One-year follow-up of choroidal and macular thickness in acute non-treated central serous chorioretinopathy.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Choroidal and macular thickness assessments are essential to understand the evolution of central serous chorioretinopathy and could help in identifying patients more prone to recurrence. BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to evaluate changes in the choroidal thickness and macular thickness in acute non-treated central serous chorioretinopathy during a one-year follow-up. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study of 38 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy and 35 healthy controls at a tertiary care facility (Fundación Alcorcón University Hospital) was conducted. Choroidal and macular thicknesses were measured using enhanced-depth-imaging optical coherence tomography and subretinal fluid resolution and best-corrected visual acuity were evaluated, at baseline and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Prognostic factors determining the need for treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: Choroidal thickness decreased in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy (p < 0.001) but not in fellow eyes (p = 0.24) during one-year follow-up since the acute episode. The estimated mean choroidal thickness in symptomatic eyes was 465 µm (SE: 17.18) at baseline and decreased 58.1 µm (CI 95%: 30.1-85.9) at 12 months (p < 0.001). Best-corrected visual acuity improved over time (p = 0.037), with a decrease of logMAR 0.086 (CI95%: 0-0.172).The macular thickness changed over time (p < 0.001), with a decrease from baseline of 124.6 µm (CI95%: 61.4-187.9). Subretinal fluid resolved in 67% (CI 95%: 51-82) of patients at 6 months. There was no significant association between baseline choroidal thickness, macular thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, age or sex and the need for treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The choroidal thickness decreased in acute central serous chorioretinopathy episodes during a one-year follow-up. Subretinal fluid persisted in less than 20% of patients at the end of the one-year follow-up. No prognostic factors determining the need for treatment were found.

Inmunidad frente a SARS-CoV-2: caminando hacia la vacunación / Immunity against SARS-CoV-2: walking to the vaccination

Los coronavirus (CoVs) son un amplio grupo de virus en el que se encuentra el SARS-CoV-2 (familia Coronaviridae, subfamilia Coronavirinae, género Betacoronavirus y subgénero Sarbecovirus). Sus principales proteínas estructurales son la de membrana (M), la de envoltura (E), la nucleocápside (N) y la espicular (S). La respuesta inmune frente a SARS-CoV-2 implica la vertiente celular y humoral, con anticuerpos neutralizantes potencialmente defensivos fundamentalmente dirigidos frente al antígeno S. Aunque los datos de seroprevalencia se asumen muy frecuentemente como marcadores de protección, no necesariamentelo son. En España se estima que al menos cuatro quintas partes de la población deberían estar inmuno-protegidas para asegurar la inmunidad de grupo. Dada la alta tasa de letalidad por COVID-19, la adquisición de esta protección únicamente mediante el contagio natural no es asumible y se debe abogar por otras medidas como puede ser la inmunización masiva. En la actualidad existen varios prototipos de vacunas (que incluyen virus vivos, vectores virológicos, péptidos y proteínas y ácidos nucleicos) en diversas etapas de evaluación clínica. Se prevé que en breve alguna de estas nuevas vacunas se encuentre ya disponible en el mercado. En este texto se revisan aspectos relacionados con estos asuntos

The coronavirus are a wide group of viruses among that the SARS-CoV-2 is included (family Coronaviridae, subfamily Coronavirinae, genus Betacoronavirus and subgenus Sarbecovirus). Its main structural proteins are the membrane (M), the envelope (E), the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S). The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 involves the cellular and the humoral sides, with neutralizing antibodies fundamentally directed against the S antigen. Although the seroprevalence data are frequently assumed as protection markers, no necessarily they are. In Spain, it is estimated that, to assure the herd immunity, at least four-fifths of the population should be immunoprotected. Due the high fatality rate of COVID-19, the acquisition of the protection only by the natural infection it not assumable and other measures as the mass immunization are required. Currently, there are several vaccine prototypes (including life virus, viral vectors, peptides and proteins and nucleic acid) in different phase of clinical evaluation. Foreseeably, some of these news vaccines would be soon commercially available. In this text, aspects related to these issues are reviewed

Detection of bovine viral diarrhoea virus nucleic acid, but not infectious virus, in bovine serum used for human vaccine manufacture.

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is a cattle pathogen that has previously been reported to be present in bovine raw materials used in the manufacture of biological products for human use. Seven lots of trivalent measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and 1 lot of measles vaccine from the same manufacturer, together with 17 lots of foetal bovine serum (FBS) from different vendors, 4 lots of horse serum, 2 lots of bovine trypsin and 5 lots of porcine trypsin were analysed for BVDV using recently developed techniques, including PCR assays for BVDV detection, a qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence-based virus replication assays, and deep sequencing to identify and genotype BVDV genomes. All FBS lots and one lot of bovine-derived trypsin were PCR-positive for the presence of BVDV genome; in contrast all vaccine lots and the other samples were negative. qRT-PCR based virus replication assay and immunofluorescence-based infection assay detected no infectious BVDV in the PCR-positive samples. Complete BVDV genomes were generated from FBS samples by deep sequencing, and all were BVDV type 1. These data confirmed that BVDV nucleic acid may be present in bovine-derived raw materials, but no infectious virus or genomic RNA was detected in the final vaccine products.

