Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Latin American healthcare workers relating to antibiotic stewardship and antibiotic use: a cross-sectional multi-country study.

BACKGROUND: The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region. METHODS: HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March-April 2023. FINDINGS: Overall, 996 HCWs completed the survey (52% physicians, 32% nurses, 11% pharmacists, 3% microbiologists, and 2% "other"). More than 90% of respondents indicated optimizing AU was a priority at their healthcare facility (HCF), 69% stated the importance of AS was communicated at their HCF, and 23% were unfamiliar with the term "antibiotic stewardship". Most (> 95%) respondents acknowledged that appropriate AU can reduce AMR; however, few thought AU (< 30%) or AMR (< 50%) were a problem in their HCF. Lack of access to antibiogram and to locally endorsed guidelines was reported by 51% and 34% of HCWs, respectively. Among prescribers, 53% did not consider non-physicians' opinions to make antibiotic-related decisions, 22% reported not receiving education on how to select antibiotics based on culture results and 60% stated patients and families influence their antibiotic decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Although HCWs perceived improving AU as a priority, they did not perceive AU or AMR as a problem in their HCF. AS opportunities include improved access to guidelines, access to AMR/AU data, teamwork, and education on AS for HCWs and patients and families.

Establishing priorities to strengthen National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Americas faced a significant decline in vaccination coverage as well as increased vaccine hesitancy. The objective of this paper is to summarize the challenges and opportunities outlined by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and prioritize targeted interventions. The exploratory survey included open-ended questions on two primary components: challenges, and opportunities. Free-text comments presented by each NITAG were collated and classified using indicators and sub-indicators of the NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT). Opportunities were classified thematically, and priority actions were generated from the responses. All 21 NITAGs in LAC, representing 40 countries, 76 % of which have been active for over a decade, responded to the survey. The most common challenges were establishment and composition (62 %), integration into policymaking (62 %), resources and secretariat (52 %), and stakeholder recognition (48 %). The distribution of responses was seen across the whole sample and did not suggest a more pronounced need in relation to year of establishment. Opportunities included maximizing the Regional NITAG Network of the Americas (RNA) to facilitate collaboration, information sharing, visibility, and communication; existing global, regional, and systemic analyses; the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) templates for standard operating procedures; twinning programs with mature NITAGs; and NITAGs in governance structures. Action plans were outlined to formalize the establishment of NITAGs and broaden their composition; strengthen decision-making and access to data resources; and enhance the credibility of evidence-based recommendations and their uptake by policymakers and the public. NITAG challenges are not unique to LAC. NITAGs have outlined a short-term prioritized action plan which is critical to enhancing NITAG value and importance in countries.

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.

High morbidity and mortality associated with primary bloodstream infections among pediatric patients with cancer at a Guatemalan tertiary referral hospital.

Infectious complications remain major contributors to adverse outcomes in patients treated for non-communicable disease, particularly in resource limited settings. We performed a 5-year retrospective study of primary bloodstream infections at a dedicated pediatric oncology center in Guatemala. Two hundred and twelve episodes occurring in 194 unique patients qualified for inclusion. Patients required intensive care unit admission in 55% of episodes and death occurred in 24% of episodes. Despite subspecialty support in infectious diseases, poor outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization and mortality, were frequent. Our findings suggest that investments in laboratory and clinical data collection are critical to understanding the contributors to poor outcomes and therefore to improving the quality of bloodstream infection management in resource limited settings.

Factors Associated With Hospitalization or Intensive Care Admission in Children With COVID-19 in Latin America.

