Tuberculosis among health care workers treated at a university hospital in Bogotá D.C., Colombia. 2008-2018 / Tuberculosis en trabajadores de la salud atendidos en un hospital universitario de Bogotá D.C., Colombia. 2008-2018

Abstract Introduction: Worldwide, three people die of tuberculosis (TB) every minute. The risk of TB transmission among healthcare workers is up to 40 times higher than in the general population. Nevertheless, in Colombia, little importance has been given to this situation. Objective: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of healthcare workers with TB treated in a university hospital from Bogotá D.C. (Colombia), as well as their laboratory, histologic, and imaging findings, and the main criteria for their TB diagnosis. Materials and methods: Case series study. The medical records of 24 healthcare workers with TB who were treated in a quaternary care university hospital in Bogotá D.C. between January 2008 and December 2018 were reviewed. Sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as imaging and laboratory findings data, were collected. Results: There was no predominant sex (50% women and 50% men). The median age was 33.5 years (IQR: 24-52.7). Pulmonary TB was the most frequent form of TB (62.50%); in addition, acid-fast bacillus sputum stain was positive in 2 patients (8.33%). The histopathology report was useful for diagnosing TB in 66.66% of cases, and mycobacterial culture was positive in 75% of patients. Most of them were physicians (41.66%) and medical students (16.66%). Conclusions: A high proportion of women was found in the study population (1:1 ratio), and the histopathology report was useful for reaching a rapid TB diagnosis in most cases. In addition, physicians and medical students were the healthcare workers most affected by TB. In this sense, health institutions in the country should pay greater attention to biosafety measures among these workers; also, occupational epidemiological surveillance programs enhancing TB-transmission control are necessary.

Resumen Introducción. Cada minuto tres personas mueren de tuberculosis (TB) en el mundo. El riesgo de transmisión en trabajadores de la salud es hasta 40 veces mayor que en población general. Sin embargo, en Colombia se ha dado poca importancia a esta situación. Objetivo. Describir las características demográficas y clínicas de trabajadores de la salud con TB atendidos en un hospital universitario de Bogotá D.C., Colombia, así como los hallazgos paraclínicos (de laboratorio, histológicos y radiológicos) y los principales criterios de diagnóstico de TB en estos pacientes. Materiales y métodos. Estudio de serie de casos. Se revisaron las historias clínicas de 24 trabajadores de la salud con TB atendidos en un hospital universitario de cuarto nivel de Bogotá D.C. entre enero de 2008 y diciembre de 2018. Se recolectó información sociodemográfica y sobre las características clínicas de estos pacientes, así como sobre hallazgos radiológicos y de laboratorio. Resultados. No hubo un género predominante (50% mujeres y 50% hombres). La mediana de edad fue 33.5 años (RIQ: 24-52.7). La TB más frecuente fue la TB pulmonar (62.50%); además, en 2 pacientes (8.33%) la baciloscopia de esputo fue positiva. El estudio histopatológico fue útil en el diagnóstico del 66.66% de los casos, y el cultivo de micobacterias fue positivo en el 75% de los casos. La mayoría de los pacientes eran médicos (41.66%), seguidos de estudiantes de medicina (16.66%). Conclusión. Se encontró una alta proporción de mujeres (relación 1:1), y el estudio histopatológico permitió el diagnóstico rápido de TB en la mayoría de los casos. Además, los trabajadores de la salud más afectados fueron los médicos y los estudiantes de medicina. En este sentido, las instituciones de salud del país deben prestar mayor atención a las prácticas de bioseguridad de esta población, y se debe contar con programas de vigilancia epidemiológica ocupacional que favorezcan un mejor control de la transmisión.

Comparison of the QuantiFERON-TB and tuberculin skin test for detection of latent tuberculosis infection in cancer patients in a developing country.

Cancer patients have an increased risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection. It is unknown which strategy on screening should be used in this population in developing countries. We aimed to determine the concordance between the tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON®-TB (QFT) assay in order to diagnose latent tuberculosis infection in cancer patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study of the agreement of diagnostic tests. Prevalence and agreement between tests were calculated. A logistic regression to assess predictors of discordance was performed. The accuracy of the TST to predict QFT results by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was evaluated. We included 149 adults with cancer without active tuberculosis. Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection was 21.5% (n=32), defined as positive results on either test. Test agreement was moderate for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (κ=0.43, 90% CI 0.26-0.6). No predictor was associated with the chance of discordant results. Agreement improved slightly using a cut-off point ≥8 mm (κ=0.5, 90% CI 0.35-0.66). In a moderate-incidence setting, a moderate agreement was found between tests in cancer patients. Modification of the cut-off points of test results achieved marginally better agreement between the TST and QFT.

