Exposure to urban green spaces and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from two low and lower-middle-income countries.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health globally, with limited access to mental health care affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the most. In response, alternative strategies to support mental health have been necessary, with access to green spaces being a potential solution. While studies have highlighted the role of green spaces in promoting mental health during pandemic lockdowns, few studies have focused on the role of green spaces in mental health recovery after lockdowns. This study investigated changes in green space access and associations with mental health recovery in Bangladesh and Egypt across the pandemic. Methods: An online survey was conducted between January and April 2021 after the first lockdown was lifted in Bangladesh (n = 556) and Egypt (n = 660). We evaluated indoor and outdoor greenery, including the number of household plants, window views, and duration of outdoor visits. The quantity of greenness was estimated using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This index was estimated using satellite images with a resolution of 10x10m during the survey period (January-April 2021) with Sentinel-2 satellite in the Google Earth Engine platform. We calculated averages within 250m, 300m, 500m and 1000m buffers of the survey check-in locations using ArcGIS 10.3. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between changes in natural exposure and changes in mental health. Results: The results showed that mental health improved in both countries after the lockdown period. People in both countries increased their time spent outdoors in green spaces after the lockdown period, and these increases in time outdoors were associated with improved mental health. Unexpectedly, changes in the number of indoor plants after the lockdown period were associated with contrasting mental health outcomes; more plants translated to increased anxiety and decreased depression. Refocusing lives after the pandemic on areas other than maintaining indoor plants may assist with worrying and feeling panicked. Still, indoor plants may assist with depressive symptoms for people remaining isolated. Conclusion: These findings have important implications for policymakers and urban planners in LMICs, highlighting the need to increase access to natural environments in urban areas to improve mental health and well-being in public health emergencies.

Assessment of Post-Dengue Rheumatic Symptoms Using the WOMAC and DAS-28 Questionnaires in a Honduran Population after a Four-Month Follow-Up.

Introduction: Alphaviruses may cause arthritis, but there is a lack of studies assessing it in flaviviruses such as dengue. Through the 28 Joint Disease Activity Score (DAS-28), incorporating swollen joint counts, and through the Arthritis Index from Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC), we assessed pain, stiffness, and dimensions of arthritic function in post-DENV patients. Methods: Prospective study of a cohort of participants who were diagnosed with dengue in centres in Honduras from December 2019 to February 2020, with a follow-up period of 4 months to evaluate post-dengue rheumatological disease through the WOMAC and DAS-28 questionnaires. Results: After a four-month follow-up phase with 281 participants, the final cohort comprised 58.8% women and 41.20% men. After the follow-up, 63.02% persisted with the clinical findings. According to WOMAC, joint involvement was higher in women with (58.76%) (p < 0.0001) these symptoms or functional limitations when performing daily activities were limited to pain when walking (34.81% vs. 5.51%), climbing or descending stairs (36.46% vs. 8.66%), and at night at bedtime (28.73% vs. 7.08%). With the DAS-28, we found at least one alteration with inflammation or pain in 14.91% of the participants, primarily women (p < 0.01). Discussion: Joint involvement was high during the dengue epidemic in 2019. We observed a significant proportion of women with inflammation and joint pain, showing that dengue may lead to the development of chronic rheumatological findings, although lower than in CHIKV, still affecting everyday life and, consequently, their quality of life. Additional long-term evaluation studies after dengue are required.

COVID-19 Associated Rhino-Orbital Mucormycosis Complicated by Gangrenous and Bone Necrosis-A Case Report from Honduras.

BACKGROUND: Mucormycosis is a life-threatening invasive fungal infection most commonly observed in immunocompromised patients. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of Mucorales associated infections, now termed COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM), have been reported. Despite an increase in fatality reports, no cases of rhino-orbital CAM complicated with gangrenous bone necrosis have been described in the literature to date. CASE: A 56-year-old male with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis developed rhino-orbital mucormycosis after 22 days of treatment with dexamethasone. Cultures and histopathological assessment of tissue biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The patient survived after treatment with amphotericin B. CONCLUSIONS: Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection affecting mostly immunocompromised patients. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, the inappropriate use of steroids, in addition to concurrent risk factors, such as diabetes, has led to an increase in the occurrence of these devastating mycoses, leading to the development of severe presentations and complications, as observed in many cases. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial in order to avoid dissemination and fatal outcomes.

