Estrategias de dirección para el enfrentamiento a la pandemia de la COVID-19 / Management strategies to cope with COVID-19 pandemic

Las enfermedades infecciosas pueden convertirse en pandemias y constituir emergencias sanitarias. Desestabilizan los sistemas de salud, la vida económica, política, social y medioambiental de un país. En una situación de pandemia, se produce un aumento progresivo de las demandas asistenciales, que responden con la curva epidémica, y exige de los sistemas sanitarios la reorganización de sus recursos en función de la atención a los pacientes. En este trabajo se exponen las principales estrategias de dirección asumidas en el Hospital Militar Central Dr. Luis Díaz Soto en la preparación de la institución para el enfrentamiento a la COVID-19. Una vez esclarecida la tarea, se definió en la institución, la misión, visión, objetivos generales y política de calidad para la asistencia médica en esta situación sanitaria. Se realizaron 3 actividades fundamentales, la creación de un puesto de mando central, la definición de las áreas clasificadas como zona roja y la reorganización de las actividades asistenciales, que incluyó los elementos de garantía de la bioseguridad. Como indicadores hospitalarios para analizar mensualmente el resultado de la actividad asistencial se determinaron el índice de ocupación, el promedio de estadía, la letalidad y la mortalidad bruta y neta. La estrategia de dirección permitió la organización de la institución para el enfrentamiento a la pandemia(AU)

Infectious diseases can become pandemics and constitute health emergencies. They destabilize health systems and the economic, political, social and environmental life of a country. In a pandemic situation, there is a progressive increase in the demand for care, which responds to the epidemic curve and requires health systems to reorganize their resources in terms of patient care. This paper presents the main management strategies adopted at the Central Military Hospital Dr. Luis Díaz Soto in the preparation of the institution to face COVID-19. Once the task was clarified, the institution defined its mission, vision, general objectives and quality policy for medical assistance in this health situation. Three fundamental activities were carried out: the creation of a central command post, the definition of the areas classified as red zones and the reorganization of healthcare activities, which included the elements of biosafety assurance. The hospital indicators used to analyze the results of care activities on a monthly basis included the occupancy rate, average length of stay, case fatality, and gross and net mortality. The management strategy allowed the organization of the institution to face the pandemic(AU)

Bioseguridad y autocuidado: prioridad en la formación universitaria en momentos de pandemia / Biosafety and self-care: a priority in university training during pandemic times

Introducción: La bioseguridad y el autocuidado son dos prácticas importantes en el proceso de formación. Estas deben reforzarse permanentemente, ya que se relacionan de manera directa no solo con el riesgo de infecciones, sino con la calidad de la atención. Objetivo: Identificar la evidencia científica sobre los procesos de formación en bioseguridad y autocuidado en el marco de la pandemia. Métodos: Se hizo una revisión de la literatura científica publicada entre 2016 y 2020 sobre medidas de bioseguridad y autocuidado. La búsqueda se realizó en español, inglés y portugués, en la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, Pubmed, Science Direct y el motor de búsqueda de Google Académico. Se aplicó la metodología PRISMA y se evaluaron en total 25 artículos científicos. Resultados: El año 2020 tuvo mayor frecuencia. La generalidad de los estudios se realizó en el contexto universitario en programas de salud. La higiene de las manos y el uso de guantes fueron las medidas de bioseguridad más informadas; mientras que las medidas de precaución se conocen e implementan. Las publicaciones denotan moderado conocimiento en cuanto a prevención de factores de riesgos biológicos, especialmente en prácticas clínicas. Conclusiones: En los procesos de formación debe tenerse en cuenta la relevancia de reforzar las medidas de bioseguridad y autocuidado para favorecer el ejercicio profesional. Es importante diseñar y repensar estos procesos, tanto en docentes como estudiantes, a través de nuevos métodos y cambios curriculares. La salud mental puede verse afectada no solo por la situación, sino por desconocimiento, miedo a infectarse y sobrecarga laboral(AU)

