 cuidadores informales de recién nacidos hospitalizados en la Unidad de cuidados intensivos y 3 Profesionales de Enfermería en la ciudad de Neiva; información recolectada mediante entrevista en profundidad. Resultados Emergen los siguientes temas: el significado de cuidado en la relación cuidador-profesional de Enfermería; el cuidado: una forma de brindar y recibir apoyo y, la comunicación: trascendental para construir una relación del cuidado. Conclusiones La relación establecida entre cuidador informal- enfermera en la unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales, se desarrolla en un ambiente desconocido para el cuidador, y propio del cuidado de enfermería, los cuidadores manifiestan la necesidad de sentirse cuidados, apoyados y escuchados; mediante una comunicación efectiva reciban información y educación continua, aspectos que contribuyen para que el profesional de Enfermería transforme la práctica de cuidado haciéndola más humana.

Objetive To comprehensively analyze the relationship between informal caregiver and nursing professional in the act of hospitalized newborn care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methodology Qualitative, phenomenological-hermeneutic study, using the theoretical reference of Van Manen, 5 informal caregivers of newborns hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit and 3 Nursing Professionals in the city of Neiva; information collected through in-depth interviews. Results The following topics emerge: the meaning of care in the caregiver-nursing professional relationship; care: a way to provide and receive support; and, communication: transcendental to build a caring relationship. Conclusions The relationship established between informal caregiver-nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, develops in an environment unknown to the caregiver, and typical of nursing care, caregivers express the need to feel cared for, supported and listened to; through effective communication, they receive continuous information and education, aspects that contribute to the nursing professional transforming the practice of care, making it more humane.

Muscular abscess caused by Cupriavidus gilardii in a renal transplant recipient.

Cupriavidus gilardii is a rare cause of human infection. We report a muscular abscess on the right thigh caused by this organism in a renal transplant recipient, who had suffered a septic shock associated with an extensive cellulitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. The patient was successfully treated with surgical drainage and intravenous ciprofloxacin for 13 days. This is the first time that C. gilardii is isolated from a human abscess. C. gilardii should be considered as a cause of human infection, especially in immunocompromised patients. Infection caused by this organism may be underdiagnosed because the identification is very difficult.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis complicated with peritonitis caused by Lactobacillus plantarum.

Lactobacillus spp. rarely causes human disease. We report a case of a 57-year-old man with non-insulin-dependent diabetes and vascular disease admitted to our hospital with severe abdominal pain and fever. Signs of peritonitis were found upon examination. The patient underwent surgery, and a diagnosis of perforated cholecystitis with purulent peritonitis was made intra-operatively. A cholecystectomy was performed, and therapy with imipenem was initiated. Lactobacillus plantarum was isolated from bile and peritoneal fluid cultures 2 days later. The patient recovered well and was discharged on post-operative day 16 after 14 days of treatment with imipenem. To our knowledge, this is the second case reported of acute cholecystitis caused by Lactobacillus spp. This organism should be considered as a cause of biliary infections, especially in patients with underlying diseases. Correct identification is often difficult, but it is very important because these organisms are usually resistant to vancomycin and other antibiotics.

[Attitudes and preventive behaviours adopted during the (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus epidemic in Spain]. / Actitudes y comportamientos preventivos durante la pandemia de gripe (H1N1) 2009 en España.

BACKGROUND: In the spring of 2009 the emergence of new influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 caused widespread alarm. The objective of this study is to describe the knowledge and risk perceptions towards the disease and its vaccine and the preventive measures adopted by the population. METHODS: A telephone survey was conducted in two rounds with quotas for age, sex, Autonomous Regions and size of municipality. Respondents were asked regarding perceptions, preventive measures, vaccination related to 2009 influenza (H1N1) 2009 and sociodemographic data. Proportional quota sampling based on age, sex, province and size of municipality was used. We performed a descriptive analysis of the main study variables and applied the chi-square test to study the statistical analysis for categorical data. RESULTS: Overall we obtained 1,627 valid responses. 823 (51,6%) were women, 502 (30.9%) were between 18 and 34 years old and 580 (35.6%) were between 35 and 55 years old. 729 (49,1%) were unskilled, manual workers, and 857 (52,7%) were living in cities larger than 50,000 inhabitants. Only 15,7 % declared to feel at risk to get influenza, and this proportion was much lower (3,9%) in the second wave, after the epidemic peak. Overall, more than 80% (n=1353) felt that unnecessary social alarm had been generated (n=1353). 1.253 (77%) of the participants adopted at least one preventive measure. Respiratory hygiene (n=951 58,5%) and hand washing (n= 624 38,4%). were the most common preventive measures adopted. CONCLUSIONS: The main adopted measures were those recommended by the government.

