Li-Fraumeni syndrome presenting with de novo TP53 mutation, severe phenotype and advanced paternal age: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in the gene TP53. This gene codes for the P53 protein, a crucial player in genomic stability, which functions as a tumor suppressor gene. Individuals with LFS frequently develop multiple primary tumors at a young age, such as soft tissue sarcomas, breast cancer, and brain tumors. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38 years-old female with a history of femur osteosarcoma, ductal carcinoma of the breast, high-grade breast sarcoma, pleomorphic sarcoma of the left upper limb, infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast, gastric adenocarcinoma, leiomyosarcoma of the right upper limb, and high-grade pleomorphic renal sarcoma. Complete molecular sequencing of the TP53 gene showed c.586 C > T (p.R196X) in exon 6, which is a nonsense mutation that produces a shorter and malfunctioning P53. Family history includes advanced father's age at the time of conception (75 years), which has been associated with an increased risk of de novo germline mutations. The patient had seven paternal half-siblings with no cancer history. The patient received multiple treatments including surgery, systemic therapy, and radiotherapy, but died at the age of 38. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced paternal age is a risk factor to consider when hereditary cancer syndrome is suspected. Early detection of hereditary cancer syndromes and their multi-disciplinary surveillance and treatment is important to improve clinical outcomes for these patients. Further investigation of the relationship between the pathogenic variant of TP53 and its phenotype may guide the stratification of surveillance and treatment.

Indigenous communities in Colombia: A cultural and holistic view of cancer management.

Cancer is one of the most burdening global health challenges. Indigenous communities are at high risk for worse healthcare outcomes because of inequalities in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of oncological diseases, that arise from socioeconomic, racial, cultural, religious beliefs, and ethnic factors. Their perception about themselves is closely related to what affects their territory, making them possess a profound rooted feeling with their surroundings, and intense spiritual believes. Consequently, the disease process is linked to physical and emotional imbalances and alterations in their territory. Researchers from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia have worked diligently to learn about barriers to cancer management among these populations. Unfortunately, robust cancer data is lacking for most of the world's Indigenous, leading to obstacles in information systems and consequently, inequities in healthcare with the perpetuation of the problem. Therefore, a better understanding of cancer as a global health problem is required. Our study aims to propose a holistic and culturally adapted framework to improve cancer health services and outcomes among Indigenous peoples in Colombia.

Clinical and microbiological characterization of Salmonella spp. isolates from patients treated in a university hospital in South America between 2012-2021: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Salmonellosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and one of the most frequent etiologies of diarrhea in the world. Mortality due to Salmonellosis in Latin America still poorly understood, and there is a lack of studies that evaluate resistance and clinical manifestations. The aims of this study were to characterize patients infected with Salmonella spp. seen in a university hospital in Colombia between 2012 and 2021, to evaluate trends in antibiotic resistance and to determine the proportion of overall mortality and related factors. METHODS: Retrospective observational study. All patients with microbiological diagnosis of Salmonella spp. were included. The sociodemographic, clinical and microbiological characteristics were described, and the proportion of antibiotic resistant isolates per year was estimated. The prevalence of mortality according to age groups was calculated. Log binomial regression models were used to establish factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: Five hundred twenty-two patients were analyzed. Salmonellosis accounted for 0.01% of all medical consultations. The median age was 16 years old. The most common clinical presentation was gastroenteric syndrome (77.1%) and symptoms included diarrhea (79.1%), fever (66.7%), abdominal pain (39.6%) and vomiting (35.2%). Of the Salmonella spp. isolates, 78.2% were not classified, 19.1% corresponded to non-typhoidal Salmonella and 2.7% to Salmonella typhi. Mortality occurs in 4.02% of the patients and was higher in patients with hematologic malignancy (11.6%). When analyzing by age group, the proportion of deaths was 2.8% in patients aged 15 years or younger, while in those older than 15 years it was 5.4%. Factors associated to mortality where bacteremia (aPR = 3.41 CI95%: 1.08-10.76) and to require treatment in the ICU (aPR = 8.13 CI95%: 1.82-37.76). In the last 10 years there has been a steady increase in resistance rates to ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam and ceftriaxone, reaching rates above 60% in recent years. CONCLUSIONS: Despite improved availability of antibiotics for the treatment of salmonellosis in the past decades, mortality due to salmonellosis continues occurring in children and adults, mainly in patients with hematological malignancies and bacteremia. Antibiotic resistance rates have increased significantly over the last 10 years. Public health strategies for the control of this disease should be strengthened, especially in vulnerable populations.

Advancing pediatric palliative care in a low-middle income country: an implementation study, a challenging but not impossible task.