Introduction: Biosafety and self-care are two important practices in the training process. These should be permanently reinforced, since they are directly related not only to the risk of infections, but also to the quality of care. Objective: To identify the scientific evidence on the biosafety and self-care training processes in the context of the pandemic. Methods: A review of the scientific literature published between 2016 and 2020 on biosafety and self-care measures was carried out. The search was performed in Spanish, English and Portuguese, in the Virtual Health Library, PubMed, Science Direct, and the Google Scholar search engine. The PRISMA methodology was applied and a total of 25 scientific articles were assessed. Results: The year 2020 had the highest frequency. Most of the studies were carried out in the university context in health programs. Hand hygiene and glove-wearing were the most reported biosafety measures, while warning measures are known and implemented. The publications are indicative of moderate knowledge regarding prevention of biological risk factors, especially in clinical practices. Conclusions: The relevance of reinforcing biosafety and self-care measures to favor professional practice should be taken into account in training processes. It is important to design and rethink these processes, both in professors and students, through new methods and curricular changes. Mental health may be affected not only by the situation, but also by ignorance, fear of infection and work overload(AU)

Construção e validação de instrumento para avaliação das medidas de biossegurança em bioterrorismo pelos bombeiros / Construction and validation of and assessment tool for biosafety measures in bioterrorism for firefighters / Construcción y validación de un instrumento para evaluar las medidas de bioseguridad en el bioterrorismo de los bomberos

Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo desenvolver e validar um instrumento de avaliação das medidas de Biossegurança adotadas pelos bombeiros militares, para a contenção dos agentes biológicos frente a um evento de bioterrorismo. Métodos: Tratou-se de um estudo descritivo de abordagem quantitativa, de desenvolvimento metodológico e do tipo de validação de conteúdo de um instrumento de avaliação. O estudo foi dividido nas fases de desenvolvimento e validação do instrumento. Para o desenvolvimento do instrumento foram feitas revisões da literatura e para a validação do instrumento foi utilizado o método Delphi. Para o estudo foram incluídos 6 juízes que avaliaram o instrumento através da escala numérica tipo Likert. Resultados: Os juízes avaliaram que o instrumento proposto está bem estruturado, possuindo boa clareza e coesão de escrita, com aplicabilidade no campo de estudo e de grande relevância, principalmente em vista a ausência desse tipo de instrumento para a população de bombeiros militares. Para avaliar a concordância entre os juízes foi utilizado o índice de Validade de Conteúdo, que alcançou 98% de concordância e o Índice de Fidedignidade Interavaliadores, que alcançou os conceitos bom e muito bom, mostrando baixa variância das respostas dos juízes, sendo estatisticamente válido. Conclusão: O estudo descreveu o processo de construção e validação do instrumento, provando ser apropriado e confiável para ser utilizado.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to assess the Biosafety measures adopted by firefighters, for the containment of biological agents in the face of a bioterrorism event. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, methodological development, and the type of content validation of an assessment instrument. The study was divided into instrument development and validation phases. For the development of the instrument, literature reviews were conducted and for the instrument validation, the Delphi method was used. For the study, 6 judges were included who evaluated the instrument using the Likert-type numerical scale. Results: The judges evaluated that the proposed instrument is well structured, with good clarity and cohesion of writing, with applicability in the field of study and of great relevance, especially considering the absence of this type of instrument for the military firefighter population. To evaluate the agreement between the judges, we used the Content Validity Index which reached 98% of agreement and the Interrate agreement, which reached the concepts good and very good, showing low variance of the judges' answers, being statistically valid. Conclusion: The study described the process of construction and validation of the instrument, proving to be appropriate and reliable to be used.

Objetivo: Este estudio tenía como objetivo desarrollar y validar un instrumento para evaluar las medidas de bioseguridad adoptadas por los bomberos militares para contener los agentes biológicos durante un evento de bioterrorismo. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio descriptivo de abordaje cuantitativo, de desarrollo metodológico y del tipo de validación de contenido de un instrumento de evaluación. El estudio se dividió en las fases de desarrollo y validación del instrumento. Para la elaboración del instrumento se realizaron revisiones bibliográficas y para la validación del mismo se utilizó el método Delphi. Para el estudio se incluyeron 6 jueces que evaluaron el instrumento mediante una escala numérica tipo Likert. Resultados: Los jueces evaluaron que el instrumento propuesto está bien estructurado, poseyendo buena claridad y cohesión de redacción, con aplicabilidad en el campo de estudio y de gran relevancia, especialmente en vista de la ausencia de este tipo de instrumento para la población de bomberos militares. Se utilizó el Índice de Validez de Contenido para evaluar la concordancia entre los jueces, alcanzando un 98% de acuerdo y el Índice de Fiabilidad Inter-registrador, que alcanzó conceptos buenos y muy buenos, mostrando una baja varianza en las respuestas de los jueces, siendo estadísticamente válido. Conclusión: El estudio describió el proceso de construcción y validación del instrumento, demostrando ser apropiado y confiable para ser utilizado.

