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Lu VM, Brun JD, Niazi TN, Brun JD. Pediatric neurosurgical medulloblastoma outcomes in La Paz, Bolivia: How a Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC) institution in South America compares to the United States. J Neurooncol 2024:10.1007/s11060-024-04664-9. [PMID: 38563852 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-024-04664-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND How pediatric medulloblastoma patients fare in Lower Middle-Income Country (LMICs) in South America is not well understood. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to summarize the pediatric neurosurgical experience of an institution in La Paz, and compare outcomes to that of a generalized High Income Country (HIC) United States (US) experience. METHODS A retrospective review of all pediatric neurosurgical medulloblastoma patients at the Children's Hospital of La Paz, Bolivia (Hospital del Niño "Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria") between 2014 and 2023 was conducted and compared to a generalized US experience abstracted from the US National Cancer Database (NCDB) and National Inpatient Sample (NIS) databases. Categorical, continuous and survival data were statistically summarized and compared. RESULTS A total of 24 pediatric medulloblastoma patients underwent neurosurgical treatment at the Hospital del Niño. In this La Paz cohort, there were 15 (63%) males and 9 (38%) females, with a mean age of 5.6 years old at diagnosis. The majority of patients underwent subtotal resection (STR, 79%), while the remaining patients underwent biopsy only. Ten (42%) patients expired during their hospitalization, and mean length of stay overall was 39 days. Only 8 (33%) patients received adjuvant treatment after surgery. Median overall survival from diagnosis in the La Paz cohort was 1.9 months. Compared to the US databases, the La Paz cohort experienced significantly more emergency room admissions for surgery, less gross total resection, more STR, more return to operating room for ventriculoperitoneal shunting, more bacteremia, more tracheostomy procedures, more percutaneous gastrostomy placements, longer lengths of stay, less adjuvant chemotherapy, less radiation therapy, shorter follow-up, and ultimately, significantly shorter overall survival (all P < 0.050). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric neurosurgical medulloblastoma outcomes at the Children's Hospital of La Paz, Bolivia are significantly inferior to that of a generalized US experience. Future research is required to identify institution- and country-specific initiatives to improve discrepancies between institutions in LMICs in South America compared to HICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Lu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Hospital del Niño "Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria", La Paz, Bolivia.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Jorge Daniel Brun
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Hospital del Niño "Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria", La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Toba N Niazi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jorge David Brun
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Hospital del Niño "Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria", La Paz, Bolivia
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Linares Terrazas D, Luna Barrón B, Taboada López G. [Inequalities in time to diagnosis of Down Syndrome in Bolivia]. Salud Colect 2024; 20:e4710. [PMID: 38512123 DOI: 10.18294/sc.2024.4710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Down Syndrome is the most common genetic condition and a leading cause of intellectual disability. Individuals in rural areas, particularly those with disabilities, often face disparities in healthcare access. Analyzing clinical records of patients diagnosed with Down Syndrome between 2013 and 2022 by the Institute of Genetics at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in La Paz, Bolivia, this study examined the time to diagnosis for 250 patients with Down Syndrome. The findings revealed that patients from rural areas with Down Syndrome take an average of five months to receive a diagnosis, compared to two months in urban areas (p<0.001). No significant differences were found in the time to diagnosis based on gender. However, a higher proportion of males from rural areas was observed (p=0.03). The results suggest that individuals in rural areas face challenges in receiving a timely diagnosis. On the other hand, women may not be brought to cities for proper diagnosis and treatment due to gender biases in certain communities. The importance of improving access to early diagnosis and treatment in rural areas is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Linares Terrazas
- Médico. Auxiliar de investigación, Unidad de Citogenética, Instituto de Genética, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Beatriz Luna Barrón
- Médica. Docente investigadora, Instituto de Genética, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Gonzalo Taboada López
- Médico. Docente investigador, Instituto de Genética, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
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Mazzucchi A. Cognitive evaluation and rehabilitation in high- and low-income countries. J Neuropsychol 2024; 18:1-14. [PMID: 37424164 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Starting from her own personal experience, in the First Part of the article, the author reconstructs how the specialized sectors of cognitive evaluation and rehabilitation evolved in Western countries (Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, in particular) during the second half of the last century and the first decades of this century. In the Second Part, she describes her personal experience in setting up a rehabilitation centre dedicated to traumatic brain-injured subjects and her commitment to international cooperation (Bolivia, Rwanda, Myanmar, Tanzania) in the field of cognitive evaluation and rehabilitation in favour of people with congenital and acquired cerebral pathology, especially in the paediatric age, since there is an almost total lack of diagnostic, but above all, rehabilitative procedures for cognitive functions in low-middle income countries. In the Third Part of the article, the author carries out an extensive review of the international literature on the differences in access to cognitive diagnostic evaluation and cognitive rehabilitation in middle- and low-income countries - but not only - underlining the urgent need to launch a major international collaborative effort to reduce and eliminate these discrepancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mazzucchi
- Former Teacher of Neuropsychology and Neurological Rehabilitation, University of Parma, Parma PR, Italy
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Tirado N, Mamani J, De Loma J, Ascui F, Broberg K, Gardon J. Genotoxicity in humans exposed to arsenic, lithium, and boron in drinking water in the Bolivian Andes-A cross sectional study. Environ Mol Mutagen 2024. [PMID: 38385761 DOI: 10.1002/em.22587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Elevated concentrations of arsenic, lithium and boron in drinking water have already been reported in Bolivia. Arsenic is known to cause genotoxicity but that caused by lithium and boron is less well known. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate potential genotoxic effects of exposure to arsenic, while considering exposure to lithium and boron and genetic susceptibility. Women (n = 230) were recruited in villages located around Lake Poopó. Exposure to arsenic was determined as the sum of concentrations of arsenic metabolites inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in urine. Exposure to lithium and boron was determined based on their concentrations in urine. Genetic susceptibility was determined by GSTM1 (glutathione S-transferase-mu-1) and GSTT1 (glutathione S-transferase-theta-1) null genotypes and AS3MT (Arsenite Methyltransferase) rs3740393. Genotoxicity was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes using the comet assay. The geometric means of arsenic, lithium, and boron concentrations were 68, 897, and 3972 μg/L, respectively. GSTM1 and GSTT1 null carriers had more DNA strand breaks than gene carriers (p = .008, p = .005). We found no correlation between urinary arsenic and DNA strand breaks (rS = .03, p = .64), and only a weak non-significant positive association in the adjusted multivariate analysis (β = .09 [-.03; .22], p = .14). Surprisingly, increasing concentrations of lithium in urine were negatively correlated with DNA strand breaks (rS = -.24, p = .0006), and the association persisted in multivariate analysis after adjusting for arsenic (β = -.22 [-.36; -.08], p = .003). We found no association between boron and DNA strand breaks. The apparent protective effect of lithium merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Tirado
- Genetics Institute, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Josué Mamani
- Genetics Institute, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Jessica De Loma
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Franz Ascui
- Programa de salud familiar comunitaria e Intercultural del Ministerio de Salud de, Oruro, Bolivia
| | - Karin Broberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jacques Gardon
- Hydrosciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Torrico MC, Ballart C, Fernández-Arévalo A, Solano M, Rojas E, Abras A, Gonzales F, Mamani Y, Arnau A, Lozano D, Gascón J, Picado A, Torrico F, Muñoz C, Gállego M. The need for culture in tegumentary leishmaniasis diagnosis in Bolivia: A comparative evaluation of four parasitological techniques using two sampling methods. Acta Trop 2024; 250:107092. [PMID: 38065375 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are zoonotic diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. In Bolivia, leishmaniasis occurs mainly in the cutaneous form (CL) followed by the mucosal or mucocutaneous form (ML or MCL), grouped as tegumentary leishmaniosis (TL), while cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are rare. The cases of TL are routinely diagnosed by parasitological methods: Direct Parasitological Exam (DPE) and axenic culture, the latter being performed only by specialized laboratories. The aim of the present study was to optimize the parasitological diagnosis of TL in Bolivia, using two sampling methods. Samples from 117 patients with suspected TL, obtained by aspiration (n = 121) and scraping (n = 121) of the edge of the lesion were tested by: direct parasitological exam, culture in TSTB medium, and miniculture and microculture in Schneider's medium. A positive laboratory result by any of the four techniques evaluated using either of the two sampling methods was considered the gold standard. Of the 117 suspected patients included, TL was confirmed in 96 (82 %), corresponding 79 of the confirmed cases (82.3 %) to CL and 16 (16.7 %) to ML. Parasitological techniques specificity was 100 % and their analytical sensitivity was greater with scraping samples in TSTB culture (98 %). Scraping samples in TSTB and miniculture correlated well with the reference (Cohen's kappa coefficient=0.88) and showed good reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient ≥0.91). Microculture provided positive results earlier than the other culture methods (mean day 4.5). By day 14, 98 % of positive cultures had been detected. Scraping sampling and miniculture were associated with higher culture contamination (6 % and 17 %, respectively). Bacterial contamination predominated, regardless of the sampling and culture method, while filamentous fungi and mixed contamination were more frequently observed in cultures from scraping samples. In conclusion: (i) scraping samples proved more suitable for the diagnosis of TL as they increased analytical sensitivity, are less traumatic for the patient and are safer for laboratory personnel than aspirates; (ii) culture, mainly in TSBT medium, should be used for the diagnosis of TL due to its high sensitivity (doubling the number of cases diagnosed by DPE) and its low cost compared to other culture media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Cruz Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia; Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
| | - Cristina Ballart
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Fernández-Arévalo
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Solano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Ernesto Rojas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Alba Abras
- Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Fabiola Gonzales
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Yercin Mamani
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia; Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Albert Arnau
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Daniel Lozano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia; Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | - Albert Picado
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Faustino Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia; Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Carmen Muñoz
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Montserrat Gállego
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
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Darmostuk V, Flakus A. First molecular evidence of lichen-inhabiting Acrospermum and new insights into the evolution of lifestyles of Acrospermales (Dothideomycetes). Mycologia 2024; 116:17-30. [PMID: 37955982 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2264131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Acrospermales represent one of the least studied lineages of Dothideomycetes and are characterized by diverse ecological strategies, including saprotrophic, epiphytic, fungicolous, lichenicolous, and bryophilous lifestyles. The order is composed of two teleomorphic genera, Acrospermum and Oomyces, and five anamorphic genera of unclear relationships. The objectives of the study were to establish the phylogenetic position of Acrospermum species collected from lichens in the tropical forest of Bolivia and to infer the evolution of the lichenicolous lifestyle in Acrospermales. Our results reveal that the examined specimens from Bolivia represent a new species, A. bolivianum, which is well characterized by its phylogenetic distinctness, morphological characteristics, and host selection. The new species is the first lichenicolous member of Acrospermum and forms a well-supported clade sister to the bryophilous Acrospermum adeanum. The evolution of lifestyles, concluded by phylogenetic analyses and ancestral state reconstructions, indicated that the saprotrophic lifestyle is ancestral to Acrospermales. This corresponds to their close relationship to other saprotrophic lineages of Dothideomycetes and indicates that the wide spectrum of nutritional strategies, currently observed in Acrospermales, may be a result of more recent shifts in their ecology. Our results also suggest that the lichenicolous lifestyle in Acrospermales appeared independently at least two times. Lichenicolous species are represented in our data set by Acrospermum bolivianum and Gonatophragmium physciae, which evolved from lichenicolous and plant-parasite ancestors, respectively. The genus Oomyces, represented by O. carneoalbus, was included for the first time in the phylogenetic analysis and showed a sister relationship to the remaining taxa of Acrospermales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerii Darmostuk
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, Krakow PL-31-512, Poland
| | - Adam Flakus
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, Krakow PL-31-512, Poland
