High prevalence of Bordetella pertussis in severe acute respiratory infections in hospitalized children under 5 years in Lima, Peru

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years worldwide. Bordetella pertussis is a highly contagious bacterium that can cause serious illness, and approximately half of infected infants less than 1 year old are hospitalized. Also, pertussis immunization series is not completed until six months of age, leaving young infants vulnerable to pertussis. In Peru, pertussis is an increasing health problem despite immunization efforts, and the role of B. pertussis in ARI is unknown. We determined the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under 5 years old admitted to Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia in Lima with diagnosis of ARI between Jan-2009 and Dec 2010. Epidemiological and clinical features were collected, and presence of B. pertussis was determined by PCR (pertussis toxin and IS481 gene). A total of 596 nasopharyngeal samples among children under 5 years were analyzed. In 114 (19.1%) samples were positive for B. pertussis. 32.5% of sample positive to B. pertussis were diagnosed as viral pneumonia at diagnosis. Importantly, 71.9% of cases were under 12 months of age and 58.8% have been contact with other ARI infected people. Significant differences in clinical symptoms between the total ARI cases and B. pertussis cases were not found. The most frequent symptoms in B. pertussis cases were fever (100%), rhinorrhea 78%, cough 71.9% and respiratory distress 60.5%. One child died due to the infection. B. pertussis cases showed a seasonal distribution with peaks during the months March June and November. This study shows the high prevalence of B. pertussis in infants who were hospitalized due to severe acute respiratory infections in Lima, Peru. Epidemiologic surveillance programs for B. pertussis are essential in the future in Peru

Author(s): Pavic Espinoza, Ivana; Bendezu Medina, Sandy; Herrera Alzamora, Angella; Pons Casellas, Maria; Hernandez, Adrian V. ( 0000-0002-9999-4003 )  ; del Valle Mendoza, Juana Mercedes ( 0000-0002-6011-5040 ) 
Source: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/582376

Identification of new antigen candidates of Bartonella bacilliformis

Bartonella bacilliformis is the aetiological agent of Carrion's disease, an overlooked illness with a lethal febrile stage and a benign warty phase. Its endemic in Andean areas, mainly affecting Peru, but also reported in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile.

Author(s):  Gomes, Cláudia; Palma, Noemí; Sandoval, Isabel; Tinco, Carmen; Gutarra, Carlos; Ruiz, Joaquim; del Valle Mendoza, Juana Mercedes ( 0000-0002-6011-5040 )  ; Kubota, Mayumi
Source:  Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC

URL:  http://hdl.handle.net/10757/582366

Direct blood analysis of Bartonella bacilliformis Multi Locus Sequence Typing in patients with Oroya’s fever during a Peruvian outbreak

The bacteria Bartonella bacilliformis is the etiological agent of Carrion’s disease, which is a neglected poverty-related disease, affecting Mountain Andean valleys of Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. This disease, in absence of treatment presents a high mortality during the acute phase, called Oroya’s Fever. The second phase is characterized by the development of dermal eruptions, known as “Peruvian wart”. This bacterium is a fastidious slow growing microorganism, being difficult and cumbersome to culture and isolate from clinical sources. Then, the available data about phylogenetic relationship in clinical samples are really scarce, but suggesting high variability. The aim of the study was to perform direct blood analysis of B. bacilliformis Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST), a genotyping tool, in patients with Oroya fever during an outbreak. The present study demonstrate that the direct blood MLST PCR is a technique useful in the phylogenic characterization of this fastidious microorganism endemic from Andean regions. In this study, we demonstrate that the outbreak of Oroya’s fever was caused by closely related Sequence Typing (ST) microorganisms and, additionally, new STs have been described.

Author(s): Pons, Maria J.; Silva, Wilmer; Gomes, Cláudia; Ruiz, Joaquim; del Valle Mendoza, Juana Mercedes
Source: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/582375

Evaluación in vitro del efecto antibacteriano y citotóxico del extracto metanólico de semilla y pulpa de la myrciaria dubia (camu camu) sobre cepas de streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) y streptococcus sanguinis (ATCC 10556)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and cytotoxic effect of the methanol extract of the seed and pulp of Myrciaria dubia (camu camu) against Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) and Streptococcus sanguinis (ATCC 10556). Materials and Methods: For the present in vitro experimental study two methanolic extracts were prepared from the seed and pulp of Myrciaria dubia (camu camu) to be tested against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis. Ten independents tests were prepared for each type of extract, using Clorhexidine at 0.12% solution as a positive control. The method used was agar diffusion test preparing wells with the experimental solutions cultivated in anaerobic conditions for 48 hours at 37°C, after this time the growth inhibition halo was analysed in millimeters using a vernier. Meanwhile, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the cytotoxic effect (CC50) over Jurkat T cell line was found. Results: The methanolic seed extract had more antibacterial effect over Streptococcus mutans with an inhibitory halo of 21.36mm ± 6.35, while the pulp had 16.20mm ± 2.08. For the Streptococcus sanguinis group the inhibitory halo were 19.21mm ± 5.18 and 19.34mm ± 2.90 for the methanolic seed and pulp extract respectively. The MIC for the pulp extract was 125µg/ml for both strains, whereas for the seed antibacterial activity was observed even at low concentrations. Finally the CC50 for the seed extract was at a higher concentration than 800 µg/ml and 524.37µg/ml for the pulp exactract. Conclusions: The methanolic seed and pulp extract of Myrciaria dubia (camu camu) had antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis. These extracts were not cytotoxic.

Author: Camere Colarossi, Rosella Vanina

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/581744

EPUB: http://repositorioacademico.upc.edu.pe/upc/bitstream/10757/581744/2/CAMERE_cm.epub

Prevalencia de caries de aparición temprana en niños de 3 a 5 años y 11 meses de edad y su asociación con sus factores predisponentes en el policlínico Essalud Chincha de setiembre 2012 a febrero 2013

Objective: To determine the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in children aged 3-5 years and 11 months old and its association with predisposing factors at the Polyclinic EsSalud Chincha since September 2012 to February 2013. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study. The information was collected from the office files in the Polyclinic Essalud Chincha - Peru. The sample consisted in 300 Medical Files of children aged 3-5 years that have been attended during September 2012 to February 2013. Variables of gender, age, oral hygiene index (OHI), affected surfaces and carbohydrate intake frequency (CIF) were evaluated. Microsoft Excel and SPSS statistical package was used. Prevalence data was obtained and the association was determined by testing chi square with a level of statistical significance (p <0.05). Results: The prevalence of ECC was 67.33%. Female gender showed a prevalence of 50.4% and male gender of 49.6%. It was found a greater average of dental caries in the occlusal surface (2.29), then the interproximal surface (0.78) and finally the smooth surface (0.55). Children aged 4 years had a higher prevalence of CAT (38.2%). Statistically significant association between ECC and variables such as age (p = 0.005), frequency of sugar consumption (p = 0.000) and soft plaque index (p = 0.000) was found. Conclusions: A high prevalence of ECC was found in children. The predisposing factors for the presence of caries were age, oral hygiene and sugar intake.
Author: Tovar Zevallos, Manuel AlbertoURL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/581686
EPUB: http://repositorioacademico.upc.edu.pe/upc/bitstream/10757/581686/2/TOVAR_ZM_cybertesis.epub