Medidas de biossegurança nos consultórios odontológicos durante a pandemia de COVID-19: estudo com profissionais de saúde bucal do estado do Paraná / Biosafety measures in dental offices during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study with oral health professionals in the state of Paraná

Com o surgimento da pandemia causada pelo SARS-Cov-2, houve a necessidade de reestruturação dos serviços de saúde no Brasil, incluindo a clínica odontológica. O objetivo do presente estudo é descrever as medidas de biossegurança realizadas ou modificadas na prática de saúde bucal no estado do Paraná, em nível público e privado, envolvendo três categorias profissionais: cirurgiões-dentistas (CD), técnicos em saúde bucal (TSB) e auxiliares de saúde bucal (ASB). Esta pesquisa transversal descritiva foi realizada nos meses de agosto a outubro de 2020, com o envio de questionários on-linepor e-maile divulgação em redes sociais. Foram envolvidos 1072 profissionais, sendo 75,6% CD, 16,3% ASB e 8,1% TSB. O gênero feminino foi predominante entre os participantes (81,1%), com 46,1% apresentando idade entre 40 e 59 anos. Gorro, máscara cirúrgica, óculos de proteção e protetor facial são referidos como sempre utilizados, respectivamente, por 92,3%, 81,0%, 80,0% e 79,1% dos participantes. A máscara N95/PFF2 (67,5%) e o avental impermeável (20,3%) tiverem os maiores percentuais de "nunca disponíveis ou utilizados". Cerca de 50% afirmaram que tiveram acesso à Nota Técnica GVIMS/GGTES/ANVISA Nº 04/2020. Os profissionais avaliados, em geral, realizaram mudanças em suas práticas de biossegurança, mas precisam ser acompanhados durante toda a extensão da pandemia.

With the emergence of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, there was a need to restructure health services in Brazil, including the dental clinic. The aim of the present study was to describe the biosafety measures performed or modified in oral health practice at public and private levels, involving the three professional categories: dental surgeons (DDS), oral health technicians(OHT), and health assistants (HA) in the state of Paraná. This escriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out from August to October 2020, with an online questionnaire being sent by email and published on social networks. There were 1072 professionalsinvolved, of which 75.6% were DDS, 16.3% were OHT, and 8.1% were HA. The female gender was predominant among the participants (81.1%), and 46.1% were aged between 40 and 59 years. 92.3%, 81.0%, 80.0%, and 79.1% of the articipants, respectively, said theyalways used a cap, surgical mask, protective glasses, and face shield. The N95/PFF2 mask (67.5%) and the waterproof apron (20.3%) are two of the most frequently mentioned items as never being available or used. About 51% said they had access to Technical Note GVIMS/GGTES/ANVISA No. 04/2020. In general, the professionals evaluated have been making changes in their biosafety practices, but they still need to be monitored throughout the pandemic.

Conocimiento y percepción sobre bioseguridad en estudiantes de medicina / Knowledge and perception about biosafety in medical students