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Limachi-Choque J, Guitian J, Leyns C, Guzman-Rivero M, Eid D. Risk factors for COVID-19 mortality in hospitalized patients in Bolivia. IJID Reg 2023; 9:95-101. [PMID: 38020182 PMCID: PMC10643226 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to ascertain which factors are associated with higher risk of mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 Bolivian patients. Methods This retrospective observational study assessed risk factors associated with mortality in patients (n = 549) hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a Bolivian hospital between April 6, 2020, and August 18, 2022. Results The results provide evidence of association between male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-2.6), older age, 51-61 years-old (OR = 5.2, 95% CI 2.2-12.6), 62-70 years-old (OR = 8.7, 95% CI 3.7-20.5), >70 years-old (OR = 16.9, 95% CI 7.1-39.9), and blood group A (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.4) with higher mortality risk. The strong association between mortality and relatively young age, may be due to high frequency of undiagnosed comorbidities. Vaccination was associated with a reduction in mortality only when time period of hospitalization was not adjusted for. Conclusion Among hospitalized patients in Bolivia male sex, older age, and blood group A are associated with higher mortality risk. Mortality risk increased markedly from a relatively young age and decreased in parallel to the uptake of the vaccination program. However, the gradual reduction in mortality can also be due to improved patient management and changes in natural immunity and virulence of circulating strains as the pandemic progressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhonny Limachi-Choque
- Centro Universitario de Medicina Tropical (CUMETROP), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Unidad de Epidemiologia, Corporación del Seguro Social Militar (COSSMIL), Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Institute of Biomedical Research and Social Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Javier Guitian
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Christine Leyns
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Miguel Guzman-Rivero
- Centro Universitario de Medicina Tropical (CUMETROP), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Institute of Biomedical Research and Social Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Daniel Eid
- Centro Universitario de Medicina Tropical (CUMETROP), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Institute of Biomedical Research and Social Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
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Shellenberg KM, Acre VN, Bhattarai N, Adojutelegan YA, Oginni A. Development and validation of a perceived abortion self-efficacy scale: results from Bolivia, Nepal and Nigeria. Sex Reprod Health Matters 2023; 31:2240570. [PMID: 37565792 PMCID: PMC10424611 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2023.2240570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this research was to develop and assess the validity of a scale to measure perceived abortion self-efficacy (PASE). Perceived abortion self-efficacy is defined as an individual's perceived confidence in their ability to carry out the tasks necessary to end a pregnancy safely and successfully. During the first phase of this study between February and April 2018, we conducted qualitative research using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with women in Bolivia, Nepal, and Nigeria to explore domains of PASE. Using the qualitative data, we prepared a draft set of measures with 31 items. In October and November 2018, the second phase of the study included field testing 31 draft items with a convenience sample of approximately 1200 women across the three study countries. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify an appropriate scale structure, resulting in a 15-item, 3-factor model. The three factors represent the concepts of enlisting social resources, accessing information and care, and resilience. In the third and final phase in September and October 2019, the validity of the 15 scale items was assessed. The scale was administered to a new sample of approximately 400 women in each country. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test model fit for the scale structure identified during the second phase. The results from this study suggest that the final PASE scale has considerable potential to be a valid measure of PASE. The new 15-item PASE scale presented in this paper can be used to evaluate programmes or interventions designed to improve women's PASE and to assess the state of PASE in populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valerie N Acre
- Senior Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, Ipas, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Navaraj Bhattarai
- formerly Research and Evaluation Advisor, Ipas Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Ayodeji Oginni
- formerly Senior Research and Evaluation Advisor, Ipas Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
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Veith T, Beltran-Saavedra LF, Bleicker T, Schmidt ML, Mollericona JL, Grützmacher K, Wallace R, Drexler JF, Walzer C, Jones TC, Drosten C, Corman VM. Divergent Genotype of Hepatitis A Virus in Alpacas, Bolivia, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2524-2527. [PMID: 37796297 PMCID: PMC10683824 DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.231123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a common human pathogen found exclusively in primates. In a molecular and serologic study of 64 alpacas in Bolivia, we detected RNA of distinct HAV in ≈9% of animals and HAV antibodies in ≈64%. Complete-genome analysis suggests a long association of HAV with alpacas.
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Sorhaindo AM, Castle S, Flomen L, Lathrop E, Mohagheghpour S, Dabash R, Toedtli FK, Wilkins R, Läser L, Titulaer P, Nyamato E, Dakouo ML, Awadallah A, Shrestha R, Morales M, Rehnström Loi U. Adaptations to comprehensive abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic: case studies of provision in Bolivia, Mali, Nepal, and the occupied Palestinian territory. Sex Reprod Health Matters 2023; 31:2249694. [PMID: 37747711 PMCID: PMC11003643 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2023.2249694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted comprehensive abortion care provision. To maintain access to services while keeping individuals safe from infection, many organisations adapted their programmes. We conducted a programme evaluation to examine service adaptations implemented in Bolivia, Mali, Nepal, and the occupied Palestinian territory. Our programme evaluation used a case study approach to explore four programme adaptations through 14 group and individual interviews among 16 service providers, facility managers and representatives from supporting organisations. Data collection took place between October 2021 and January 2022. We identified adaptations to comprehensive abortion care services in relation to provision, health information systems and counselling, and referrals. Four overarching strategies emerged: (1) the use of digital technologies, (2) home and community outreach, (3) health worker optimisation, and (4) further consideration of groups in vulnerable situations. In Bolivia, the use of a messaging application increased access to confidential gender-based violence support and comprehensive abortion care. In Mali, the adoption of digital approaches created timely and complete data reporting and trained members of the community served as "interlocutors" between the communities and providers. In Nepal, an interim law expanded medical abortion provision to pharmacies, and home visits complemented facility-based services. In the occupied Palestinian territory, the use of a hotline and social media expanded access to quick and reliable information, counselling, referrals, and post-abortion care. Adaptations to comprehensive abortion care service delivery to mitigate disruptions to services during the COVID-19 pandemic may continue to benefit service quality of care, access to care, routine monitoring, as well as inclusivity and communication in the longer term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annik Mahalia Sorhaindo
- Technical Consultant, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Castle
- Technical Consultant, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lola Flomen
- Mixed Health Systems Consultant, Population Services International, WashingtonDC, USA
| | - Eva Lathrop
- Global Medical Director, Population Services International, WashingtonDC, USA
| | - Shirine Mohagheghpour
- Senior Technical Advisor for Service Delivery, Population Services International, WashingtonDC, USA
| | - Rasha Dabash
- Senior Technical Consultant, Ipas, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Wilkins
- Technical Lead, Abortion, International Planned Parenthood Federation, London, UK
| | - Laurence Läser
- Technical Officer UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Titulaer
- Technical Consultant, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ernest Nyamato
- Global Associate Director, Quality of Care, Ipas, Nairobi County, Kenya
| | - Mary Lea Dakouo
- Senior Technical Advisor, Population Services International, Bamako, Mali
| | - Ammal Awadallah
- Executive Director, Palestine Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA), Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Raman Shrestha
- Global Evidence and Impact Advisor, Marie Stopes Nepal, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Malena Morales
- Country Director Bolivia, Ipas LAC Region, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Ulrika Rehnström Loi
- Technical Officer, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211Geneva, Switzerland
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11
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Acre VN, Küng SA, Arce C, Yapu A, Iriondo D, Morales M. Reach, experience, and acceptability of an abortion self-care intervention in Bolivia: a mixed-methods evaluation. Sex Reprod Health Matters 2023; 31:2139888. [PMID: 36867125 PMCID: PMC9987779 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2022.2139888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2018, Ipas Bolivia launched an abortion self-care (ASC) community intervention with the goal of increasing access to supportive, well-informed abortion support provided by community agents (CAs). Between September 2019 and July 2020, Ipas conducted a mixed-methods evaluation to assess the reach, outcomes, and acceptability of the intervention. We used logbook data maintained by CAs to capture demographic characteristics and ASC outcomes of people supported. We also conducted in-depth interviews with 25 women who had received support and 22 CAs who had provided support. 530 people accessed ASC support through the intervention, most of whom were young, single, educated women accessing abortion in the first trimester. Among the 302 people who self-managed their abortions, 99% reported having a successful abortion. No women reported adverse events. All women interviewed expressed satisfaction with the support provided by the CA and, in particular, with the information, lack of judgement, and respect they felt from CAs. CAs spoke highly about their experience and viewed their participation as a way to increase people's ability to exercise their reproductive rights. Obstacles included experiences of stigma, fears of legal repercussions, and difficulties dispelling misconceptions around abortion. Legal restrictions and abortion stigma continue to complicate access to safe abortion, and findings from this evaluation highlight important avenues for the effectiveness and expansion of ASC interventions, including legal support to people who have abortions and those who provide abortion support, building capacity of people as informed buyers, and ensuring that interventions reach rural and other often under-served people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie N Acre
- Senior Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, Ipas, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Correspondence:
| | | | | | - Adela Yapu
- Program Manager, Ipas Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia
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12
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Calderon Toledo C, von Mentzer A, Agramont J, Thorell K, Zhou Y, Szabó M, Colque P, Kuhn I, Gutiérrez-Cortez S, Joffré E. Circulation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) isolates expressing CS23 from the environment to clinical settings. mSystems 2023; 8:e0014123. [PMID: 37681982 PMCID: PMC10654058 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00141-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The importance of clean water cannot be overstated. It is a vital resource for maintaining health and well-being. Unfortunately, water sources contaminated with fecal discharges from animal and human origin due to a lack of wastewater management pose a significant risk to communities, as they can become a means of transmission of pathogenic bacteria like enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). ETEC is frequently found in polluted water in countries with a high prevalence of diarrheal diseases, such as Bolivia. This study provides novel insights into the circulation of ETEC between diarrheal cases and polluted water sources in areas with high rates of diarrheal disease. These findings highlight the Choqueyapu River as a potential reservoir for emerging pathogens carrying antibiotic-resistance genes, making it a crucial area for monitoring and intervention. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the feasibility of a low-cost, high-throughput method for tracking bacterial pathogens in low- and middle-income countries, making it a valuable tool for One Health monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Calderon Toledo
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Astrid von Mentzer
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jorge Agramont
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Kaisa Thorell
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology (CMB), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Yingshun Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, The public platform of the Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Miklós Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patricia Colque
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inger Kuhn
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergio Gutiérrez-Cortez
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Enrique Joffré
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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13
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Leyns CC, Stilma Memelink D, Bullinga L, De Maeseneer J, Willems S, Campman Melssen C. Integrated person- and people-centred primary care for diabetes in low- and middle-income countries: The nurses' perspective on patient needs. J Adv Nurs 2023; 79:4044-4057. [PMID: 37427833 DOI: 10.1111/jan.15760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to identify what nurses working in primary care settings perceive as necessary to support the life needs of people with type 2 diabetes. Articulate these needs with the needs expressed by people with diabetes in a previous study. Finally, illustrate the potential of the used method. DESIGN A highly structured qualitative group method for brainstorming and idea sharing was used to generate a participant-owned concept map that can support and evaluate practice change. METHODS Data were collected between April and May 2022 in two public primary healthcare centres in Sacaba, Bolivia, with 33 professional nurses, technical nurses, nurse trainees and one physician. The concept mapping process by Trochim was used to generate, share and structure ideas, maximizing equality of input. RESULTS The nurses identified 73 unique needs that were structured in 11 conceptual clusters related to four different stakeholders or domains: organization of care and health policy, strengthening knowledge, skills and attitudes of healthcare providers, empower people living with diabetes and their family, and community-level health promotion and diabetes education. CONCLUSION The needs and domains identified by nurses and people with type 2 diabetes are very similar and inform a multisectoral and transdisciplinary action plan to jointly monitor and evaluate progress towards people-centred care for people with diabetes. IMPACT This study demonstrates nurses' important contribution to analysing and designing people-centred care in their community. They identify and act upon social determinants of health related to schools, safety and legislation. Besides global relevance, results inform the municipal health plan and an ongoing research project on cardiometabolic health. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Data from prior patient consultations were included in the study design, and study results inform the municipal health plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Cecile Leyns
