Adaptation and validation of a TB stigma scale for adolescents in Lima, Peru.

BACKGROUND: TB-related stigma contributes to poor clinical outcomes and reduced wellbeing for affected individuals. Adolescents may be particularly susceptible to TB-related stigma due to their heightened sensitivity to peer acceptance, yet few studies have evaluated TB-related stigma in this group. Without a validated scale, it remains challenging to measure TB-related stigma in adolescents.METHODS: We adapted and validated the Van Rie TB Stigma Scale (VTSS) for adolescents on treatment for rifampicin-susceptible TB in Lima, Peru. The modified stigma scale was administered within a larger survey, which measured other psychosocial factors, including depression, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and social support. Data analysis included factor analysis, internal consistency, and convergent validity.RESULTS: From October 2020 to September 2021, 249 adolescents (individuals aged 10-19 years) completed the survey. Preliminary confirmatory factor analysis led to removal of two items. The final 10-item scale demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.82) and adequate model fit (χ²/df = 2.0; root mean square error of approximation: 0.06; comparative fit index: 0.94; Tucker-Lewis Index: 0.92: standardized root mean square residual: 0.05). Stigma was positively correlated with ACEs (γ = 0.13), depression (γ = 0.39), and suicidal ideation (γ = 0.27), and negatively correlated with social support (γ = -0.19).CONCLUSION: This adolescent TB stigma scale may serve as a practical tool to measure TB-related stigma and evaluate the impact of stigma-reduction interventions in adolescents.

[Claudication, functional outcomes and quality of life in primary total hip arthroplasty with minimally invasive anterolateral approach]. / Claudicación, resultados funcionales y calidad de vida en artroplastía total de cadera primaria con abordaje anterolateral mínimamente invasivo.

INTRODUCTION: The coxarthrosis has incidence of 88 cases per 100,000 people/year and symptomatic prevalence of 16% men and 6% women aged 65-74 years and increases with age. It is a growing public health disease. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become the most successful procedure to increase the quality of life of patients with coxarthrosis. Our objective was to determine the claudication, quality of life and functional results of THA through minimal invasive approach in patients with primary coxarthrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study in patients with unilateral primary coxarthrosis postop of THA with minimally invasive approach from March 2015-February 2016, each patient was analyzed with quality of Life instrument (WOMAC), Functional test for coxarthrosis (HHS) and functional test in patients with hip surgery (OHS) with follow-up of one year. RESULTS: We included 21 patients, 17 female and 4 males corresponding to 80.95% and 19.05% respectively, average age of 59.95 years (ED = 9.64), with excellent functional results to one year according to HHS and OHS, quality of life high in 100% of cases according to WOMAC, with claudication rate of 4.76%. DISCUSSION: The minimal invasive approach is a reproducible surgical technique, with excellent functional results, low claudication rate and high quality of life in postoperative patients of primary ATC at only one year of follow-up.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La coxartrosis tiene incidencia de 88 casos por 100,000 personas/año y prevalencia sintomática de 16% para hombres y 6% para mujeres en edades de 65-74 años e incrementa con la edad. Representa una enfermedad de salud pública que va en aumento, la mujer es quien presenta padecimiento más grave. La ATC (artroplastía total de cadera) se ha convertido en el procedimiento más exitoso para mejorar la calidad de vida de pacientes con coxartrosis. OBJETIVO: Determinar la claudicación, calidad de vida y resultados funcionales de la ATC mediante abordaje mínimo invasivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio longitudinal y prospectivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria unilateral postoperados de ATC primaria con técnica mínimamente invasiva en el período comprendido de Marzo de 2015 a Febrero de 2016, se analizó a cada paciente con somatometría, calidad de vida (WOMAC), funcionalidad en pacientes con coxartrosis (HHS) y funcionalidad en pacientes con cirugía de cadera (OHS) de manera prequirúrgica y postquirúrgica con seguimiento a un año. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 21 pacientes, 17 femeninos y cuatro masculinos que corresponde a 80.95 y 19.05%, respectivamente, edad promedio de 59.95 años (DE = 9.64), con resultados funcionales excelentes a un año, según escalas de HHS y OHS, calidad de vida alta en 100% de los casos según WOMAC, con índice de claudicación bajo de 4.76%. DISCUSIÓN: El abordaje mínimo invasivo es una técnica quirúrgica reproducible con resultados funcionales excelentes, índice de claudicación baja y alta calidad de vida en pacientes postoperados de ATC primaria durante el primer año de seguimiento.

