ABSTRACT
Background: A continuing nationwide vaccination campaign began in the Dominican Republic on February 16, 2021 to prevent severe consequences of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Estimates of vaccine effectiveness under real-world conditions are needed to support policy decision making and inform further vaccine selection. Methods: We conducted a test-negative case-control study to assess the real-world effectiveness of nationwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program using an inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac) on preventing symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and hospitalizations from August to November 2021 in the Dominican Republic. Participants were recruited from 10 hospitals in 5 provinces to estimate the effectiveness of full immunization (≥14 days after receipt of the second dose) and partial immunization (otherwise with at least 1 dose ≥14 days after receipt of the first dose). Results: Of 1078 adult participants seeking medical care for COVID-19-related symptoms, 395 (36.6%) had positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for SARS-CoV-2; 142 (13.2%) were hospitalized during 15 days of follow up, including 91 (23%) among 395 PCR-positive and 51 (7.5%) among 683 PCR-negative participants. Full vaccination was associated with 31% lower odds of symptomatic infection (odds ratio [OR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.93) and partial vaccination was associated with 49% lower odds (OR, 0.51; CI, 0.30-0.86). Among 395 PCR-positive participants, full vaccination reduced the odds of COVID-19-related hospitalization by 85% (OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.08-0.25) and partial vaccination reduced it by 75% (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.08-0.80); full vaccination was associated with reduced use of assisted ventilation by 73% (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.15-0.49). Conclusions: Given the ancestral and delta viral variants circulating during this study period, our results suggest that the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine offered moderate protection against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and high protection against COVID-19-related hospitalizations and assisted ventilation. This is reassuring given that, as of August 2022, an estimated 2.6 billion inactivated CoronaVac vaccine doses had been administered worldwide. This vaccine will become a basis for developing multivalent vaccine against the currently circulating omicron variant.
ABSTRACT
An entomophthoralean fungus causing epizootics in populations of the cypress aphid, Cinara cupressi Buckton, in Chile is described as a new species, Neozygites osornensis Montalva et Barta. The aphid pathogen is described based on morphological characters. An exhaustive description, illustrations and a comparison with closely related species are provided. The fungus differs from similar Neozygites species by smaller hyphal bodies, nuclei, primary conidia, capilliconidia and capilliphores and by noticeably different shape of capilliconidia. A key to aphid-pathogenic species of Neozygites is also included.
Subject(s)
Aphids/microbiology , Entomophthorales/classification , Entomophthorales/isolation & purification , Animals , Chile , Cupressus , Entomophthorales/ultrastructureABSTRACT
El objetivo de este trabajo de investigación es evaluar la sensibilidad de la palpación de nódulos para el diagnóstico de la oncocercosis en los individuos de la localidad de Nueva Costa Rica, municipio de Mapastepec, en el foco endémico, sur del estado de Chiapas, México. A cada una de las 243 personas que voluntariamente participaron en esta investigación, se les interrogó y exploró con detenimiento para detectar los oncocercomas. La positividad e intensidad de la infección por Onchocerca volvulus se estimó por la presencia de una o más microfilarias en cualquiera de las cuatro biopsias tomadas, una en cada región supraescapular y glútea, así como por la media de las Dmf/mg de cada biopsia. Del total de sujetos estudiados, 131 (53.9%) fueron positivos a microfilarias y 37 (15.3%) a oncocercomas. La distribución de los positivos a nódulos, de acuerdo con la edad, fue similar en todos los grupos etáreos. En relación con la intensidad de la infección, se encontró que la media de las Dmf/mg de todos los individuos estudiados de esta localidad fue de 6.67; no se hallaron diferencias significativas (p>0.001), entre los del sexo masculino (6.35) y los del femenino(6.99). El grupo de personas entre 21 y 30 años de edad mostró de manera significativa tener una mayor media de las Dmf/mg que el resto de los grupos, (p<0.001). Sin embargo, se observó que en grupos de mayor edad existe una frecuencia más alta de positividad a microfilarias. La prevalencia para oncocercosis en esta localidad, estimada por la positividad a microfilarias y oncocercomas, fue de 59.6 por ciento. Se concluye que la sensibilidad de la detección de los oncercomas para el diagnóstico de la oncocercosis fue baja, posiblemente debido a que el programa de control de la oncocercosis, desde hace 60 años, ha instituido como medida de tratamiento la nodulectomía y, por lo tanto, existe una gran proporción de individuos positivos a microfilarias sin nódulos detectables.
The objetive of this work is to evaluate the palpation sensitivity of onchocercomata for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis in individuals residents of the locality of Nueva Costa Rica, Mapastepec, in the south endemic area of the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Every one of the 243 individuals who voluntarily participate in this study was interrogated and physical examed for the detection of nodules. The positivity and the worm burden to the Onchocerca volvulus infections was estimated by the presence of one or more microfilariae in any of the for skin snips taken from both supraescapular and gluteal regions, and by the mean of the Dmf/mg of each skin snip. From the total number of individual studied, 131 (53.9%) were positives to microfilariae and 37 (15.2%) to onchocercomata. Only 23 (17.6%) of the microfilariae positive individuals carried nodules. The distribution of positive individuals to nodules in relation to age, was similar in all the age groups. In relation to the intensity of the infection was found that, the mean of the Dmf/mg of all individuals was 6.67, there was not significant differences (p>0.001) between males and females; being the Dmf/mg of 6.35 and 6.99, respectively. The age group between 21 and 30 years old showed the higher mean of Dmf/mg than the rest of the groups (p>0.001). However, there was a high microfilariae positivity in the oldest groups than in the youngers. The prevalence for onchocerciasis in this locality, estimated by the positivity to either microfilariae or nodules, was 59.9 per cent. It is concluded that, the onchocercomata detection sensitivity for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis was very low, probably due to the nodulectomy activity of the onchocerciasis control program, which has been operating since 1930 and therefore, there are an important number of individuals positive to mcirofilariae whithout detectable nodules.
