Consumo de drogas emergentes en Medellín, Colombia / Use of Emerging Drugs in Medellín, Colombia

Resumen Introducción: La continua aparición de nuevas sustancias sintéticas que se puede utilizar como drogas de abuso supone un desafío constante para la salud pública. Drogas emergentes es el término acuñado en este trabajo para definir la aparición de nuevas sustancias psicoactivas en un momento dado y un contexto y un grupo particulares, la reaparición de otras que en los estudios epidemiológicos habían perdido su prevalencia y el aumento repentino en las prevalencias de drogas que se mantenían en consumos bajos. Método: Bajo un enfoque empírico-analítico, se planteó un estudio con un enfoque mixto. Conformaron la muestra de conveniencia 510 drogodependientes que en 2011 asistieron a centros de tratamiento, en la modalidad de internamiento, en el municipio de Medellín, en quienes se exploró el consumo de drogas emergentes. A todos los usuarios de drogas se les aplicó un instrumento ad-hoc para detectar consumo de las que el estudio consideraba drogas emergentes. Detectados los consumidores y seleccionados por la frecuencia del consumo y la prevalencia en el último año y el último mes, se les solicitó una entrevista semiestructurada, que indagaba por detalles de la sustancia y las características del consumo. Resultados: Del grupo estudiado en el caso de Medellín, el 82,2% son varones y el 17,8%, mujeres. El 58,2% cursa secundaria y el 26,8% tiene estudios superiores técnicos o de universidad. El 1,4% no ha ido a la escuela. Solo un 27,8% trabaja con un empleo fijo, ocasional o independiente. El 40,7% son estudiantes y el 8,9%, amas de casa. El 76,3% son solteros y el 17,8% tiene pareja estable. En la muestra están representados todos los estratos socioeconómicos. Entre las drogas emergentes halladas, se destacan las prevalencias de las benzodiacepinas flunitrazepam y clonazepam: prevalencia de vida (PV), 97,5%; prevalencia en el último año (PA), 67,9%, y prevalencia en el último mes (PM), 46,7%. Les siguen las drogas de síntesis (LSD, «éxtasis¼, anfetaminas, HGB, «éxtasis vegetal¼, fenciclidina, metanfetamina, ketamina, 2CB): PV, 96,5%; PA, 44,5%, y PM, 23,5%. Luego aparecen las cocaínas fumables (basuco, crack y free-base): PV, 80%; PA, 52,1%, y PM, 31,7%. Siguen los derivados opiáceos (heroína, morfina, opio, codeína, dextrometorfano, meperidina, fentanilo): PV, 61,4%; PA, 26,7%, y PM, 16%. Los alucinógenos como los hongos, el cacao sabanero y el yagué también aparecen entre los consumos: PV, 73,5%; PA, 23,2%, y PM, 12,2%. Hay también consumo de inhalantes como el popper y el diclorometano («Dick¼): PV, 87,9%; PA, 37,6%, y PM, 21,6%. Conclusiones: Estos resultados alertan sobre la necesidad de hacer seguimiento a las denominadas drogas emergentes por los riesgos que pueden implicar para la salud pública.

Abstract Introduction: The ongoing emergence of new synthetic substances that are used as drugs is a constant challenge to public health. Emerging drugs is the concept used in this research project to define the emergence of new psychoactive substances at a given time, a specific context and group, the reemergence of others that some epidemiologists considered had lost their prevalence, and the sudden prevalence of drugs that had low levels of consumption. Method: This research project was carried out using an empirical-analytical approach using a mixed methods study. The convenience sample was made up of 510 drug dependents institutionalized in treatment centers in Medellin in the year 2011. The examination was carried out related to the consumption of emerging drugs. An ad hoc tool was applied to all the drug users in order to identify which of the drugs of this study they considered to be emergent. Once the consumers were identified and selected based on the frequency of consumption, and the prevalence in the last year and last month, a semi-structured interview was carried out to find out details on the substances and their consumption characteristics. Results: Based on the new drug consumers in Medellin, 82.2% were male and 17.8% female. As regards education levels, 58.2% were in high school, 26.8% hold higher technical or college degrees, and 1.4% had no schooling. Only 27.8% held a steady job, occasional employment, or were independent business owners, 40.7% were students and 8.9% were housewives. More than three-quarters (76.3%) were single, and 17.8% had a steady partner. The sample represented all social classes. Of all the emerging drugs found in this study, the prevalence of benzodiazepines stands out (flunitrazepam and clonazepam), life prevalence (LP), 97.5%; last year prevalence (LYP), 67.9%, and last month prevalence (LMP), 46.7%. These were followed by the synthetic drugs (LSD, Ecstasies, amphetamines, GHB, Vegetable Ecstasies, Phencyclidine; Methamphetamine, Ketamine, 2CB), with LP, 96.5%; LYP, 44.5%, and LMP, 23.5%. Then there was smokable cocaine (Crack and Free-Base), with LP, 80%, LYP, 52.1%, and LYP=31.7%. The opiate derivatives (heroine, morphine, opium, codeine, dextromethorphan, meperidine, fentanyl) had an LP, 61.4%; LYP, 26.7% and LMP, 16%. The consumption statistics of the hallucinogens such as mushrooms, scopolamine and "yague", had an LP, 73.5%; LYP, 23.2% and LMP, 12.2%. Finally, use of inhalants such as popper and dichloromethane (Dick) had an LP, 87.9%; LYP, 37.6% and LMP, 21.6%. Conclusion: These results are an alert to the need to track the development of these so called emergent drugs due to the risks they pose for public health.

Differentiation and genetic analysis of Rhodnius prolixus and Rhodnius colombiensis by rDNA and RAPD amplification

Domiciliated Rhodnius prolixus and sylvatic R. colombiensis were analyzed in order to confirm their genetic divergence and verify the risk that the latter represents in the domiciliation process, and to provide tools for identifying the sources of possible reinfestation by triatomines in human dwellings allowing control programs to be undertaken. Comparison of random amplified polymorphic DNA amplification patterns and cluster analysis suggests reproductive discontinuity between the two species. The calculated statistical F value of 0.24 and effective migration rate of 0.6 individuals per generation are insufficient to maintain genetic homogeneity between them and confirm the absence of present genetic flow. R. colombiensis presents higher intrapopulation variability. Polymerase chain reaction of ribosomal DNA supports these findings. The low genetic flow between the two species implies that R. colombiensis do not represent an epidemiological risk for the domiciliary transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Tolima Department. The lower variability of the domiciliated R. prolixus could result in greater susceptibility to the use of pesticides in control programs

Chagas disease and human migration

Human Chagas disease is a purely accidental occurrence. As humans came into contact with the natural foci of infection might then have become infected as a single addition to the already extensive host range of Trypanosoma cruzi that includes other primates. Thus began a process of adaptation and domiciliation to human habitations through which the vectors had direct access to abundant food as well as protection from climatic changes and predators. Our work deals with the extraction and specific amplification by polymerase chain reaction of T. cruzi DNA obtained from mummified human tissues and the positive diagnosis of Chagas disease in a series of 4,000-year-old Pre-Hispanic human mummies from the northern coast of Chile. The area has been inhabited at least for 7,000 years, first by hunters, fishers and gatherers, and then gradually by more permanent settlements. The studied specimens belonged to the Chinchorro culture, a people inhabiting the area now occupied by the modern city of Arica. These were essentially fishers with a complex religious ideology, which accounts for the preservation of their dead in the way of mummified bodies, further enhanced by the extremely dry conditions of the desert. Chinchorro mummies are, perhaps, the oldest preserved bodies known to date.