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Research Institute of Social Sciences, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | | | | | - Jan De Maeseneer
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sara Willems
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Fernandez-Guzman D, Lavarello R, Yglesias-González M, Hartinger SM, Rojas-Rueda D. A scoping review of the health co-benefits of climate mitigation strategies in South America. Lancet Reg Health Am 2023; 26:100602. [PMID: 37876667 PMCID: PMC10593577 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2023.100602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The accelerated production of greenhouse gases (GHG) due to human activity has led to unprecedented global warming, making climate mitigation strategies crucial for minimizing its impacts. South America, a region highly vulnerable to climate change, stands to benefit from implementing such strategies to reduce future risks and generate health co-benefits. This scoping review, aimed to assess the existing evidence on the health benefits of climate mitigation strategies in South American countries. PubMed, Web of Science, and LILACS databases were searched until June 15, 2023. Nine studies published between 2001 and 2021 were analyzed, focusing on Brazil, Chile, and Bolivia. All the studies identified in this review used scenario modeling. They evaluated various GHG emission mitigation strategies, including land management, reducing livestock production, biofuel production, increased active transportation, renewable energy, and waste reduction. Only one study looked at GHG capture and sequestration through afforestation. Given the limited information available, there is a pressing need for more research on the region's potential health, environmental, and economic co-benefits. This review serves as a starting point and suggests that climate mitigation can offer a range of positive co-benefits, such as improved air quality and increased resilience to climate impacts, thereby advancing public health initiatives. Funding MYG was supported by the Wellcome Trust (grant number 209734/Z/17/Z). The other authors did not receive financial support for their research or authorship. The publication of this article was financially supported by Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Romina Lavarello
- Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Marisol Yglesias-González
- Centro Latinoamericano de Excelencia en Cambio Climático y Salud, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Stella M. Hartinger
- School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Rojas-Rueda
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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15
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Lexchin J. Canada and the pharmaceutical industry in the time of COVID-19. Int J Soc Determinants Health Health Serv 2023; 53:508-517. [PMID: 37574784 PMCID: PMC10631262 DOI: 10.1177/27551938231195434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic showed the close relationship between the Canadian government and the pharmaceutical industry when it came to both domestic and international issues. Domestically, the government chose to prioritize advice about vaccine acquisition from a panel of heavily conflicted people; it signed contracts worth billions of dollars with companies for vaccines but the contents of contracts were largely kept secret. The government also committed over CAD$1 billion in funding for research on COVID-19 but without any requirement that any forthcoming intellectual property or diagnostic and therapeutic products had to be accessible and affordable in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). On the international stage, Canada did not support the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool that aimed to provide a one-stop shop for scientific knowledge, data, and intellectual property to be shared equitably by the global community. It delayed donating vaccines to LMICs and bought vaccines from a facility designed mainly to provide vaccines to that group of countries. The government did not dismantle roadblocks that prevented a Canadian company from sending vaccines to Bolivia. Finally, it was ambiguous about whether it supported a patent waiver for COVID-19 technologies at the World Trade Organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Lexchin
- Professor Emeritus, School of Health Policy and Management, York University
- Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
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16
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Antkowiak L, Boynton-Jarrett R, Chiang SS, Castellon D, Gilbert PB, Juraska M, Sox CM, Huang CC. Violence Exposure Among Women in the Sex Industry and Their Children in El Alto, Bolivia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study. Violence Vict 2023; 38:736-753. [PMID: 37827582 DOI: 10.1891/vv-2021-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study to compare the prevalence of exposure to workplace violence and intimate partner violence (IPV) in 125 female sex workers (FSWs) and 125 age-matched control women working in other professions (non-FSWs) and their children in El Alto, Bolivia. Violence exposure was assessed using the Demographic Health Survey Domestic Violence Module. To determine associations between work type and violence exposure, we conducted multivariate logistic regression. One-third of working mothers experienced sexual IPV, regardless of their profession. FSWs experienced higher rates of severe physical IPV and workplace violence. Children of FSWs were approximately three times more likely to be exposed to violence in the workplace. In Bolivia, strategies to reduce exposure to violence within the home and in FSW workplaces are paramount to minimizing negative impacts on women and their children. These findings have implications for policies to improve education, living wages, and social interventions to prevent and mitigate violence against women and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Antkowiak
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Martha Eliot Family Health Center, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Silvia S Chiang
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for International Health, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Peter B Gilbert
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michal Juraska
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Colin M Sox
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chi-Cheng Huang
- Advocate Health Southeast Region, Section of Hospital Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
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17
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Montesinos-Tubée DB, Iamonico D. Neotypification for five names linked to Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae) for the endemic flora of Peru and Bolivia. PhytoKeys 2023; 230:131-144. [PMID: 37588039 PMCID: PMC10425874 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.230.107263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The names Arenariamattfeldii, A.pallens, A.peruviana, A.pintaudii, and A.stuebelii (Caryophyllaceae, Arenarieae) from Peru and Bolivia were studied and neotypified based on specimens preserved at B and P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B. Montesinos-Tubée
- Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM), Freie Universität Berlin, Königin–Luise–Str. 6–8, 14195 Berlin, GermanyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Instituto Científico Michael Owen Dillon, Av. Jorge Chávez 610, Cercado, Arequipa, PeruInstituto Científico Michael Owen DillonArequipaPeru
- Instituto de Ciencia y Gestión Ambiental de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa. Calle San Agustín 108, Arequipa, PeruInstituto de Ciencia y Gestión Ambiental de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de ArequipaArequipaPeru
| | - Duilio Iamonico
- Department of Environmental Biology, University of Rome Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, ItalyUniversity of Rome SapienzaRomeItaly
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Loayza Mafayle R, Morales-Betoulle ME, Whitmer S, Cossaboom C, Revollo J, Loayza NM, Méndez HA, Chuquimia Valdez JA, Subieta FA, Espinoza Morales MX, Canedo Sánchez MV, Romero MER, Brault AC, Hugues HR, Mendez-Rico J, Malenfant JH, Shoemaker T, Klena JD, Montgomery JM, Marquina Salas JD. Rio Negro Virus Infection, Bolivia, 2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:1705-1708. [PMID: 37486719 PMCID: PMC10370837 DOI: 10.3201/eid2908.221885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In May 2021, an agricultural worker originally from Trementinal, Argentina, sought treatment for febrile illness in Tarija, Bolivia, where he resided at the time of illness onset. The patient tested negative for hantavirus RNA, but next-generation sequencing of a serum sample yielded a complete genome for Rio Negro virus.
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19
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Vara-Horna AA, Asencios-Gonzalez ZB, Brad McBride J. Intimate Partner Violence Against Women and Workplace Productivity in the Financial Sector of Two Latin American Societies. Violence Against Women 2023:10778012231189479. [PMID: 37501604 DOI: 10.1177/10778012231189479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
This research determines the prevalence of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and its impact on labor productivity in the financial sector of two Latin American countries. Nine financial institutions participated in this study with surveys of 892 female employees in Bolivia and 393 in Paraguay. The results revealed that 40.1% in Bolivia and 18.7% in Paraguay experienced IPVAW. In Bolivia, this resulted in 6.686 lost workdays per year due to absenteeism and 7.640 workdays per year due to presenteeism (present but distracted). In Paraguay, 12.035 days were lost to absenteeism and 12.037 to presenteeism. This pioneering research highlights the significant influence of IPVAW on financial sector productivity and its broader economic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arístides A Vara-Horna
- Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University (USMP), Lima, Peru
| | - Zaida B Asencios-Gonzalez
- Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University (USMP), Lima, Peru
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20
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Basagoitia A, Burrowes S, Solis-Soto MT, MacMillan G, Sullivan S. Community and provider perceptions and experiences of cervical cancer screening in Rural Bolivia: a qualitative study. BMC Womens Health 2023; 23:359. [PMID: 37407967 PMCID: PMC10324272 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite efforts to increase cervical cancer screening access in rural Bolivia, uptake remains low. Bolivia has one of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the Americas. As it redoubles efforts to deliver Universal Health Care, the Bolivian government needs information on the factors constraining cervical cancer screening access and utilization, especially in rural areas. METHODS Our qualitative study explored cervical cancer screening barriers and described community and provider perceptions and experiences of care. Bolivian and US researchers analyzed data collected from eight focus groups with male and female community members (n = 80) and interviews with healthcare providers (n = 6) in four purposively selected rural communities in Hernando Siles, Bolivia. Deductive and inductive codes were used to thematically analyze data using MaxQDA software. RESULTS Four themes emerged from the data: lack of knowledge/misconceptions, health system inadequacy, lack of confidence in providers, and opportunities for improvement. Both men and women displayed misconceptions about the causes of cervical cancer, its consequences, the recommended screening frequency, and the means of accessing care. Providers noted community members' lack of knowledge and low risk-perception as utilization barriers but also highlighted poor health service quality and inconsistent health education as factors. Poor healthcare quality was a significant barrier; this included poor patient-provider communication, lack of transportation to screening facilities, and severe delays in receiving test results. Providers also noted problems with provider training and physical space for screening. Community members reported low confidence in nurses to perform screening, preferring doctors and specialists. They also expressed discomfort in having male healthcare providers conduct screening. Suggestions for improvements included more intensive cervical cancer outreach to rural areas and having specialists train lower-level providers to perform screening. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that poor healthcare quality has affected screening uptake in addition to physical barriers to care. They indicate a need for initiatives to reduce reporting time for Pap test results, the incorporation of community-based HPV self-sampling into screening protocols, and the implementation of programs to improve community confidence in providers' ability to perform screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Basagoitia
- Salud Global, Urriolagoitia #354 Primer Piso Urriolagoitia 354, Sucre, Bolivia
| | - Sahai Burrowes
- Touro University California Public Health Program, CEHS, 1310 Club Drive Vallejo, Vallejo, CA 94592 USA
| | | | - Genevieve MacMillan
- Touro University California Public Health Program, CEHS, 1310 Club Drive Vallejo, Vallejo, CA 94592 USA
| | - Sarah Sullivan
- Touro University California Public Health Program, CEHS, 1310 Club Drive Vallejo, Vallejo, CA 94592 USA
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Abstract
Our capacity to facilitate the empowerment of children is dependent on our ability to understand their values and experiences. This study aimed to explore Bolivian children's experiences of COVID-19. This study used a participatory action research method, photovoice, which involved focus groups, individual interviews and the use of cameras by participants to capture their reality and express their ideas through photographs. Ten participants aged 12-15 years were recruited from a school in the municipality of Mecapaca in Bolivia. Thematic analysis was used to identify and report response patterns. Four themes were developed through analysis: (i) sadness and fear of getting sick, (ii) the challenges of online learning, (iii) the tension between traditional knowledge and modern medicine, and (iv) the role of nature and culture in supporting well-being-natural and cultural capital. The narratives and choice of images by the children illustrate some issues and experiences. These findings also highlighted the importance of considering and exploring how children's experiences and interactions with their habitat, nature and their physical environment impacts on their health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisselle Gallego
- School of Medicine, Sydney, The University of Notre Dame, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Brett Scholz
- School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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22
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Romero-Alvarez D, Garzon-Chavez D, Jackson M, Avanzi C, Peterson AT. Mycobacterium leprae in Armadillo Tissues from Museum Collections, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:622-626. [PMID: 36823763 PMCID: PMC9973711 DOI: 10.3201/eid2903.221636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined armadillos from museum collections in the United States using molecular assays to detect leprosy-causing bacilli. We found Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in samples from the United States, Bolivia, and Paraguay; prevalence was 14.8% in nine-banded armadillos. US isolates belonged to subtype 3I-2, suggesting long-term circulation of this genotype.