Background: Limited data is available from low-middle and upper-middle income countries of the factors associated with hospitalization or admission to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for children with COVID-19. Objective: To describe the factors associated with hospitalization or PICU admission of children with COVID-19 in Latin America. Method: Multicenter, analytical, retrospective study of children reported from 10 different Latin American countries to the Latin-American Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SLIPE-COVID) research network from June 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. Outpatient or hospitalized children <18 years of age with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction or antigen detection from the nasopharynx were included. Children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) were excluded. Associations were assessed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: A total of 1063 children with COVID-19 were included; 500 (47%) hospitalized, with 419 (84%) to the pediatric wards and 81 (16%) to the ICU. In multivariable analyses, age <1 year (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.78; 95% CI 1.08-2.94), native race (OR 5.40; 95% CI 2.13-13.69) and having a co-morbid condition (OR 5.3; 95% CI 3.10-9.15), were associated with hospitalization. Children with metabolic or endocrine disorders (OR 4.22; 95% CI 1.76-10.11), immune deficiency (1.91; 95% CI 1.05-3.49), preterm birth (OR 2.52; 95% CI 1.41-4.49), anemia at presentation (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.28-4.27), radiological peribronchial wall thickening (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.15-5.84) and hypoxia, altered mental status, seizures, or shock were more likely to require PICU admission. The presence of pharyngitis (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.25-0.48); myalgia (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.28-0.79) or diarrhea (OR 0.38; 95% CI 0.21-0.67) were inversely associated with hospital admission. Conclusions: In this data analysis reported to the SLIPE research network in Latin America, infants, social inequalities, comorbidities, anemia, bronchial wall thickening and specific clinical findings on presentation were associated with higher rates of hospitalization or PICU admission. This evidence provides data for prioritization prevention and treatment strategies for children suffering from COVID-19.

Impact of dry hydrogen peroxide on hospital-acquired infection at a pediatric oncology hospital.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to describe the effect of Dry Hydrogen Peroxide (DHP), as an adjunct to environmental cleaning and disinfection, on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) at Unidad Nacional de Oncologia Pediatrica (UNOP) in Guatemala City, Guatemala. METHODS: A retrospective study of all HAI data from the hospital's surveillance system, which follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols, was conducted from January 2019 to November 2020. DHP was installed in all Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) rooms in January 2020, but nowhere else in the hospital, including the Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU). RESULTS: There were 189 HAI cases during the study period, with 173 occurring in either the PICU or IMCU. A statistically significant decrease in HAI incidence rates occurred in the PICU in 2020 compared to 2019 (P = .028), including Clostridiodes-associated gastroenteritis (P = .048). Logistic multivariate regression yielded a significant association between DHP exposure and reduced odds of developing an HAI during the study (OR = 0.3857, P = .029). CONCLUSION: The use of DHP as an adjunct technology for environmental cleaning and disinfection contributed to the reduction in HAIs in the PICU. Our study highlights the value of such an approach as an addition to manual cleaning to decrease the risk of infection from environmental contamination.

Associations Between Eight Earth Observation-Derived Climate Variables and Enteropathogen Infection: An Independent Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Surveillance Studies With Broad Spectrum Nucleic Acid Diagnostics.

Diarrheal disease, still a major cause of childhood illness, is caused by numerous, diverse infectious microorganisms, which are differentially sensitive to environmental conditions. Enteropathogen-specific impacts of climate remain underexplored. Results from 15 studies that diagnosed enteropathogens in 64,788 stool samples from 20,760 children in 19 countries were combined. Infection status for 10 common enteropathogens-adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, Campylobacter, ETEC, Shigella, Cryptosporidium and Giardia-was matched by date with hydrometeorological variables from a global Earth observation dataset-precipitation and runoff volume, humidity, soil moisture, solar radiation, air pressure, temperature, and wind speed. Models were fitted for each pathogen, accounting for lags, nonlinearity, confounders, and threshold effects. Different variables showed complex, non-linear associations with infection risk varying in magnitude and direction depending on pathogen species. Rotavirus infection decreased markedly following increasing 7-day average temperatures-a relative risk of 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.69-0.85) above 28°C-while ETEC risk increased by almost half, 1.43 (1.36-1.50), in the 20-35°C range. Risk for all pathogens was highest following soil moistures in the upper range. Humidity was associated with increases in bacterial infections and decreases in most viral infections. Several virus species' risk increased following lower-than-average rainfall, while rotavirus and ETEC increased with heavier runoff. Temperature, soil moisture, and humidity are particularly influential parameters across all enteropathogens, likely impacting pathogen survival outside the host. Precipitation and runoff have divergent associations with different enteric viruses. These effects may engender shifts in the relative burden of diarrhea-causing agents as the global climate changes.

