Intervención basada en pruebas diagnósticas para un enfoque integral de las infecciones de transmisión sexual / Intervention based on diagnostic tests for a sexual transmitted diseases' integral approach

Se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo en diversas comunidades del municipio Manicaragua para Identificar la infección por el Virus de Inmunodeficiencia Humana, Virus de Hepatitis B, Virus de Hepatitis C y Treponema pallidum en 448 personas sexualmente activas entre 15 y 59 años de población general. A partir del consentimiento informado y con una explicación de la dinámica de la investigación se procedió a la toma de la muestra y a la entrevista personal. Se aplicaron los principios de Atención Primaria de Salud (APS): equidad, integración y empoderamiento. Se realizó intervención educativo-preventiva y consejería. Las muestras fueron procesadas por tecnología SUMA y se realizó la determinación de anticuerpos al Treponema pallidum por serología VDRL. La positividad general fue de 2,6 por ciento a expensas de los virus de hepatitis y dentro de éstos la reactividad serológica al Virus de Hepatitis C fue 1,33 por ciento y al Virus de Hepatitis B de 0,88 por ciento. A su vez se detectaron dos personas con serología VDRL débil reactiva. No se identificaron personas infectadas por el VIH. Las personas con reactividad serológica VHC y VHB desconocían su estatus serológico. La población que resultó reactiva a las pruebas realizadas fueron mayoritariamente mujeres, en las edades medias de la vida. Se hizo entrega de los resultados al médico de atención primaria. Las personas que accedieron voluntariamente a la prueba de VIH tuvieron otras opciones pues dispusieron de información sobre las ITS-VIH, participaron de un instante de reflexión y análisis personal sobre su percepción de riesgo y finalmente conocieron su estatus serológico ante cuatro agentes causales de estas infecciones.

We carried out a cross-sectional, descriptive study in several communities of the municipality of Manicaragua to identify the infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Treponema pallidum in 448 sexually active people aged 15-59 years from the general population. Starting with the informed consent and a dynamic explanation of the investigation we took samples and did personal interviews. We applied the principles of the Primary Health Care: equity, integration and empowering. We developed an educative-preventive intervention and advisory. The samples were processed by SUMA technology, and the determination of the Treponema pallidum was made by VDRL serology. The general positivity was 2,6 per cent at the expenses of the hepatitis viruses, and among them, the serologic reactivity to the Hepatitis C Virus was 1,33 per cent, and to the Hepatitis B Virus of 0,88 per cent. We also detected two persons with mild reactive VDRL serology. We did not identified persons infected with the HIV. The persons with VHC and VHB serologic reactivity did not know their serologic status. The population who resulted reactive to the tests was mainly middle/aged women. We gave the results to the primary care physician. The persons who voluntarily agreed the HIV tests had other options because they had information on STD/HIV, made a reflection and personal analysis on their risk perception and finally knew their serologic status about four causal agents of these infections.

Physician documentation of neonatal risk assessment for perinatal infections.

Charts of newborn infants were reviewed for documentation of maternal risk factors and prenatal screening test results. Physician documentation was incomplete in most infants. Nearly half of all infants were discharged without documentation regarding maternal status of hepatitis B, syphilis, and group B streptococcus. These lapses in newborn assessment have a potential for significant medical errors.

Antimicrobial prophylaxis in pregnancy: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial with cefetamet-pivoxil in pregnant women with a poor obstetric history.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to measure the impact of a single oral dose of cefetamet-pivoxil on pregnancy outcome in a population with substantial rates of low birth weight and high prevalence rates of maternal infections. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 320 pregnant women with a poor obstetric history, defined as a history of low birth weight or stillbirth, were randomized to receive a single oral dose of 2 gm of cefetamet-pivoxil or a placebo at a gestational age between 28 and 32 weeks. Patients were assessed at delivery and 1 week post partum for pregnancy outcome, postpartum endometritis, human immunodeficiency virus-1 and gonococcal infections. RESULTS: A total of 253 (79%) women gave birth at the maternity hospital, of whom 210 (83%) attended the follow-up clinic. Overall, 18.1% of these pregnant women were human immunodeficiency virus-1 seropositive, whereas 9.5% had antibodies against Treponema pallidum. There was a significant difference between cefetamet-pivoxil- and placebo-treated women in infant birth weight (2927 gm vs 2772 gm, p = 0.03) and low birth weight (< 2500 gm) rates (18.7% vs 32.8%, p = 0.01, odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 3.8). The stillbirth rate was 2.2% in the cefetamet-pivoxil group and 4.2% in the placebo group (not significant). Postpartum endometritis was found in 17.3% in the intervention arm versus 31.6% in the placebo group (p = 0.03, odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 7.6). Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from the cervix in 5 of 103 (4.9%) women in the intervention and in 14 of 101 (13.9%) in the placebo group (p = 0.04, odds ratio 3.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 10.5). CONCLUSION: A single oral dose of cefetamet-pivoxil administered to pregnant women with a poor obstetric history seemed to improve pregnancy outcome in this population with high rates of maternal infections. Larger studies should be carried out to examine the public health impact, the feasibility, and the overall cost/benefit ratio of this intervention.

Endemic treponematoses in the Sudan.

Sudan is surrounded by eight countries and has marked movement of population across its borders. At one time yaws and syphilis were important public health problems in the Sudan. Following the wide use of penicillin, both diseases were much reduced in prevalence and were no longer public health problems. However, the extensive population movement and particularly the huge influx of refugees across the border pose important potential hazards. The rapid urbanization and the social and cultural changes that followed economic development affected family ties and community behavior and resulted in a marked increase in the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, including syphilis. It is difficult to know the true magnitude of the problem because of the poor health information system and coverage. Improvement of the surveillance system is urgently needed, and more attention needs to be paid to treponemal infections. This entails improvement in health services and training of health personnel.

Physical assessment of 30 chronic cannabis users and 30 matched controls.

Ganja is used extensively in the working-class population of Jamaica, particularly in certain agricultural and fishing communities. Ganja, smoking is illegal but can be accepted as part of the culture in these areas. Sixty male subjects were chosen for assessment, 30 chronic smokers and 30 controls from comparable social, economic, and cultural backgrounds, and were matched for height and age. A chronic smoker had somked a minimum of three spliffs per day for a minimum of 10 years. The subjects were admitted to the hospital for 1 week for psychologic and physical assessment. The physical assessment included a detailed medical history and examination, heart and lung radiography, electrocardiograms, respiratory, liver, and renal function tests, hematology, treponemal serology, and chromosomal studies. No significant physical abnormalities were found, except in two smokers, and there was no reason to suspect that these disabilities were related to ganja. No significant differences between the two groups were demonstrated in the wide range of tests administered.