Although the beneficial effect of biostimulation on reproduction has been reported, the influence of selectivity and social factors on the response to biostimulation has not received sufficient ...research attention in both Bos indicus and Bos indicus influenced cattle. Furthermore, ‘green and cheap’ strategies to improve cattle reproduction are currently in demand while Bos indicus influenced cattle with inferior reproductive performance, and farmers with economic limitations are common in tropical zones. Hence, to assess the reproductive response of crossbred taurus × indicus cows to biostimulation by pre‐pubertal (PPM) or pubertal (PM) teasers males, two trials of 2 years each were conducted. Trial 1 n = 187 cows (Year 1:85 cows exposed to PPM and Year 2:102 cows exposed to PM). Trial 2 n = 196 cows (Year 1:101 cows exposed to PPM and Year 2:95 cows exposed to PM). The effect of exposing cows to PPM and PM on the intervals calving to first service (ICFS), calving to conception (ICC) and economic cost of days open (ECDO) was analysed using Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA and the effect of exposing cows to PPM and to PM on reproductive status at 90 days (RS90) and proportion of cows requiring hormonal protocols (PRH) was compared using χ2 analysis. Both ICFS and ICC were shorter (p < .0001) for PM‐exposed females (96.12 ± 4.1 and 110.93 ± 2.9 days; respectively) compared with those PPM‐exposed (134.41 ± 3.3 and 135.64 ± 2.4 days; respectively). With RS90, more (p < .0001) PM‐exposed cows (50.7%) were pregnant compared with PPM‐exposed cows (16.1%). The PRH was greater (p < .0001) in PPM‐exposed cows (79.0%) compared with PM‐exposed (27.9%). The ECDO was less (p < .0001) in PM‐exposed cows (US$ 142.9 ± 3.8) compared with PPM‐exposed (US$ 176.3 ± 2.9). In conclusion, cows exposed to PM had shorter ICFS and ICC compared with cows exposed to PPM. More cows exposed to PM were pregnant after 90 days, and PRH was less than cows exposed to PPM. Cows exposed to PM had a reduced ECDO than those exposed to PPM.
The arrival of Mpox in Venezuela: Why so few cases? Comegna, Mario; Flora-Noda, David M.; Carrión-Nessi, Fhabián S. ...
Travel medicine and infectious disease,
July-August 2023, 2023 Jul-Aug, 2023-07-00, 20230701, 2023-07-01, Letnik:
54
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
...a study conducted among at-risk individuals, including PLHIV and MSM, by a leading NGO in Venezuela showed that only 32.6% of respondents believed that the Venezuelan Ministry of Health would be ...able to support prevention and care efforts, and the majority (75.8%) of the at-risk population evaluated public health services as not being prepared to treat them in a dignified and non-discriminatory manner 6. ...there is no active case-finding strategy, even for at-risk populations, and no institutions have the necessary materials for sampling. ...fear of discrimination and lack of dignified treatment may deter at-risk individuals from seeking care at public health centres in Venezuela.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted multiple health services, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, care, and treatment services, jeopardizing the ...achievement of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 global target. While there are limited studies assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Latin America, there are none, to our knowledge, in Venezuela. This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among PLHIV seen at the outpatient clinic of a reference hospital in Venezuela.
We conducted a cross-sectional study among PLHIV aged 18 years and over seen at the Infectious Diseases Department of the University Hospital of Caracas, Venezuela between March 2021 and February 2022.
A total of 238 PLHIV were included in the study. The median age was 43 (IQR 31-55) years, and the majority were male (68.9%). Most patients (88.2%, n = 210) came for routine check-ups, while 28 (11.3%) were newly diagnosed. The majority of patients (96.1%) were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), but only 67.8% had a viral load test, with almost all (95.6%) being undetectable. Among those who attended regular appointments, 11.9% reported missing at least one medical consultation, and 3.3% reported an interruption in their ART refill. More than half of the patients (55.5%) had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while the rest expressed hesitancy to get vaccinated. Most patients with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were male (65.1%), younger than 44 years (57.5%), employed (47.2%), and had been diagnosed with HIV for less than one year (33%). However, no statistically significant differences were found between vaccinated patients and those with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Older age was a risk factor for missing consultations, while not having an alcoholic habit was identified as a protective factor against missing consultations.