Infección urinaria alta comunitaria por E. coli resistente a ciprofloxacino: características asociadas en pacientes de un hospital nacional en Perú / Ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli community-acquired upper urinary tract infection: associated characteristics in patients of a national hospital in Peru

Las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU) son un problema común de salud. En Perú se ha encontrado resistencia de Escherichia coli a ciprofloxacino entre 31 por ciento y 69,8 por ciento. Objetivos. Determinar la frecuencia y características asociadas a infección urinaria alta comunitaria (ITUc) por E. coli resistente a ciprofloxacino. Diseño. Estudio transversal. Lugar. Departamento de Emergencia del Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, Lima, Perú. Participantes. Pacientes con diagnóstico de ITUc en el 2010. Intervenciones.Se revisó la historia clínica de pacientes con urocultivos positivos a E. coli, con diagnóstico de ITUc confirmado. Se realizó análisis descriptivo (media, frecuencia) y análisis bivariado (chi cuadrado, prueba de Fisher), con p significativo <0,05. Principales medidas de resultados. Variables sociodemográficas, presentación clínica, comorbilidades y resistencia a otros antibióticos. Resultados. Se incluyó 81 pacientes, con edad media de 65 años (±17,4); 57 (70,4 por ciento) pacientes presentaron E. coli con resistencia a ciprofloxacino, que estuvo asociada (p<0,05) a resistencia a cotrimoxazol, cefalosporinas, aminoglicósidos y a la producción de beta-lactamasa de espectro extendido. En pacientes con E. coli resistente a ciprofloxacino fue más frecuente (p>0,05) el uso antibiótico previo de cefalosporinas y quinolonas, y comorbilidades neurológicas, gastrointestinales y renales. Conclusiones. La resistencia de E. coli a ciprofloxacino en ITUc fue más frecuente comparada con estudios previos, asociada con resistencias a cotrimoxazol, cefalosporinas, aminoglicósidos y producción de BLEE...

Urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a common health problem. In Peru Escherichia coli resistance rates to ciprofloxacin vary from 31 per cent to 69.8 per cent. Objectives. To determine the frequency and characteristics associated with community-acquired ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli upper urinary tract infection (cUTI). Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. Emergency Department, Edgardo Rebagliati Martins Hospital, Lima, Peru. Participants. Patients diagnosed with cUTI in 2010. Interventions. Medical records of patients with cUTI and urine cultures positive for E. coli were reviewed. Descriptive analysis (mean, frequency) and bivariate analysis (chi-square test or Fisher test) were used with p<0.05 significance. Main outcomes measures. Sociodemographic variables, clinical presentation, comorbidities and resistance to other antibiotics. Results. Eighty-one patients with cUTI were included, mean age 65 (± 17.4) years; 57 (70.4 per cent) patients had ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli infection associated (p<0.05) with resistance to cotrimoxazole, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and expanded spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms. In these patients prior use of cephalosporins and quinolones was more frequent (p>0.05) as well as neurological, gastrointestinal and renal comorbidities. Conclusions. Community-acquired ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli upper urinary tract infection was more frequent than in previous studies and associated with resistance to cotrimoxazole, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and ESBL-producing organisms...

[Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in a HIV infected patient. Case report]. / Leishmaniasis mucocutánea en un paciente con infección por VIH.

INTRODUCTION: Leishmaniasis is an endemic Andean vector-borne- tropical disease in Peru, whose mucocutaneous clinical presentation is rare. Leishmaniasis can occur in co-infections with HTLV-1 virus and HIV. We describe a case of L. mucocutaneous in a patient infected with HIV, with a history of cutaneous leishmaniasis with inadequate treatment 20 years ago. He was treated with stibogluconate with adequate response to treatment and regression of lesion after 4 weeks. Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and HIV coinfection is rare and its clinical presentation may be atypically. It is important to consider it in patients coming from endemic areas and with a history of a previous cutaneous clinical presentation.

Leishmaniasis mucocutánea en un paciente con infección por VIH: Case report / Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in a HIV infected patient

Introduction: Leishmaniasis is an endemic Andean vector-borne- tropical disease in Peru, whose mucocutaneous clinical presentation is rare. Leishmaniasis can occur in co-infections with HTLV-1 virus and HIV. We describe a case of L. mucocutaneous in a patient infected with HIV, with a history of cutaneous leishmaniasis with inadequate treatment 20 years ago. He was treated with stibogluconate with adequate response to treatment and regression of lesion after 4 weeks. Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and HIV coinfection is rare and its clinical presentation may be atypically. It is important to consider it in patients coming from endemic areas and with a history of a previous cutaneous clinical presentation.