An asbestos contaminated town in the vicinity of an asbestos-cement facility: The case study of Sibaté, Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: The asbestos industry began operations in Colombia in 1942, with an asbestos-cement facility located in the municipality of Sibaté. In recent years residents from Sibaté have been complaining about what they consider is an unusually large number of people diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases in the town. A study to analyze the situation of Sibaté started in 2015, to verify if the number of asbestos related diseases being diagnosed were higher than expected, and to identify potential asbestos exposure sources in the town. METHODS: A health and socioeconomic survey was implemented door-to-door to identify potential asbestos-related diseases. Several self-reported mesothelioma cases were identified, and for confirmation purposes, copies of the medical record with the histopathology report were obtained. A panel of six physicians analyzed the medical records. Information of validated cases was used to estimate the male and female age-adjusted incidence rate for Sibaté. Based on reports of the existence of potential asbestos-contaminated landfills, topographic maps, a digital elevation model, and current satellite images were crossed using a geographic information system to identify potential landfilled areas, and soils samples were collected in some of these areas. RESULTS: A total of 355 surveys were completed, and 29 self-reported mesothelioma cases were identified. Twenty-five of these cases have been persons who had lived at some moment of their lives in Sibaté. It was possible to obtain copies of the medical diagnosis for 17 cases. Of these, the panel of physicians classified 15 cases as certain pleural mesothelioma, one as probable, and one as not mesothelioma. Based on this information, the estimated age-adjusted incidence rate of mesothelioma in Sibaté was 3.1 × 105 persons-year for males and 1.6 × 105 persons-year for females. These rates are high in comparison to those reported in other cities, regions, and countries of the world. Using geographic information systems, landfilled zones in the urban area of Sibaté were identified, on top of which a school and different sports facilities were built. The analysis of four soil samples collected in landfilled zones, confirmed the existence of an underground layer of friable and non-friable asbestos. CONCLUSION: The collected evidence suggests the presence of a malignant pleural mesothelioma cluster in Sibaté.

Gnatostomiasis cutánea, primer caso confirmado en Colombia / Cutaneous gnathostomiasis, first confirmed case in Colombia

La gnatostomiasis es una zoonosis parasitaria causada por algunas especies del género de helmintos Gnathostoma . La presentación clínica es muy variada y su diagnóstico constituye un desafío; es endémica en países tropicales y subtropicales, y la transmisión se asocia con el consumo de carne de animales acuáticos, cruda o mal cocida. En las últimas décadas, el creciente turismo internacional y el consumo de alimentos exóticos, han provocado un notable aumento de casos de la enfermedad. En nuestro país no se ha reportado ningún caso confirmado de gnatostomiasis. Se presenta el caso de un hombre colombiano de 63 años de edad, viajero frecuente al exterior, que consultó por presentar síntomas gastrointestinales. Durante la hospitalización desarrolló una lesión cutánea en el flanco abdominal derecho, de la cual se extrajo una larva cuya descripción morfológica permitió clasificarla como Gnathostoma spinigerum . Se trata de la primera confirmación de un caso importado de gnatostomiasis en Colombia. En este artículo se discuten las generalidades, la etiología, la patogenia y el tratamiento de la enfermedad, con especial énfasis en las características particulares de este paciente.

Gnathostomiasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by some species of helminthes belonging to the genus Gnathostoma . It has a wide clinical presentation and its diagnosis is a challenge. Tropical and subtropical countries are endemic, and its transmission is associated with eating raw or undercooked meat from fresh water animals. Increasing global tourism and consuming exotic foods have produced a noticeable rise in cases of the disease in the last decades. However, in our country, there has not been any confirmed case of gnathostomiasis previously reported. We present the case of a 63-year-old Colombian man with an international travel history, who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms. During the hospital stay, he developed a cutaneous lesion on the upper right abdominal quadrant, where later, a larva was found. A morphological study allowed us to identify it as Gnathostoma spinigerum . As such, this is the first report of an imported case of gnathostomiasis confirmed in Colombia. This article describes the principles, etiology, pathogenic cycle and treatment of this disease with special considerations to our patient´s particular features.

[Cutaneous gnathostomiasis, first confirmed case in Colombia]. / Gnatostomiasis cutánea, primer caso confirmado en Colombia.

Gnathostomiasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by some species of helminthes belonging to the genus Gnathostoma . It has a wide clinical presentation and its diagnosis is a challenge. Tropical and subtropical countries are endemic, and its transmission is associated with eating raw or undercooked meat from fresh water animals. Increasing global tourism and consuming exotic foods have produced a noticeable rise in cases of the disease in the last decades. However, in our country, there has not been any confirmed case of gnathostomiasis previously reported. We present the case of a 63-year-old Colombian man with an international travel history, who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms. During the hospital stay, he developed a cutaneous lesion on the upper right abdominal quadrant, where later, a larva was found. A morphological study allowed us to identify it as Gnathostoma spinigerum . As such, this is the first report of an imported case of gnathostomiasis confirmed in Colombia. This article describes the principles, etiology, pathogenic cycle and treatment of this disease with special considerations to our patient´s particular features.