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23
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Ito R, Maeda M, Takehara Y, Komori GD, Nishi Y, Kondo K, Nagata T, Armijo Subieta F, Crespo G, Shoji H. An epidemiological evaluation of COVID-19 in La paz, Bolivia. J Infect Chemother 2023; 29:333-8. [PMID: 36577452 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2022.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Plurinational State of Bolivia (Bolivia) has experienced four major waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) so far. Although the ministry of health has been tracking morbidity and mortality through each wave, epidemiology of COVID-19 in Bolivia is not well defined, despite a need for more accurate measurement of the number of cases and deaths to allow for forecasting of the pandemic. This study examined prevalence of COVID-19 at community level, determinants of its occurrence and vaccine effectiveness. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study in La Paz city on 2,775 individuals between March 2020 and February 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on COVID-19 morbidity, mortality and vaccination status. RESULTS Of the 2,775 participants, 1,586 (57.1%) were infected with COVID-19, and 187 (6.7%) were suspected cases. The mortality rate was 2.9%. Sinopharm, Johnson & Johnson, Gamaleya, Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna and AstraZeneka vaccines are in use, and all vaccines have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of onset. Risk for mortality was significantly lower in the vaccinated group with an odds ratio of 0.037 (95% confidential interval: 0.01-0.10, p-value: <0.001). CONCLUSIONS Actual prevalence of COVID-19 in La Paz (the prevalence rate: 63.8%, including suspected case) was higher than that reported by the Ministry of Health and Sports in Bolivia (7.5%). In addition, vaccination has contributed significantly to the control of the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia. We believe that our report will be useful for COVID-19 prevention strategies in Bolivia for the future.
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Pacheco-Solana A, Oelkers R, D’Arrigo R, Santos GM, Rodriguez-Caton M, Tejedor E, Ferrero E, Fuentes AF, Maldonado C, Andreu-Hayles L. Radiocarbon and wood anatomy as complementary tools for generating tree-ring records in Bolivia. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1135480. [PMID: 36909413 PMCID: PMC9997647 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1135480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The science of tropical dendrochronology is now emerging in regions where tree-ring dating had previously not been considered possible. Here, we combine wood anatomical microsectioning techniques and radiocarbon analysis to produce the first tree-ring chronology with verified annual periodicity for a new dendrochronological species, Neltuma alba (commonly known as "algarrobo blanco") in the tropical Andes of Bolivia. First, we generated a preliminary chronology composed of six trees using traditional dendrochronological methods (i.e., cross-dating). We then measured the 14C content on nine selected tree rings from two samples and compared them with the Southern Hemisphere (SH) atmospheric 14C curves, covering the period of the bomb 14C peak. We find consistent offsets of 5 and 12 years, respectively, in the calendar dates initially assigned, indicating that several tree rings were missing in the sequence. In order to identify the tree-ring boundaries of the unidentified rings we investigated further by analyzing stem wood microsections to examine anatomical characteristics. These anatomical microsections revealed the presence of very narrow terminal parenchyma defining several tree-ring boundaries within the sapwood, which was not visible in sanded samples under a stereomicroscope. Such newly identified tree rings were consistent with the offsets shown by the radiocarbon analysis and allowed us to correct the calendar dates of the initial chronology. Additional radiocarbon measurements over a new batch of rings of the corrected dated samples resulted in a perfect match between the dendrochronological calendar years and the 14C dating, which is based on good agreement between the tree-ring 14C content and the SH 14C curves. Correlations with prior season precipitation and temperature reveal a strong legacy effect of climate conditions prior to the current Neltuma alba growing season. Overall, our study highlights much potential to complement traditional dendrochronology in tree species with challenging tree-ring boundaries with wood anatomical methods and 14C analyses. Taken together, these approaches confirm that Neltuma alba can be accurately dated and thereby used in climatic and ecological studies in tropical and subtropical South America.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rose Oelkers
- Tree Ring Laboratory at LDEO, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Rosanne D’Arrigo
- Tree Ring Laboratory at LDEO, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Guaciara M. Santos
- Earth System Science Department, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Milagros Rodriguez-Caton
- Tree Ring Laboratory at LDEO, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ernesto Tejedor
- National Museum of Natural Sciences-Spanish Research Council, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eugenia Ferrero
- Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Alfredo F. Fuentes
- Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Instituto de Ecología, Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
- Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Carla Maldonado
- Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Instituto de Ecología, Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Laia Andreu-Hayles
- Tree Ring Laboratory at LDEO, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States
- Centro de Investigacion Ecologica y Aplicaciones Forestales (Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies), Barcelona, Spain
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Torrico MC, Fernández-Arévalo A, Ballart C, Solano M, Rojas E, Abras A, Gonzales F, Arnau A, Tebar S, Llovet T, Lozano D, Ariza-Vioque E, Gascón J, Picado A, Torrico F, Muñoz C, Gállego M. Usefulness of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry in the Characterization of Leishmania Strains Causing Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Bolivia versus hsp70 Gene Sequencing. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0347722. [PMID: 36633426 PMCID: PMC9927355 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03477-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a proteomic technique with proven efficiency in the identification of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The present study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS for the characterization of Leishmania species circulating in Bolivia using hsp70 gene sequencing as a reference technique. 55 Leishmania strains that were isolated from patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis were analyzed. MALDI-TOF MS identified two species of the L. braziliensis complex (L. braziliensis, n = 26; L. braziliensis outlier, n = 18), one species of the L. guyanensis complex (L. guyanensis, n = 1), one species of the L. lainsoni complex (L. lainsoni, n = 2), and two species of the L. mexicana complex (L. amazonensis, n = 5; and L. garnhami, n = 3). All of the strains were correctly identified at the subgenus, genus, and complex level, but 10 of them (18%) were misidentified as other species within the same complex by the hsp70 gene sequencing, with 7 of these corresponding to possible hybrids. Thus, one L. braziliensis corresponded to L. peruviana, two L. braziliensis corresponded to L. braziliensis/L. peruviana possible hybrids, two L. amazonensis corresponded to L. mexicana, and three L. garnhami and two L. amazonensis corresponded to L. mexicana/L. amazonensis possible hybrids. Accordingly, MALDI-TOF MS could be used as an alternative to molecular techniques for the identification of Leishmania spp., as it is low cost, simple to apply, and able to quickly produce results. In Bolivia, its application would allow for the improvement of the management of patient follow-ups, the updating of the epidemiological data of the Leishmania species, and a contribution to the control of tegumentary leishmaniasis. IMPORTANCE The objective of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS for the characterization of Leishmania species circulating in Bolivia, in comparison with the sequencing of the hsp70 gene. In our study, all of the isolates could be identified, and no misidentifications were observed at the complex level. Although the equipment implies a high initial investment in our context, MALDI-TOF MS can be used in different areas of microbiology and significantly reduces the cost of testing. Once the parasite culture is obtained, the technique quickly yields information by accessing a free database that is available online. This would allow for the improvement of the management of patients and follow-ups, the updating of the epidemiological data of the species, and a contribution to the control of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Bolivia. Likewise, it can be used to determine a specific treatment to be given, according to the causal species of Leishmania, when there are protocols in this regard in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Cruz Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Fernández-Arévalo
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Ballart
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Solano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Ernesto Rojas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Alba Abras
- Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Fabiola Gonzales
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Albert Arnau
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Silvia Tebar
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Llovet
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Daniel Lozano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Eva Ariza-Vioque
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III
| | - Albert Picado
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Faustino Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Carmen Muñoz
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Gállego
- Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III
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Ustariz K, Geleta M, Persson Hovmalm H, Ortiz R. Analysis of Genetic Diversity of Fescue Populations from the Highlands of Bolivia Using EST-SSR Markers. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13. [PMID: 36553578 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the highlands of Bolivia, native Festuca species are an important source of feed for animals due to their high tolerance to low temperatures and drought. Using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers developed from expressed sequence tags (ESTs), the genetic diversity of 43 populations of Festuca species from Oruro, La Paz, Potosi and Cochabamba departments was evaluated for the purpose of providing information for effective conservation and breeding. In total, 64 alleles were detected across the 43 populations. SSR locus NFA 142 (with 12 alleles) had the highest number of detected alleles, while locus FES 13 (with eight alleles) had the highest polymorphism information content (PIC) at 0.55. Based on Nei's genetic distance between populations, the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster analysis revealed two major clusters, each consisting of populations from the four departments. However, the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that only 5% of the total variation separated these two groups, indicating low genetic differentiation between the populations. It was also found that there was a low but significant differentiation (0.08%) between the population groups of the four departments (p = 0.01). The newly developed EST-SSR markers are highly valuable for evaluating the genetic diversity of Bolivian fescues and other related species.
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Luciani L, Lapidus N, Amroun A, Falchi A, Souksakhone C, Mayxay M, Dubot-Pérès A, Villarroel PMS, Diarra I, Koita O, Gallian P, de Lamballerie X. Orthopoxvirus Seroprevalence and Infection Susceptibility in France, Bolivia, Laos, and Mali. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2463-2471. [PMID: 36343384 PMCID: PMC9707606 DOI: 10.3201/eid2812.221136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To determine a demographic overview of orthopoxvirus seroprevalence, we tested blood samples collected during 2003-2019 from France (n = 4,876), Bolivia (n = 601), Laos (n = 657), and Mali (n = 255) for neutralizing antibodies against vaccinia virus. In addition, we tested 4,448 of the 4,876 samples from France for neutralizing antibodies against cowpox virus. We confirmed extensive cross-immunity between the 2 viruses. Seroprevalence of antibodies was <1% in Bolivia, <5% in Laos, and 17.25% in Mali. In France, we found low prevalence of neutralizing antibodies in persons who were unvaccinated and vaccinated for smallpox, suggesting immunosenescence occurred in vaccinated persons, and smallpox vaccination compliance declined before the end of compulsory vaccination. Our results suggest that populations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America are susceptible to orthopoxvirus infections, which might have precipitated the emergence of orthopoxvirus infections such as the 2022 spread of monkeypox in Europe.