Abscisic acid determines arbuscule development and functionality in the tomato arbuscular mycorrhiza.

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) during the establishment of the arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) was studied using ABA sitiens tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) mutants with reduced ABA concentrations. Sitiens plants and wild-type (WT) plants were colonized by Glomus intraradices. Trypan blue and alkaline phosphatase histochemical staining procedures were used to determine both root colonization and fungal efficiency. Exogenous ABA and silver thiosulfate (STS) were applied to establish the role of ABA and putative antagonistic cross-talk between ABA and ethylene during AM formation, respectively. Sitiens plants were less susceptible to the AM fungus than WT plants. Microscopic observations and arbuscule quantification showed differences in arbuscule morphology between WT and sitiens plants. Both ABA and STS increased susceptibility to the AM fungus in WT and sitiens plants. Fungal alkaline phosphate activity in sitiens mutants was completely restored by ABA application. * The results demonstrate that ABA contributes to the susceptibility of tomato to infection by AM fungi, and that it seems to play an important role in the development of the complete arbuscule and its functionality. Ethylene perception is crucial to AM regulation, and the impairment of mycorrhiza development in ABA-deficient plants is at least partly attributable to ethylene.

Actitudes y comportamientos preventivos durante la pandemia de influenza (H1N1) 2009 en España / Attitudes and preventive behaviours adopted during the (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus epidemic in Spain

Fundamentos: En la primavera de 2009 la aparición del nuevo virus de la gripe (H1N1) 2009 causó una enorme alarma social. El objetivo de este estudio es describir los conocimientos y las percepciones de riesgo sobre la enfermedad y su vacuna así como las medidas preventivas adoptadas por la población general en España. Métodos: Encuesta telefónica en dos oleadas a una muestra de teléfonos fijos con cuotas por edad, sexo, Comunidades Autonómicas y tamaño de municipio. El cuestionario incluía preguntas sobre percepciones, medidas preventivas y vacunación contra la gripe (H1N1) 2009. Se realizó un análisis estadístico descriptivo de las principales variables del estudio y se aplicó la prueba chi-cuadrado para estudiar la relación estadística para datos categóricos. Resultados: Respondieron el cuestionario 1.627 personas. 823 (51,6%) eran mujeres; 502 (30,9%) tenían entre 18 y 35 años y 580 (35,6%) entre 35 y 55. 729 (49,1%) eran trabajadores manuales y 857 (52,7%) vivían en municipios de más de 50.000 habitantes. Únicamente un 15,7% de los que respondieron se sentía a riesgo de contraer la enfermedad, percepción que disminuyó al 3,9% en la segunda oleada, tra el pico epidémico. En conjunto, más del 80% (n=1.353) pensaba que se había generado alarma social, y el 77% adoptó al menos una medida preventiva.. Las medidas preventivas más frecuentemente adoptadas fueron cubrirse la boca y la nariz con un pañuelo al toser o estornudar (n=951 ; 58,5%) y la higiene de manos con mayor frecuencia (n= 624 ; 38,4%). Conclusión: Las principales medidas adoptadas fueron las recomendadas por las autoridades sanitarias(AU)

Background: In the spring of 2009 the emergence of new influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 caused widespread alarm. The objective of this study is to describe the knowledge and risk perceptions towards the disease and its vaccine and the preventive measures adopted by the population. Methods:Atelephone survey was conducted in two rounds with quotas for age, sex, Autonomous Regions and size of municipality. Respondents were asked regarding perceptions, preventive measures, vaccination related to 2009 influenza (H1N1) 2009 and sociodemographic data. Proportional quota sampling based on age, sex, province and size of municipality was used.We performed a descriptive analysis of the main study variables and applied the chi-square test to study the statistical analysis for categorical data Results: Overall we obtained 1,627 valid responses. 823 (51,6%) were women, 502 (30.9%) were between 18 and 34 years old and 580 (35.6%) were between 35 and 55 years old. 729 (49,1%) were unskilled, manual workers, and 857 (52,7%) were living in cities larger than 50,000 inhabitants. Only 15,7 % declared to feel at risk to get influenza, and this proportion was much lower (3,9%) in the second wave, after the epidemic peak.. Overall, more than 80% (n=1353) felt that unnecessary social alarm had been generated (n=1353). 1.253 (77%) of the participants adopted at least one preventive measure. Respiratory hygiene (n=951 58,5%) and hand washing (n= 624 38,4%). were the most common preventive measures adopted. Conclusions: The main adopted measures were those recommended by the government(AU)