Los estudiantes de medicina pueden estar expuestos a infecciones graves relacionadas con la atención de la salud si no siguen las medidas de prevención y control. Hay información limitada sobre el conocimiento y la percepción de los estudiantes de medicina con respecto a la bioseguridad y los enfoques educativos utilizados para enseñarles estas prácticas. El objetivo fue evaluar el conocimiento y la percepción de los estudiantes de medicina hacia las prácticas básicas de bioseguridad. Una encuesta descriptiva y transversal basada en entrevistas incluyó a 120 estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Regional Autónoma de los Andes, Ecuador. Los estudiantes completaron un cuestionario sobre el conocimiento y la percepción con respecto a las prácticas de bioseguridad. El conocimiento de los estudiantes se evaluó por sus respuestas correctas a las preguntas del instrumento. El 57,5% de los estudiantes cumplen con las medidas de bioseguridad. La mayoría de los estudiantes perciben alto de riesgo de exposición a través de diferentes rutas con distintos patógenos, el argumento mayormente reportado fue el que puede ocurrir un accidente. Se observó que 81(67,5%) de los estudiantes mostraron tener conocimiento adecuado sobre bioseguridad, mientras que 39 demostraron lo contrario. El conocimiento sobre la bioseguridad fue bueno aunque se necesita más énfasis para mejorar su conocimiento en secciones como la técnica de colocación de guantes, momento de colocarse el gorro y qué es una sustancia antiséptica. Los cursos de Prevención y Control de Infecciones se pueden impartir a partir de su primer año de educación universitaria(AU)

Medical students can be exposed to serious health care-associated infections, if they are not following prevention and control measures. There is limited information on medical students' knowledge and perception of biosafety and the educational approaches used to teach these practices. The objective was to evaluate the knowledge and perception of medical students towards basic biosafety practices. A descriptive and cross-sectional, interview-based survey included 120 medical students from the Autonomous Regional University of the Andes, Ecuador. The students completed a questionnaire on knowledge and perception regarding biosafety practices. The knowledge of the students was evaluated by their correct answers to the questions of the instrument. 57.5% of students comply with biosafety measures. Most of the students perceive a high risk of exposure through different routes with different pathogens, the most reported argument was that an accident can occur. It was observed that 81 (67.5%) of the students showed adequate knowledge about biosafety, while 39 showed the opposite. Biosafety knowledge was good although more emphasis is needed to improve their knowledge in sections such as gloving technique, time to put on the cap and what is an antiseptic substance. Infection Prevention and Control courses can be taught beginning in your first year of college education(AU)

Grado de riesgo biológico al manipular toxina botulínica como medicamento / Degree of Biohazard When Handling Botulinum Toxin as A Medication

Introducción: El uso de la toxina como medicamento constituye un riesgo biológico, debido a la presencia de la toxina, así como al uso indebido que se le puede dar. Objetivo: Evaluar el grado de riesgo biológico al manipular toxina botulínica como medicamento. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal en el Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba, en 2017. Se aplicó una lista de chequeo de riesgo biológico a 6 profesionales del área de tratamiento de toxina botulínica. El resultado integrado de la lista de chequeo se analizó a través del método semicuantitativo "ERBIO". Resultados: La probabilidad se catalogó de "media", el cumplimiento de medidas de contención como "aceptable" y la exposición se consideró como "muy frecuente". Conclusiones: Se constató un grado de riesgo biológico "tolerable" al manipular la toxina botulínica como medicamento en el Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica. Esto implica que se deben considerar mejoras que no supongan una carga económica importante, que requerirán de comprobaciones periódicas para asegurar el mantenimiento de la eficacia de las medidas de control establecidas(AU)

Introduction: The use of the toxin as a medication constitutes a biological risk, due to the presence of the toxin, as well as the potential improper use. Objective: To evaluate the degree of biological risk when Handling botulinum toxin as a medication. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the International Center for Neurological Restoration, Havana, Cuba, in 2017. A biological risk checklist was applied to six professionals from the botulinum toxin treatment area. The integrated result of the checklist was analyzed through ERBIO semi-quantitative method. Results: The probability was classified as medium. Compliance with containment measures was assessed as acceptable and the exposure was considered as very frequent. Conclusions: A tolerable degree of biological risk was found when manipulating botulinum toxin as a medication at the International Center for Neurological Restoration. This implies that improvements should be considered not to imply a significant economic burden, which will require periodic checks to ensure the maintenance of the effectiveness of the established control measures(AU)

La bioseguridad en el desarrollo tecnológico de las investigaciones biomédicas / Biosecurity in the technological development of biomedical research