La leishmaniasis es una enfermedad metaxénica andino-tropical, considerada endémica en Perú. Su forma mucocutánea es poco frecuente. Puede presentarse en coinfección con los virus HTLV-1 y VIH. Se describe un caso de leishmaniasis mucocutánea en un paciente infectado con VIH, con antecedente de leishmaniasis cutánea con tratamiento incompleto 20 años atrás. Es tratado con estibogluconato sódico por 30 días, con adecuada respuesta y regresión de la lesión a las cuatro semanas. La coinfección de leishmaniasis mucocutánea y VIH no es frecuente. Las manifestaciones de leishmaniasis pueden no presentarse de forma típica en pacientes con VIH. Se debe considerar la procedencia de la zona endémica y/o el antecedente de haber presentado la forma cutánea previamente.

[Design and validation of a scale to assess Latin American medical students' perception on the labour of the first level of health care]. / Diseño y validación de una escala para medir la percepción sobre el trabajo en el primer nivel de atención en estudiantes de medicina de Latinoamérica.

OBJECTIVES: To design and validate a scale to assess Latin American medical students' perception on first level of health care (FLHC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational, analytic and multicentre study was carried out in two phases: i) A self-administered questionnaire regarding perceptions on FLHClabor was designed. ii) This questionnaire was applied to to medical students from 18 universities of eight Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed through a principal components analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation. Sample adequacy was evaluated. Factor extraction was based on Kaiser's criteria, Cattell's Scree test and the explained variance (>5%). Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: 423 students were included in the analysis; 53.4% were from Peruvian universities. After the EFA, the questionnaire conserved 11 items, which were distributed in three domains, that explaining together 55.47% of the total variance: i) Perceptions concerning the FLHC physician; ii) Perceptions concerning the FiLC labor and iii) Perceptions about the economic consequences of working in FLHC. CONCLUSION: The scale is composed by three domains and can be used to assess the perceptions of the medical work on first level of health care of Spanish-speaking Latin American medical students.

Diseño y validación de una escala para medir la percepción sobre el trabajo en el primer nivel de atención en estudiantes de medicina de Latinoamérica / Design and validation of a scale to assess latin american medical students’ perception on the labour of the first level of health care

Objetivos. Diseñar y validar una escala para evaluar la percepción sobre el primer nivel de atención (PNA) en estudiantes de medicina latinoamericanos. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio multicéntrico, observacional, en dos fases: i) Se diseñó un cuestionario autoaplicado referente a la percepción sobre la labor del médico en el PNA, y ii) Se aplicó el cuestionario en estudiantes de medicina de 18 universidades de ocho países hispanohablantes latinoamericanos. Se desarrolló un análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) por medio de un análisis de componentes principales con rotación ortogonal varimax. Se evaluó la adecuación y el ajuste de la muestra. La extracción de factores fue hecha en base a los criterios de Kaiser, la pendiente de Catell y la varianza explicada (>5%). La consistencia interna fue medida con el alfa de Cronbach. Resultados. Se incluyeron 423 estudiantes, el 53,4% pertenecían a universidades peruanas. Tras el AFE el cuestionario quedo constituido por 11 ítems, los cuales se distribuyen en tres dominios que, en su conjunto, explican el 55,47% de la varianza total. i) Percepciones sobre el médico que trabaja en PNA, ii) Percepciones sobre el trabajo asistencial en PNA y iii) Percepciones sobre las consecuencias económicas de trabajar en PNA. Conclusiones. La escala presenta tres dominios y constituye un instrumento que puede ser usado para medir las percepciones sobre el trabajo médico en el primer nivel de atención en estudiantes de medicina latinoamericanos de habla hispana.

Objectives. To design and validate a scale to assess Latin American medical students’ perception on first level of health care (FLHC). Materials and methods. An observational, analytic and multicentre study was carried out in two phases: i) A self-administered questionnaire regarding perceptions on FLHClabor was designed. ii) This questionnaire was applied to to medical students from 18 universities of eight Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed through a principal components analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation. Sample adequacy was evaluated. Factor extraction was based on Kaiser’s criteria, Cattell’s Scree test and the explained variance (>5%). Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach’s alpha. Results. 423 students were included in the analysis; 53.4% were from Peruvian universities. After the EFA, the questionnaire conserved 11 items, which were distributed in three domains, that explaining together 55.47% of the total variance: i) Perceptions concerning the FLHC physician; ii) Perceptions concerning the FiLC labor and iii) Perceptions about the economic consequences of working in FLHC. Conclusion. The scale is composed by three domains and can be used to assess the perceptions of the medical work on first level of health care of Spanish-speaking Latin American medical students.