BACKGROUND: The disparities in access to pediatric palliative care and pain management in Latin America remains an unaddressed global health issue. Efforts to improve the development of Palliative Care (PC) provision have traditionally targeted services for adults, leaving the pediatric population unaddressed. Examples of such services are scarce and should be portrayed in scientific literature to inform decision-makers and service providers on models of care available to tackle the burden of Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) in Low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of a pediatric palliative care program, "Taking Care of You" (TCY), in a tertiary care, university hospital in Cali, Colombia. METHODS: A program's database was built with children between 0 to 18 years old and their families, from year 2017 to 2019. Descriptive analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of the program and service delivery. A theory-based method was directed to describe the PPC program, according to the implementation of self-designed taxonomy, mapping theoretical levels and domains. Clinical outcomes in patients were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Since 2017 the program has provided PPC services to 1.965 children. Most of them had an oncologic diagnosis and were referred from hospitalization services (53%). The number of ambulatory patients increased by 80% every trimester between 2017 and 2018. A 50% increase was reported in hospitalization, emergency, and intensive care units during the same time period. CONCLUSIONS: The program addressed a gap in the provision of PPC to children in Cali. It shows effective strategies used to implement a PPC program and how the referral times, coordination of care, communication with other hospital services were improved while providing compassionate/holistic care to children with life-limiting and threatening diseases and in end-of-life. The implementation of this program has required the onset of specific strategies and arrangements to promote awareness and education proving it a hard task, yet not impossible.

Challenges in the care of Ewing's sarcoma in a Jehovah's Witness patient / Desafíos en el manejo del sarcoma de Ewing en una paciente testigo de Jehová

Ewing's sarcoma is a bone and soft tissue neoplasm, whose management is related to hematological toxicity. This aspect represents a medical and ethical challenge in Jehovah's Witnesses patients, who, due to their religious beliefs, reject the blood component transfusion, with the risk of discontinuing chemotherapy or using suboptimal doses. We present the case of a 34-year-old Colombian woman, Jehovah's Witness, diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma with clinical stage IIB (T1N0M0) in the left maxillary and mandibular regions, treated with chemotherapy, who presented a hemoglobin nadir of up to 4.5 g/dL, and surgical indication as part of the treatment. In these patients, the transfusion decision has ethical implications that require therapeutic alternatives and a multidisciplinary approach.

El sarcoma de Ewing es una neoplasia de hueso y tejidos blandos, cuyo manejo se relaciona con toxicidad hematológica. Este aspecto representa un desafío médico y ético en los pacientes testigos de Jehová quienes, por sus creencias religiosas, rechazan la aplicación de hemoderivados, con riesgo de que se descontinúe la quimioterapia o de que se utilicen dosis subóptimas. Se presenta el caso de una mujer colombiana de 34 años, testigo de Jehová, con diagnóstico de sarcoma de Ewing con estadificación clínica IIB (T1N0M0) en las regiones maxilar y mandibular izquierdas, tratada con  quimioterapia, quien presentó un valor mínimo de hemoglobina de hasta 4,5 g/dl y tuvo indicación quirúrgica como parte del tratamiento. En estos pacientes, la decisión de practicar una transfusión comprende implicaciones éticas que requieren alternativas terapéuticas y un abordaje multidisciplinario.

Survival in Elderly Patients Diagnosed With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Hospital-Based Study.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological neoplasm that is more frequent in elderly patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate elderly patients' survival with de novo AML and acute myeloid leukemia myelodysplasia-related (AML-MR), treated with intensive and less-intensive chemotherapy and supportive care. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Fundacion Valle del Lili (Cali, Colombia), between 2013 and 2019. We included patients ≥ 60 years old diagnosed with AML. The statistical analysis considered the leukemia type (de novo vs. myelodysplasia-related) and treatment (intensive chemotherapy regimen, less-intensive chemotherapy regimen, and without chemotherapy). Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models. Results: A total of 53 patients were included (31 de novo and 22 AML-MR). Intensive chemotherapy regimens were more frequent in patients with de novo leukemia (54.8%), and 77.3% of patients with AML-MR received less-intensive regimens. Survival was higher in the chemotherapy group (P = 0.006), but with no difference between chemotherapy modalities. Additionally, patients without chemotherapy were 10 times more likely to die than those who received any regimen, independent of age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology performance status, and Charlson comorbidity index (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 11.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.47 - 38.8). Conclusions: Elderly patients with AML had longer survival time when receiving chemotherapy, regardless of the type of regimen.

Haploidentical and Matched Sibling Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Hospital-Based Study.

