Seroprevalence of selected viral, bacterial and parasitic infections among inpatients of a public psychiatric hospital of Mexico.

We sought to determine the frequency of serological markers of selected infections in a population of psychiatric patients in Durango City, Mexico, and to determine whether there are any epidemiological characteristics of the subjects associated with the infections. One hundred and five inpatients of a public psychiatric hospital of Durango were examined for HBsAg, anti-HCV antibodies, anti-HIV antibodies, anti-Brucella antibodies, rapid plasma reagin and anti-Cysticercus antibodies by commercially available assays. Anti-Cysticercus antibodies were confirmed by Western blot and HBsAg by neutralization assay. Epidemiological data from each participant were also obtained. Seroprevalences of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, anti-Brucella, rapid plasma reagin and anti-Cysticercus antibodies found were 0.0%, 4.8%, 0.9%, 0.0%, 1.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. Overall, 9 (8.6%) inpatients showed seropositivity to any infection marker. We concluded that our psychiatric inpatients have serological evidence of a number of infections. HCV is an important pathogen among our psychiatric inpatients. Health care strategies for prevention and control of infections in Mexican psychiatric patients should be considered.

[Seroreactivity to hepatitis B virus surface antigen among different population groups in the City of Durango, Mexico]. / Serorreactividad al antígeno de superficie del virus de la hepatitis B en diversos grupos de población de la ciudad de Durango, México.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in several groups of populations in Durango City, Mexico. METHODS: An observational and comparative study was conducted in 6 groups of population in a total of 775 persons in Durango City, Mexico. The groups studied were 141 registered female sex workers, 100 medical students, 150 blood donors, 104 persons applying for medical certificates, 100 pregnant women, and 180 drug addicts. Serum samples of participants were analyzed for HBsAg by an immunoassay. HBsAg confirmation was performed by neutralization assay. RESULTS: Out of the 775 participants, 13 (1.7%) were positive by the immunoassay, and only 1 (0.1%) resulted positive by the confirmatory assay. This positive case was a drug addict and had a history of surgery and national and international trips. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HBsAg in several groups of population in Durango City is low; the seroprevalence is comparable to or lower than those informed in other Mexican cities. It is strongly recommended to perform the HBsAg confirmation test due to low specificity of the immunoassay.

Seroepidemiology of infection with Toxoplasma gondii in healthy blood donors of Durango, Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in blood donors could represent a risk for transmission in blood recipients. There is scarce information about the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in blood donors in Mexico. Therefore, we sought to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection and associated socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics in a population of healthy blood donors of Durango City, Mexico. METHODS: Four hundred and thirty two blood donors in two public blood banks of Durango City, Mexico were examined for T. gondii infection between August to September 2006. Blood donors were tested for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by using enzyme-linked immunoassays (Diagnostic Automation Inc., Calabasas, CA, USA). Socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics from each participant were also obtained. RESULTS: Thirty two (7.4%) of 432 blood donors had IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies. Eight (1.9%) of them had also IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies. Multivariate analysis using logic regression showed that T. gondii infection was associated with the presence of cats at home (adjusted OR = 3.81; 95% CI: 1.45-10.01). The age group of 45-60 years showed a significantly higher frequency of T. gondii infection than the group of 25-34 years (p = 0.02). Blood donors without education had a significantly higher frequency of infection (15.8%) than those with 13-19 years of education (4.5%) (p = 0.04). Other characteristics of blood donors including male gender, consumption of undercooked meat or blood transfusion did not show an association with infection. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of T. gondii infection in healthy blood donors of Durango City, Mexico is lower than those reported in blood donors of south and central Mexico, and is one of the lowest reported in blood donors worldwide. T. gondii infection in our blood donors was most likely acquired by contact with cats. Prevalence of infection increased with age and decreased with educational level.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in psychiatric inpatients in a northern Mexican city.

BACKGROUND: Patients with psychiatric disorders were found to show a high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection. There is scarce information about the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in psychiatric patients in Mexico. Therefore, we sought to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection and associated socio-demographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics in a population of psychiatric patients in Durango City, Mexico. Seroprevalence in patients was compared with that obtained in a control population. METHODS: One hundred and thirty seven inpatients of a public psychiatric hospital and 180 controls were examined for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by enzyme-linked immunoassay (Diagnostic Automation Inc., Calabasas, CA, USA). The control population consisted of blood donors of a public blood bank and elderly persons attending a senior center in the same city. Age in controls (42 years +/- 20.2) was comparable with that of the psychiatric patients (43.7 years +/-13.8) (p = 0.42). Socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics from the patients were also obtained. RESULTS: Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies indicating latent infection with T. gondii was found in 25 (18.2%) of 137 psychiatric inpatients and 16 (8.9%) of 180 controls (p = 0.02). Ten (26.3%) of 38 schizophrenic patients had latent infection and this prevalence was also significantly higher than that observed in controls (p = 0.005). Prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies was comparable among patients and controls (4.4% vs 2.2%, respectively, p = 0.22). Multivariate analysis showed that T. gondii infection in inpatients was positively associated with sexual promiscuity (adjusted OR = 15.8; 95% CI: 3.8-64.8), unwashed raw fruit consumption (adjusted OR = 5.19; 95% CI: 2.3-11.3), and a history of surgery (adjusted OR = 6.5; 95% CI: 2.6-16), and negatively associated with lamb meat consumption (adjusted OR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.10-0.63). CONCLUSION: In the present study, psychiatric inpatients in Durango, Mexico, in general and schizophrenia inpatients in particular had a significantly higher prevalence of T. gondii infection than the control group. Results suggest that unwashed raw fruit consumption might be the most important route of T. gondii transmission in our psychiatric inpatients while lamb meat consumption the less important. Additional studies will have to elucidate the causative relation between infection with T. gondii and psychiatric disorders.

