Evaluation of a diagnostic device, CL Detect rapid test for the diagnosis of new world cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease and a public health problem in Latin America. The diagnosis of CL in poor hyperendemic regions relies to large extent on the identification of amastigotes in Giemsa-stained smears. There is an urgent need for a rapid, sensitive and low cost diagnostic method for use in field conditions for CL as current modalities are not readily available. The primary objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the FDA-cleared CL Detect Rapid Test in Peru, using modified test procedures rather than the instructions-for-use, by 1) increasing the extraction time and 2) increasing the volume of the sample added to the test strip. CL Detect Rapid Test results were compared against microscopy and kDNA-PCR, for the diagnosis of CL in ulcerated lesions. In addition, we compared two collection methods the dental broach used and mentioned in the CL Detect insert and the standard less invasive and easier to conduct scrapping method. METHODOLOGY: Participants were patients who presented for medical consultation due to a suspected CL lesion. Four samples from the index lesion were collected using a dental broach, per package insert, and lancet scraping and tested by the modified CL Detect Rapid Test, microscopy, and PCR. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 156 subjects were eligible and evaluated. The modified CL Detect sensitivity was higher in specimens obtained by scraping (83.3%) than those from dental broach (64.2%). The specificity was lower in scrapings (77.8%) with a false positive rate of 22.2% compared with dental broach samples (91.7%) with a false positive rate of 8.3%. However, molecular analysis showed that all 8 false negative microscopy scrapings (those positive by modified CL Detect and negative by microscopy) were positive by kDNA-PCR, meaning that the modified CL Detect was more sensitive than microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: These modifications to the package insert that resulted in a diagnostic sensitivity (83.3%) comparable to microscopy for species found in Peru may enable earlier anti-leishmanial drug treatment decisions based on a positive result from the CL Detect Rapid Test alone until further diagnostic tests like microscopy and PCR can be performed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03762070; Clinicaltrials.gov.

Dengue Incidence and Sociodemographic Conditions in Pucallpa, Peruvian Amazon: What Role for Modification of the Dengue-Temperature Relationship?

Dengue is a climate-sensitive disease with an increasing global burden. Although the relationship between meteorological conditions and dengue incidence is well established, less is known about the modifying nature of sociodemographic variables on that relationship. We assess the strength and direction of sociodemographic effect modification of the temperature-dengue relationship in the second largest city of the Peruvian Amazon to identify populations that may have heightened vulnerability to dengue under varying climate conditions. We used weekly dengue counts and averaged meteorological variables to evaluate the association between disease incidence, meteorological exposures, and sociodemographic effect modifiers (gender, age, and district) in negative binomial regression models. District was included to consider geographical effect modification. We found that being a young child or elderly, being female, and living in the district of Manantay increased dengue's incidence rate ratio (IRR) as a result of 1°C increase in weekly mean temperature (IRR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.99-4.50 for women less than 5 years old and IRR = 2.86, 95% CI: = 1.93-4.22 for women older than 65 years, both estimates valid for the rainy season). The effect of temperature on dengue depended on season, with stronger effects during rainy seasons. Sociodemographic variables can provide options for intervention to mitigate health impacts with a changing climate. Our results indicate that patterns of baseline risk between regions and sociodemographic conditions can differ substantially from trends in climate sensitivity. These results challenge the assumption that the distribution of climate change impacts will be patterned similarly to existing social gradients in health.

What caused the 2012 dengue outbreak in Pucallpa, Peru? A socio-ecological autopsy.

