Acute Chagas Disease Outbreak among Military Personnel, Colombia, 2021.

We report an acute Chagas disease outbreak among soldiers in Colombia. Trypanosoma cruzi infection was confirmed through parasitology, serology, and molecular methods. Among 9 affected soldiers, 2 died; 7 were hospitalized and received benznidazole treatment, which produced favorable outcomes. Personnel patrolling rural areas in Colombia could be at increased risk for Chagas disease.

Deep Dive Into Gaps and Barriers to Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Hospitals in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance has worsened in Latin America. There is an urgent need to understand the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) and the barriers to implementing effective ASPs in light of limited national action plans or policies to promote ASPs in the region. METHODS: We performed a descriptive mixed-methods study of ASPs in 5 Latin American countries in March-July 2022. An electronic questionnaire with an associated scoring system (hospital ASP self-assessment) was used, and ASP development was classified based on the scores (inadequate, 0-25; basic, 26-50; intermediate, 51-75; or advanced, 76-100). Interviews among healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in antimicrobial stewardship (AS) inquired about behavioral and organizational factors that influence AS activities. Interview data were coded into themes. Results from the ASP self-assessment and interviews were integrated to create an explanatory framework. RESULTS: Twenty hospitals completed the self-assessment, and 46 AS stakeholders from these hospitals were interviewed. ASP development was inadequate/basic in 35% of hospitals, intermediate in 50%, and advanced in 15%. For-profit hospitals had higher scores than not-for-profit hospitals. Interview data validated the self-assessment findings and provided further insight into ASP implementation challenges, which included limited formal hospital leadership support, inadequate staffing and tools to perform AS work more efficiently, limited awareness of AS principles by HCWs, and limited training opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several barriers to ASP development in Latin America, suggesting the need to create accurate business cases for ASPs to obtain the necessary funding for their effective implementation and sustainability.

Profilaxis y educación en migraña y cefalea tensional: una percepción de la eficacia de las prácticas de los médicos de atención primaria / Prophylaxis and education for migraine and tension type headache: a perception of the effectiveness of the practices of primary health physicians

RESUMEN INTRODUCCIÓN: La migraña y la cefalea tipo tensional son los dolores de cabeza primarios más frecuentes en la consulta médica; la mejoría clínica de los pacientes se relaciona con la educación brindada y la prescripción de tratamientos profilácticos por parte de sus médicos tratantes. OBJETIVO: Determinar la frecuencia de prescripción del tratamiento profiláctico y de la realización de explicaciones educativas al paciente con cefalea primaria por parte de los médicos de atención primaria, además de los factores asociados a ellas. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio de corte transversal con 152 pacientes con criterios para migraña o cefalea tensional de la ICHD y con indicación para tratamiento profiláctico según las guías canadienses, que fueron atendidos por médicos de atención primaria. Se aplicó un cuestionario para establecer el tipo de prácticas realizadas por los profesionales y se realizó un análisis univariado y bivariado. RESULTADOS: Solo al 23 % de los pacientes le formularon tratamiento profiláctico, el 56 % nunca recibió explicación educativa sobre su enfermedad y el 70 °% nunca había sido remitido a consulta de neurología. El 44 °% respondió no saber sobre el origen de la cefalea y se encontró una asociación significativa entre el nivel educativo del paciente y el hecho que le ofrecieran explicación educativa. CONCLUSION: La frecuencia en la formulación de profilaxis farmacológica y realización de explicaciones educativas al paciente por parte del médico de atención primaria fue baja. Esto puede relacionarse con un desconocimiento de los protocolos de manejo en cefalea primaria y fallas en las habilidades clínicas recibidas en el pregrado.

SUMMARY INTRODUCTION: Migraine and tension type headache are the most frequent primary headaches in the medical practice; the clinical improvement of the patients is related to the education carry out by his physician and the prescription of prophylactic treatments. Migraine and tension-type headache are the most frequent primary headaches in the medical office; the clinical improvement of the patients is related to the education provided and the prescription of prophylactic treatments by their treating doctors. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of prescription of prophylactic treatment and of educational explanations to the patient with primary headache by primary care physicians, and the possible factors associated with them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 152 patients that have Migraine or Tensional Headache according to the ICHD criteria and that had an indication for prophylactic treatment according to the Canadian guidelines for the prophylaxis management of patients with migraine, which were attended by primary care physicians. Application of a questionnaire to establish the type of practices carried out by professionals; an univariate and bivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: 56 °% of the patients never received an educational explanation about their disease, 70 °% had never been referred to a neurology consultation previously, and 23 % had been prescribed prophylactic treatment. 44 °% answered not knowing about the origin of the headache and found a significant association between the educational level of the patient and the fact that they offered educational explanation. CONCLUSION: The frequency of formulation of pharmacological prophylaxis and the performance of educational explanations to the patient by the Primary Care Physician was very low; This may be related to a lack of knowledge of management protocols in primary headache and to flaws in the clinical skills previously obtained in undergraduate training.

Metabolismo del triptofano: ¿Un elemento más en el enigma de la tolerancia materna al feto? / Triptophan metabilism in the regulation of inmune system

Este es un artículo de revisión donde se hace énfasis en el papel del metabolismo del triptófano en la regulación del sistema inmune principalmente por inhibición de la proliferación de los linfocitos T, tanto en la respuesta inmune sistémica como en la de la interfase maternofetal. El triptófano es metabolizado por dos vías: la vía de la serotonina y la vía de la quinurenina, participando en esta última las enzimas triptófano 2-3 dioxigenasa (TDO) y la indolamina 2-3 dioxigenasa (IDO). El interferón gama estimula la producción de IDO por una subpoblación de macrófagos diferenciados por el factor estimulante de colonias 1 y por las células dendríticas. Otros activadores del sistema inmune como las interleuquinas 1 y 2, el lipopolisacárido bacteriano y el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, pueden aumentar los niveles de IDO. En el caso particular de la gestación, se ha planteado que la IDO expresada por el sincitiotrofoblasto disminuye el triptófano disponible para la proliferación de los linfocitos T en la interfase materno fetal que serían los mediadores del rechazo del aloinjerto fetal. La inhibición de la IDO con el 1-metil-triptófano, competidor específico de la enzima, disminuye la reabsorción embrionaria. En nuestro grupo estamos planteando que los macrófagos deciduales expresan IDO en respuesta al IFN-g producido por las células NK, y que ésta al metabolizar el triptófano, modula la activación de las células NK