Background: Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) has been increasing for the last years in Latin America. The objective of this study was to describe clinical outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving allogeneic PBSCT between 2013 and 2019 in a single center of Cali, Colombia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Fundacion Valle del Lili. Patients diagnosed with AML who received an allogeneic PBSCT between 2013 and 2019 using human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donors (MSDs) or haploidentical related donors (HRDs) with myeloablative conditioning regimen were included. Cases with diagnosis of promyelocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome-related AML and therapy-related AML were excluded. Data were obtained directly from the hospital PBSCT database and clinical records. Results: A total of 50 patients were included (HRD, n = 32; MSD, n = 18). Sixty-two percent was in the first complete remission (CR1) at the time of the transplant, of which 26% were MSD and 74% were HRD. The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) risk score was: 44% vs. 50% low, 28% vs. 28% intermediate and 28% vs. 22% high for MSD vs. HRD, respectively. Overall survival at 5 years for MSD was 62% (95% confidence interval (CI): 31-83%) and 43% (95% CI: 25-60%) for HRD. Event-free survival was 56% (95% CI: 26-78%) and 35.6% (95% CI: 18-53%), respectively. Non-relapse mortality at day-100 was 6% (95% CI: 0.8-35%) and 20% (95% CI: 9-39%). Relapse at5 years was 18% (95% CI: 4-58%) and 25% (95% CI: 10-52%). Overall mortality rate was 46%. The grade II-IV, III-IV acute graft-versus-host disease and severe chronic graft-versus-host disease was 44%, 11% and 12% for MSD, and 43%, 9% and 0% for HRD. Conclusion: These results underline that MSD remains the first donor choice for AML patients in CR1 when available. HRDs are still our next option among alternative donors. It is necessary to find strategies that have a positive impact on those outcomes that markedly affect the quality of allogeneic PBSCT and the prognosis of patients. Comparative, randomized, prospective studies with longer follow-up of haploidentical allogeneic PBSCT with other donor types are required to definitely establish its role among alternative donors.

Co-Infection between Dengue Virus and SARS-CoV-2 in Cali, Colombia.

The co-occurrence of COVID-19 with endemic diseases is a public health concern that may affect patient prognosis and outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with dengue virus (DENV) and SARS-CoV-2 co-infections and compare their outcomes against those of COVID-19 patients without dengue. A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who attended a single center in Cali, Colombia, from March 2020 to March 2021. All patients who were tested by both real-time polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 and IgM/NS1 for DENV were included. Dengue was diagnosed as having either an IgM- or an NS1- positive test. A total of 90 patients were included (72 with COVID-19 only and 18 with co-infection). Patients with co-infection had more dyspnea (61.1% versus 22.2%; P = 0.003) as well as higher oxygen desaturation (53.3% versus 13.4%; P = 0.002) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (5.59 versus 3.84; P = 0.038) than patients with COVID-19 alone. The proportion of patients classified with moderate to severe COVID-19 was higher in the co-infection group (88.3% versus 47.8%; P = 0.002). Also, co-infection was associated with an increased need for mechanical ventilation (P = 0.06), intensive care unit (ICU) initial management (P = 0.02), and ICU admission during hospitalization (P = 0.04) compared with COVID-19 only. The ICU mortality rate was 66.6% in patients with co-infection versus 29.4% in patients infected with only SARS-CoV-2 (P < 0.05). The possibility of DENV and SARS-CoV2 co-infection occurred in the convergence of both epidemic waves. Co-infection was associated with worse clinical outcomes and higher mortality in ICU-admitted patients than in patients with the COVID-19 only.

Gastric adenocarcinoma burden, trends and survival in Cali, Colombia: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) has changed in recent decades. Cancer estimates are often calculated from population-based cancer registries, which lack valuable information to guide decision-making (clinical outcomes). We describe the trends in clinical practice for GA using a hospital-based cancer registry over a timespan of 15 years. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Data were gathered from adults diagnosed and treated for GA at Fundación Valle del Lili (FVL), between 2000 and 2014, from the hospital's own cancer registry and crossed with Cali's Cancer Registry. Additional data were obtained directly from clinical records, pathology reports and the clinical laboratory. Patients younger than 18 years and those for whom limited information was available in the medical history were excluded. A survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 500 patients met eligibility criteria. Median age was 64 years (IQR: 54-74 years), 39.8% were female, 22.2% were at an early stage, 32.2% had a locally advanced disease, and 29% a metastatic disease, 69% had intestinal subtype, 48.6% had a positive H. pylori test, 85.2% had a distal lesion, 62% underwent gastrectomy, 60.6% lymphadenectomy, and 40.6% received chemotherapy. Survival at 5 years for all cases was 39.9% (CI 95% 35.3-44.5). Survival decreased over time in all groups and was lower in age-groups <39 and 60-79 with either locally advanced or metastatic disease. Prognostic factors that were significant in the Cox proportional-hazards model were late stages of the tumor (locally advanced: HR=2.52; metastatic: HR=4.17), diffuse subtype (HR=1.40), gastrectomy (subtotal: HR=0.42; total: 0.44) and palliative chemotherapy (HR=0.61). Conclusions: The treatment of GA has changed in recent decades. GA survival was associated with clinical staging, diffuse subtype, gastrectomy and palliative chemotherapy. These findings must be interpreted in the context of a hospital-based study.

Survival of patients living with HIV and cancer in Cali, Colombia.