[Efficacy of viscosupplementation with high and medium molecular weight hyaluronic acid in patients with symptomatic gonarthrosis grades II-III]. / Eficacia de la viscosuplementación con ácido hialurónico de alto y de mediano peso molecular en pacientes con gonartrosis sintomática grados II-III.

INTRODUCTION: OA is currently the fifth leading cause of adult disability, its prevalence increases from age 40. Viscosupplementation is a treatment for the early stages of knee OA. OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and quality of life in patients with symptomatic gonartrosis, treated with high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analytical, retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of clinical records of patients diagnosed with grade II and grade III gonarthrosis, October 2017 to June 2018, treated with viscosupplementation with high molecular weight hyaluronic acid or low molecular weight; WOMAC quality of life and scale were analyzed prior to the first application and tracked at two, four and six months. RESULTS: 194 patients, aged between 30 to 87 years (promedio 61.85; SD = 11.3); 134 women (69.1%), 60 men (30.9%). In both groups the evolution was towards improvement, with a decrease in the WOMAC score, with no significant difference between groups. The WOMAC score had a minimum increase after 6 months of application in both groups, which is interpreted as decreasing the therapeutic effect. Two patients had localized minimal adverse reactions which were resolved with general measures. CONCLUSION: Hyaluronic acid in both presentations, high and low molecular weight, are effective in the treatment of symptomatic goonarthrosis without difference to molecular weight.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La osteoartrosis es actualmente la quinta causa de discapacidad en el adulto. Su prevalencia aumenta a partir de los 40 años. La viscosuplementación es un tratamiento para las etapas iniciales de la osteoartrosis de rodilla. OBJETIVO: Comparar la eficacia y la calidad de vida en pacientes con gonartrosis sintomática tratados con ácido hialurónico de alto y mediano peso molecular. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio analítico, retrospectivo, transversal, observacional de expedientes clínicos de pacientes con diagnóstico de gonartrosis grado II y grado III, de Octubre de 2017 a Junio de 2018, tratados con viscosuplementación con ácido hialurónico de alto o de mediano peso molecular; se analizó la calidad de vida y la escala de WOMAC de manera previa a la primera aplicación y con seguimiento a los dos, cuatro y seis meses. RESULTADOS: 194 pacientes, con edades entre 30 y 87 años (promedio 61.85; DE = 11.3); 134 mujeres (69.1%) y 60 hombres (30.9%). En ambos grupos la evolución fue hacia la mejoría, con disminución en el puntaje WOMAC, sin diferencia significativa entre grupos. El puntaje de WOMAC tuvo un aumento mínimo pasados seis meses de la aplicación en ambos grupos, lo que se interpreta como disminución del efecto terapéutico. Dos pacientes tuvieron reacciones adversas mínimas localizadas, las cuales se resolvieron con medidas generales. CONCLUSIÓN: El ácido hialurónico en ambas presentaciones, de alto y de bajo peso molecular, es efectivo en el tratamiento de la gonartrosis sintomática sin diferencia con el peso molecular.

Empiema subdural secundario a sinusitis: reporte de caso / Subdural empyema secondary to sinusitis: case report