This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a limited impact on adherence to medical consultations and interruptions in ART among PLHIV seen at the University Hospital of Caracas, Venezuela.
Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Entamoeba histolytica, which affects people living in low- and middle-income countries and has intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations. To date, ...knowledge on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) coinfection with enteric parasites is limited, and E. histolytica coinfection has not been previously described. Here we present the case of a patient with COVID-19 who, during hospitalisation, presented a clinical picture consistent with an amoebic liver abscess (ALA). Here we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of ALA and COVID-19 co-presenting. Based on their pathophysiological similarities, coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 and E. histolytica could change the patient's clinical course; however, larger studies are needed to fully understand the interaction between these pathogens.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to ...address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID‐19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela. A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID‐19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met the definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease. The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity was arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital. We identified risk factors related to COVID‐19 infection, which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing.
Highlights
To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of COVID‐19 patients in Venezuela.
Regarding the occupation, 15% of the patients were healthcare workers.
Patients with more year's smoking, bilateral crackles and altered state of consciousness were associated with severe/critical disease.
Only 42% of the patients with severe/critical disease criteria were hospitalized, of which 41.7% died.
Epidemiology of sporotrichosis in Venezuela Mata-Essayag, Sofia; Delgado, Alejandro; Colella, Maria T. ...
International journal of dermatology,
08/2013, Letnik:
52, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Background
Sporotrichosis is one of the most common subcutaneous mycoses in Venezuela. It is a granulomatous chronic infection with cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue lesions. Regional lymphatic ...involvement may be present; extracutaneous disease is rare. The causal fungus Sporothrix schenckii has been isolated from soil, vegetation, and animals on numerous occasions and in many localities throughout the world. The aim of this study is to describe clinical and epidemiological features of cases of sporotrichosis observed in Venezuela and review of the literature.
Patients and methods
We included the demographic data, clinical features, diagnostic methods, treatment, and follow‐up of patients with sporotrichosis from 1963 to 2009, diagnosed at the Department of Medical Mycology.
Results
One‐hundred and thirty‐three sporotrichosis cases were diagnosed. Most patients were under the age of 30 years (66.15%). In 61.6% of them, the mode of transmission was not identified. The predominant clinical form in this population was lymphocutaneous (63.15%). Direct microscopic diagnosis was performed in 123 cases, and 57.9% yielded positive results for asteroid body.
Conclusions
Sporotrichosis is an endemic subcutaneous mycosis in Venezuela. There are no reports to this date of disseminated forms of the disease, even amongst patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Direct microscopic examination of wet mount slides with saline solution or distilled water in the search for asteroid bodies is paramount. Saturated sodium and potassium iodine solutions continue to be extremely efficacious and affordable to most of our patients, therefore our treatment of choice.
Introduction: The studies on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19 help to identify erroneous concepts and inadequate practices related to thedisease. This baseline information ...is essential to design effective strategies and improve adherence to prevention measures.Objective: To identify the COVID-19-related KAP in Venezuelan patients screened at the Hospital Universitario de Caracas triage tent.Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 215 patients between April 25th and May 25th, 2020, with in-person interviews using a KAP survey.Results: Most surveyed patients (53.5%) were asymptomatic. Most of them, both from the symptomatic and the asymptomatic groups, had adequate knowledge about the symptoms and transmission of the disease and the majority said they were practicing quarantine, frequent handwashing, and the use of face masks in public areas. However, the daily replacement of cloth face masks was more frequent in the asymptomatic group whereas replacement every three days was more frequent in the symptomatic group. Finally, more than half of the participants admitted having been in crowded places, a common practice among the symptomatic compared to the asymptomatic patients.Conclusions: This is the first KAP study in Venezuela about COVID-19. Knowledge and practices among Venezuelans could be improved by strengthening education and training programs. This information from the early phase of the pandemic in Venezuela may contribute to the design of COVID-19 promotion and prevention strategies.