Background: People living with HIV have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population. However, with the increase in life expectancy and advances in antiretroviral therapy, the survival of patients with cancer and HIV has changed. Objective: To determine the survival of patients living with HIV and cancer in Cali, Colombia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Data from the HIV database was crossed with data from the hospital and population-based cancer registries between 2011-2019. Patients <18 years, limited available clinical information on the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and cancer, and non-oncological tumor diagnosis were excluded. Results: A total of 173 patients were included. The frequencies of AIDS-defining neoplasms were: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (42.8%), Kaposi sarcoma (27.8%), and cervical cancer (4.6%). Overall survival was 76.4% (95% CI 68.9-82.3) at five years. Poorer survival was found in patients with AIDS-defining infections (56.9% vs. 77.8%, p=0.027) and non-AIDS-defining infections (57.8% vs. 84.2%, p=0.013), while there was better survival in patients who received antiretroviral therapy (65.9% vs. 17.9%, p=0.021) and oncological treatment (66.7% vs. 35.4%, p<0.001). The presence of non-AIDS-defining infections increases the risk of dying (HR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.05-5.46, p=0.038), while oncological treatment decreases it (HR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.80, p=0.014). Conclusions: In people living with HIV, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma are the most common neoplasms. Factors such as AIDS-associated and non-AIDS-associated infections have been identified as determinants of survival. Cancer treatment seems to improve survival.

Antecedentes: Las personas que viven con VIH tienen un riesgo mayor de cáncer en comparación con la población general. Sin embargo, con el aumento de la esperanza de vida y los avances en la terapia antirretroviral, la supervivencia de los pacientes con cáncer y VIH ha cambiado. Objetivo: Determinar la supervivencia de los pacientes que viven con VIH y cáncer en Cali, Colombia. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo en la Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Los datos de la base de datos de VIH se cruzaron con los datos de los registros de cáncer de base hospitalaria y poblacional entre 2011-2019. Se excluyeron los pacientes <18 años, con información clínica limitada disponible sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento del VIH y el cáncer y los casos con diagnóstico de tumor no oncológico. Resultados: Se incluyeron un total de 173 pacientes. Las frecuencias de neoplasias definitorias de SIDA fueron: linfoma no Hodgkin (42.8%), sarcoma de Kaposi (27.8%) y cáncer cervical (4.6%). La supervivencia global fue del 76.4% (IC 95% 68.9-82.3) a los cinco años. Se encontró una peor supervivencia en pacientes con infecciones definitorias de SIDA (56.9% vs. 77.8%, p=0.027) e infecciones no definitorias de SIDA (57.8% vs. 84.2%, p=0.013), mientras que hubo una mejor supervivencia en pacientes que recibieron terapia antirretroviral (65.9% vs. 17.9%, p=0.021) y tratamiento oncológico (66.7% vs. 35.4%, p<0.001). La presencia de infecciones no definitorias de SIDA aumentó el riesgo de morir (HR = 2.39, IC 95% 1.05-5.46, p=0.038), mientras que el tratamiento oncológico lo disminuyó (HR = 0.33, IC 95% 0.14-0.80, p=0.014). Conclusiones: En las personas que viven con VIH, el linfoma no Hodgkin y el sarcoma de Kaposi son las neoplasias más comunes. Se han identificado factores como las infecciones asociadas al SIDA y las infecciones no asociadas al SIDA como determinantes de la supervivencia. El tratamiento del cáncer parece mejorar la supervivencia.

Mean platelet volume as a predictor of platelet count recovery in dengue patients.

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is a marker of severity in dengue, and its resolution predicts clinical improvement. The objective was to evaluate mean platelet volume (MPV) trajectories as a predictor of platelet count (PC) recovery in dengue patients. METHODS: An observational, longitudinal and analytical study was conducted at Fundación Valle del Lili (Cali, Colombia). Patients diagnosed with dengue during 2016-2020 were included. The association between PC and the covariates was evaluated using simple linear, quadratic and non-parametric spline smoothing regression models. A longitudinal linear mixed model was adjusted and then validated for PC measurements. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients were included. The median age was 27 y, 38.5% were women and half had dengue with warning signs. A statistically significant PC decrease was observed when MPV was 13.87 fL and 4.46 d from the onset of symptoms, while PC displayed a significant constant increase with neutrophils count. Then, PC recovery was achieved with an MPV of 13.58 fL, 4.5 d from the onset of symptoms and a minimum neutrophils count of 150 µL. CONCLUSION: MPV may be a predictor of PC recovery in dengue patients. PC recovery is expected when a patient has an MPV of 13.58 fL, an onset time of 4.5 d and a neutrophils count of 150 µL.

Acceptability and usability of a mobile application for management and surveillance of vector-borne diseases in Colombia: An implementation study.