El empiema subdural es una complicación intracraneana secundaria a sinusitis bacteriana poco frecuente que ocurre generalmenteen varones entre la segunda y tercera década de la vida. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino, de 16 años, sinantecedentes, asintomático. Ingresa por cefalea frontoparietal izquierda intensa, compromiso cualitativo de conciencia, calofríos,fiebre y vómitos, sin focalidad neurológica ni signos meníngeos. Resonancia magnética de cerebro muestra colección líquida subduralinterhemisférica en región frontoparietal izquierda que desplaza línea media y sinusitis aguda frontoetmoidomaxilar ipsilateral.Se realiza craniectomía frontoparietal, drenaje quirúrgico y tratamiento antibiótico triasociado intravenoso. Paciente evolucionacon desaparición de síntomas y sin secuelas neurológicas. La clínica del empiema subdural es inespecífica, encontrándose másfrecuentemente cefalea, vómitos, fiebre y compromiso de conciencia. Las imágenes son esenciales para confirmar el diagnósticoy determinar la necesidad de cirugía. Es una patología, cuyo manejo debe ser médico y quirúrgico, comprendiendo drenaje dela colección y terapia antimicrobiana intravenosa. La duración del tratamiento se ha descrito de 3 a 6 semanas. Es necesario unabordaje multidisciplinario precoz para un buen resultado neurológico y funcional, ya que la morbimortalidad se describe hastaun 40%.

The subdural empyema secondary to sinusitis is a rare intracranial complication, which occurs mostly in males in the secondto third decade. We present a case of a 16 years old male patient, without medical history. He is hospitalized for a frontparietalprogressive headache, associated with decreased of consciousness, chills, fever and vomiting, without neurological deficit andmeningeal signs. The magnetic resonance imaging reveals a subdural interhemispheric liquid collection in the left frontparietal regionwith deviation of midline brain structures and left acute frontethmoidmaxilary sinusitis. Craniotomy and surgical drainage withintravenous antibiotic treatment was made. The symptoms dissapear after this and no neurological sequelae was found. The clinicalmanifestation of subdural empyema are inespecific. The more frecuent symptoms are headache, vomit, fever and decreasedof consciousness. The imaging study is essential to diagnose and evaluate the surgical need. The subdural empyema is pathologywith a medical and surgical management; wich involves collection drainage and intravenous antibiotic therapy. It is been describedthat the treatment duration will be prolonged for 3 to 6 weeks. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary for a better neurologicaland functional outcome, because the mortality rates are described up to 40%.

Schizophrenia-like psychosis associated with right lacunar thalamic infarct.

Thalamic dysfunction has been associated with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. We describe an adult patient with a lacunar infarct in the posterior region of the right thalamus exhibiting a paranoid schizophrenia-like psychosis as the only clinical manifestation. Neuropsychological assessment showed alterations in visuospatial memory and executive functions at follow up. This case highlights the role of information processing by the thalamus in the development of delusions. We suggest that dysfunction of the right mediodorsal and pulvinar thalamic nuclei disrupts both thalamic sensory processing and thalamo-prefrontal circuits mediating belief evaluation, leading to delusional beliefs.

Ges en oftalmología / Ophthalmological pathologies at GES

La implementación del Régimen de Garantías Explícitas en Salud (GES) el año 2005 y la incorporación de siete patologías oftalmológicas de alta prevalencia y o potencial riesgo de compromiso severo de la visión ha mejorado en forma significativa la cobertura de atención oftalmológica en nuestro país. Han disminuido los tiempos de espera para los diagnósticos y tratamientos de estas patologías ciñéndose a guías clínicas y protocolos de atención basados en la evidencia científica existente, confeccionados por la autoridad sanitaria con la colaboración de las sociedades científicas correspondientes, estableciendo normas de calidad. De las patologías incluidas -retinopatía del prematuro, vicios de refracción en mayores de 65 años, estrabismo en menores de nueve años, desprendimiento de retina y trauma ocular grave- son la retinopatía diabética y el tratamiento quirúrgico de la catarata los que han tenido un mayor impacto. Como estrategias para mejorar estas coberturas, además de continuar con los procesos de capacitación del recurso humano y la implementación con nuevos equipos e instrumental, se debe potenciar la resolutividad en la atención primaria hasta lograr en un 80 por ciento solucionar las consultas oftalmológicas a este nivel con el oftalmólogo, el tecnólogo médico con mención en oftalmología y el técnico paramédico