RESUMEN La bioseguridad juega un papel importante en las investigaciones biomédicas. Es preciso conocer las medidas recomendadas para el control de enfermedades en los entornos laborales donde los trabajadores corren el riesgo de contraer enfermedades y convertirse en fuente de infección para los pacientes. El objetivo de este trabajo es contribuir con la divulgación de las medidas de bioseguridad en los laboratorios biomédicos. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de los principales artículos publicados en inglés y español en PubMed, SciELO y MEDLINE. Resulta de gran importancia la divulgación de las medidas de bioseguridad, a fin de garantizar su conocimiento por parte de los profesionales de los diferentes tipos de laboratorios. Ellos están obligados a desarrollar o adoptar un manual de operaciones o de bioseguridad que identifique los riesgos que se encontrarán o puedan producirse, y especifique las prácticas y procedimientos destinados a minimizar o eliminar las exposiciones a estos (AU).

ABSTRACT Biosecurity plays an important role in biomedical research. It is necessary to know the recommended measures for disease control in work environments where workers are at risk of contracting diseases and becoming a source of infection for patients. The aim of this work is to contribute to the dissemination of biosafety measures in biomedical laboratories. A systematic review of the main articles published in English and Spanish in PubMed, SciELO and MEDLINE was carried out. The dissemination of biosafety measures is of great importance in order to ensure their knowledge by professionals in the different types of laboratories. They have to develop or adopt a manual of operations or biosecurity that identifies the risks that will be found or may occur, and specifies the practices and procedures to minimize or eliminate exposures to them (AU).

Covid-19: biossegurança e educação em saúde em estabelecimentos veterinários no município de Niterói, Rj, Brasil / Covid-19: biosafety and health education in veterinary establishments in the city of Niterói, Rj, Brazil / Covid-19: bioseguridad y educación en salud en establecimientos veterinarios en la ciudad de Niterói, Rj, Brasil

O Brasil passa atualmente por uma grave pandemia de uma doença viral emergente denominada Covid-19, a qual já levou ao óbito centenas de milhares de pessoas. Como medidas de controle da doença, vêm sendo implementadas ações de distanciamento social com o fechamento, total ou parcial, de diversas atividades econômicas não prioritárias. O setor veterinário se encontra entre os estabelecimentos não atingidos por essas medidas, devido à necessidade de atendimentos emergenciais para a saúde animal. O presente trabalho, de caráter observacional, seccional e descritivo, buscou descrever e avaliar o conhecimento dos médicos veterinários acerca da doença e seu potencial zoonótico, as medidas tomadas nos estabelecimentos veterinários visando prevenir a transmissão do vírus da Covid-19 para as pessoas e animais e as recomendações realizadas aos tutores de animais de companhia no município de Niterói. Os resultados indicaram que os médicos veterinários apresentaram dificuldade quanto ao reconhecimento da doença como uma zoonose, apesar de conhecerem os modos de transmissão e os animais afetados pela enfermidade, além disso, esses profissionais faziam recomendações aos tutores visando evitar a transmissão da doença. Os estabelecimentos veterinários pesquisados buscaram se adequar para o enfrentamento da epidemia, principalmente com medidas que não os impactassem do ponto de vista econômico.(AU)

Brazil is currently facing a severe pandemic caused by an emerging viral disease referred to as Covid-19, which has led to thousands of deaths. As a means to control the spread of the disease, total and partial social distancing initiatives have been implemented in several non-essential economic activities. Veterinary clinics and pet shops have not been affected by these measures due to the demand for emergency animal care. This work, as an observational, sectional and descriptive based effort, aimed at describing and evaluating the knowledge among veterinarians regarding the disease and its zoonotic potential, the measures adopted by the clinics to prevent Covid-19 transmission to people and animals, and the recommendations to pet tutors in the municipality of Niterói. According to the results, veterinarians presented difficulty in recognizing the disease as a zoonosis, despite being aware of its transmission methods and the animals it affected. These professionals also recommended certain actions to pet tutors to avoid the spread of the disease. The surveyed clinics sought to be prepared to face the epidemic, mainly through measures that would not cause them economic impact.(AU)