Antimicrobial Resistance Trends at a Pediatric Hospital in Guatemala City, 2005-2019.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing worldwide. We analyzed AMR rates for bacterial species identified from pediatric blood cultures between 2005 and 2019 at a single institution in Guatemala. We found significantly increased rates in Gram-negative resistance, with a high prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter and Klebsiella harboring the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase gene.

Survey of practices for the clinical management of febrile neutropenia in children in hematology-oncology units in Latin America.

The management of febrile neutropenia (FN) in pediatrics is evolving. Our objective was to describe current practices for the care of patients with FN in pediatric oncology centers in Latin America and identify areas for practice improvement. We used an online survey to enroll eligible healthcare providers who treat children with cancer in Latin America. The survey addressed respondents' characteristics, the environment of care, and FN care practices, including risk assessment, criteria for hospitalization, initial management of FN, evaluation, antibiotic administration, and discharge. From 220 surveys sent, we received 109 responses and selected 108 from 19 countries for analysis. Most (94%) respondents were working in specialized oncology centers, oncology units within a pediatric or general care hospital. The cohort included oncologists (42%) and infectious diseases physicians (30%). Most (67%) respondents had available guidelines; they used a risk-stratification scoring system (73%) for severe infection; and their guidelines had locally adapted risk stratification (34%) or published risk stratification (51%). The respondents used diverse FN definitions and concepts, including fever definitions, temperature-obtaining methods, neutropenia values for assigning risk, empiric antimicrobials administration, and length of hospitalization. Overall, we detected common practices aligning with standard published recommendations, as well as care variability. These findings can guide further evaluations of care resources and practices to prioritize interventions, and professional networks can be used for FN discussions and consensus in Latin America.

Effectiveness of dry hydrogen peroxide on reducing environmental microbial bioburden risk in a pediatric oncology intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Routine manual cleaning and disinfection of the health care environment is often suboptimal. Residual contamination poses an infection risk, particularly for immunocompromised patients. This study evaluates the efficacy of dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP) on microbial surface contamination in a pediatric oncology intensive care unit. METHODS: Surface samples from 5 high-touch and 2 low-touch surfaces were obtained for culture and adenosine triphosphate readings after manual cleaning on multiple days in 4 intensive care unit rooms, before and after DHP was deployed. Air samples were collected as well at the study site. Data outcomes were measured in terms of total colony-forming units for the cultures and relative light units for adenosine triphosphate. RESULTS: The overall mean surface microbial burden was significantly reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean 5.50 vs 11.77, P<.001). These reductions in colony-forming units were seen across all sampling sites in the intervention group. A reduction in the mean relative light units levels was also noted in the intervention group when compared to the control group (172.08 vs 225.83, P <.006). Reductions with the air samples were also noted (P = .139). CONCLUSIONS: Study demonstrates that DHP was effective in reducing microbial surface contamination and improves quality of environmental cleaning.

Guidance Statement for the Management of Febrile Neutropenia in Pediatric Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy in Central America and the Caribbean.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to provide regionally appropriate, resource-conscious recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia. METHODS: A multinational panel of Central American and Caribbean clinicians who deliver pediatric oncology care prioritized clinically important questions and then used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology to provide recommendations on the selected topics. RESULTS: Twenty-two questions and 2 definitions were included in the guideline, which was intended to establish minimum care standards for pediatric patients treated in regional centers. Of all the included studies, 6.9% were conducted in low- and middle-income countries, and no studies were performed in countries represented on the panel. CONCLUSION: The panel made recommendations on the basis of existing evidence but identified important gaps in knowledge from the region and from resource-limited settings that may affect the clinical applicability of these recommendations. These deficiencies suggest a research agenda that will enable future guidelines to be more responsive to the local context.

