Sífilis en Argentina / Syphilis in Argentina

Resumen La sífilis es una enfermedad prevenible mediante barreras de protección sexual, y curable por un sen cillo tratamiento. A pesar de esto, entre 2010 y 2019, su incidencia casi se triplicó en Argentina, alcanzando 56.1/100 000. Los más afectados son los jóvenes (15-24 años), con mayor porcentaje de mujeres, especialmente entre las embarazadas, en que aumentó de 2.3% a 5.8%, con un pico de 7.7% entre 15 y 24 años. Los casos de sífilis secundaria o terciaria, detectados por pruebas de control, están en aumento. El aumento de sífilis va unido al HIV. Por ello las prue bas rápidas de detección deben hacerse conjuntamente en el primer nivel de atención, lo que facilita el acceso al diagnóstico y al tratamiento de los casos positivos, con la orientación y control correspondientes. El tratamiento con penicilina, para la que no se ha hallado resistencia, es el componente clave del control. También se usa doxicilina (no en embarazadas), o cef triaxona. Está aumentando la resistencia del Treponema pallidum a la azitromicina, por lo que debe evitarse su empleo. En 2022 se notificaron 696 casos de sífilis congénita. La tasa de nacional es 1.3 por 1000 nacidos vivos. La mayoría de los casos notificados provienen del sector público. La sífilis materna es, en áreas de bajos recursos, la causa más común de nacidos muertos. La aplicación estricta de las normas existentes, el fortalecimiento del sistema de atención primaria, y la prevención durante el embarazo, pueden contribuir a controlar y eliminar el problema de la sífilis en Argen tina.

Abstract Syphilis is a disease preventable through sexual pro tection barriers, and curable with a simple treatment. Despite this, between 2010 and 2019, its incidence al most tripled in Argentina, reaching 56.1/100 000. The most affected are young people (15-24 years old), with a higher percentage of women, especially among pregnant women, in whom it increased from 2.3% to 5.8%, with a peak of 7.7% between 15 and 24 years old. Cases of secondary or tertiary syphilis, detected by control tests, are on the rise. The increase in syphilis is linked to HIV. For this reason, rapid detection tests must be carried out jointly at the first level of care, which facilitates access to the diagnosis and treatment of positive cases, with the cor responding guidance and control. Treatment with penicillin, for which no resistance has been found, is the key component of control. Doxycillin is also used (not in pregnant women), or ceftriaxone. The resistance of Treponema pallidum to azithromycin is increasing, so its use should be avoided. In 2022, 696 cases of congenital syphilis were re ported. The national rate is 1.3 per 1000 live births. The majority of reported cases come from the public sector. Maternal syphilis is, in low-income areas, the most com mon cause of stillbirths. Strict application of existing regulations, strength ening the primary care system, and prevention during pregnancy can contribute to controlling and eliminating the syphilis problem in Argentina.

Investigation on newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats in Anhui, 2017-2021 / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To understand the changes of newly emerging and re-emerging snail areas in Anhui from 2017 to 2021 and analyze its related influencing factors, so as to provide scientific basis for formulating snail control strategies. 　　Methods　According to the historical snail survey data, the information of newly emerging and re-emerging snails from 2017 to 2021 were collected, the causes for the formation of newly emerging and re-emerging snails flourish environments were investigated and analyzed retrospectively. Results During 2017-2021, in Anhui, the area with newly emerging snails was respectively 840.41 hm2, 559.14 hm2 (66.53%) in lake and marshland areas and 281.27 hm2 (33.47%) in hilly areas; the area of re-emerging snails was respectively 1 176.87 hm2, 669.39 hm2 (56.88%) in lake and marshland areas and 507.48 hm2 (43.12%) in hilly and mountainous areas. The sum of newly emerging snail area in Chizhou, Anqing and Wuhu accounted for 89.35% of all, the sum of re-emerging snail area accounted for 88.82%. In 2021, the areas with newly emerging and re-emerging snails peaked at 611.52 hm2 and 976.84 hm2, respectively. The newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats were mainly distributed in the transmission interruption areas, accounting for 65.54% and 84.30%, respectively. The newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats were mainly found in fluvial marsh, accounting for 65.54% and 52.12%, respectively. In recent 5 years, the longest time interval of re-emerging snails was more than 50 years. The main causes of newly emerging snails were natural factors such as flood disaster and snail drift along river system. Natural factors, such as flood disaster and snail drift along river system, were the main reasons for the newly emerging snail habitats, accounting for 71.44% and 21.75%, respectively. Human factors, such as soil extraction from snail habitats, construction of water conservancy facilities, farmland abandonment and seedling transplanting, could also lead to the newly emerging snail habitats. Flood disaster was the main cause of re-emerging snail habitats, accounting for 72.29%. In addition, the re-emerging snail habitats were caused by historical snail residue, soil collection in snail habitats for construction projects, land abandonment, seedling transplanting, prohibition of snail control in ecological protection areas, and construction of water conservancy facilities. Conclusions　Flood disaster is an important factor for snail newly emerging and re-emerging. Human factors such as engineering construction and seedling transplanting are also easy to cause snail newly emerging and re-emerging. In order to timely detect and deal with newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats and prevent snail diffusion, it is necessary to investigate snail distribution after flood disaster, the routine monitoring of historical snail habitats should be strengthened; in engineering construction and seedling transplanting, the disposal of soil with snails should be done well.

Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses is a persistent challenges for human health / 中国热带医学

@#Zoonoses are a class of infectious diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. More than 200 known types of zoonoses have been reported across the world until now. Among 1 400 pathogens of human infectious diseases, approximately 61% are zoonotic origin, and 75% human emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses. These zoonoses pose a great threat to human and animal health and decrease livestock production. To effectively tackle the persistent challenges resulting from zoonoses, WHO collaborates with member governments, academia, non-governmental and charitable organizations, and regional and international partners to prevent and manage zoonotic threats and their public health, social and economic impacts. Although great success has been achieved in the management of zoonoses, there are still multiple challenges for zoonoses control in China due to environmental, climate, socioeconomic factors and antimicrobial resistance. Based on the One Health concept, the integration of modern biological, information, artificial intelligent and big data tools through multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial collaborations may facilitate the containment and elimination of zoonoses.

Emerging and re-emerging infections: threat to the world

Emerging and reemerging infections are a huge threat to the human race which can destabilize humans from the roots. It is a global problem and not a problem for any single country. 15 million deaths occur annually across the globe due to infections, and 12% of them are due to emerging pathogens. These infections are returning every year with an increased incidence rate and higher virulence. In the present era of globalization and living conditions, such as living in crowded areas increases the potential for the spread of these emerging and reemerging infections, eventually affecting public health. The most prominent challenge that poses in the face of public health officials is the achievement of global preparedness to combat these infections. Aggressive research is needed in this field to help being prepared for an attack by these infections. Global organizational cooperation, international research funding, and poverty reduction are very much necessary for taking measures against these infections.

Emerging/re-emerging viral diseases & new viruses on the Indian horizon

Infectious diseases remain as the major causes of human and animal morbidity and mortality leading to significant healthcare expenditure in India. The country has experienced the outbreaks and epidemics of many infectious diseases. However, enormous successes have been obtained against the control of major epidemic diseases, such as malaria, plague, leprosy and cholera, in the past. The country's vast terrains of extreme geo-climatic differences and uneven population distribution present unique patterns of distribution of viral diseases. Dynamic interplays of biological, socio-cultural and ecological factors, together with novel aspects of human-animal interphase, pose additional challenges with respect to the emergence of infectious diseases. The important challenges faced in the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases range from understanding the impact of factors that are necessary for the emergence, to development of strengthened surveillance systems that can mitigate human suffering and death. In this article, the major emerging and re-emerging viral infections of public health importance have been reviewed that have already been included in the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

Findings and lessons from establishing Zika virus surveillance in southern Viet Nam, 2016

Objective@#To document the evolution and optimization of the Zika virus (ZIKV) disease surveillance system in southern Viet Nam in 2016 and to describe the characteristics of the identified ZIKV-positive cases.@*Methods@#We established a sentinel surveillance system to monitor ZIKV transmission in eight sites in eight provinces and expanded the system to 71 sites in 20 provinces in southern Viet Nam in 2016. Blood and urine samples from patients who met the case definition at the sentinel sites were tested for ZIKV using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction at the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City (PI-HCMC). We conducted descriptive analysis and mapped the ZIKV-positive cases.@*Results@#In 2016, 2190 specimens from 20 provinces in southern Viet Nam were tested for ZIKV at PI-HCMC; 626 (28.6%), 484 (22.1%), 35 (1.6%) and 1045 (47.7%) tests were conducted in the first, second, third and fourth quarters of the year, respectively. Of these tested specimens, 214 (9.8%) were ZIKV positive with 212 (99.1%) identified in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the highest positivity rate was those in age groups 30–39 years (30.0%) and 40–59 years (31.6%). Of the 214 ZIKV-positive patients, 210 (98.1%) presented with rash, 194 (90.7%) with fever, 149 (69.6%) with muscle pain, 123 (57.5%) with joint pain and 66 (30.8%) with conjunctivitis.@*Discussion@#The surveillance system for ZIKV disease underwent several phases of optimization in 2016, guided by the most up-to-date local data. Here we demonstrate an adaptable surveillance system that detected ZIKV-positive cases in southern Viet Nam.