GES (Garantías Explícitas en Salud) implementation in 2005 and the incorporation of seven high - prevalence ophthalmological pathologies and / or its potential risk of severe vision compromise, have significantly improved the cover in the ophthalmic attention in our country; waiting times have diminished for diagnoses and treatments of these pathologies, attaining to clinical guidelines and attention protocols based in the present scientific evidence made by the medical authority with the cooperation of the corresponding scientific society, establishing quality rules. Among the pathologies that are included, premature retinopathy, refraction of vision habits in people older than 65 years-old, strabismus in children less than 9 years-old, detachment of the retina, severe ocular trauma, being diabetic retinopathy and cataract operation the ones that have had major impact. Some of the strategies used to improve these covers, apart from continuing with people training programs and the implementation of new equipments and their instrumental, resolution in primary attention must be improved until achieving an 80 percent of solving ophthalmological consultations in this level with the ophthalmologist, the medical technologist specialized in ophthalmology and the technical paramedic.

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from Peruvian children.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of childhood diarrhea. The present study sought to determine the prevalence and distribution of toxin types, colonization factors (CFs), and antimicrobial susceptibility of ETEC strains isolated from Peruvian children. We analyzed ETEC strains isolated from Peruvian children between 2 and 24 months of age in a passive surveillance study. Five E. coli colonies per patient were studied by multiplex real-time PCR to identify ETEC virulence factors. ETEC-associated toxins were confirmed using a GM1-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Confirmed strains were tested for CFs by dot blot assay using 21 monoclonal antibodies. We analyzed 1,129 samples from children with diarrhea and 744 control children and found ETEC in 5.3% and 4.3%, respectively. ETEC was more frequently isolated from children >12 months of age than from children <12 months of age (P < 0.001). Fifty-two percent of ETEC isolates from children with diarrhea and 72% of isolates from controls were heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) positive and heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) negative; 25% and 19%, respectively, were LT negative and ST positive; and 23% and 9%, respectively, were LT positive and ST positive. CFs were identified in 64% of diarrheal samples and 37% of control samples (P < 0.05). The most common CFs were CS6 (14% and 7%, respectively), CS12 (12% and 4%, respectively), and CS1 (9% and 4%, respectively). ST-producing ETEC strains caused more severe diarrhea than non-ST-producing ETEC strains. The strains were most frequently resistant to ampicillin (71%) and co-trimoxazole (61%). ETEC was thus found to be more prevalent in older infants. LT was the most common toxin type; 64% of strains had an identified CF. These data are relevant in estimating the burden of disease due to ETEC and the potential coverage of children in Peru by investigational vaccines.

Birth cohort patterns suggest that infant survival predicts adult mortality rates.

Dramatic improvements in life expectancy during the 20th century are commonly attributed to improvements in either health care services or the social and economic environment. We evaluated the hypothesis that improving infant survival produces improvements in adult (⩾40 years) mortality rates. We used generalizations of age-period-cohort models of mortality that explicitly account for the exponential increase of adult mortality rates with age (Gompertz model) to determine whether year of birth or year of death better correlate with observed patterns of adult mortality. We used data from Canada and nine other countries obtained from the Human Mortality Database. Five-year birth cohorts between 1900 and 1944 showed consistent improvements in age-specific mortality rates. According to the akaike information criteria, Gompertz-Cohort models significantly better predicted the observed patterns of adult mortality than Gompertz-Period models, demonstrating that year of birth correlates better with adult mortality than year of death. Infant mortality strongly correlated with the initial set point of adult mortality in a Gompertz-period-cohort. Selected countries exhibited elevated adult mortality rates for the 1920 and 1944 birth cohorts, suggesting that the period before the first year of life may be uniquely vulnerable to environmental influences. These findings suggest that public health investments in the health of mothers and children can be a broad primary prevention strategy to prevent the chronic diseases of the adult years.

Reservoir interactions and disease emergence.