Epidemiología del dengue en Centroamérica y República Dominicana / Epidemiology of dengue in Central America and the Dominican Republic

Resumen Introducción: Centroamérica experimenta una alta carga de la enfermedad por dengue aportando cerca de 8% de todos los casos del continente. Este trabajo reporta la epidemiología del dengue en la subregión en un período de 10 años. Objetivos: Documentar la epidemiología del dengue en Centro América y República Dominicana. Material y Métodos: Período de estudio: años 2005-2014. Se recopilaron y analizaron los datos de casos y muertes por dengue de los países de Centro América y República Dominicana, reportados por los Ministerios de Salud y se corroboró con los datos publicados en los boletines en línea y la base de datos interactiva de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS). Se obtuvieron estadísticas poblacionales de los Institutos Nacionales de Estadística y Censo de cada país. Resultados: Durante el período de estudio fueron notificados 1.118.464 casos de dengue. Reportados 32.431 casos graves, 888 personas fallecidas. La letalidad por caso de dengue fue en promedio 0,08%. Los cuatro serotipos de dengue circularon durante el decenio estudiado. Discusión: La información clínica y epidemiológica, indica tasas de incidencia alta, que han fluctuado en los últimos años, con co-circulación significativa de varios serotipos a la vez. Conclusiones: Se identificaron diferencias notorias en la recolección de datos de la vigilancia entre países. Se determinó un patrón epidemiológico heterogéneo.

Background: Central America experiences a high burden of dengue reporting about 8% of all cases in the continent. This work reports the epidemiology of dengue in the sub region in a 10 years period. Aim: To describe the epidemiology of dengue in Central America and the Dominican Republic. Methods: Study period from 2005 to 2014. The data on dengue cases and deaths of the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic, reported by the Ministries of Health, were compiled and analyzed and corroborated with the data published in the online bulletins and the interactive database of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Population statistics were obtained from the National Statistics and Census Institutes of each country. Results: During the study period, 1,118,464 cases of dengue were notified. There were 32,431 serious cases reported, 888 people died. The lethality per case of dengue was on average 0.08%. The four dengue serotypes circulated during the decade analyzed. Discussion: Clinical and epidemiological information indicates high incidence rates, which have fluctuated in recent years, with significant co-circulation of several serotypes at the same time. Conclusions: Notorious surveillance data collection differences were identified between countries, determining a heterologous epidemiological pattern.

Identification of Enteropathogens by Multiplex PCR among Rural and Urban Guatemalan Children with Acute Diarrhea.

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platforms have enhanced understanding of intestinal pathogens in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, few such studies have been performed in Latin America, where poverty, poor sanitation, and undernutrition persist. Multiplex PCR (BioFire, Salt Lake City, UT) was used to identify viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens in stool collected on day 1 and 31 from children aged 6 to 35 months with acute, non-bloody diarrhea in two locations (rural and urban) in Guatemala. We analyzed correlation between pathogens and clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic variables; described patterns of pathogen acquisition, persistence, and clearance over the 30-day period; and calculated population attributable fractions (PAFs) for diarrheal causation for individual pathogens. We analyzed 316 subjects (144 urban; 172 rural) enrolled between March 2015 and January 2016. Rural subjects had significantly more malnutrition, animal exposure, and unimproved water/sanitation infrastructure. The majority of subjects had multiple pathogens/sample (4.8 rural and 2.7 urban). Few meaningful correlates were identified between individual pathogens and clinical, demographic, or environmental variables. Escherichia coli pathotypes, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Giardia had high rates of persistence between initial and 30-day follow-up. Statistically significant adjusted PAFs were identified for Campylobacter (14.9%, 95% CI: 3.2-23.1), norovirus (10.2%, 95% CI: 0.4-17.1), sapovirus (7.6%, 95% CI: 2.3-10.9), and adenovirus 40/41 (5.6%, 95% CI: 0.3-8.7). These observations further characterize the diversity and complexity of enteric pathogens in children in LMICs. Patterns of chronic symptomatic and asymptomatic infection among Latin American children are similar to those observed in other LMIC regions. Findings have direct implications for practitioners treating individuals with acute infectious diarrhea and should inform regional public health strategies.

[Epidemiology of dengue in Central America and the Dominican Republic]. / Epidemiología del dengue en Centroamérica y República Dominicana.