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Razon N, Sideman AB. The work of reform: a critical examination of health policy. Anthropol Med 2022; 29:414-429. [PMID: 36621780 PMCID: PMC10075328 DOI: 10.1080/13648470.2022.2144805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Anthropologists have critically examined a range of reforms from education and land to finance and health. Yet the predominant way of looking at reforms has been through a lens focused on neoliberal governance. For example, prior studies of health reforms focus on insurance, financing, and access to care. Yet, seeing reform in this way fails to attend to other types of cultural work at play when calling a policy or law a reform. In this paper, we draw on ethnographic research on health policy reforms in Israel and Bolivia to examine the concept of reform and the work it does within national movements. We argue that while the language of reform often signals change or novelty, reforms also carry forward historical continuities and reifications of the past. By delving into the past and its relationship with ongoing health reforms, we attend to how reforms can reinforce and maintain health inequities in some cases, while creating a national language for new possibilities in others. Reform, as we will discuss in this paper, is not only about political ideology, neoliberal governance, or on-the-ground policy implementation, but centrally it is about representations of aspirations, and about crafting relationships between past, present, and future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na'amah Razon
- Family and Community Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Alissa Bernstein Sideman
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- ; Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Lewis A, Josiowicz A, Hirmas Riade SM, Tous M, Palacios G, Cisterna DM. Introduction and Differential Diagnosis of Monkeypox in Argentina, 2022. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2123-2125. [PMID: 35960545 PMCID: PMC9514367 DOI: 10.3201/eid2810.221075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report detection of cases of monkeypox virus infection in Argentina in the context of a marked increase in confounding cases of atypical hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome caused by enterovirus coxsackie A6. We recommend performing an accurate differential virological diagnosis for exanthematous disease in suspected monkeypox cases.
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Arias-Uriona AM, Pérez E, Llanos J, Cuellar R, Galarza PY. [Social determinants associated with self-reporting of symptoms and access to COVID-19 testing and diagnosis in the Plurinational State of BoliviaDeterminantes sociais associados ao autorrelato de sintomas, acesso a testagem e diagnóstico de COVID-19 no Estado Plurinacional da Bolívia]. Rev Panam Salud Publica 2022; 46:e114. [PMID: 36177303 PMCID: PMC9512684 DOI: 10.26633/rpsp.2022.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To identify the prevalence of self-reporting of symptoms and access to testing and diagnosis of coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19), as well as its association with social determinants of health (SDH). Methods Cross-sectional study with a sample of 11 728 men and 12 612 women over the age of 17, based on the National Household Survey 2020. The dependent variables were the self-reporting of symptoms, access to testing, and a positive COVID-19 test. The independent variables were age, educational level, area of residence and geographic area, ethnicity, type of household, income per capita, occupation, and health insurance. Prevalences, bivariate associations, and binomial logistical regression models (odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI95%) were calculated. Results Of the total individuals included, 16% reported symptoms, 10% a test, and 4.2% a positive COVID-19 test. Inequalities were observed in the reporting of COVID-19 symptoms, with a higher probability in women whose income had fallen (OR: 1.7; CI95%: 1.2-2.4) and unemployed persons (OR: 1.2; CI95%: 1.1-1.4 for men and OR: 1.3; CI95%: 1.5-1.5 for women). In contrast, with respect to access to diagnostic tests, the highest probability was observed in people with higher education (OR: 2.4; CI95%: 1.9-2.9 for men and OR: 2.7; CI95%: 2.2-3.4 for women), whose income was maintained (OR: 1.5; CI95%: 1.3-1.9 for men and OR: 1.7; CI95%: 1.4-2.0 for women) and those in the highest quartile of per capita household income (OR: 2.0; CI95%: 1.6-2.5 for men and OR: 1.6; CI95%: 1.3-2.0 for women). The probability of reporting symptoms and getting tested, and being diagnosed with COVID-19 increased with age for people with health insurance and those living in the llanos region; however, it decreased for residents of rural areas. Conclusions There are inequalities in access to testing and the reporting of COVID-19 symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Arias-Uriona
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias del Comportamiento (IICC)Universidad Católica Boliviana San PabloLa PazEstado Plurinacional de BoliviaInstituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias del Comportamiento (IICC), Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia.
| | - Esdenka Pérez
- Universidad Católica Boliviana San PabloLa PazEstado Plurinacional de BoliviaUniversidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
| | - Javier Llanos
- Universidad Católica Boliviana San PabloLa PazEstado Plurinacional de BoliviaUniversidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
| | - Rafael Cuellar
- Universidad Católica Boliviana San PabloLa PazEstado Plurinacional de BoliviaUniversidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
| | - Pamela Y. Galarza
- Universidad Católica Boliviana San PabloLa PazEstado Plurinacional de BoliviaUniversidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
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Urizar GG, Ramírez I, Caicedo BI, Mora C. Mental health outcomes and experiences of family caregivers of children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia. J Community Psychol 2022; 50:2682-2702. [PMID: 34845739 PMCID: PMC9015286 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examined whether certain demographic characteristics, caregiver strain, and coping behaviors were associated with the mental health outcomes of family caregivers of children with disabilities in Bolivia during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods convergent study design was used with virtual interviews to quantitatively assess caregivers' demographic characteristics, caregiver strain, coping behaviors, and mental health outcomes, as well as qualitatively assess how the pandemic affected their family. Approximately 32%-71% of caregivers experienced poor mental health outcomes (stress, anxiety, and depression), especially among those experiencing poor health, high caregiver strain, and those using maladaptive coping strategies. Qualitative responses revealed that they experienced several unique stressors during the pandemic that affected them and their children. These findings highlight the need for culturally tailored prevention and treatment interventions to help offset the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health outcomes of this at-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido G. Urizar
- Department of PsychologyCalifornia State UniversityLong BeachCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ivonne Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en NeurodesarrolloUniversidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de ChuquisacaSucreBolivia
| | - Brianna I. Caicedo
- Department of PsychologyCalifornia State UniversityLong BeachCaliforniaUSA
| | - Cindy Mora
- Department of PsychologyCalifornia State UniversityLong BeachCaliforniaUSA
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Spinicci M, Macchioni F, Gamboa H, Poma V, Villagrán AL, Strohmeyer M, Roselli M, Vargas R, Bartoloni A, Gabrielli S. Persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi vector-borne transmission among school-age children in the Bolivian Chaco documented by 24-month longitudinal serosurveillance. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2022; 117:58-60. [PMID: 35779279 PMCID: PMC9808515 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trac065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease represents a major public health concern in several Latin American countries, including Bolivia. METHODS We present a longitudinal serosurvey for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies among a cohort of 120 school-age children from rural communities in the Bolivian Chaco at three time points between 2017 and 2019. Serum samples extracted from dry blood spots collected on filter paper were tested for T. cruzi antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and rapid diagnostic test. RESULTS T. cruzi antibodies were detected in 7/120 (5.8%), 8/120 (6.7%) and 11/120 (9.2%) samples in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. An average incidence of 1.76 per 100 person-years was observed. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the persistence of vector-borne T. cruzi transmission in this area, highlighting the need for strengthening multidisciplinary efforts against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Spinicci
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy,SOD Malattie Infettive e Tropicali, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italy
| | - Fabio Macchioni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Herlan Gamboa
- Facultad Integral del Chaco, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Camiri, Bolivia
| | - Veronica Poma
- Escuela de Salud del Chaco Tekove Katu, Gutierrez, Bolivia
| | | | - Marianne Strohmeyer
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
| | - Mimmo Roselli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
| | - Roberto Vargas
- Servicio Departamental de Salud de Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | | | - Simona Gabrielli
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie infettive, Università di Roma Sapienza, Roma, Italy
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Boncompagni SR, Micieli M, Di Maggio T, Mantella A, Villagrán AL, Briggesth Miranda T, Revollo C, Poma V, Gamboa H, Spinicci M, Strohmeyer M, Bartoloni A, Rossolini GM, Pallecchi L. Relevant increase of CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli carriage in school-aged children from rural areas of the Bolivian Chaco in a three-year period. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 121:126-129. [PMID: 35568364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to perform two cross-sectional surveys on the fecal carriage of CTX-M-producing Enterobacterales in school-aged children from rural areas of the Bolivian Chaco (2016 vs 2019). METHODS A total of 757 fecal samples were collected from school-aged children living in nine indigenous communities (n=337, 2016; n=420, 2019). After a first passage onto MacConkey agar (MCA), samples were plated onto MCA plus cefotaxime 2 µg/mL (MCA-CTX), and a loopful of the bacterial growth was used as a template for the detection of group 1, 2, 8/25, and 9 blaCTX-M variants by multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction . Positive samples were tested again for detecting, identifying, and characterizing CTX-M-positive isolates. RESULTS Growth onto MCA-CTX was obtained with 208 samples (27.5%; 62/337, 2016; 146/420, 2019), of which 201 (96.6%) were positive for blaCTX-M genes. Overall, a relevant increase of fecal carriage of CTX-M-producing Enterobacterales was observed in the study period: 17,5% (59/337) in 2016 compared with 33,8% (142/420) in 2019, p<0.01. Nonetheless, the relative group distribution of CTX-M groups remained stable, with group 1 being the prevalent, followed by group 9 and group 8/25. Group 2 was not detected. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated an alarming spread of CTX-M enzymes in rural areas of the Bolivian Chaco, where antibiotics consumption is limited. Further studies are encouraged to better understand the dissemination dynamics of such relevant resistance determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene Rebecca Boncompagni
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Micieli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Tiziana Di Maggio
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, Siena, Italy
| | - Antonia Mantella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Anna Liz Villagrán
- Hospital Básico Villa Montes, Villa Montes, Plurinational State of Bolivia
| | | | - Carmen Revollo
- Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud (INLASA), La Paz, Plurinational State of Bolivia
| | - Veronica Poma
- Escuela de Salud del Chaco Tekove Katu, Gutierrez, Plurinational State of Bolivia
| | - Herlan Gamboa
- Facultad Integral del Chaco, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Camiri, Plurinational State of Bolivia
| | - Michele Spinicci
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Marianne Strohmeyer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bartoloni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Gian Maria Rossolini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy; Clinical Microbiology and Virology Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Lucia Pallecchi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Santa Maria alle Scotte University Hospital, Siena, Italy.