Brasil atraviesa actualmente una grave pandemia de una enfermedad viral emergente llamada Covid-19, que ya ha provocado la muerte de cientos de miles de personas. Como medidas de control de la enfermedad se han implementado acciones de distanciamiento social con el cierre, total o parcial, de varias actividades económicas no prioritarias. Entre los establecimientos no afectados por estas medidas se encuentran los del ramo veterinario, debido a la necesidad de cuidados urgentes a la salud animal. El presente trabajo, de carácter observacional, seccional y descriptivo, buscó describir y evaluar el conocimiento de los médicos veterinarios sobre la enfermedad y su potencial zoonótico, las medidas tomadas en los establecimientos veterinarios con el fin de prevenir la transmisión del virus de la Covid-19 a personas y animales, y las recomendaciones realizadas a los tutores de animales de compañía del municipio de Niterói. Los resultados mostraron que los veterinarios tenían dificultades para reconocer la enfermedad como una zoonosis, a pesar de conocer los modos de transmisión y los animales afectados por la enfermedad, además, los profesionales hacían recomendaciones a los tutores para evitar la transmisión de la enfermedad. Los establecimientos veterinarios investigados buscaron adaptarse para hacer frente a la epidemia, especialmente con medidas que no les afectaran mucho desde el punto de vista económico.(AU)

An easy method for developing fusion enabled SARS-CoV2 virus fusion mimic (SCFM), bypassing the need of Bio Safety Level (BSL) facility.

Widespread infection due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) has led to a global pandemic. Currently, various approaches are being taken up to develop vaccines and therapeutics to treat SARS-CoV2 infection. Consequently, the S protein has become an important target protein for developing vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV2. However, the highly infective nature of SARS-CoV2 restricts experimentation with the virus to highly secure BSL3 facilities. The availability of fusion-enabled, nonreplicating, and nonbiohazardous mimics of SARS-CoV2 virus fusion, containing the viral S or S and M protein in their native conformation on mammalian cells, can serve as a useful substitute for studying viral fusion for testing various inhibitors of viral fusion. This would avoid the use of the BSL3 facility for fusion studies required to develop therapeutics. In the present study, we have developed SARS-CoV2 virus fusion mimics (SCFMs) using mammalian cells transfected with constructs coding for S or S and M protein. The fusogenic property of the mimic(s) and their interaction with the functional human ACE2 receptors was confirmed experimentally. We have also shown that such mimics can easily be used in an inhibition assay. These mimic(s) can be easily prepared on a large scale, and such SCFMs can serve as an invaluable resource for viral fusion inhibition assays and in vitro screening of antiviral agents, which can be shared/handled between labs/facilities without worrying about any biohazard while working under routine laboratory conditions, avoiding the use of BSL3 laboratory.Abbreviations :SCFM: SARS-CoV2 Virus Fusion Mimic; ACE2: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; hACE2: Human Angiotensin-Converting enzyme 2; MEF: Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts; HBSS: Hanks Balanced Salt Solution; FBS: Fetal Bovine Serum.

UV decontamination of personal protective equipment with idle laboratory biosafety cabinets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucially important to the safety of both patients and medical personnel, particularly in the event of an infectious pandemic. As the incidence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) increases exponentially in the United States and many parts of the world, healthcare provider demand for these necessities is currently outpacing supply. In the midst of the current pandemic, there has been a concerted effort to identify viable ways to conserve PPE, including decontamination after use. In this study, we outline a procedure by which PPE may be decontaminated using ultraviolet (UV) radiation in biosafety cabinets (BSCs), a common element of many academic, public health, and hospital laboratories. According to the literature, effective decontamination of N95 respirator masks or surgical masks requires UV-C doses of greater than 1 Jcm-2, which was achieved after 4.3 hours per side when placing the N95 at the bottom of the BSCs tested in this study. We then demonstrated complete inactivation of the human coronavirus NL63 on N95 mask material after 15 minutes of UV-C exposure at 61 cm (232 µWcm-2). Our results provide support to healthcare organizations looking for methods to extend their reserves of PPE.

Bacillus velezensis strain MBY2, a potential agent for the management of crown gall disease.

