Aetiology, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute moderate-to-severe diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age hospitalized in a referral paediatric hospital in Rabat, Morocco

The objective of the study was to describe the aetiology, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the principal causes of acute infectious diarrhoea requiring hospitalization among children under 5 years of age in Rabat, Morocco. A prospective study was conducted from March 2011 to March 2012, designed to describe the main pathogens causing diarrhoea in hospitalized children >2 months and less than 5 years of age. Among the 122 children included in the study, enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) and rotavirus were the main aetiological causes of diarrhoea detected. Twelve (9.8 %) children were referred to an intensive care unit, while two, presenting infection by EAEC, and EAEC plus Shigella sonnei, developed a haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Additionally, six (4.9 %) deaths occurred, with EAEC being isolated in four of these cases. Diarrhoeagenic E. coli and rotavirus play a significant role as the two main causes of severe diarrhoea, while other pathogens, such as norovirus and parasites, seem to have a minimal contribution. Surveillance and prevention programmes to facilitate early recognition and improved management of potentially life-threatening diarrhoea episodes are needed.
Source: Journal of Medical Microbiology
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/338011

Factors associated with non-use of condoms in an online community of frequent travellers

Background Millions of travellers around the world have gathered together into online communities. The objective is to analyse the factors associated with risky sexual behaviour among travellers. Methods Cross-sectional study was conducted within an online community of travellers using an online survey; we included travellers who had engaged in sexual activity while on their last trip. Risky sexual behaviour was defined as inconsistent condom use (<100%), and the factors associated were evaluated using the prevalence ratio (PR). Results Of the 468 participants, 245 had sex during their last trip. 59.7% did not consistently use condoms, and one out of every four participants reported never using condoms. Having a travel destination of Latin America or the Caribbean was significantly associated with inconsistent condom use. This association was maintained (PR 1.37, CI 95% 1.06–1.77) after adjusting for gender, age, migration, the presence of travel partners, and the use of drugs and alcohol prior to sexual activity. Conclusion An association was observed between travel destination (specifically Latin America or the Caribbean) and risky sexual behaviour. For this reason, tourists should be educated in STI transmission and regional STI and HIV incidences both before and during their travels; public health systems ought to work together with travel agencies, international airports, etc., in order to distribute this information and ensure a responsible travel experience.
Source: Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/338010

Usefulness of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Risk Stratification of Patients With Advanced Heart Failure

Elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with increased mortality in patients with acute heart failure (HF) and neoplastic diseases. We investigated the association between NLR and mortality or cardiac transplantation in a retrospective cohort of 527 patients presented to the Cleveland Clinic for evaluation of advanced HF therapy options from 2007 to 2010. Patients were divided according to low, intermediate, and high tertiles of NLR and were followed longitudinally for time to all-cause mortality or heart transplantation (primary outcome). The median NLR was 3.9 (interquartile range 2.5 to 6.5). In univariate analysis, intermediate and highest tertiles of NLR had a higher risk than the lowest tertile for the primary outcome and all-causes mortality. Compared with the lowest tertile, there was no difference in the risk of heart transplantation for intermediate and high tertiles. In multivariate analysis, compared with the lowest tertile, the intermediate and high NLR tertiles remained significantly associated with the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR] [ 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10 to 2.37 and HR [ 1.55, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.36, respectively) and all-cause mortality (HR [ 1.83, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.14 and HR [ 2.16, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.83, respectively). In conclusion, elevated NLR is associated with increased mortality or heart transplantation risk in patients with advanced HF.
Source: The American Journal of Cardiology 
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/338009

Differences in survival between patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from a public and a private center

Sr. Editor
Hemos leído con atención el artículo publicado por el servicio de Reumatología del Hospital José María Cullen de Santa Fe, Argentina1. Nos parece relevante la comparación de la evolución del lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) en un centro privado y uno público, ya que el desenlace de esta enfermedad se podría ver afectado por diversos factores que involucran estar en cualquiera de los centros mencionados, como el tratamiento farmacológico brindado y las características demográficas de la persona que acude a un centro público y uno privado. Estos factores influyen en la calidad de vida y el grado de actividad de la enfermedad en el paciente2. Sin embargo, el estudio presentado tiene algunas limitaciones que ponen en tela de juicio los resultados reportados. En primer lugar, no se define el momento en que los autores inician el seguimiento de enfermedad de los pacientes. Esto podría sesgar el estudio ya que el pronóstico de supervivencia de LES varía de acuerdo con varios factores, como el grado de actividad de la enfermedad en la que se encuentra la persona, la edad y las comorbilidades en el momento de diagnóstico, entre otras3. Segundo, no se determina si los pacientes son usuarios exclusivos de uno de los sistemas de salud (público o privado), si tienen ambos sistemas de salud o si durante los anos ˜ de seguimiento cambiaron de un sistema a otro. Esto generaría que los pacientes reciban más de un tratamiento simultáneamente o tratamientos distintos por cada centro en diversos periodos. Finalmente, el uso de un consentimiento informado es importante en la realización de un estudio, ya que asegura que el paciente tiene conocimiento y acepta su participación en este4. Suena raro que sea necesario un consentimiento informado en un estudio retrospectivo cuando en la sección de métodos se dice que no se ha usado, pero más adelante se menciona que sí se utilizó, lo cual puede generar confusión sobre la ética del estudio.
Por último, consideramos que algunos datos podrían haber estado mejor explicados,tanto en las tablas como en eltexto, ya que puede confundir a los lectores provocando una mala interpretación de los datos. Por ejemplo, en los resultados, los autores explican que, dados 2 grupos de personas, ambos de raza negra, un grupo con seguro de salud y el otro grupo sin seguro de salud, se observa una mayor mortalidad en el grupo sin seguro de salud, lo que da como resultado que la etnia no desempena˜ un papel decisivo en la supervivencia de los pacientes, lo cual puede ser desmentido, ya que en este caso, la etnia es la misma en todos los pacientes estudiados y no una variable5.
Fuente: Reumatología Clínica
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/337884

Characterization of two Achromobacter xylosoxidans isolates from patients with pertussis-like symptoms

Objective: To characterize two Achromobacter xylosoxidans recovered from 2 patients diagnosed with pertussis during a Bordetella pertussis surveillance program. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs from 2 children under 1 year of age with clinical suspicion of pertussis were analyzed by culture and PCR. Results: Two Achromobacter xylosoxidans A8, closely related to Bordetella spp. were recovered from 2 patients diagnosed of pertussis, both carrying the ptxA gene and IS418 the pertussis toxin encoding gene. Subsequently, antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated by disk-diffusion method and by PCR. Conclusions: Although more detailed studies are needed, the present data highlight the possibility that Achromobacter xylosoxidans, closely related Bordetella pertussis microorganisms and not covered under the vaccine umbrella, might also result in cases of whooping cough. Thereby further surveillance is necessary to determine the extension and relevance of their pathogenic role in order to discriminate their real public health implication.
Source: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/554305