BACKGROUND: Vector-borne diseases are a public health problem in Colombia, where dengue virus infection is hyperendemic. The introduction of other arboviruses, such as chikungunya and Zika in the last three years, has aggravated the situation. Mobile health (mHealth) offers new strategies for strengthening health care and surveillance systems promoting the collection, delivery, and access of health information to professionals, researchers, and patients. Assessing mobile application performance has been a challenge in low- and middle-income countries due to the difficulty of implementing these technologies in different clinical settings. In this study, we evaluate the usability and acceptability of a mobile application, FeverDX, as a support tool in the management of patients with febrile syndrome and suspected arboviruses infection by general practitioners from Colombia. METHODS: A pilot implementation study was conducted to evaluate the usability and acceptability of FeverDX using the modified version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS). The evaluation form included 25 questions regarding quantity and quality of information, engagement, functionality, aesthetics, impact, and acceptability by healthcare workers. Each item uses a 5-point scale (1-Inadequate, 2-Poor, 3-Acceptable, 4-Good, 5-Excellent). A global score was obtained for the evaluation form test by determining the median scores of each subsection. A descriptive statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed. RESULTS: Between December 2016 and January 2017, a total of 20 general practitioners from the Emergency room and hospitalization areas evaluated FeverDX. Less than half (9/20) of the evaluators had a comprehensive knowledge of the Colombian Ministry of Health's guidelines for the diagnosis and management of arboviruses, and evaluators partially (4/9) or completely (5/9) agreed that the content of the application follows the management guidelines. On uMARS scale, FeverDX excelled regarding impact (median 5; IQR = 5-5), functionality (median 5; IQR = 4.8-5), and information and scientific basis (median 4; IQR = 4-4). FeverDX scored well regarding user feedback (median 4; IQR = 4-4.5), design and aesthetics (median 4; IQR = 4-4.3), and subjective assessment of quality (median 4.5; IQR = 4.3-4.8). CONCLUSIONS: FeverDX, a mobile application, is a novel mHealth strategy to strengthen care processes and facilitate the detection and reporting of notifiable surveillance diseases. It could improve adherence to clinical practice guidelines for the management and prevention of prevalent diseases as arboviruses in healthcare settings. Although this pilot study used a small sample size, FeverDx performed adequately in a simulated emergency consultation. Further implementation studies are needed to increase the reliability of mHealth technologies in different scenarios.

Comparison of two identification and susceptibility test kits for Ureaplasma spp and Mycoplasma hominis in amniotic fluid of patients at high risk for intra-amniotic infection.

Objective: Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis are the most common microorganisms found in the amniotic fluid of patients at risk for preterm delivery. However, culture techniques for genital mycoplasms require special conditions, are barely considered as part of the evaluation of suspected intra-amniotic infection (IAI) and the results are available within 2 and 7 days. The objectives of this study are to validate the use of two commercially available kits (Mycoplasma IES y MYCOFAST® RevolutioN) for the identification of Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma hominis in amniotic fluid, to compare the results of these kits with those obtained by culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and to report the antibiotic sensitivity profile of the genital mycoplasms identified.Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including women with singleton and twin gestations between 16 and 36 weeks. Patients were admitted to perform an amniocentesis due to pregnancy complications considered at high risk for IAI (e.g. preterm labor with intact membranes, preterm prelabour rupture of membranes, short cervix, etc.), treatment of polyhydramnios, and for the assessment of fetal death and fever without a focus.Results: Overall, 93 patients underwent amniocentesis and 63 had results available for all tests. The prevalence of a positive culture was 6% (4/63). There were four cases of Ureaplasma spp. and none of Mycoplasma hominis. The qPCR identified one case as Ureaplasma spp., one case as Ureaplasma parvum and two cases as Ureaplasma urealyticum. For all tests, the diagnostic performance was as follows: sensitivity 100% [95% CI (39.8-100%)], specificity 100% [95% CI (93.9-100%)], positive predictive value 100% [95% CI (39.8-100%)] and negative predictive value 100% [95% CI (93.9-100%)]. In this cohort, Ureaplasma spp. showed low resistance to erythromycin, but a high resistance to clindamycin and clarithromycin that may change according to the antibiotic concentration.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study that validates the use of the Mycoplasma IES and MYCOFAST® RevolutioN kits for the identification of genital mycoplasmas in amniotic fluid. The results of these kits are mostly available within 24 hours, have an excellent correlation with those from broth cultures and qPCR and characterize the antibiotic sensitivity profile of the genital mycoplasms identified, providing an opportunity for specific treatment in cases of IAI. Further validation studies in other populations are needed.

Dengue Virus Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Dengue fever is the most prevalent arbovirus infection among humans, and tropical regions are hyperendemic for this infection. The number of solid organ transplant recipients is continuously increasing, and there are few data regarding the clinical course and outcomes of dengue infection among this population. We report on a retrospective case series of solid organ transplant recipients with dengue virus infection from 2001 to 2018 at Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali, Colombia. A total of 20 patients were included. The median age was 50.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 31-63.5 years) and 65% were female. Regarding the clinical course, 75% of patients had at least one warning sign, 45% were managed in the intensive care unit, and 30% had severe dengue. The median of time from transplant and dengue infection was 27.6 months (IQR = 3.82-59.12 months), and three patients had the disease in the first month after the transplant. All patients were discharged, and none of them had graft rejection. Dengue is an endemic disease in our region and represents a threat among solid organ transplantation recipients. All patients had a full recovery after the infection, suggesting that timely and effective management of patients and the access to high-complexity services could prevent fatal cases.