La educación como proyecto capitalista que tenía como objetivo el progreso industrial fue planeada a partir de los años 60 en los países en vía de desarrollo. Los procesos educativos fueron, ...entonces, modificados para atender las necesidades emergentes para la industrialización que prometía mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos, a travésde la adquisición de conocimientos prácticos para su futura inserción en el campo laboral. Con el surgimiento de la ley 10.639 que tiene como objetivo la obligación de enseñar, en espacios académicos, la historia y la cultura africana, afro-brasileña e indígena, como forma de reparación social, es posible percibir que hubo un cambio de paradigma en la educación, pues ya no sólo se trataría de educar para el campo laboral, pero sí para la ciudadanía y el respeto del individuopara su desarrollo profesional y personal, libre de prejuicios, para terminar con las relaciones de poder y dar paso a las buenas relaciones étnico-raciales.
Abstract; Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic disease of worldwide distribution. It is frequently an AIDS-defining infection. Antiretroviral treatment has reduced its occurrence. In Venezuela, the ...impact of this disease is unknown. The aim of this study is to describe the most relevant features of cryptococcosis in our country. Methods: 110 clinical records with a diagnosis of cryptococcosis hospitalized between 1994 and 2003 in 6 Venezuelan hospitals were analyzed. Data collected included demographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and outcome information. SPSS 10.0 software and EpiInfo 6, version 6.04 (2001) were used. Results: 110 patients with cryptococcosis were enrolled, including 17 autopsy protocols. One was 8 years old; the rest were over 15. Nineteen were female and 91 males; 91 (82.73%) had AIDS, 19 (17.27%) were HIV negative. Among the AIDS patients, average CD4+ count was < 200 cel/mm3 and viral load was > 30000 copies/ml; 52 (57.14%) did not have other opportunistic infections or AIDS-related disease, and 39 (42.86%) had other associated conditions, such as tuberculosis (30.97%), PCP (28.21%) and toxoplasmosis (20.51%). In HIV negative patients, use of steroids (25%) was the predominant risk factor. Two patients were pregnant. 107 (57.27%) presented CNS infection; 12 (13.19%) with AIDS had cranial nerve alterations. Pulmonary disease was found in 4 (3.77%), of which one had AIDS. Cryptococcosis was an AIDS-defining infection in 61.54% of cases; 33 (30%) of the patients died. Conclusions: In most of the patients, cryptococcosis was associated with AIDS. In spite of the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment, this mycosis is still significant in Venezuela, perhaps due to late HIV infection diagnosis. Resumen: La criptococosis es una enfermedad oportunista de distribución mundial. Frecuentemente es una infección definitoria de SIDA. El tratamiento antirretroviral ha disminuido su frecuencia. El impacto de esta entidad en Venezuela es desconocido. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las características más relevantes de la criptococosis en nuestro país. Métodos: Se revisaron 110 historias clínicas de pacientes hospitalizados con el diagnostico de criptococosis, entre 1994 y 2003, en 6 hospitales. Los datos recolectados incluyeron: características demográficas, clínicas, diagnósticas, terapéuticas y la evolución de los pacientes. Para el análisis se utilizaron los programas SPSS 10.0 y EpiInfo 6.04 (2001). Resultados: Dentro de los 110 pacientes evaluados se incluyeron 17 protocolos de autopsia. Uno solo de los pacientes tenía 8 años de edad, el resto era mayor de 15 años. 91 eran del sexo masculino y 19 femenino. 91 (82,73%) tenían SIDA y 19 (17,27%) eran VIH negativo. En los pacientes con SIDA el valor promedio de CD4+ fue < 200 cel/mm3 y la carga viral era > 30000 copias/mL; 52 (57,14%) de los casos no tenían otra infección oportunista y 39 (42,86%) tenían otras condiciones asociadas, tales como tuberculosis (30,97%), neumocistosis (28,21%), y toxoplasmosis (20,51%). En los pacientes VIH negativo, el uso de esteroides (25%) fue el factor de riesgo predominante. Dos pacientes eran embarazadas. En 107 (57,27%) se encontró infección del SNC. 12 (13,19%) de los pacientes con SIDA tenían alteración de pares craneales. Se encontró afectación pulmonar en 4 (3,77%) pacientes, 1 de ellos con SIDA. La criptococosis fue la enfermedad definitoria de SIDA en el 61,54% de los casos. 33 (30%) de los pacientes fallecieron. Conclusiones: En la mayoría de los pacientes la criptococosis se asoció a SIDA. A pesar de la eficacia del tratamiento antirretroviral, esta micosis es todavía importante en Venezuela. Esto puede ser debido al diagnóstico tardío de la infección por VIH.
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