BACKGROUND: Central America experiences a high burden of dengue reporting about 8% of all cases in the continent. This work reports the epidemiology of dengue in the sub region in a 10 years period. AIM: To describe the epidemiology of dengue in Central America and the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Study period from 2005 to 2014. The data on dengue cases and deaths of the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic, reported by the Ministries of Health, were compiled and analyzed and corroborated with the data published in the online bulletins and the interactive database of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Population statistics were obtained from the National Statistics and Census Institutes of each country. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,118,464 cases of dengue were notified. There were 32,431 serious cases reported, 888 people died. The lethality per case of dengue was on average 0.08%. The four dengue serotypes circulated during the decade analyzed. DISCUSSION: Clinical and epidemiological information indicates high incidence rates, which have fluctuated in recent years, with significant co-circulation of several serotypes at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: Notorious surveillance data collection differences were identified between countries, determining a heterologous epidemiological pattern.

Impact of Maternal Antibody on the Immunogenicity of Inactivated Polio Vaccine in Infants Immunized With Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine: Implications for the Polio Eradication Endgame.

Background: Quantifying interference of maternal antibodies with immune responses to varying dose schedules of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is important for the polio endgame as IPV replaces oral polio vaccine (OPV). Methods: Type 2 poliovirus humoral and intestinal responses were analyzed using pre-IPV type 2 seropositivity as proxy for maternal antibodies from 2 trials in Latin America. Infants received 1 or 2 doses of IPV in sequential IPV-bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) or mixed bOPV-IPV schedules. Results: Among infants vaccinated with bOPV at age 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age and IPV at 14 weeks, those with type 2 pre-IPV seropositivity had lower seroprotection rates than seronegative infants at 4 weeks (92.7% vs 83.8%; difference, 8.9% [95% confidence interval, 0.6%-19.9%]; n = 260) and 22 weeks (82.7% vs 60.4%; difference, 22.3 [12.8%-32.4%]; n = 481) post-IPV. A second IPV at age 36 weeks resulted in 100% seroprotection in both groups. Among infants vaccinated with 1 IPV at age 8 weeks followed by 2 doses of bOPV, pre-IPV type 2-seropositive infants had lower seroprotection at age 28 weeks than those who were seronegative (93.0% vs 73.9%; difference, 19.6% [95% confidence interval, 7.3%-29.4%]; n = 168). A second dose of IPV at 16 weeks achieved >97% seroprotection at age 24 or 28 weeks, regardless of pre-IPV status. Poliovirus shedding after challenge with monovalent OPV, serotype 2, was higher in pre-IPV seropositive infants given sequential IPV-bOPV. No differences were observed in the mixed bOPV-IPV schedule. Conclusions: The presence of maternal antibody is associated with lower type 2 post-IPV seroprotection rates among infants who receive a single dose of IPV. This impact persists until late in infancy and is overcome by a second IPV dose.

No Detection of Entamoeba Histolytica by Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction in Children With Acute Non-bloody Diarrhea in Guatemala.

Entamoeba histolytica is believed to be a ubiquitous cause of pediatric non-bloody diarrhea. Using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay, we identified stool pathogens in 298 Guatemalan children presenting with acute, non-bloody diarrhea. Despite a high overall pathogen burden, we identified no cases of E. histolytica. Knowledge of local epidemiology is important to inform E. histolytica therapeutic strategies in low-income settings.

Efficacy of a bovine colostrum and egg-based intervention in acute childhood diarrhoea in Guatemala: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Treatments for paediatric diarrhoeal disease are limited. We assessed the impact of a bovine colostrum and egg-based treatment designed to reduce diarrhoea duration through non-specific and pathogen-directed mechanisms in children. METHODS: Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of PTM202, derived from bovine colostrum and hyperimmune hen's egg on the duration of acute diarrhoeal disease in Guatemalan children. PTM202 contains specific immunoglobulins that target rotavirus, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella. Children aged 6-35 months presenting to three sites (one rural and two urban) with acute non-bloody diarrhoea were computer randomised to receive three daily doses of PTM202 or placebo. The primary outcome was the post-treatment duration of diarrhoea assessed in the per protocol population. Diarrhoeal pathogens were identified in stool by multiplex PCR (FilmArray Gastrointestinal-Panel, BioFire, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA). Key secondary outcomes included postdiarrhoeal weight gain and impact on diarrhoeal duration stratified by study site and presence of PTM202-targeted organisms in stool at enrolment. Safety was assessed in all participants. RESULTS: From 9 March 2015 to 25 January 2016, 325 children were enrolled, and 301 (154 intervention and 147 placebo) were analysed for the primary outcome. No difference in diarrhoea duration was observed between intervention and placebo in the total population, but a significant reduction was observed in the treatment group among children with at least one targeted pathogen in stool (HR=1.46, P=0.02), an effect most pronounced in urban subjects (HR 2.20, P=0.007) who had fewer stool pathogens and better nutritional status. No impact on 2-week or 4-week weight gain was noted. No adverse events attributed to PTM202 occurred. CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate the potential to target specific pathogens occurring in children with acute non-bloody diarrhoea and shorten illness duration using a novel, safe, nutrition-based intervention. PTM202 may represent a new tool to ameliorate the effects of acute diarrhoeal disease in low/middle-income populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02385773; Results.