Serorreactividad al antígeno de superficie del virus de la hepatitis B en diversos grupos de población de la ciudad de Durango, México / Seroreactivity to hepatitis B virus surface antigen among different population groups in the City of Durango, Mexico", "_i": "en

Objetivo: Determinar la seroprevalencia del antígeno de superficie del virus de la hepatitis B (HBsAg) en diversos grupos de la población de la ciudad de Durango, México. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional y comparativo en seis grupos de población en un total de 775 personas adultas en la ciudad de Durango, México. Los grupos estudiados fueron 141 sexoservidoras registradas, 100 estudiantes de medicina, 150 donadores de sangre, 104 solicitantes de certificados médicos, 100 mujeres embarazadas, y 180 adictos a drogas. Se analizó el suero de los participantes para detectar el HBsAg mediante ensayo inmunoenzimático. La confirmación del HBsAg se realizó mediante prueba de neutralización. Resultados: De 775 personas, 13 (1.7%) fueron positivas al ensayo inmunoenzimático y solo una (0.1%) resultó positiva a la prueba confirmatoria. Este caso confirmado fue un adicto a drogas con antecedentes de cirugía y viajes nacionales y al extranjero. Conclusiones: La seroprevalencia de HBsAg en diversos grupos de la población de la ciudad de Durango, México, es baja, es comparable o más baja a las informadas en otras ciudades de México. Se recomienda realizar la prueba confirmatoria del HBsAg por la baja especificidad del ensayo inmunoenzimático.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in several groups of populations in Durango City, Mexico. METHODS: An observational and comparative study was conducted in 6 groups of population in a total of 775 persons in Durango City, Mexico. The groups studied were 141 registered female sex workers, 100 medical students, 150 blood donors, 104 persons applying for medical certificates, 100 pregnant women, and 180 drug addicts. Serum samples of participants were analyzed for HBsAg by an immunoassay. HBsAg confirmation was performed by neutralization assay. RESULTS: Out of the 775 participants, 13 (1.7%) were positive by the immunoassay, and only 1 (0.1%) resulted positive by the confirmatory assay. This positive case was a drug addict and had a history of surgery and national and international trips. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HBsAg in several groups of population in Durango City is low; the seroprevalence is comparable to or lower than those informed in other Mexican cities. It is strongly recommended to perform the HBsAg confirmation test due to low specificity of the immunoassay.

Seroprevalence of selected viral, bacterial and parasitic infections among inpatients of a public psychiatric hospital of Mexico / Soroprevalência de infecções virais bacterianas e parasíticas nos pacientes internados em hospital público psiquiátrico do México

We sought to determine the frequency of serological markers of selected infections in a population of psychiatric patients in Durango City, Mexico, and to determine whether there are any epidemiological characteristics of the subjects associated with the infections. One hundred and five inpatients of a public psychiatric hospital of Durango were examined for HBsAg, anti-HCV antibodies, anti-HIV antibodies, anti-Brucella antibodies, rapid plasma reagin and anti-Cysticercus antibodies by commercially available assays. Anti-Cysticercus antibodies were confirmed by Western blot and HBsAg by neutralization assay. Epidemiological data from each participant were also obtained. Seroprevalences of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, anti-Brucella, rapid plasma reagin and anti-Cysticercus antibodies found were 0.0 percent, 4.8 percent, 0.9 percent, 0.0 percent, 1.9 percent, and 0.9 percent, respectively. Overall, 9 (8.6 percent) inpatients showed seropositivity to any infection marker. We concluded that our psychiatric inpatients have serological evidence of a number of infections. HCV is an important pathogen among our psychiatric inpatients. Health care strategies for prevention and control of infections in Mexican psychiatric patients should be considered.

Procuramos determinar a frequência de marcadores sorológicos de infecções em pacientes psiquiátricos da cidade de Durango, México e determinar se existem características epidemiológicas dos pacientes que podem ser associados a estas infecções. Cento e cinco pacientes internados neste hospital psiquiátrico de Durango foram examinados para HBsAg, anticorpos anti-HCV, anticorpos anti-HIV, anticorpos anti-Brucella, reaginas plasmáticos imediatas e anticorpos anti-Cysticercus por testes comerciais. Os anticorpos anti-Cysticercus foram confirmadoss por Western Blot e o HbsAg por testes de neutralização. Dados epidemiológicos de cada participante foram também obtidos. Soroprevalências encontradas de HbsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, anti-Brucella, reagina plasmática imediata e anticorpos anti-Cysticercus foram respectivamente 0,0 por cento, 4,8 por cento, 0,9 por cento, 0,0 por cento, 1,9 por cento e 0,9 por cento. No conjunto, 9 (8,6 por cento) de pacientes internados mostraram soropositividade para marcador infeccioso. Concluímos que nossos pacientes psiquiátricos internados têm evidência sorológica de infecções. HCV é um patógeno importante entre os pacientes psiquiátricos internados. Estratégias de saúde pública para prevenção e controle de infecções em pacientes psiquiátricos do México devem ser consideradas.