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Martín CM, Zanotti CA, Acuña-Castillo R, Henning T, Catari JC, Weigend M. Taxonomic revision of the peculiar genus Xylopodia (Loasaceae) with a new species from Argentina and Bolivia demonstrating an atypical trans-Andean disjunction. PhytoKeys 2022; 194:47-62. [PMID: 35586324 PMCID: PMC9033758 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.194.77827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Loasaceae subfam. Loasoideae are a nearly exclusively American plant group with a center of diversity in Peru. Numerous new taxa have been described over the past decades; one of the most striking discoveries was that of the narrowly endemic Xylopodia with the single species Xylopodiaklaprothioides in Peru, Dpto. Cajamarca in 1997. Surprisingly, field studies in the past years have resulted in the discovery of material clearly belonging to the same genus in both Bolivia and northern Argentina, approximately 1500 km SE of the next known population of Xylopodia in Contumazá, Peru. A closer examination shows that Argentinian and Bolivian material belongs to a single species, clearly different from Xylopodiaklaprothioides. We here describe Xylopodialaurensis and the entire genus is revised. Both species are illustrated, all aspects of their biology and ecology are portrayed and their threat status is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia M. Martín
- Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios en Diversidad Vegetal (CIEDIVE), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Alberdi 47, 4600, Jujuy, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (CONICET-UNJu), Canónigo Gorriti 237, 4600, Jujuy, Argentina
| | - Christian A. Zanotti
- Instituto de Botánica Darwinion, IBODA-CONICET, Labardén 200, Casilla de Correo 22, B1642HYD, San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rafael Acuña-Castillo
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Apdo. Postal 11501–2060 San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
- Herbario Luis A. Fournier Origgi, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET), Universidad de Costa Rica, Apdo. Postal 11501–2060 San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Tilo Henning
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Juan C. Catari
- Herbario del Oriente (USZ), Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Av. Irala 565, 2489, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Maximilian Weigend
- Nees-Institut für Biodiversität der Pflanzen, Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 171, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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35
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Kirikkaleli D, Oyebanji MO. Consumption-based carbon emissions, trade, and globalization: an empirical study of Bolivia. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:29927-29937. [PMID: 34997508 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The consequences of global trade on carbon dioxide emissions have been mainly investigated in several empirical papers; however, the consumption-based carbon emissions adjusted for international trade have been lacking in the literature. This empirical research seeks to address this gap by using consumption-based carbon emissions adjusted for trade in the case of Bolivia. Research over the years shows that Bolivia has had a consistent negative trade deficit which suggests that there might be a rise in consumption-based emission in this area in the present and the future. It also indicates that considerable emissions are attributable to the consumption of commodities and services transferred to Bolivia, which is beyond its control. Many studies, however, have delved into the production-based carbon emission for Bolivia. However, the consumption-based carbon emission adjusted for international trade has been missing in the case of Bolivia. Meanwhile, failure to recognize these emissions related to international trade produces an incomplete picture of the emissions triggers and the effectiveness of action to lessen emissions in this area. Hence, this study attempts to fill the gap. The impact of exports and imports are analyzed separately for 1970 to 2018. The empirical analysis confirms a negative effect of exports and GDP on consumption-based carbon emissions. In comparison, imports and globalization demonstrate a favorable impact on consumption-based carbon emissions and show their statistical significance. This study suggests that the Bolivia government should be cautious on policies targeted at increasing growth as this could be harmful to the sustainability of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dervis Kirikkaleli
- Department of Banking and Finance, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, European University of Lefke, Lefke, Northern Cyprus, TR-10, Mersin, Turkey.
| | - Modupe Oluyemisi Oyebanji
- Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, European University of Lefke, Lefke, Northern Cyprus, TR-10, Mersin, Turkey
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36
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Singh K, Li Q, Ahsan KZ, Curtis S, Weiss W. A comparison of approaches to measuring maternal mortality in Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Bolivia. Popul Health Metr 2022; 20:5. [PMID: 35033093 PMCID: PMC8760829 DOI: 10.1186/s12963-022-00281-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many low- and middle-income countries cannot measure maternal mortality to monitor progress against global and country-specific targets. While the ultimate goal for these countries is to have complete civil registrations systems, other interim strategies are needed to provide timely estimates of maternal mortality. Objective The objective is to inform on potential options for measuring maternal mortality. Methods This paper uses a case study approach to compare methodologies and estimates of pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR)/maternal mortality ratio (MMR) obtained from four different data sources from similar time periods in Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Bolivia—national population census; post-census mortality survey; household sample survey; and sample vital registration system (SVRS). Results For Bangladesh, PRMR from the 2011 census falls closely in line with the 2010 household survey and SVRS estimates, while SVRS’ MMR estimates are closer to the PRMR estimates obtained from the household survey. Mozambique's PRMR from household survey method is comparable and shows an upward trend between 1994 and 2011, whereas the post-census mortality survey estimated a higher MMR for 2007. Bolivia's DHS and post-census mortality survey also estimated comparable MMR during 1998–2003. Conclusions Overall all these data sources presented in this paper have provided valuable information on maternal mortality in Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Bolivia. It also outlines recommendations to estimate maternal mortality based on the advantages and disadvantages of several approaches. Contribution Recommendations in this paper can help health administrators and policy planners in prioritizing investment for collecting reliable and contemporaneous estimates of maternal mortality while progressing toward a complete civil registration system. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12963-022-00281-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karar Zunaid Ahsan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sian Curtis
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William Weiss
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA, USA
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37
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Mas-Coma S, Funatsu IR, Angles R, Buchon P, Mas-Bargues C, Artigas P, Valero MA, Bargues MD. Domestic pig prioritized in one health action against fascioliasis in human endemic areas: Experimental assessment of transmission capacity and epidemiological evaluation of reservoir role. One Health 2021; 13:100249. [PMID: 33997234 PMCID: PMC8091924 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Northern Bolivian Altiplano is the human fascioliasis hyperendemic area where the highest prevalences and intensities in humans have been reported. Preventive chemotherapy was implemented in the last ten years. Surveillance showed high human infection and re-infection rates in between the annual triclabendazole monodose treatments. A complementary One Health control action was launched to decrease the infection risk. Among the multidisciplinary axes, there is the need to establish animal reservoir species priorities for a more efficient control. Laboratory and field studies were performed for the first time to assess the Fasciola hepatica transmission capacity of the pig and its potential reservoir role. The experimental follow-up of altiplanic pig isolates through altiplanic Galba truncatula snail vector isolates were performed at different miracidial doses and different day/night temperatures. Experiments included egg embryonation, miracidial infectivity, lymnaeid snail infection, intramolluscan larval development, cercarial production, chronobiology of the cercarial shedding, vector survival to infection, metacercarial infectivity of mammal host, and adult stage development. Surveys included the assessment of prevalence, intensity, egg measurements and egg shedding rates in nature. Pig contribution was evaluated by comparing with the main altiplanic reservoirs sheep and cattle. Results demonstrated that the pig assures the whole F. hepatica life cycle and participates in its transmission in this area. The fast egg embryonation, high cercarial production, long multi-wave shedding chronobiological pattern in monomiracidial infections at permanent 20 °C temperature, and the high daily egg outputs per pig are worth mentioning. The high infection risk suggests early infection of freely running piglets and evolutionary long-term adaptation of the liver fluke to this omnivorous mammal, despite its previously evoked resistance or non-suitability. Genetic, physiological and immune similarities with humans may also underlie the parasite adaptation to humans in this area. The pig should be accordingly included for appropriate control measures within a One Health action against human fascioliasis. The pig should henceforth be considered in epidemiological studies and control initiatives not only in fascioliasis endemic areas with human infection risk on other Andean countries, but also in rural areas of Latin America, Africa and Asia where domestic pigs are allowed to run freely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mas-Coma
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ilra R. Funatsu
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rene Angles
- Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Av. Saavedra, Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Paola Buchon
- Unidad de Limnología, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Calle 27 y Andrés Bello s/n, Cota Cota, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Cristina Mas-Bargues
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez No. 15, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Patricio Artigas
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - M. Adela Valero
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - M. Dolores Bargues
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
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38
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Pochat-Cottilloux Y, Martin JE, Jouve S, Perrichon G, Adrien J, Salaviale C, de Muizon C, Cespedes R, Amiot R. The neuroanatomy of Zulmasuchus querejazus (Crocodylomorpha, Sebecidae) and its implications for the paleoecology of sebecosuchians. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:2708-2728. [PMID: 34825786 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The endocranial structures of the sebecid crocodylomorph Zulmasuchus querejazus (MHNC 6672) from the Lower Paleocene of Bolivia are described in this article. Using computed tomography scanning, the cranial endocast, associated nerves and arteries, endosseous labyrinths, and cranial pneumatization are reconstructed and compared with those of extant and fossil crocodylomorphs, representative of different ecomorphological adaptations. Z. querejazus exhibits an unusual flexure of the brain, pericerebral spines, semicircular canals with a narrow diameter, as well as enlarged pharyngotympanic sinuses. First, those structures allow to estimate the alert head posture and hearing capabilities of Zulmasuchus. Then, functional comparisons are proposed between this purportedly terrestrial taxon, semi-aquatic, and aquatic forms (extant crocodylians, thalattosuchians, and dyrosaurids). The narrow diameter of the semicircular canals but expanded morphology of the endosseous labyrinths and the enlarged pneumatization of the skull compared to other forms indeed tend to indicate a terrestrial lifestyle for Zulmasuchus. Our results highlight the need to gather new data, especially from altirostral forms in order to further our understanding of the evolution of endocranial structures in crocodylomorphs with different ecomorphological adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy E Martin
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Stéphane Jouve
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie - Paris (CR2P), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Jérome Adrien
- Laboratoire Matériaux, Ingénierie et Science, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Céline Salaviale
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Christian de Muizon
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie - Paris (CR2P), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS/MNHN/Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Cespedes
- Museo de Historia Natural 'Alcide D'Orbigny', Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Romain Amiot
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
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39