Animal populations act as reservoirs for emerging diseases. In order for transmission to be self-sustaining, a pathogen must have a basic reproduction number R0>1. Following a founding transmission event from an animal reservoir to humans, a pathogen has not yet adapted to its new environment and is likely to have an R0<1. However, subsequent evolution may rescue the pathogen from extinction in its new host. Recent applications of branching process theory investigate how the emergence of a novel pathogen is influenced by the number and rates of intermediate evolutionary steps. In addition, repeated contacts between human and reservoir populations may promote pathogen emergence. This article extends a stepping-stone model of pathogen evolution to include reservoir interactions. We demonstrate that the probability of a founding event culminating in an emerged pathogen can be significantly influenced by ongoing reservoir interactions. While infrequent reservoir interactions do not change the probability of disease emergence, moderately frequent interactions can promote emergence by facilitating adaptation to humans. Frequent reservoir interactions promote emergence even with minimal adaptation to humans. Thus, these results warn against perpetuated interaction between humans and animal reservoirs, as occurs when there are ecological or environmental changes that bring humans into more frequent contact with animal reservoirs.

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among young women in low-income populations of coastal Peru.

The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in Peruvian women from socioeconomically deprived populations and to determine the association between BV and risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Women were administered an epidemiologic survey to determine sexual risk behaviour and they provided biological samples to test for BV and STDs. The prevalence of BV was high (27%) and was significantly associated with having a bacterial STD or trichomoniasis. Age, marital status, and a history of sex work, but not of sexual experience, frequency of intercourse, and unprotected intercourse, were associated with BV. As BV may be a marker for STDs, screening for STDs should be performed in individuals with BV to promote early detection and treatment of co-infecting sexually transmitted pathogens.

Determinación de factores trombofílicos en pacientes con trombosis venosas retinianas / Markers of thrombophilia in patients with retinal vein thrombosis

Background: Thrombophilia is an alteration of hemostasis that increases the risk to venous or arterial thrombosis. This condition may be the underlying cause of retinal vein thrombosis. Aim: To study the presence of thrombophilia in patients with retinal vein thrombosis. Patients and methods: Prospective study of 55 patients aged 22 to 86 years, with retinal vein thrombosis (central or branch). Antithrombin III, coagulant protein C, functional protein S, resistance to activated C protein, homocysteine, prothrombin G20210A gene, lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies were measured in all. Results: Seventeen patients had thrombophilic markers (antiphospholipid syndrome in seven, hyperhomocysteinemia in six and resistance to protein C in three). Of these 17 patients, 53percent had high blood pressure, 35percent an abnormal serum lipid profile and 23percent a personal history of thrombosis. The thrombosis was central in 12 (ischemic in four) and of a branch in five (ischemic in two). Conclusions: Thrombophilic markers must be assessed in patients with retinal vein thrombosis.

Radiographic assessment of congenitally missing teeth in orthodontic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of congenitally missing teeth (CMT) in patients evaluated for orthodontic care. A sample of 668 panoramic radiographs from Mexican population was reviewed from orthodontic healthy patients, 9-20 years old. METHOD: Statistical tests were used to compare maxillary and mandibular hypodontia in right and left quadrants between males and females. RESULTS: Prevalence was 27% when all teeth were included, and was 2.7% when third molars were excluded. A significant difference was found between maxillary and mandibular symmetrical CMT in third maxillary molars, lateral incisors and second premolars (P < 0.001), and in mandibular third molars and central incisors (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that occurrence of CMT in the permanent dentition of a Mexican population most often affects third molars, followed by maxillary lateral incisors and then mandibular second premolars.

Estado de salud periodontal en diabéticos tipo 1, de 18 a 30 años de edad, de Santiago de Chile / Periodontal disease in Chilean type I diabetic patients between 18 and 30 years old

Background: The prevalence of periodontal diseases, gingivitis and periodontitis, is higher in diabetic patients and can have severe functional and esthetic consequences early in their lives. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of periodontal disease in type 1 diabetics, aged between 18 and 30 years old, living in Santiago de Chile. Subjects and methods: One hundred male and female type 1 diabetics were examined. Glycated hemoglobin A1c, microalbuminuria, and fundoscopy were assessed in a sample of 52 subjects, separated in two groups according to the presence of periodontal disease. Results: The prevalence of gingivitis was 22 percent, periodontitis 41 percent. Only 37 percent of subjects were free of periodontal disease. When compared with patients without periodontal disease, in the group of patients with the disease there was a higher proportion of subjects with diabetes lasting more than 10 years (28 and 55 percent respectively) and a higher proportion of patients with chronic complications of diabetes (42 and 58 percent respectively). Conclusions: A high prevalence of periodontal diseases was observed in this sample of diabetic patients. A long history of diabetes and the presence of chronic complications were risk factors for these diseases in the analyzed sample

Acute Helicobacter pylori infection is followed by an increase in diarrheal disease among Peruvian children.