A scoping review of transmission of dengue virus from donors to recipients after solid organ transplantation.

Dengue virus can infect humans through vectorial and non-vectorial transmission. Classically, non-vectorial transmission has been related to vertical transmission and health care-associated infections, but recently transmission to solid organ and bone marrow recipients has been reported. We performed a scoping review of the available literature searching for evidence on screening for dengue in potential organ donors and the use of these infected organs. From 372 unique records identified, 17 were eligible to be included in our scoping study. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, three studies were included. These studies described a total of six patients from India (two case reports; n=2) and Colombia (one case series; n=4). Three patients received a liver, two received a kidney and one had a heart transplant. The onset of symptoms occurred in the first week after transplant in all cases and all experienced fever as the primary symptom. All patients presented thrombocytopenia with a platelet count <50 000. None of the patients developed graft rejection. However, four patients presented graft complications. No recipient deaths occurred. There is not a strong recommendation for dengue screening of donors in transplantation guidelines, but in endemic areas, physicians should be aware of this type of transmission before transplantation.

Emerging carbapenem-resistant Aeromonas spp. infections in Cali, Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Aeromonas species are renowned enteric pathogens with virulence determinants linked to human diseases, such as gastroenteritis, skin, soft-tissue and muscle infections, and septicemia. A recent concern of resistance in this organism has emerged, especially the presence carbapenemases. Herein we describe a case series of emerging carbapenem-resistant Aeromonas species infection in our hospital in Cali, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases from 2012 to 2018 are reported. Clinical data was abstracted from the clinical charts and laboratory information. Phenotypic detection of resistance was identified using the VITEK®2 system (BioMérieux) and broth microdilution MicroScan WalkAway plus System (Beckman Coulter). CARBA NP-test and multiplex qPCR assay was performed in 11 isolates to identify genes encoding carbapenemases (blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP and blaNDM). RESULTS: 21 cases of Aeromonas infection in hospitalized patients with phenotypic resistance to carbapenems were studied. The median age was 50 years, 55% (12/21) were male, and 67% (14/21) were healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Aeromonas hydrophila was the most common species (19/21). Forty-three percent (9/21) of the patients were immunocompromised. The mortality was 33% (7/21), and in patients with bacteremia was 100%. Most patients received empirical treatment with meropenem and failed to this treatment. PCR amplification tests showed negative results for the carbapenemases analyzed. CONCLUSION: Emerging phenotypic carbapenem-resistant infection has been seen in our hospital, most as HAI. High mortality was found, especially in immunocompromised patients and in those who failled empirical treatment with carbapenems. As the main carbapenemases tested were negative, carbapenem-resistant could be attributed to an intrinsic metallo-ß-lactamase, CphA encoded by the cphA gene, possible hyperproduction of ampC ß-lactamase and/or porins expression.

Absceso hepático en Cali, Colombia / Liver abscess in Cali, Colombia

INTRODUCCIÓN: El absceso hepático (AH) es el tipo mas común de abscesos viscerales. Se estima que el perfil epidemiológico de esta enfermedad ha cambiado con el aumento de la resistencia de los microorganismos y el uso de nuevos medicamentos. OBJETIVO: Describir las características demográficas y clínicas de los pacientes hospitalizados con diagnóstico de AH en un hospital universitario del suroccidente colombiano. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo, en la Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de 18 años con diagnóstico de AH hospitalizados entre 2011-2020. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 182 pacientes. La mediana de edad fUe 56 años (rango intercuartílico, 45-67) y 62,1% fueron hombres. El microrganismo mas común fue Klebsiella pneumoniae (17,6%). La mayoría requirió drenaje percutáneo (58,2%). El 58,8% tuvo un absceso único y 54,4% fue manejado en cuidados intensivos. El 7,1% de los pacientes falleció. Al comparar los casos que fueron manejados en cuidados intensivos vs. aquellos que no lo fueron, hubo más hepatomegalia (28,3 vs. 11,0%, p = 0,004), derrame pleural derecho (48,5 vs. 28,1%, p = 0,010), cirugía (42,4 vs. 13,4%, p < 0,001), falla terapéutica (22,2 vs. 7,3%, p = 0,007) y muerte (12,1 vs. 1,2%, p = 0,005) en los atendidos en UCI. CONCLUSIÓN: Las Enterobacterales son la principal causa de AH en nuestra población. La mortalidad ha disminuido, pero la hospitalización en cuidados intensivos sigue siendo alta.