Dengue is highly endemic in Peru, with increases in transmission particularly since vector re-infestation of the country in the 1980s. Pucallpa, the second largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, experienced a large outbreak in 2012 that caused more than 10,000 cases and 13 deaths. To date, there has been limited research on dengue in the Peruvian Amazon outside of Iquitos, and no published review or critical analysis of the 2012 Pucallpa dengue outbreak. This study describes the incidence, surveillance, and control of dengue in Ucayali to understand the factors that contributed to the 2012 Pucallpa outbreak. We employed a socio-ecological autopsy approach to consider distal and proximal contributing factors, drawing on existing literature and interviews with key personnel involved in dengue control, surveillance and treatment in Ucayali. Spatio-temporal analysis showed that relative risk of dengue was higher in the northern districts of Calleria (RR = 2.18), Manantay (RR = 1.49) and Yarinacocha (RR = 1.25) compared to all other districts between 2004 and 2014. The seasonal occurrence of the 2012 outbreak is consistent with typical seasonal patterns for dengue incidence in the region. Our assessment suggests that the outbreak was proximally triggered by the introduction of a new virus serotype (DENV-2 Asian/America) to the region. Increased travel, rapid urbanization, and inadequate water management facilitated the potential for virus spread and transmission, both within Pucallpa and regionally. These triggers occurred within the context of failures in surveillance and control programming, including underfunded and ad hoc vector control. These findings have implications for future prevention and control of dengue in Ucayali as new diseases such as chikungunya and Zika threaten the region.

Características de la demanda de capacitación en personal administrativo en hospitales nacionales de Lima y Callao / Demand for training of national hospitals administrative personnel from Lima and Callao

Objetivos: Determinar algunas características de la demanda de capacitación del personal administrativo de los hospitales nacionales del Ministerio de Salud en Lima y Callao correspondientes al año 2003. Materiales y Métodos: Se elaboró y validó un instrumento para la recolección de datos, el mismo que fue completado por las 224 personas que conformaron la muestra. Resultados: Los temas de capacitación más demandados fueron, en planificación, plan operativo; en economía, gestión económica financiera; en logistica, gestión logística; en personal; gestión de personal; y en estadística, indicadores estadísticos. El lugar preferido para la capacitación fue el mismo establecimiento hospitalario, el horario fue el vespertino de 14:00 a 17:00 (41,07 por ciento), y la mayoría de personas prefieren no invertir ningún monto de dinero en capacitación (70,53 por ciento). Conclusiones: Estos hallazgos evidencian la existencia de una demanda de capacitación determinada en el personal administrativo en este grupo de hospitales, demanda que debe ser cubierta.

La validez de la concentración de proteínas en el líquido ascítico y suero para el diagnóstico diferencial de las ascitis / The validity of the proteins concentrations in the ascitic liquid and serum for the differential diagnosis of the ascitis

Se realiza un trabajo prospectivo, en 60 pacientes hospitalizados, portadores de ascitis de diferentes etiologías, analizando la validez de los parámetros dependientes del dosaje de proteínas y albúmina tanto en suero como líquido ascítico, en la discriminación de las posibles causas etiológicas de las ascitis, incluyendo dentro de estos parámetros la concentración de proteínas en el líquido ascítico; la gradiente de albúmina suero-ascitis; el índice proteico ascitis / suero y la concentración de albúmina en el líquido ascítico. RESULTADOS: La edad promedio fue de 46.9 +- 19.6 años, todos del sexo femenino, relacionadas 21 casos con Enfermedad Hepática Crónica, 14 con Tuberculosis, 11 con Neoplasia Maligna, 7 con causa Nefrótica, 4 con Insuficiencia Cardiaca Congestiva, 2 con Enfermedad del Colágeno y 1 con un cuadro de Desnutrición Severa. Los parámetros evaluados, correlacionan con las presiones oncóticas e hidrostáticas de la Ley de Starling, en base a lo que pudieron ser comparados, demostrando que sus niveles de sensibilidad, especificidad, como valores predictivos positivos y negativos se pueden utilizar en las evaluaciones discriminativas de las ascitis en relación a sus causas etiológicas probables. Si bien la gradiente de albúmina suero-ascitis, puede ser útil en la separación de cuadros de ascitis con hipertensión portal, también es útil en catalogar exudados y trasudados, pero no deben ser excluidos los otros parámetros para la evaluación de dichos cuadros, orientando a establecer si existe o no compromiso peritoneal y por sensibilidad y especifidad de estas pruebas que no las diferencian estadísticamente de la gradiente de albúmina suero-ascitis. Utilizando los puntos de corte clásicos para cada parámetro, la de albúmina en 1.5 g/dl y de las proteínas en 2.5 g/dl, podrían ser más adecuados para nuestra población teniendo además el beneficio de un costo menor.