[Pathological and molecular diagnosis in a case of primary laryngeal tuberculosis in a physician]. / Diagnóstico patológico y molecular de un caso de tuberculosis laríngea primaria en un médico.

Primary laryngeal tuberculosis is a rare disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations. We report the case of an ear-nose and throat diabetic physician with primary laryngeal tuberculosis. The diagnosis of laryngeal cancer had been considered before in another institution, and at the patient's admission, he only presented dysphonia with a six-month evolution. The vocal cord histological examination showed granulomas, giant cells, fibrosis and necrosis, and the Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed acid-alcohol resistant bacilli. The culture from vocal cord tissue was positive for mycobacteria, and IS 6110 -PCR was positive too. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain was sensitive to first line drugs. Treatment using directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) was initiated. Clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, associated risk factors and a brief literature revision are discussed in this article.

Diagnóstico patológico y molecular de un caso de tuberculosis laríngea primaria en un médico / Pathological and molecular diagnosis in a case of primary laryngeal tuberculosis in a physician

La tuberculosis laríngea primaria es una enfermedad rara con una amplia gama de manifestaciones clínicas. Se reporta el caso de un médico otorrinolaringólogo con diabetes de tipo II y con diagnóstico de tuberculosis laríngea primaria. El diagnóstico de cáncer de cuerda vocal se había considerado en otra institución, y al ingreso el paciente sólo presentaba disfonía de seis meses de evolución. En el estudio histopatológico se encontraron granulomas, células gigantes multinucleadas, fibrosis y necrosis, y en la tinción de Ziehl-Neelsen, bacilos ácido-alcohol resistentes. El cultivo del tejido de cuerda vocal para micobacterias y la PCR-IS6110 fueron positivos. La cepa de Mycobacterium tuberculosis demostró sensibilidad a todos los medicamentos de primera línea. Se inició tratamiento según la estrategia DOTS ( Directly Observed Treatment, Short -course ). Se discute la presentación clínica, los diagnósticos diferenciales, el abordaje diagnóstico y los factores de riesgo asociados y se hace una breve revisión de la literatura.

Primary laryngeal tuberculosis is a rare disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations. We report the case of an ear-nose and throat diabetic physician with primary laryngeal tuberculosis. The diagnosis of laryngeal cancer had been considered before in another institution, and at the patient´s admission, he only presented dysphonia with a six-month evolution. The vocal cord histological examination showed granulomas, giant cells, fibrosis and necrosis, and the Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed acid-alcohol resistant bacilli. The culture from vocal cord tissue was positive for mycobacteria, and IS 6110 -PCR was positive too. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain was sensitive to first line drugs. Treatment using directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) was initiated. Clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup, associated risk factors and a brief literature revision are discussed in this article.

Leucemia/linfoma T del adulto en pacientes infectados con HTLV-1: reporte de dos casos de Colombia / Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in HTLV-1 infected patients: report of two cases in Colombia

La leucemia/linfoma de células T del adulto ( Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma , ATLL) es una neoplasia maligna de los linfocitos T CD4 maduros, que resulta de la infección con el virus T-linfotrópico humano de tipo 1 (HTLV-1), con varias manifestaciones sistémicas y cutáneas. Se presentan dos casos de leucemia/linfoma de células T del adulto en pacientes del suroccidente de Colombia, cuyos diagnósticos fueron confirmados por histología, inmunohistoquímica, citometría de flujo y pruebas ELISA y Western blot. También, se discute acerca del virus y cómo hacer el diagnóstico en países como el nuestro.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignant neoplasia of mature CD4+ T lymphocytes,resulting from infection with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), with several systemic and cutaneous manifestations. We present two cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, in patients from the Colombian Southwestern region, whose diagnoses were confirmed by histology, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, ELISA and Western blot tests. We also discuss about the virus and how to make this diagnosis in countries like Colombia.

[Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in HTLV-1 infected patients: report of two cases in Colombia]. / Leucemia/linfoma T del adulto en pacientes infectados con HTLV-1: reporte de dos casos de Colombia.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignant neoplasia of mature CD4+ T lymphocytes,resulting from infection with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), with several systemic and cutaneous manifestations. We present two cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, in patients from the Colombian Southwestern region, whose diagnoses were confirmed by histology, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, ELISA and Western blot tests. We also discuss about the virus and how to make this diagnosis in countries like Colombia.