BACKGROUND: Liver abscess (LA) is the most common type of visceral abscess. It is estimated that the epidemiological profile of this disease has changed with the increase in resistance and the use of new drugs. AIM: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of LA in a university hospital in the southwestern region of Colombia. METHODS: A. retrospective observational study was conducted at Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Patients older than 18 years with a diagnosis of LA hospitalized between 2011-2020 were included. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients were included. The median age was 56 years (interquartile range, 45-67) and 62.1% were men. The most common microorganism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.6%). The majority required percutaneous drainage (58.2%). A 58.8% had a single abscess and 54.4% were treated in ICU. A 7.1% of the patients died. When comparing cases treated in the ICU vs. those who did not, there was more hepatomegaly (28.3 vs. 11.0%, p = 0.004), right pleural effusion (48.5 vs. 28.1%, p = 0.010), surgery (42.4 vs. 13.4%, p < 0.001), therapeutic failure (22.2 vs. 7.3%, p = 0.007) and death (12.1 vs. 1.2%, p = 0.005) in patients treated in ICU. CONCLUSION: Enterobacterales are the main cause of LA in our population. Mortality has decreased, but intensive care hospitalization remains high.

Overcoming Barriers in the Implementation of Programs for Breast and Cervical Cancers in Cali, Colombia: A Pilot Model.

Breast and cervical cancers are leading causes of mortality among women in Latin America. Colombia has universal health care and a government-sponsored 10-year cancer control plan focused on prevention, early detection, and treatment. However, many administrative and social barriers have hindered its success, and a majority of patients are diagnosed at a late stage. Established in 2012, Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention (PFCCAP) works to decrease the burden of these cancers by mitigating the obstacles women face during their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Through community outreach meetings with medical personnel, hospital directors, and government officials, PFCCAP identified major barriers, including lack of trained health care personnel, few centers with adequate screening equipment, and a fragmented health system with significant administrative delays and poor continuity of care. Its solution included monthly teleconferences, biannual on-site training, quality control programs, and improved access to screening equipment. PFCCAP also initiated a patient navigation project. After implementation of the PFCCAP plan of action, from 2012 to 2018, the average time from initial consult to biopsy decreased from 65 to 20 days; from biopsy to diagnosis, 33 to 4 days; and from diagnosis to surgery, 121 to 60 days. To date, more than 1,500 women have benefited from this initiative, which has expanded to other regions. Overall, PFCCAP is creating centers of excellence in strategically located hospitals and promoting the implementation of national guidelines. Although several barriers still exist, PFCCAP is helping to implement an efficient health care model that can be replicated in other underserved populations.

Discordancia entre pruebas de susceptibilidad genotípicas y fenotípicas para tuberculosis en Cali, Colombia: un reto en la práctica clínica / Discordance between genotypic and phenotypic susceptibility tests for tuberculosis in Cali, Colombia: a challenge in the clinical practice

INTRODUCCIÓN: La detección de patrones de resistencia de Mycobacterium tuberculosis se basa en pruebas de susceptibilidad fenotípicas y genotípicas. Los resultados discordantes entre ellas son un desafío clínico para el manejo de pacientes con tuberculosis resistente a fármacos. OBJETIVO: Evaluar la concordancia entre pruebas fenotípicas y moleculares en pacientes con tuberculosis resistente a fármacos atendidos en una institución de Cali, Colombia. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal en el que se obtuvo el perfil de sensibilidad fenotípico de cultivos de micobacterias y la susceptibilidad genotípica con las pruebas moleculares Xpert-MTB/ RIF® o Genotype-MDRTBplus ®. Se evaluó el porcentaje de resistencia y porcentaje de acuerdo entre los resultados de las pruebas fenotípicas y genotípicas. Se estimó un coeficiente de kappa de Cohen (κ) para cada tipo de resistencia según la prueba utilizada. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 30 casos con resultados de pruebas genotípicas y fenotípicas. Las pruebas fenotípicas detectaron resistencia a fármacos de primera línea en 29/30 casos, mientras que las moleculares detectaron la resistencia en todos los casos evaluados. El porcentaje de resistencia a rifampicina detectado entre la prueba fenotípica y Genotype-MDRTBplus ® &e 61,5% (acuerdo global 41,1%, κ = 0,40, p = 0,96), mientras que el porcentaje de resistencia detectado con Xpert-MTB/RIF® fue 100% (acuerdo global 81,82%, κ: 0,00, p < 0,001) para este mismo medicamento. El porcentaje de resistencia a isoniacida detectado entre la prueba fenotípica y Genotype-MDRTBplus ® fue 94,4% (acuerdo global 89,47%, κ: -0,055 p = 0,59). CONCLUSIONES: La discordancia entre los resultados de las pruebas genotípicas y fenotípicas es posible, por lo que es importante usar e interpretar ambos tipos de pruebas de manera complementaria en el diagnóstico de la resistencia a fármacos de primera línea en la infección por M. tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: The detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance patterns is based on phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility tests. The discordant results between them are a clinical challenge for the management of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis. Aim: To evaluate the concordance between phenotypic and molecular tests in patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis treated in an institution in Cali, Colombia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A phenotypic sensitivity profile was obtained from mycobacterial cultures. The genotypic susceptibility was obtained with Xpert-MTB/ RIF® or Genotype-MDRTBplus ®. The percentage of resistance and percentage of agreement between the results of the phenotypic and genotypic tests were evaluated. A Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) was estimated for each type of resistance according to the test used. RESULTS: A total of 30 cases with both genotypic and phenotypic testing were included. The phenotypic tests detected resistance to first-line drugs in 29/30 cases, while the molecular tests detected resistance in all the cases evaluated. The percentage of resistance detected between Genotype-MDRTBplus® and the phenotypic test for rifampicin was 61.5% (overall agreement 41.1%, κ = 0.40, p = 0.96), while the percentage of resistance detected with XpertMTB/RIF® was 100% (overall agreement 81.82%, κ: 0.00, p < 0.001) for this same drug. Resistance to isoniazid detected by both types of tests was 94.4% (overall agreement 89.47%, κ: -0.055 p = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Discordance between the results of genotypic and phenotypic tests is possible, so it is important to use and interpret both types of tests in a complementary way in the diagnosis of resistance to first-line drugs in M. tuberculosis infection.

