Diagnostic performance of commercially available COVID-19 serology tests in Brazil.

Timely and accurate laboratory testing is essential for managing the global COVID-19 pandemic. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction remains the gold-standard for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, but several practical issues limit the test's use. Immunoassays have been indicated as an alternative for individual and mass testing. OBJECTIVES: To access the performance of 12 serological tests for COVID-19 diagnosis. METHODS: We conducted a blind evaluation of six lateral-flow immunoassays (LFIAs) and six enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) commercially available in Brazil for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. RESULTS: Considering patients with seven or more days of symptoms, the sensitivity ranged from 59.5% to 83.1% for LFIAs and from 50.7% to 92.6% for ELISAs. For both methods, the sensitivity increased with clinical severity and days of symptoms. The agreement among LFIAs performed with digital blood and serum was moderate. Specificity was, in general, higher for LFIAs than for ELISAs. Infectious diseases prevalent in the tropics, such as HIV, leishmaniasis, arboviruses, and malaria, represent conditions with the potential to cause false-positive results with these tests, which significantly compromises their specificity. CONCLUSION: The performance of immunoassays was only moderate, affected by the duration and clinical severity of the disease. Absence of discriminatory power between IgM/IgA and IgG has also been demonstrated, which prevents the use of acute-phase antibodies for decisions on social isolation.

Economic impact of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis on adult patients of a referral service in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a disease associated with low-income populations. Thus, in assessing the burden of this disease, it is important to include its economic impact on individuals. We aimed to evaluate CL economic impact on patients treated at a referral service in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study based on the analysis of interviews and medical records from which we assembled direct medical and non-medical costs related to CL, from a societal perspective. One hundred patients were included; 50% had a monthly per capita income of up to USD 259.60 and spent on average USD 187.32 with the disease, representing an average monthly impact of 22.5% (USD 133.80). The disease imposed direct medical costs, such as: private medical appointments, medications, medical exams, dressing material, and co-participation in health insurances. Direct non-medical costs were mainly related to patients' transportation to health centers (USD 4,911.00), but also included medically-necessary care, food, and domestic and business outsourcing services. Although the Brazilian public health system guarantees access to health care, CL still represents a substantial economic impact for patients. The main action to reduce the expenses with this disease is decentralizing services for CL diagnosis and therapeutic approach, as well as increasing their efficiency.

Economic impact of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis on adult patients of a referral service in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil / Impacto econômico da leishmaniose cutânea localizada em pacientes adultos em um serviço de referência em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil / Impacto económico de la leishmaniosis cutánea localizada que afecta a pacientes adultos en un servicio de referencia en Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a disease associated with low-income populations. Thus, in assessing the burden of this disease, it is important to include its economic impact on individuals. We aimed to evaluate CL economic impact on patients treated at a referral service in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study based on the analysis of interviews and medical records from which we assembled direct medical and non-medical costs related to CL, from a societal perspective. One hundred patients were included; 50% had a monthly per capita income of up to USD 259.60 and spent on average USD 187.32 with the disease, representing an average monthly impact of 22.5% (USD 133.80). The disease imposed direct medical costs, such as: private medical appointments, medications, medical exams, dressing material, and co-participation in health insurances. Direct non-medical costs were mainly related to patients' transportation to health centers (USD 4,911.00), but also included medically-necessary care, food, and domestic and business outsourcing services. Although the Brazilian public health system guarantees access to health care, CL still represents a substantial economic impact for patients. The main action to reduce the expenses with this disease is decentralizing services for CL diagnosis and therapeutic approach, as well as increasing their efficiency.