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Palchetti MV, Cantero JJ, Morales-Fierro V, Barboza GE, Moreira-Muñoz A. Living in extreme environments: distribution of Lyciumhumile (Solanaceae), an endemic halophyte from the Altiplano-Puna region, South America. PhytoKeys 2021; 185:1-15. [PMID: 34819777 PMCID: PMC8596562 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.185.71377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Very few Solanaceae species are able to grow in saline soils; one of them is Lyciumhumile. This species is endemic to the Altiplano-Puna region (Central Andes, South America) where there are multiple extreme environmental conditions such as hypersaline soils. Here we present an updated description and distribution of L.humile including its new record for Bolivia at the edges of "Salar de Uyuni", the largest salt flat in the world; we discuss its ecological role in saline environments by analyzing soil salinity and cover-abundance values of the studied sites. According to IUCN criteria, we recommend a category of Least Concern for L.humile, but the growing development of lithium mining in saline environments of the Altiplano-Puna region may potentially threaten exclusive communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Virginia Palchetti
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan José Cantero
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Agrícola, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Argentina
| | | | - Gloria E. Barboza
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrés Moreira-Muñoz
- Instituto de Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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40
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Rojas-Cortez M, Pinazo MJ, Gascon J, Gamarra E, Grageda RM, Fernandez R, Rueda E, Pinto J, Anzoleaga HM, Caballero YE, Urioste GS, Sanchez J, Saravia R, Castellon M, Garcia W, Daza LO, Mur IG, Lozano D, Carvalho-Costa FA, Monteiro FA, Torrico F. Community-based entomological surveillance in three Chagas disease-endemic regions in sub-Andean Bolivia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2021; 115:1251-1259. [PMID: 34580735 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trab150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease is endemic throughout most of Bolivia, with prevalence rates of 25% observed in some geographic areas located mainly in the sub-Andean region. METHODS Community-based entomological surveillance was carried out in the sub-Andean departments of Cochabamba (municipalities of Cochabamba, Punata and Sacaba), Tarija (municipality of Tarija) and Chuquisaca (municipality of Sucre). The surveillance parameters evaluated were: (i) the proportion of cards with the presence of triatomines; (ii) the distribution of positive cards by area; and (iii) the proportion of cards with the presence of infected triatomines. RESULTS Of the cards returned, in 852 (3.1%) there was a mention of the presence of triatomines. The species Triatoma infestans, Triatoma sordida and Triatoma guasayana were identified in 812 (95.3%), 39 (4.6%) and 1 (0.1%), respectively. The median monthly positivity rate of the cards during 2011-2018 was higher in Punata (9.1%; IQR=3.2-15.4%). The median monthly rate was highest in 2012 (2.7%; IQR=0-5.6%). Fifty positive cards (5.8%) presented insects that were positive for trypanosomatids, mainly in Cochabamba and Punata. CONCLUSIONS The report of triatomines foci by inhabitants represents an effective surveillance system coordinated by a network of specialized and multidisciplinary health centers. These strategies, which should be included in the health policies of endemic countries, enable extending and deepening the dialogue among technicians, communities and their local authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joaquim Gascon
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Hospital Clinic - Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enzo Gamarra
- Ministerio de Salud, Programa Nacional de Chagas, Bolivia
| | | | | | | | - Jimy Pinto
- Fundación CEADES, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Centro Plataforma Chagas Cercado, Cochabamba
| | | | | | - Gloria Sandy Urioste
- Fundación CEADES, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Centro Plataforma Chagas Sacaba, Cochabamba
| | - Jareth Sanchez
- Fundación CEADES, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Centro Plataforma Chagas Punata, Cochabamba
| | | | | | - Wilson Garcia
- Fundación CEADES, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Centro Plataforma Chagas Sucre, Chuquisaca
| | - Lourdes Ortiz Daza
- Centro Plataforma Chagas Tarija.,Universidad Juan Misael Saracho, Tarija
| | | | | | - Filipe Anibal Carvalho-Costa
- Labóratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Systemátics, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando Araújo Monteiro
- Labóratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Systemátics, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Mas-Coma S, Cafrune MM, Funatsu IR, Mangold AJ, Angles R, Buchon P, Fantozzi MC, Artigas P, Valero MA, Bargues MD. Fascioliasis in Llama, Lama glama, in Andean Endemic Areas: Experimental Transmission Capacity by the High Altitude Snail Vector Galba truncatula and Epidemiological Analysis of Its Reservoir Role. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092693. [PMID: 34573658 PMCID: PMC8470536 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The infection by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica in South American camelids, mainly llamas and alpacas, has been the focus of many studies. However, their capacity to participate in the transmission of the disease and their potential reservoir role in human or animal endemic areas have never been studied. Therefore, all development stages of an isolate from Argentine llama of the high Andean plateau have been experimentally investigated, from egg embryogenesis to metacercarial infectivity, by using the vector snail Galba truncatula from the high altitude Bolivian Altiplano human hyperendemic area. Although eggs shed by llamas may successfully develop until the adult stage in a subsequent mammal host, the transmission capacity of the llama proved to be pronouncedly less efficient than that of other hosts as sheep and cattle. Moreover, the low prevalences, intensities, and daily fecal outputs of liver fluke eggs in llama in Andean endemic areas, together with their peculiar defecating behavior in dung piles always far from freshwater collections, indicate that the contribution of this camelid should be considered negligible. Therefore, the llama does not need to receive priority within fascioliasis control initiatives, although it may play a disease-spreading role if used as a pack animal. Abstract South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to participate in the transmission and epidemiology of fascioliasis has never been appropriately studied. Therefore, an F. hepatica isolate from Argentine llama is for the first time analyzed using Galba truncatula lymnaeids from Bolivia. Experimental follow-up studies included egg embryogenesis, miracidial infection of lymnaeid snails, intramolluscan larval development, cercarial production, chronobiology of cercarial shedding, vector survival to infection, and metacercarial infectivity of mammal host. Shorter prepatent and patent periods were leading to markedly lower cercarial production, shorter cercarial shedding, and a higher negative impact on snail survival. The usually low liver fluke prevalences and intensities and low daily fecal outputs indicate that llamas do not substantially contribute to fascioliasis transmission. The defecating behavior in dung piles far from freshwater collections prevents lymnaeid infection by eggs shed by this camelid. All results suggest the reservoir role of the llama to be negligible and, therefore, no priority within control measures in endemic areas. However, llamas may play a disease-spreading role if used as pack animals in rural areas. In the Northern Bolivian Altiplano human hyperendemic area, neither llamas nor alpacas should be considered for control measures within a One Health action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mas-Coma
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
- Correspondence: (S.M.-C.); (M.D.B.)
| | - Maria Mercedes Cafrune
- Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido, Área de Investigación en Salud Animal, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Salta, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca CIAP, Ruta Nacional 68–km 172, Cerrillos A4403, Salta, Argentina;
| | - Ilra Renata Funatsu
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
| | - Atilio Jose Mangold
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca, CC 22 INTA Rafaela, Rafaela 2300, Santa Fe, Argentina;
| | - Rene Angles
- Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Av. Saavedra, Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia;
| | - Paola Buchon
- Unidad de Limnología, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Campus Calle 27, Cota Cota, La Paz, Bolivia;
| | - Maria Cecilia Fantozzi
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
| | - Patricio Artigas
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
| | - Maria Adela Valero
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
| | - Maria Dolores Bargues
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; (I.R.F.); (M.C.F.); (P.A.); (M.A.V.)
- Correspondence: (S.M.-C.); (M.D.B.)
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Ogata S, Pereira JAC, Jhonny LVA, Carolina HPG, Matsuno K, Orba Y, Sawa H, Kawamori F, Nonaka N, Nakao R. Molecular Survey of Babesia and Anaplasma Infection in Cattle in Bolivia. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8090188. [PMID: 34564582 PMCID: PMC8473379 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8090188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Latin American countries produce more than a quarter of the world's beef and are a major global supplier of livestock protein. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major constraint to the livestock industry worldwide, including in Latin America. The aim of this study was to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens in cattle from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where no detailed epidemiological data are available. Blood samples were collected from 104 cattle. Apicomplexan parasites were detected by nested PCR amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), and Anaplasmataceae was screened by the PCR amplification of 16S rDNA, followed by characterisation based on the heat shock protein and citrate synthase gene sequences. Babesia infection was observed in nine cattle (one Babesia bovis and eight Babesia bigemina), while Anaplasmataceae infection was detected in thirty-two cattle. A sequencing analysis confirmed the presence of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma platys-like. These results provide the first molecular evidence for the four above-mentioned tick-borne pathogens in cattle in Bolivia. This information improves our understanding of the epidemiology of TBDs and will help in formulating appropriate and improved pathogen control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Ogata
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
| | - Juan Antonio Cristian Pereira
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Loza Vega Ariel Jhonny
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Herbas Perez Gladys Carolina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Keita Matsuno
- Division of Risk Analysis and Management, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan;
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Kawamori
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-5196
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Spinicci M, Fumagalli C, Maurizi N, Guglielmi E, Roselli M, Gamboa H, Strohmeyer M, Poma V, Vargas R, Olivotto I, Bartoloni A. Feasibility of a Combined Mobile-Health Electrocardiographic and Rapid Diagnostic Test Screening for Chagas-Related Cardiac Alterations. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1889. [PMID: 34576784 PMCID: PMC8466380 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CChC) is the most common cause of death related to Chagas disease (CD). The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a combined rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and electrocardiographic (ECG) screening in a remote rural village of the Bolivian Chaco, with a high prevalence of CChC. METHODS Consecutive healthy volunteers > 15 years were enrolled in the community of Palmarito (municipality of Gutierrez, Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia) in February 2019. All patients performed an RDT with Chagas Stat-Pak® (CSP, Chembio Diagnostic System, Medford, NY, USA) and an ECG by D-Heart® technology, a low-cost, user-friendly smartphone-based 8-lead Bluetooth ECG. RDTs were read locally while ECGs were sent to a cardiology clinic which transmitted reports within 24 h from recording. RESULTS Among 140 people (54 men, median age 38(interquartile range 23-54) years), 98 (70%) were positive for Trypanosoma cruzi infection, with a linear, age-dependent, increasing trend (p < 0.001). Twenty-five (18%) individuals showed ECG abnormalities compatible with CD. Prevalence of ECG abnormalities was higher in infected individuals and was associated with higher systolic blood pressure and smoking. Following screening, 22 (16%) individuals underwent clinical evaluation and chest X-ray and two were referred for further evaluation. At multivariate analysis, positive CSP results (OR = 4.75, 95%CI 1.08-20.96, p = 0.039) and smoking (OR = 4.20, 95%CI 1.18-14.92, p = 0.027) were independent predictors of ECG abnormalities. Overall cost for screening implementation was <10 $. CONCLUSIONS Combined mobile-Health and RDTs was a reliable and effective low-cost strategy to identify patients at high risk of disease needing cardiologic assessment suggesting potential future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Spinicci
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Carlo Fumagalli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
- Cardiomyopathy Unit, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Niccolò Maurizi
- Cardiomyopathy Unit, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy;
- Cardiology Service, University Hospital of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Enrico Guglielmi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Mimmo Roselli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Herlan Gamboa
- Facultad Integral del Chaco, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Camiri, Bolivia;
| | - Marianne Strohmeyer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Veronica Poma
- Escuela de Salud del Chaco Tekove Katu, Gutierrez, Bolivia;
| | - Roberto Vargas
- Programa Nacional de Chagas, Ministerio de Salud, La Paz, Bolivia;
| | - Iacopo Olivotto
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
- Cardiomyopathy Unit, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Bartoloni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.S.); (C.F.); (E.G.); (M.R.); (M.S.)