The reduction of the use chemical pesticides in agriculture is gaining importance as an objective of decision-makers in both politics and economics. Consequently, the development of technically efficient and economically affordable alternatives as, e.g., biological control agents or practices is highly solicited. Crown gall disease of dicotyledonous plants is caused by ubiquitous soil borne pathogenic bacteria of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens species complex, that comprises the species Agrobacterium fabrum and represents a globally relevant plant protection problem. Within the framework of a screening program for bacterial Agrobacterium antagonists a total of 14 strains were isolated from Tunisian soil samples and assayed for antagonistic activity against pathogenic agrobacteria. One particularly promising isolate, termed strain MBY2, was studied more in depth. Using a Multilocus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) approach, the isolate was assigned to the taxonomic species Bacillus velezensis. Strain MBY2 was shown to display antagonistic effects against the pathogenic A. fabrum strain C58 in vitro and to significantly decrease pathogen populations under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions as well as in the rhizosphere of maize and, to a lower extent, tomato plants. Moreover, the ability of B. velezensis MBY2 to reduce C58-induced gall development has been demonstrated in vivo on stems of tomato and almond plants. The present study describes B. velezensis MBY2 as a newly discovered strain holding potential as a biological agent for crown gall disease management.

Effect of spray-drying and ultraviolet C radiation as biosafety steps for CSFV and ASFV inactivation in porcine plasma.

Spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP) is widely used in diets of domestic animals to improve health status and increase growth and feed efficiency. Individual steps in the SDAP manufacturing process, including spray-drying, have been validated to inactivate potential pathogens. Manufacturing standards have established a minimum exit temperature of 80°C and a minimum post-drying storage period of 14 days at 20°C for production of SDAP. Also, UV-C irradiation has been evaluated as another inactivation step that could be included in the manufacturing process. The aim of this study was to assess the inactivation effectiveness of spray-drying on Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV) and the effect of UV-C inactivation on ASFV as redundant biosafety steps of the manufacturing process for producing spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP). This study demonstrated that UV-C treatment of liquid porcine plasma can inactivate more than 4 Log10 TCID50/mL of ASFV at 3000 J/L. Spray-drying effectively inactivated at least 4 Log10 TCID50/mL of both CSFV and ASFV. Incorporating UV-C technology within the SDAP manufacturing process can add another biosafety step to further enhance product safety.

Manual de laboratorio para el diagnóstico por PCR en tiempo real en laboratorios descentralizados y vigilancia genómica de SARS-CoV-2 / Laboratory manual for real-time PCR diagnosis in decentralized laboratories and genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

En los antecedentes, brinda detalles técnicos de enfermedades previas al COVID-19 y sigue esta consigna internacional: "Sin embargo, a la luz de la posible introducción de un caso sospechoso relacionado con el 2019-nCoV en la Región de las Américas, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud / Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS / OMS) recomienda a los Estados Miembros garantizar su identificación oportuna, el envío de las muestras a laboratorios Nacionales o de referencia y la implementación del protocolo de detección molecular para 2019-nCoV, según la capacidad del laboratorio." Aborda las tres mutaciones del virus conocidas hasta la fecha del documento y las tres variantes conocidas: Reino Unido e Irlanda del Norte, República de Sudáfrica y Brasil, siendo la de mayor transmisibilidad, según el documento, la del Reino Unido. El primero de los objetivos del documento es: "Brindar los lineamientos generales para la toma de muestra, conservación, transporte y diagnóstico del SARS-Cov-2 en los laboratorios descentralizados bajo la técnica de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR) en tiempo Real, en atención a pacientes que cumplen con la definición de caso y se tipifica como "sospechoso inusitado"." Incluye como anexo 2 el documento: "Lineamientos para el abordaje de casos positivos para SARS-COV-2 de viajeros que ingresan al país por el aeropuerto internacional "La Aurora" (AILA)"

Bioprospecting the antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiproliferative activity of Symplocos racemosa Roxb. Bark phytoconstituents along with their biosafety evaluation and detection of antimicrobial components by GC-MS.