BACKGROUND: Cohort and case-crossover studies were conducted to evaluate whether new Helicobacter pylori infections are followed by increased diarrhea. METHODS: Participants were 6-month-old to 12-year-old shantytown residents living near Lima, Peru. Baseline data were collected from community households. Health interviews were completed daily, and sera, drawn every 4 months, were tested for H pylori immunoglobulin G. Diarrhea rates among newly H pylori-infected (seroconverting) children were compared with rates among persistently uninfected and infected children using cohort and case-crossover analyses. RESULTS: Sera were obtained from 345 children from January 1, 1995, through September 1, 1997. H pylori incidence was 12% per year (36 H pylori infections in 109 866 seronegative days). In adjusted cohort analyses, seroconverters had more diarrhea days (rate ratio: 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-2.4), episodes, and sick days in the year after infection than did uninfected children; and more diarrhea days and sick days than did persistently infected children. This effect was strongest in the first 2 months. Case-crossover analyses supported these findings. CONCLUSION: Preventing H pylori infection may help reduce pediatric diarrheal disease.

Posttreatment follow-up of Helicobacter pylori infection using a stool antigen immunoassay.

The Helicobacter pylori stool antigen enzyme immunoassay (HpSA) was evaluated during posttreatment follow-up of patients in a country with a very high prevalence of H. pylori infection. From among 273 dyspeptic individuals (18 to 55 years) initially recruited from a shantytown in Lima, Peru, 238 participants who met the inclusion criteria and were suspected to be H. pylori positive based on (14)C urea breath test (UBT) results underwent endoscopy. Participants with endoscopy-proven infections received standard eradication therapy and were monitored by UBT and HpSA at 1 month following treatment and at 3-month intervals for 9 months posttreatment. A second endoscopy was performed if UBT results showed evidence of treatment failure or H. pylori recurrence. Biopsy results were considered the "gold standard" in all analyses. Among patients who underwent endoscopy, HpSA had a pretreatment sensitivity of 93%. Two-hundred thirty patients completed the treatment regimen, of whom 201 (93%) were considered to have had successful treatment outcomes based on a negative follow-up UBT. Thirty-two patients with UBT-defined treatment failures or H. pylori recurrences at any point during the 9-month follow-up underwent a second endoscopy. In the posttreatment setting, HpSA had an overall sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 67%. Agreement between UBT and HpSA diminished throughout the follow-up. Among 14 participants in whom HpSA remained positive at 1 month following treatment despite UBT evidence of treatment success, 12 (86%) became HpSA negative within 3 months posttreatment. Although this study confirmed the validity of the HpSA in the initial assessment of dyspeptic patients, the test demonstrated a reduced overall accuracy in the detection of treatment failures and H. pylori recurrences during 9 months of posttreatment follow-up. Furthermore, in some patients it may take up to 3 months after successful eradication for antigen shedding to diminish to levels within the negative HpSA range.

Two-year study of the protective efficacy of the oral whole cell plus recombinant B subunit cholera vaccine in Peru.