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy
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44
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de Freitas Tancredi MG, Tancredi IP, de Oliveira LJ, de Oliveira AL, Braga ÍA, Saturnino KC, Ramos DGDS. Occurrence of ectopic Dioctophyma renale in a Bolivian dog. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2021; 25:100604. [PMID: 34474797 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This is the first scientific report of the ectopic occurrence of Dioctophyma renale in subcutaneous tissue of a domestic dog's paw from Bolivia. An 18-month-old male dog (Pug) from Bolivia (San Matías) was examined on September 15, 2020 presenting limited mobility and apparent swelling in the left pelvic limb. After clinic evaluation, left foot edema was observed from tibio-tarsal to metatarsophalangeal joints which was more pronounced on the dorsolateral face. An incision at the site revealed serosanguinous exudation associated with a wide reddish nematode, which was identified as a female Dioctophyma renale. Epidemiological considerations were highlighted as this disease has zoonotic potential, and the infected dog was kept in a yard to which amphibians (Anura) and reptiles had access. Moreover, there is a lack of information on its occurrence in San Matías, a border city with Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ian Philippo Tancredi
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop, MT 78550-728, Brazil
| | - Luiz Joel de Oliveira
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop, MT 78550-728, Brazil
| | - Allison Luiz de Oliveira
- Veterinary Medicine College, University Center of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS 79824-900, Brazil
| | - Ísis Assis Braga
- Academic Unity of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Jataí, Jataí, GO 75801-615, Brazil
| | - Klaus Casaro Saturnino
- Academic Unity of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Jataí, Jataí, GO 75801-615, Brazil
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45
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Nina-Mollinedo JM, Quesada-Cubo V, Rivera-Zabala L, Miranda-Rojas SH, Olmos-Machicado JR, Arce-Alarcon N, Cerruto-Zelaya PE, Codori-Cusi FR, Lima-Gutierrez EC, Auza-Pinto JM, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Escalera-Antezana JP. Hundred Days of Teleconsultations and Their Usefulness in the Management of COVID-19: Experience of the COVID-19 National Call Center in Bolivia. Telemed J E Health 2021; 28:654-665. [PMID: 34382821 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is currently little scientific evidence on the usefulness of implementing strategies against COVID-19 remotely with the help of telemedicine. Objective: Evaluate whether teleconsultation is helpful as an instrument of mediated care in the monitoring and follow-up of individuals with high suspicion of COVID-19 through early detection by the Call Center COVID-19 of the Ministry of Health and Sports, Bolivia. Methodology: Descriptive and cross-sectional observational study of patients captured by the Call Center-COVID-19, who were monitored and followed up in their homes through teleconsultations carried out by the National TeleHealth Program, remotely through information and communication technologies throughout the Bolivian territory during the first 100 days of its implementation. Results: A total of 3,278 patients were studied, recruited between March 16 and June 23, 2020; 49.4% were women, with an overall mean age of 37.5 years (standard deviation [SD] 15.2). The mean detection time was 7.6 days (SD 6.92); 93.8% required home isolation, and only 6.2% were transferred for hospitalization. The mean follow-up time for all patients was 6.7 days (SD 4.87; range 2-38). A total of 75.6% were discharged as recovered patients, and 1.9% died. Conclusions: Early detection of individuals with suspected COVID-19 was achieved, knowing their clinical evolution until their recovery or death. Teleconsultations showed good outcomes at discharge and low fatal outcomes. From these results, it can be inferred that teleconsultation is a valuable tool in the monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up of patients. The Ministry of Health and Sports through Call Center-COVID-19 reinforced the Epidemiological Surveillance System as a passive search tool for possible suspected cases at the national level and decongesting other services in charge of this task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Nina-Mollinedo
- Tele-epidemiology Department, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Víctor Quesada-Cubo
- Preventive Medicine and Quality Management Service, General University Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luisa Rivera-Zabala
- Telemanagement Department, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Sarah H Miranda-Rojas
- Telemedicine Department, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Julia R Olmos-Machicado
- Tele-education Department, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Neyde Arce-Alarcon
- Medical Follow-Up and Monitoring Department, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Pedro E Cerruto-Zelaya
- Head of IT Department, and National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Franz R Codori-Cusi
- Tele1 Doctor C.S.I. Municipality of Batallas, National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia
| | | | - Jeyson M Auza-Pinto
- Ministry of Health and Sports, The Minister of Health and Sport, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundacion Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia.,School of Medicine, Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Juan P Escalera-Antezana
- School of Medicine, Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Former Responsible of the National Telehealth Program, Ministry of Health and Sports, La Paz, Bolivia.,Direction of Second Level Hospitals, Secretaria Municipal de Salud, Gobierno Autonomo Municipal de Cochabamba, Cochabamba, Bolivia
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46
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Corderi-Novoa D, Hori T, Yamin LE. The Economics of Investment and Prioritization of Flood Risk Reduction Measures in a Watershed. Risk Anal 2021; 41:1345-1361. [PMID: 33245576 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Existing and projected economic losses caused by floods all over the world have generated a growing consensus about the need for investment in flood risk mitigation. Most of the evidence on the returns to risk reduction is based on cost-benefit analysis performed for specific measures, lacking a comprehensive appraisal of alternatives. This article presents an integrated approach to consistently prioritize potential flood mitigation measures in a river basin and determine the economically desirable investment level in flood risk reduction. An optimization model is developed to select the type, size, and schedule of flood risk mitigation measures over a planning horizon. The model is formulated as a dynamic mixed integer linear program and applied to a river basin where severe floods have occurred historically. A variety of individual and combinations of risk reduction measures are used as inputs for the model. Initial analysis is conducted for different scenarios of flood damage growth, investment financing constraints, and decisionmakers' preferences toward extreme and future losses. Results show that investment in flood risk reduction is economically justified in the basin. Investment is greater for higher rates of damage growth and aversion to extreme flood losses. Financing constraints only affect the rate of implementation of risk reduction measures in the initial periods. The proposed integrated approach can inform the design of investment plans for flood risk reduction based on sound economic principles, providing valuable support to decisionmakers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tsuneki Hori
- Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC, USA
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Torrico MC, Fernández-Arévalo A, Ballart C, Solano M, Rojas E, Ariza E, Tebar S, Lozano D, Abras A, Gascón J, Picado A, Muñoz C, Torrico F, Gállego M. Tegumentary leishmaniasis by Leishmania braziliensis complex in Cochabamba, Bolivia including the presence of L. braziliensis outlier: Tegumentary leishmaniasis in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2242-2255. [PMID: 34232559 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoans of the Leishmania genus, which includes more than 20 species capable of infecting humans worldwide. In the Americas, the most widespread specie is L. braziliensis, present in 18 countries including Bolivia. The taxonomic position of the L. braziliensis complex has been a subject of controversy, complicated further by the recent identification of a particular subpopulation named L. braziliensis atypical or outlier. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic analysis of the L. braziliensis complex in Bolivia and to describe the associated clinical characteristics. Forty-one strains were analyzed by sequencing an amplified 1245 bp fragment of the hsp70 gene, which allowed its identification as: 24 (59%) L. braziliensis, 16 (39%) L. braziliensis outlier, and one (2%) L. peruviana. In a dendrogram constructed, L. braziliensis and L. peruviana are grouped in the same cluster, whilst L. braziliensis outlier appears in a separate branch. Sequence alignment allowed the identification of five non-polymorphic nucleotide positions (288, 297, 642, 993, and 1213) that discriminate L. braziliensis and L. peruviana from L. braziliensis outlier. Moreover, nucleotide positions 51 and 561 enable L. peruviana to be discriminated from the other two taxa. A greater diversity was observed in L. braziliensis outlier than in L. braziliensis-L. peruviana. The 41 strains came from 32 patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis, among which 22 patients (69%) presented cutaneous lesions (11 caused by L. braziliensis and 11 by L. braziliensis outlier) and 10 patients (31%) mucocutaneous lesions (eight caused by L. braziliensis, one by L. braziliensis outlier, and one by L. peruviana). Nine patients (28%) simultaneously provided two isolates, each from a separate lesion, and in each case the same genotype was identified in both. Treatment failure was observed in six patients infected with L. braziliensis and one patient with L. peruviana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Cruz Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Fernández-Arévalo
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Ballart
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Solano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Ernesto Rojas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Eva Ariza
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Tebar
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Lozano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Alba Abras
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,Laboratori d'Ictiologia Genètica, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Picado
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Muñoz
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Faustino Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Montserrat Gállego
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
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Gonçalves R, Landivar D, Grover Sañez Liendo E, Mamani Fernandez J, Ismail HM, Paine MJI, Courtenay O, Bern C. Improving houses in the Bolivian Chaco increases effectiveness of residual insecticide spraying against infestation with Triatoma infestans, vector of Chagas disease. Trop Med Int Health 2021; 26:1127-1138. [PMID: 34114721 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Failure to control domestic Triatoma infestans in the Chaco is attributed to vulnerable adobe construction, which provides vector refuges and diminishes insecticide contact. We conducted a pilot to test the impact of housing improvement plus indoor residual spraying (IRS) on house infestation and vector abundance in a rural community in the Bolivian Chaco. METHODS The intervention included three arms: housing improvement + IRS [HI], assisted IRS [AS] in which the team helped to clear the house pre-IRS and routine IRS [RS]. HI used locally available materials, traditional construction techniques and community participation. Vector parameters were assessed by Timed Manual Capture for 2 person-hours per house at baseline and medians of 114, 173, 314, 389 and 445 days post-IRS-1. A second IRS round was applied at a median of 314 days post-IRS-1. RESULTS Post-intervention infestation indices and abundance fell in all three arms. The mean odds of infestation was 0.29 (95% CL 0.124, 0.684) in the HI relative to the RS arm. No difference was observed between AS and RS. Vector abundance was reduced by a mean 44% (24.8, 58.0) in HI compared to RS, with no difference between AS and RS. Median delivered insecticide concentrations per house were lower than the target of 50 mg/m2 in >90% of houses in all arms. CONCLUSION Housing improvement using local materials and community participation is a promising strategy to improve IRS effectiveness in the Bolivian Chaco. A larger trial is needed to quantify the impact on reinfestation over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Gonçalves
- Zeeman Institute and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | | | | | - Hanafy M Ismail
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool, UK
| | - Mark J I Paine
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool, UK
| | - Orin Courtenay
- Zeeman Institute and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Caryn Bern
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Cortes-Serra N, Mendes MT, Mazagatos C, Segui-Barber J, Ellis CC, Ballart C, Garcia-Alvarez A, Gállego M, Gascon J, Almeida IC, Pinazo MJ, Fernandez-Becerra C. Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Biomarkers in Heart Transplant Patient with Chronic Chagas Disease. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:1846-1851. [PMID: 32687028 PMCID: PMC7392439 DOI: 10.3201/eid2608.191042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is emerging in countries to which it is not endemic. Biomarkers for earlier therapeutic response assessment in patients with chronic Chagas disease are needed. We profiled plasma-derived extracellular vesicles from a heart transplant patient with chronic Chagas disease and showed the potential of this approach for discovering such biomarkers.
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Gonçalves R, Logan RAE, Ismail HM, Paine MJI, Bern C, Courtenay O. Indoor residual spraying practices against Triatoma infestans in the Bolivian Chaco: contributing factors to suboptimal insecticide delivery to treated households. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:327. [PMID: 34134775 PMCID: PMC8207695 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04831-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticides is a key method to reduce vector transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, causing Chagas disease in a large part of South America. However, the successes of IRS in the Gran Chaco region straddling Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay, have not equalled those in other Southern Cone countries. AIMS This study evaluated routine IRS practices and insecticide quality control in a typical endemic community in the Bolivian Chaco. METHODS Alpha-cypermethrin active ingredient (a.i.) captured onto filter papers fitted to sprayed wall surfaces, and in prepared spray tank solutions, were measured using an adapted Insecticide Quantification Kit (IQK™) validated against HPLC quantification methods. The data were analysed by mixed-effects negative binomial regression models to examine the delivered insecticide a.i. concentrations on filter papers in relation to the sprayed wall heights, spray coverage rates (surface area / spray time [m2/min]), and observed/expected spray rate ratios. Variations between health workers and householders' compliance to empty houses for IRS delivery were also evaluated. Sedimentation rates of alpha-cypermethrin a.i. post-mixing of prepared spray tanks were quantified in the laboratory. RESULTS Substantial variations were observed in the alpha-cypermethrin a.i. concentrations delivered; only 10.4% (50/480) of filter papers and 8.8% (5/57) of houses received the target concentration of 50 mg ± 20% a.i./m2. The delivered concentrations were not related to those in the matched spray tank solutions. The sedimentation of alpha-cypermethrin a.i. in the surface solution of prepared spray tanks was rapid post-mixing, resulting in a linear 3.3% loss of a.i. content per minute and 49% loss after 15 min. Only 7.5% (6/80) of houses were sprayed at the WHO recommended rate of 19 m2/min (± 10%), whereas 77.5% (62/80) were sprayed at a lower than expected rate. The median a.i. concentration delivered to houses was not significantly associated with the observed spray coverage rate. Householder compliance did not significantly influence either the spray coverage rates or the median alpha-cypermethrin a.i. concentrations delivered to houses. CONCLUSIONS Suboptimal delivery of IRS is partially attributable to the insecticide physical characteristics and the need for revision of insecticide delivery methods, which includes training of IRS teams and community education to encourage compliance. The IQK™ is a necessary field-friendly tool to improve IRS quality and to facilitate health worker training and decision-making by Chagas disease vector control managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Gonçalves
- Zeeman Institute and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Rhiannon A E Logan
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Vector Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Hanafy M Ismail
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Vector Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Mark J I Paine
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Vector Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Caryn Bern
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Orin Courtenay
- Zeeman Institute and School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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