BACKGROUND: Plants provide a ray of hope to combat the ever increasing antibiotic resistance and Symplocos racemosa is a valuable medicinal plant. The study focused on highlighting the importance of this plant's phytoconstituents as potential source of novel antimicrobials against planktonic as well as biofilm forming microorganisms, along with their antiproliferative activity. The biosafety of the phytoconstituents was also established, followed by detection of probable antimicrobial components. METHODS: The best organic extractant and major groups of phytoconstituents were tested for their antimicrobial activity against reference microbial strains and drug-resistant clinical isolates. The anti-proliferative potential of the most active group of phytoconstituents was evaluated against cancerous cell lines. The in vitro biosafety of phytoconstituents was evaluated by Ames and MTT assay, while in vivo biosafety of the most active phytoconstituents, i.e., flavonoids was determined by acute oral toxicity. Further, the probable antimicrobial components in the flavonoids were detected by TLC and GC-MS. RESULTS: Ethyl acetate extract was the most effective among various organic extracts, whereas phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, triterpenes and phytosterols were the major groups present, with flavonoids being the most potent antimicrobials. The phytoconstituents displayed a significant antibiofilm potential, as exhibited by inhibition of initial cell attachment, disruption of the pre-formed biofilms and reduced metabolic activity of biofilms. The phytoconstituents were significantly active against the drug-resistant strains of E.coli, MRSA and Salmonella spp. Further, flavonoids showed significant cytotoxic effect against the cancerous cell lines but were non-cytotoxic against Vero (normal) cell line. All the test preparations were biosafe, as depicted by the Ames test and MTT assay. Also, flavonoids did not induce any abnormality in body weight, clinical signs, biochemical parameters and organs' histopathology of the Swiss albino mice during in vivo acute oral toxicity studies. The flavonoids were resolved into 4 bands (S1-S4), where S3 was the most active and its GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of a number of compounds, where Bicyclo [2.2.1]heptan-2-one,1,7,7-trimethyl-, (1S)- was the most abundant. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the phytoconstituents from Symplocos racemosa bark could act as potential source of antimicrobial as well as antiproliferative metabolites.

Consideraciones sobre la atención estomatológica en el Perú durante la pandemia por la COVID-19 / Considerations about dental care in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic

RESUMEN Introducción: La enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19), catalogada como pandemia por la Organización Mundial de la Salud, ha causado muchas muertes a poblaciones vulnerables debido a la alta capacidad de contagio. Estas rutas de contagio son por contacto directo e indirecto, incluso, de personas asintomáticas. En el presente artículo se sintetizan, desde una perspectiva de la realidad del Perú, algunas consideraciones a tener en cuenta en la salud bucal a propósito de la pandemia de la COVID-19 y los retos profesionales del estomatólogo en la consulta estatal y privada. Comentarios principales: Los procedimientos que generan aerosoles o microgotas desde la cavidad bucal potencian el riesgo de contagio al personal sanitario, especialmente al estomatólogo, puesto que, incluso los procedimientos de urgencia o emergencia estomatológica utilizan instrumental que genera posibles medios de contaminación. Las instituciones afines a la estomatología tienen el deber de establecer protocolos de bioseguridad para la atención estomatológica de urgencia y emergencia y de rutina para evitar generar cadenas de contagio. El deber del estomatólogo en esta emergencia sanitaria es seguir los lineamientos de bioseguridad para la atención estomatológica en los establecimientos de salud del sector estatal y privado. Consideraciones finales: La práctica estomatológica es potencialmente de riesgo en la pandemia por COVID-19, a pesar de ello, es deber del estomatólogo cumplir su rol como profesional sanitario considerando las normas de bioseguridad establecidas por las instituciones de salud(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, has affected many deaths to vulnerable populations due to its high transmission capacity. These transmission routes are by direct and indirect contact even of asymptomatic people. This article presents some considerations to take into account regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in oral health and the professional challenges of the stomatologist in state and private consultation from a perspective of the reality of Peru. Main remarks: Procedures that generate aerosols or droplets from the oral cavity increase the risk of transmission to health personnel, especially the stomatologist; since even dental emergency procedures require the use of instruments that generate possible means of contamination. The institutions related to stomatology have to establish biosafety protocols for dental emergency and routine practice to avoid generating chains of transmission. The role of the dentist in this health emergency is to follow biosafety guidelines for dental care in state and private health center. Final considerations: Dental practice is potentially risky in the COVID-19 pandemic, despite this, it is the duty of the dentist to fulfill his role as a health professional considering the biosecurity standards established by the health institutions(AU)