A leishmaniose cutânea (LC) é uma doença associada a populações de baixa renda. Portanto, a inclusão do impacto financeiro sobre os pacientes é muito importante para avaliar a carga dessa doença. Tivemos como objetivo avaliar o impacto econômico da LC em pacientes afetados pela doença e tratados em um centro de referência para LC no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foi um estudo transversal com base em análise de entrevistas e prontuários médicos para compilação dos gastos médicos e não médicos diretos relacionados à LC, desde uma perspectiva societal. Foram incluídos cem pacientes; 50% tinham renda mensal per capita de até USD 259,60. O gasto médio na doença foi de USD 187,32, o que representa um impacto mensal médio de 22,5% (USD 133,80). A doença impôs custos médicos diretos, como o pagamento por consultas médicas particulares, exames médicos, material para curativos e co-participação em seguro de saúde. Os custos não médicos diretos estiveram relacionados ao transporte dos pacientes até os centros de saúde, cuidados adicionais, alimentação e contratos com serviços terceirizados para atividades domésticas e laborais. O transporte dos pacientes para as consultas médicas representava a principal parcela dos gastos (USD 4.911,00). Embora o acesso à assistência à saúde seja um direito garantido pelo Sistema Único de Saúde, a LC ainda gera um impacto financeiro substancial para os pacientes. A descentralização dos serviços diagnósticos e terapêuticos para LC e o aumento de sua eficiência são as principais medidas que podem reduzir os gastos com essa doença.

La leishmaniosis cutánea (LC) es una enfermedad asociada a poblaciones con ingresos bajos. Por ello, incluir el impacto financiero para las personas es muy importante a la hora de evaluar la carga de esta enfermedad. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar el impacto económico de la LC, de pacientes afectados por esta enfermedad, que fueron tratados por un servicio de referencia para el tratamiento de la LC en el Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Este estudio transversal basado en entrevistas y análisis de registros médicos para la recopilación de gastos médicos y no-médicos directos, relacionados con la LC desde una a perspectiva social. Se incluyeron a cien pacientes; el 50% contaba con ingresos mensuales per cápita de hasta USD 259,60 y gastaban un promedio de USD 187,32 en la enfermedad, representando un impacto promedio mensual de 22,5% (USD 133,80). La enfermedad supuso costes médicos directos, como el pago de citas médicas privadas, medicamentos, exámenes médicos, material para vendajes, y coparticipación en seguros médicos. Los costes directos no-médicos estaban relacionados con el transporte de los pacientes a los centros de salud, el cuidado necesario, comida, y contratos con servicios externalizados para actividades domésticas y laborales. El transporte de los pacientes para citas médicas representó la principal razón para los gastos (USD 4.911,00). A pesar de que el acceso a los cuidados de salud es un derecho garantizado por el sistema de salud público brasileño, la LC todavía supone un impacto financiero importante para los pacientes. La descentralización de los servicios para el diagnóstico de LC, la aproximación terapéutica, y el incremento de su eficiencia, son las acciones con principal potencial para reducir los gastos financieros de esta enfermedad.

How cutaneous leishmaniasis and treatment impacts in the patients' lives: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Until now, few studies have evaluated the effect of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) on patients' quality of life, and none have used a specific instrument to measure this effect. The objective of this study was to identify factors that may be associated with the high impact of CL and to assess patients' satisfaction with treatment and health services by utilizing a disease-specific questionnaire. METHODOLOGY: Between December 2015 and May 2017, 100 patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis were interviewed at a leishmaniasis referral center in Brazil. Data were collected by two questionnaires. One questionnaire compiled the sociodemographic, economic, and clinical information related to the disease. The second questionnaire was the Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Impact Questionnaire (CLIQ), which consisted of two subscales that measured 1) the general impact of CL and 2) patients' perceptions of treatment and health services. The median scores from each of these two subscales were used to dichotomize the dependent variables. Risk factors for the high impact of CL and for low patient satisfaction with treatment and health services were analyzed with a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The chance of higher impact of CL was increased in patients with the presence of comorbidities (OR: 3.9; CI 1.25-12.36), in those with absences from work (OR: 12.0; CI 3.78-42.55), in those who relied on public transportation by a municipal bus (OR: 5.8; CI 1.27-26.77), and in those who had illness-related expenses greater than U$137 (OR: 3.5; CI 1.17-10.24). The chance of patient dissatisfaction with treatment and health services increased with higher education (OR: 5.0; CI 1.19-21.03) and with illness-related expenses exceeding U$137 (OR: 4.64; CI 1.49-14.48). Once the sample was non-probabilistic, findings are not representative of CL patients in general. CONCLUSIONS: CL and its treatment have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. Considering these effects during public health planning may help patients to confront the disease.