Folate Deficiency Is Prevalent in Women of Childbearing Age in Belize and Is Negatively Affected by Coexisting Vitamin B-12 Deficiency: Belize National Micronutrient Survey 2011.

Background: Folate deficiency, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and anemia can have adverse effects on birth outcomes. Also, low vitamin B-12 reduces the formation of metabolically active folate.Objectives: We sought to establish the baseline prevalence of and factors associated with folate deficiency and insufficiency, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and anemia among women of childbearing age (WCBA) in Belize.Methods: In 2011, a national probability-based survey was completed among Belizean nonpregnant WCBA aged 15-49 y. Blood samples for determination of hemoglobin, folate (RBC and serum), and vitamin B-12 (plasma) and sociodemographic and health information were collected from 937 women. RBC and serum folate concentrations were measured by microbiologic assay (MBA). Folate status was defined based on both the WHO-recommended radioproteinbinding assay and the assay adjusted for the MBA.Results: The national prevalence estimates for folate deficiency in WCBA, based on serum and RBC folate concentrations by using the assay-matched cutoffs, were 11.0% (95% CI: 8.6%, 14.0%) and 35.1% (95% CI: 31.3%, 39.2%), respectively. By using the assay-matched compared with the WHO-recommended cutoffs, a substantially higher prevalence of folate deficiency was observed based on serum (6.9% absolute difference) and RBC folate (28.9% absolute difference) concentrations. The prevalence for RBC folate insufficiency was 48.9% (95% CI: 44.8%, 53.1%). Prevalence estimates for vitamin B-12 deficiency and marginal deficiency and anemia were 17.2% (95% CI: 14.2%, 20.6%), 33.2% (95% CI: 29.6%, 37.1%), and 22.7% (95% CI: 19.5%, 26.2%), respectively. The adjusted geometric means of the RBC folate concentration increased significantly (P-trend < 0.001) in WCBA who had normal vitamin B-12 status relative to WCBA who were vitamin B-12 deficient.Conclusions: In Belize, the prevalence of folate and vitamin B-12 deficiencies continues to be a public health concern among WCBA. Furthermore, low folate status co-occurred with low vitamin B-12 status, underlining the importance of providing adequate vitamin B-12 and folic acid intake through approaches such as mandatory food fortification.

Determinación bacteriológica de la calidad del agua para consumo humano obtenida de filtros ubicados dentro del campus central de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala / Bacteriological determination of the quality of drinking water obtained from filters located in the central campus of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala

"Purified water" is described as having organoleptic, physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics that does not represent any risk for human health. The present study was based in the determination of water quality from 21 ozone and sedimentation water filters form the Faculties of Agronomy, Architecture, Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Economic Sciences, Enginery and Odontology; The School of History, Social Work; The University Gym and The Center of Sea Studies (CEMA) (Spanish acronyms); located in the central campus of Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. The main purpose of the study to determine if the water samples extracted from the filters a qualified for human intake. This evaluation is based on the quantity of total and fecal coliforms according to the most probable number method (MPN) and the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), both evaluated under [COGUANOR NTG 29001],2010 standards. The results indicate that the filters located in the Faculties of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Economical Sciences, Social Work, Dentistry are over the safety limits for total coliforms established for potable water under COGUANOR standards. Also the samples taken in the Faculties of Economical Sciences and Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy show a positive result in the presence of E. coli too, means that the water extracted from those filters is not qualified for human intake. Keywords: purified water, ozone filters, sedimentation