The protective efficacy of an oral inactivated whole cell Vibrio cholerae plus recombinant B subunit cholera vaccine was determined against El Tor cholera among Peruvian children and adults (2-65 years old) in a randomized, double-blind manner. Study subjects received 2 doses of vaccine or placebo 2 weeks apart, followed by a booster dose 10 months later. Surveillance for cholera was performed actively, with 2 visits per week to each household, and passively, at a local hospital. Stool samples were collected during diarrhea episodes and were cultured for V. cholerae. A total of 17,799 persons received 2 doses of vaccine or placebo, and 14,997 of these persons received the booster dose. After 2 doses (first surveillance period), V. cholerae biotype O1 was isolated from 17 vaccinees and 16 placebo recipients, demonstrating vaccine efficacy (VE) of -4%. After 3 doses (second surveillance period), V. cholerae O1 was isolated from 13 vaccinees and 32 placebo recipients, demonstrating VE of 61% (95% confidence interval ¿CI, 28%-79%). In the second surveillance period, the VE for illness requiring hospitalization was 82% (95% CI, 27%-96%). VE was also higher for persons >15 years old (VE, 72%; 95% CI, 28%-89%).

A placebo-controlled trial of Lactobacillus GG to prevent diarrhea in undernourished Peruvian children.

OBJECTIVE: Lactobacillus GG (L-GG), an acid- and bile-resistant strain that colonizes the intestinal mucosa, has been used to manage diarrhea in children. Our objective was to evaluate the prophylactic use of L-GG to prevent diarrhea in children at high risk from a developing country in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred four undernourished children 6 to 24 months old from an indigent peri-urban Peruvian town received either L-GG or placebo in flavored gelatin once daily, 6 days a week, for 15 months. Episodes of diarrhea were documented by daily home visits, and diagnostic studies were done in a subset of cases. Recovery of L-GG in stool from subjects and from family contacts was examined. RESULTS: Subjects in the L-GG group had significantly fewer episodes of diarrhea (5.21 episodes diarrhea/child/year ['ecy'] L-GG group, 6. 02 ecy placebo group; P =.028). The decreased incidence of diarrhea in the L-GG group was greatest in the 18- to 29-month age group (P =. 004) and was largely limited to nonbreastfed children (Breastfed: 6. 59 ecy L-GG, 6.32 ecy placebo, P =.7; Nonbreastfed: 4.69 ecy L-GG, 5. 86 ecy placebo, P =.005). The duration of diarrhea episodes and the causes of diarrhea were similar in both groups, except adenovirus was more common in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: L-GG supplementation may be useful as a prophylactic measure to control diarrhea in undernourished children at increased risk, especially nonbreastfed children in the toddler age group.

PIP: This article features a placebo-controlled trial of Lactobacillus GG (L-GG) for diarrhea prevention in undernourished children in Peru. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the use of L-GG as prophylactic treatment for diarrhea. The study population included 204 undernourished children aged 6-24 months, 99 of which were on L-GG and 105 on placebo. Subjects were followed by daily home visits to document diarrhea episodes and diagnostic studies were conducted. Results revealed that children receiving L-GG experienced fewer episodes of diarrhea, which were more pronounced among 18-29 month old children and largely limited to non-breast-fed children. Moreover, the duration of diarrhea episodes and its causes were similar in both groups, except that adenovirus was detected more frequently in the placebo group. In conclusion, L-GG supplementation would decrease diarrhea incidence in high-risk children.

Vibrio furnissii isolated from humans in Peru: a possible human pathogen?

During a cholera surveillance programme, Vibrio furnissii was isolated in late January and early February 1994 from stool samples collected from 14 persons of whom six had diarrhoea. The remaining eight persons were healthy family members or neighbours to cholera cases. No common source of infection was found. Strains isolated from stool samples each showed typical biochemical reactions of V. furnissii including gas production. Each isolate, except one, agglutinated O-antisera yielding a total of eight different serotypes. Most isolates were sensitive to 10 antibiotics tested, except to ampicillin and the vibriostatic agent O/129 (10 micrograms). Eight of 14 (57%) strains carried plasmids in the size range 2.6-88 kb, however, no correlation was found between antibiotic susceptibility patterns and plasmid content. Altogether, seven closely related HindIII ribotypes were observed among the 14 V. furnissii isolates studied. V. furnissii strains isolated from family members and other persons living close together often showed different ribotypes suggesting that the isolation was not associated with neighbourhood. Serotyping, plasmid profiling and ribotyping revealed a high strain diversity within V. furnissii, however, the importance of V. furnissii as an enteric pathogen remains to be elucidated.