Prospective evaluation was performed in 60 in-patients, carriers of ascites of different etiologies, analyzing the validity of the parameters depending on protein and albumin dosage, both in the ascitic serum and fluid, for the discrimination of possible etiological causes of ascites, including in these parameters Protein Concentration in the Ascitic Fluid, the Serum-Ascites Albumin Gradient, the Protein Ascites/Serum Ratio, and the Albumin Concentration in the ascitic fluid. Average age was 46.9 ± 19.6, all female; 21 cases were associated with Chronic Hepatic Disease, 14 to Tuberculosis, 11 to Malignant Neoplasia, 7 to Nephrotic syndrome, 4 to Congestive Heart Failure, 2 to Collagen Disease, and 1 to a severe Malnutrition case. The evaluation parameters correlate with the oncotic and hydrostatic pressures of the Starling Law, on the basis of what they could be compared with, demonstrating that their sensitivity levels and their specificity may be used as positive or negative predictive values in the discriminative evaluations of ascites in relation to its probable etiological causes. Even though the Serum-Ascites Albumin Gradient may be useful in the separation of ascites cases with portal hypertension, it is also useful for classifying exudates and transudates. However, the other parameters must not be excluded for the evaluation of those cases, aiming at establishing whether the peritoneum has been affected and hence the terms transudates and exudates should still be used on the basis of the high sensitivity value and specificity of theses tests, which do not differentiate them statistically from the Serum-Ascites Albumin Gradient. Using the cut-off points for each parameter, the most adequate for our population would be 1.5 gr/dl for Albumin and 2.5 gr/dl for protein, with the additional lower cost benefit.

Ensayo clínico del tratamiento de la malaria vivax con esquema acortado de primaquina comparado con el esquema tradicional / Clinical trial of treatment of the malaria vivax with schedule of primaquine comparative with the traditional schedule

Objetivo: Comparar la eficacia, cumplimiento y reacciones adversas del tratamiento de la fase latente de malaria por P. vivax con primaquina a dosis de 0,5 mg/kg/día durante 7 días comparado al esquema convencional de 0,25 g/kg/día por 14 días. Material y Métodos: Estudio prospectivo, comparativo, aleatorio y abierto. Fueron enrolados 60 pacientes con diagnóstico de malaria por P. vivax y se les asignó en forma aleatoria para recibir tratamiento con primaquina a dosis de 0,25 mg/kg/día durante 14 días o primaquina a dosis de 0,5 mg/kg/día durante 7 días. Todos los pacientes recibieron cloroquina a dosis convencionales durante tres días. se realizó el seguimiento de los pacientes durante 60 días y se evaluó la frecuencia de recaídas, frecuencia de reacciones adversas y el cumplimiento de cada esquema. Resultados: No se encontró diferencia en las tasas de curación ni de abandono entre los dos grupos ni tampoco en la frecuencia de reacciones adversas. La tasa de reacída fue 10,7 por ciento en el grupo de pacientes con esquema acortado mientras qyue fue de 7,1 por ciento en el grupo de pacientes con esquema convencional (p = NS). Conclusiones: El uso del esquema acortado de primaquina es equivalente en términos de eficacia y cumplimiento en la población estudiada al esquema clásico de 14 días. No hay aumento de reacciones adversas. se necesitan estudios adicionales con seguimiento más prolongado para determinar la conveniencia del uso masivo de este esquema acortado de tratamiento.