Group B Streptococci Colonization in Pregnant Guatemalan Women: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Vaginal Microbiome.

BACKGROUND: Infection causes 1 of every 5 neonatal deaths globally. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the most significant pathogen, although little is known about its epidemiology and risk in low-income countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in 2015 at a public hospital in Guatemala City enrolled women ≥35 weeks' gestation. Vaginal and rectal swabs were processed using Lim broth and GBS CHROMagar then agglutination testing. Risk factors were assessed using multivariate analysis. Vaginal microbiota were profiled by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing in a subset of 94 women. RESULTS: Of 896 pregnant women, 155 (17.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.9-19.9) were GBS colonized. Colonization was associated with history of previous infant with poor outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.94; 95% CI, 1.15-3.27) and increasing maternal age (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09). Multiparity was protective (OR, .39; 95% CI, .21-.72). Four (6%) GBS-exposed infants had early-onset neonatal sepsis. Vaginal microbiome composition was associated with previous antibiotic exposure (P = .003) and previous low birth weight infant (P = .03), but not GBS colonization (P = .72). Several individual taxa differed in abundance between colonized and noncolonized women. CONCLUSIONS: Group B Streptococcus is prevalent in pregnant women from Guatemala with different risk factors than previously described. Although the vaginal microbiome was not altered significantly in GBS-colonized women, use of antibiotics had an effect on its composition.

Inactivated polio vaccines from three different manufacturers have equivalent safety and immunogenicity when given as 1 or 2 additional doses after bivalent OPV: Results from a randomized controlled trial in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Since April 2016 inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) has been the only routine source of polio type 2 protection worldwide. With IPV supply constraints, data on comparability of immunogenicity and safety will be important to optimally utilize available supplies from different manufacturers. METHODS: In this multicenter phase IV study, 900 Latin American infants randomly assigned to six study groups received three doses of bOPV at 6, 10 and 14weeks and either one IPV dose at 14weeks (groups SP-1, GSK-1 and BBio-1) or two IPV doses at 14 and 36weeks (groups SP-2, GSK-2 and BBio-2) from three different manufacturers. Children were challenged with mOPV2 at either 18 (one IPV dose) or 40weeks (two IPV doses) and stools were collected weekly for 4weeks to assess viral shedding. Serum neutralizing antibodies were measured at various time points pre and post vaccination. Serious adverse events and important medical events (SAE and IME) were monitored for 6months after last study vaccine. RESULTS: At week 18, 4weeks after one dose of IPV, overall type 2 seroconversion rates were 80.4%, 80.4% and 73.3% for SP-1, GSK-1 and BBio-1 groups, respectively; and 92.6%, 96.8% and 88.0% in those who were seronegative before IPV administration. At 40weeks, 4weeks after a second IPV dose, type 2 seroconversion rates were ≥99% for any of the three manufacturers. There were no significant differences in fecal shedding index endpoint (SIE) after one or two IPV doses (SP: 2.3 [95% CI: 2.1-2.6]); GSK: 2.2 [1.7-2.5]; BBio 1.8 [1.5-2.3]. All vaccines appeared safe, with no vaccine-related SAE or IME. CONCLUSION: Current WHO prequalified IPV vaccines are safe and induce similar humoral and intestinal immunity after one or two doses. The parent study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01831050.