Factores asociados a la infección por Chlamydia trachomatis en mujeres atendidas en dos hospitales provinciales, Matanzas 2010-2012 / Factors associated to Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women attended in two provincial hospitals, Matanzas 2010-2013

Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico transversal, para determinar la frecuencia de Chlamydia trachomatis y factores asociados en 298 mujeres sexualmente activas en los hospitales Comandante Faustino Pérez y Julio Alfonso Medina, de Matanzas, desde junio del 2010 a 2012, seleccionándose no aleatoriamente 149 mujeres de cada hospital. Se diagnosticó clamidiasis por el test-CHLAMY-CHECK-1 y otros gérmenes asociados por exudado vaginal. Se realizó análisis divariado, estimando relación entre clamidiasis y las variables seleccionadas. Se utilizó tablas de contingencias para análisis de riesgo calculándose el Odds ratio, con intervalos de confianza del 95 por ciento. Para la asociación estadística significativa se utilizó el CHI², siendo estadísticamente significativa cuando el valor de P sea menor de 0,05. El 72,5 por ciento de las mujeres estudiadas resultaron infectadas, siendo las menores de 24 años, con un 85,8 por ciento las de mayor incidencia. El inicio de las relaciones sexuales antes de los 18 años predominó, presentándose en el 80,2 por ciento. El 87,1 por ciento de las mujeres tuvieron como factor de riesgo la inestabilidad en la pareja sexual, predominando las parejas con síntomas, para un 94 por ciento de las infectadas. Fue significativo que el 89,3 por ciento de las afectadas tuvieran antecedentes de infección de transmisión sexual; otro factor de riesgo importante fue el no uso del condón en el 73,1 por ciento de las mismas. Presentaron leucorrea el 70 por ciento de los casos.

An observational, cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out to determine the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis and its associated factors in 298 sexually active women assisting the hospitals Comandante Faustino Pérez y Julio Alfonso Medina, of Matanzas, from June 2010 to June 2012, selecting 149 women from each hospital in a no randomized way. Chlamydiasis was diagnosed by CHLAMY-CHECK-1 test and other associated germs were diagnosed by vaginal exudates. Bivariate analyses were performed, estimating relation between chlamydiasis and selected variables. We used contingency charts to analyze the risk calculating the Odd ration, with a confidence interval of 95 percent. For the significant statistic association we used Chi², being statistically significant when P value was less than 0,05. 72,5 percent of the studied women were infected, being the age group of less than 24 years the one with higher incidence (85,8 percent). Starting having sexual relationships before the age of 18 was predominant, with 80,2 percent. 87,1 percent of the women showed instability in sexual partnership as a risk factor, predominating symptomatic partners in 94 percent of the infected one. It was significant that 89,3 percent of the affected patients had antecedents of sexually transmitted infections; another important risk factor was that 73, 1 percent of them do not use condoms. 70 percent of the cases had leucorrhea(AU)

Factores asociados a la infección por Chlamydia trachomatis en mujeres atendidas en dos hospitales provinciales. Matanzas 2010-2012 / Factors associated to Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women attended in two provincial hospitals. Matanzas 2010-2013

Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico transversal, para determinar la frecuencia de Chlamydia trachomatis y factores asociados en 298 mujeres sexualmente activas en los hospitales Comandante Faustino Pérez y Julio Alfonso Medina, de Matanzas, desde junio del 2010 a 2012, seleccionándose no aleatoriamente 149 mujeres de cada hospital. Se diagnosticó clamidiasis por el test-CHLAMY-CHECK-1 y otros gérmenes asociados por exudado vaginal. Se realizó análisis divariado, estimando relación entre clamidiasis y las variables seleccionadas. Se utilizó tablas de contingencias para análisis de riesgo calculándose el Odds ratio, con intervalos de confianza del 95 %. Para la asociación estadística significativa se utilizó el CHI², siendo estadísticamente significativa cuando el valor de P sea menor de 0,05. El 72,5 % de las mujeres estudiadas resultaron infectadas, siendo las menores de 24 años, con un 85,8 % las de mayor incidencia. El inicio de las relaciones sexuales antes de los 18 años predominó, presentándose en el 80,2 %. El 87,1 % de las mujeres tuvieron como factor de riesgo la inestabilidad en la pareja sexual, predominando las parejas con síntomas, para un 94 % de las infectadas. Fue significativo que el 89,3 % de las afectadas tuvieran antecedentes de infección de transmisión sexual; otro factor de riesgo importante fue el no uso del condón en el 73,1 % de las mismas. Presentaron leucorrea el 70 % de los casos.

An observational, cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out to determine the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis and its associated factors in 298 sexually active women assisting the hospitals Comandante Faustino Pérez y Julio Alfonso Medina, of Matanzas, from June 2010 to June 2012, selecting 149 women from each hospital in a no randomized way. Chlamydiasis was diagnosed by CHLAMY-CHECK-1 test and other associated germs were diagnosed by vaginal exudates. Bivariate analyses were performed, estimating relation between chlamydiasis and selected variables. We used contingency charts to analyze the risk calculating the Odd ration, with a confidence interval of 95 %. For the significant statistic association we used Chi2, being statistically significant when P value was less than 0,05. 72,5 % of the studied women were infected, being the age group of less than 24 years the one with higher incidence (85, 8 %). Starting having sexual relationships before the age of 18 was predominant, with 80,2 %. 87,1 % of the women showed instability in sexual partnership as a risk factor, predominating symptomatic partners in 94 % of the infected one. It was significant that 89,3 % of the affected patients had antecedents of sexually transmitted infections; another important risk factor was that 73, 1 % of them do not use condoms. 70 % of the cases had leucorrhea.