[Antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains determined by disk diffusion]. / Susceptibilidad antimicrobiana de cepas de Neisseria gonorrhoeae por difusión con discos.

The Gonoccocus Laboratory of "Pedro Kourí" Tropical Medicine Institute carried out a study of in vitro susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to penicillin, tetracycline, cefuroxime ceftriaxone, cefotaxine and ciprofoxacin by means of a disk diffusion method with the culture medium agar base GC plus supplement. In the first phase, the method was standardized and the reference N. gonorrhoeae ATCC 49226 strain was used whereas in the second phase, 50 gonococcal strains isolated in 8 provinces during 1995 and 1996 were examined. The results of such standardization confirmed that the antimicrobial susceptibility values were within the allowable limits. 52 and 34% of strains were resistant to penicillin and tetracycline respectively and all of them showed susceptibility to the rest of evaluated antimicrobial drugs. We recommend the use of the disk diffusion method for surveillance of gonococci resistance to these drugs in our country.

[The diagnosis of cryptococcosis. A comparison of 2 latex systems for antigen detection]. / Diagnóstico de criptococosis. Comparación de 2 sistemas de látex para la detección de antígeno.

A latex reactive was designed for detecting Cryptococcus neoformans antigen. It was evaluated by a comparative study with a commercial system (Meridian Diagnostic, Inc.). Total coincidence was observed with both latex systems after studying 3 sample groups: patients with cryptococcosis diagnosis, blood bank donors and patients with clinical signs of the disease. Sensitivity, specificity and stability of the latex reactives prepared were assessed. This diagnostic technique opens new perspectives for quick diagnosis in Cuba, especially for immunosuppressed patients. It will allow for timely treatment and at the same time will contribute to saving expenses in imports.

[Detection of anti-Histoplasma capsulatum antibodies by the ELISA technique. Preliminary study]. / Detección de anticuerpos anti-Histoplasma capsulatum mediante la técnica de ELISA. Estudio preliminar.

An indirect micro-ELISA system is presented for diagnosing histoplasmosis. The diagnostic criteria are defined by using sera from 12 patients who are histoplasmosis carriers. For this group, the optical density values were superior to 1,000; use was made of 43 sera from blood bank donors and 9 sera from children without a history of exposure. The optical density values in these cases were inferior to 0,200. The significant difference found led to the diagnostic criterion for confirming 3 histoplasmosis carriers who showed clinical manifestations but had been negative to double immunodiffusion. Thus, the usefulness of the proposed micro-ELISA system for early diagnosis was proved.

[Detection of anti-Cryptococcus neoformans antibodies in 3 groups of human sera]. / Detección de anticuerpos anti-Cryptococcus neoformans en 3 grupos de sueros humanos.

The tube agglutination (TA) technique was normalized in order to determine anti-Cryptococcus neoformans antibodies, according to Palmer et al., by employing positive and negative control sera and an antigenic suspension prepared from an autochtonous strain of Cryptococcus neoformans varneofornnans. Three groups of human sera were studied and the role of TA in detecting antibodies in the group of sera from patients with active cryptococcosis (100%) was shown. In sera from banks positiveness was only 6%, while in the group of fowl breeders, considered to be "exposed", positiveness was found to be 16%, although with low titres. A discussion is carried out about the value of this technique as a complement in the diagnosis and prognosis of cryptococcosis.

[Evaluation of an ELISA for the detection of anti-Aspergillus fumigatus antibodies]. / Evaluación de un ELISA para la detección de anticuerpos anti-Aspergillus fumigatus.

An indirect MicroELISA system for the detection of anti-Aspergillus fumigatus antibodies using human anti-IgG conjugated to peroxidase was standardized. Serum samples of two patients having an aspergilloma diagnosed by clinical, microbiological, and serological criteria were used as positive controls. In addition, 119 serum samples of blood donors and 216 serum samples of patients having chronic pneumopathies were also studied. The standardized system may be used as a diagnostic complement for it is able to discriminate between antibody levels (IgG) in different clinical forms of aspergillosis and in those individuals having respiratory diseases which may favour the colonization by this pathogen.

[Criteria for establishing priorities for research in health]. / Criterios para el establecimiento de prioridades de investigación en salud.

The author discusses the background for the idea of framing explicit policies on science and technology in the countries. She refers to the work of PAHO's Advisory Committee on Research (formerly Advisory Committee on Medical Research) and to statements made by governments on different occasions to the effect that the countries should establish their own research infrastructure. She mentions the basic elements and components of a national policy on science and technology, enunciates the principles that contribute to the establishment of a set of objectives, and states a number of premises that ensure the attainment of those objectives. She ends with some general observations on the criteria for the setting of priorities in health research.

Veinte años en la formación de recursos humanos para la investigación en salud en Cuba / A Twenty year of training of human resources for health investigation in Cuba

Se expone la experiencia en Cuba acerca de la formación de los recursos-humanos en investigación-desarrollo que demanda del Sistema Nacional de Salud y constituye actualmente su potencial cientificotécnico. Se describe el proceso seguido desde el alumno hasta su formación como investigador y su perfeccionamiento hasta la obtención de un grado científico. Se señala la utilidad de la formulación de una política nacional y sectorial de formación de cuadros para la investigación en salud, y se expone la responsabilidad contraída por el Sistema Nacional de Salud en cuanto al seguramiento del desarrollo futuro del trabajo de los recursos-humanos una vez formados, en la solución de los problemas reales de salud definidos a su vez en la política de investigación en salud del país (AU)

La revolución científico-técnica en el campo de la salud en Cuba / The scientific-technic revolution in the health field in Cuba

Se define conceptualmente a la luz de la teoría marxista-leninista a la revolución científico-técnica, como fenómeno social íntimamente vinculado a las relaciones de producción y debido a ello con un papel esencialmente diferente en la sociedad socialista y la capitalista. Se enumeran las características más importantes de la revolución científico-técnica como fenómeno social contemporáneo, donde la automatización de la producción ocupa el lugar más relevante. Se señalan los elementos principales de la revolución científico-técnica en el campo de los servicios de salud. Se describe el cuadro de salud de Cuba prerrevolucionaria y se plantean los principales logros de la revolución cubana en Salud Pública. Estos se consideran como base indispensable para el desarrollo técnico-científico moderno. Sin ellos la revolución científico-técnica hubiera sido imposible de realizar en nuestro país en forma socialmente útil (AU)

Modelo cubano de organización del primer plan quinquenal de investigación en salud. 1976-1980 / Cuban model for the organization of the firt quinquenial plan of investigation inthe health field. 1976-1980

Se presenta el modelo cubano del primer plan quinquenal de investigación en salud del Ministerio de Salud Pública. Se expresan las bases sobre las que se desarrolló, así como los dispositivos utilizados: El Comité Nacional de Investigación en Salud (CONIS), la Dirección Nacional de Investigación (DNI) y los cuadros cientificotécnicos del MINSAP. Se plantea, como principio fundamental del plan, dar respuesta a las interrogantes planteadas al sistema nacional de salud, a través de la investigación, teniendo en cuenta la etapa de desarrollo en la que nos encontramos, la perspectiva económica para el quionquenio y los cuadros con que contamos para ello. Se identifican las siete líneas y los treinta y cinco problemas que lo conforman. Se describe la interrelación existente entre los dispositivos de investigación específicos del sector salud (CONIS) y del estado, representado por el Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Técnica (CNCT) (AU)