Survival of patients living with HIV and cancer in Cali, Colombia

Background: People living with HIV have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population. However, with the increase in life expectancy and advances in antiretroviral therapy, the survival of patients with cancer and HIV has changed. Objective: To determine the survival of patients living with HIV and cancer in Cali, Colombia Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Data from the HIV database was crossed with data from the hospital and population-based cancer registries between 2011-2019. Patients <18 years, limited available clinical information on the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and cancer, and non-oncological tumor diagnosis were excluded. Results: A total of 173 patients were included. The frequencies of AIDS-defining neoplasms were: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (42.8%), Kaposi sarcoma (27.8%), and cervical cancer (4.6%). Overall survival was 76.4% (95% CI 68.9-82.3) at five years. Poorer survival was found in patients with AIDS-defining infections (56.9% vs. 77.8%, p=0.027) and non-AIDS-defining infections (57.8% vs. 84.2%, p=0.013), while there was better survival in patients who received antiretroviral therapy (65.9% vs. 17.9%, p=0.021) and oncological treatment (66.7% vs. 35.4%, p<0.001). The presence of non-AIDS-defining infections increases the risk of dying (HR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.05-5.46, p=0.038), while oncological treatment decreases it (HR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.80, p=0.014). Conclusions: In people living with HIV, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma are the most common neoplasms. Factors such as AIDS-associated and non-AIDS-associated infections have been identified as determinants of survival. Cancer treatment seems to improve survival.

Antecedentes: Las personas que viven con VIH tienen un riesgo mayor de cáncer en comparación con la población general. Sin embargo, con el aumento de la esperanza de vida y los avances en la terapia antirretroviral, la supervivencia de los pacientes con cáncer y VIH ha cambiado. Objetivo: Determinar la supervivencia de los pacientes que viven con VIH y cáncer en Cali, Colombia. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo en la Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia. Los datos de la base de datos de VIH se cruzaron con los datos de los registros de cáncer de base hospitalaria y poblacional entre 2011-2019. Se excluyeron los pacientes <18 años, con información clínica limitada disponible sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento del VIH y el cáncer y los casos con diagnóstico de tumor no oncológico. Resultados: Se incluyeron un total de 173 pacientes. Las frecuencias de neoplasias definitorias de SIDA fueron: linfoma no Hodgkin (42.8%), sarcoma de Kaposi (27.8%) y cáncer cervical (4.6%). La supervivencia global fue del 76.4% (IC 95% 68.9-82.3) a los cinco años. Se encontró una peor supervivencia en pacientes con infecciones definitorias de SIDA (56.9% vs. 77.8%, p=0.027) e infecciones no definitorias de SIDA (57.8% vs. 84.2%, p=0.013), mientras que hubo una mejor supervivencia en pacientes que recibieron terapia antirretroviral (65.9% vs. 17.9%, p=0.021) y tratamiento oncológico (66.7% vs. 35.4%, p<0.001). La presencia de infecciones no definitorias de SIDA aumentó el riesgo de morir (HR = 2.39, IC 95% 1.05-5.46, p=0.038), mientras que el tratamiento oncológico lo disminuyó (HR = 0.33, IC 95% 0.14-0.80, p=0.014). Conclusiones: En las personas que viven con VIH, el linfoma no Hodgkin y el sarcoma de Kaposi son las neoplasias más comunes. Se han identificado factores como las infecciones asociadas al SIDA y las infecciones no asociadas al SIDA como determinantes de la supervivencia. El tratamiento del cáncer parece mejorar la supervivencia.