Conquistas do SUS no enfrentamento das doenças transmissíveis / The achievements of the SUS in tackling the communicable diseases

Resumo Apresenta-se a evolução da situação epidemiológica de algumas das principais Doenças transmissíveis (DT) no Brasil, assinalando as intervenções proporcionadas pelo SUS e outras políticas sociais. Dados e informações foram levantados do Datasus e Boletins epidemiológicos do Ministério da Saúde e de artigos científicos sobre o tema. A universalização, a descentralização e a ampliação das ações de vigilância, controle e prevenção de DT produziram impacto sobre a morbimortalidade dessas doenças, principalmente das imunopreveníveis. A emergência e reemergência de três arboviroses, para as quais não se dispõe de instrumentos de controle efetivos, interromperam a evolução decrescente no perfil de morbidade das DT no Brasil. Outros programas sociais e econômicos, voltados para a população brasileira mais carente, também contribuíram para a melhoria dos indicadores de saúde analisados. Contudo, a universalização do acesso aos serviços de atenção à saúde, ao lado do aperfeiçoamento do escopo de atuação da vigilância sobre doenças e riscos à saúde, vem desempenhando papel fundamental na melhoria das condições de saúde e qualidade de vida da população, bem como contribuindo para o processo de democratização do país.

Abstract This article presents the development of the epidemiological situation of some of the major communicable diseases (CD) in Brazil, with emphasis on the interventions by the SUS and other social policies. The data and information were collected from Datasus, epidemiological newsletters from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and scientific articles on the issue. The universalization, decentralization and expansion of the surveillance, control and prevention of CD has produced an impact on the morbidity and mortality of these diseases, mainly those which are vaccine-preventable. The emergence and re-emergence of three arboviruses, for which there are no effective control instruments, interrupted the downward trend in the morbidity profile of CD in Brazil. Other social and economic programs, which are geared to the needier sectors of the Brazilian population, have also contributed to the improvement of the analyzed health indicators. However, the universalization of access to healthcare services, as well as improvements in the scope of the surveillance of diseases and health risks, has played a key role in improving the health and quality of life of the population, as well as contributing to the process of the democratization of Brazil.

Epidemiological Characteristics of Re-emerging Vivax Malaria in the Republic of Korea (1993–2017)

Historically, Plasmodium vivax malaria has been one of the most highly endemic parasitic diseases in the Korean Peninsula. Until the 1970s, vivax malaria was rarely directly lethal and was controlled through the Korean Government Program administered by the National Malaria Eradication Service in association with the World Health Organization's Global Malaria Eradication Program. Vivax malaria has re-emerged in 1993 near the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea and has since become an endemic infectious disease that now poses a serious public health threat through local transmission in the Republic of Korea. This review presents major lessons learned from past and current malaria research, including epidemiological and biological characteristics of the re-emergent disease, and considers some interesting patterns of diversity. Among other features, this review highlights temporal changes in the genetic makeup of the parasitic population, patient demographic features, and spatial distribution of cases, which all provide insight into the factors contributing to local transmission. The data indicate that vivax malaria in Korea is not expanding exponentially. However, continued surveillance is needed to prevent future resurgence.

Changes of Global Infectious Disease Governance in 2000s: Rise of Global Health Security and Transformation of Infectious Disease Control System in South Korea / 의사학

This paper focus upon the changes of global infectious disease governance in 2000s and the transformation of infectious disease control system in South Korea. Traditionally, infectious disease was globally governed by the quarantine regulated by the international conventions. When an infectious disease outbreak occurred in one country, each country prevented transmission of the disease through the standardized quarantine since the installation of international sanitary convention in 1892. Republic of Korea also organized the infectious disease control system with quarantine and disease report procedure after the establishment of government. Additionally, Korea National Health Institute(KNIH) was founded as research and training institute for infectious disease. However, traditional international health regulation system faced a serious challenge by the appearance of emerging and re-emerging infectious disease in 1990s. As a result, global infectious disease governance was rapidly changed under the demand to global disease surveillance and response. Moreover, global health security frame became important after 2001 bioterror and 2003 SARS outbreak. Consequently, international health regulation was fully revised in 2005, which included not only infectious disease but also public health emergency. The new international health regime was differently characterized in several aspects; reinforcement of global cooperation and surveillance, enlargement of the role of supranational and international agencies, and reorganization of national capacity. KNIH was reorganized with epidemic control and research since late 1990s. However, in 2004 Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) was established as a disease control institution with combining quarantine and other functions after 2003 SARS outbreak. KCDC unified national function against infectious disease including prevention, protection, response and research, as a national representative in disease control. The establishment of KCDC can be understood as the adoption of new international health regulation system based upon SARS experience.

Clinical and pathological findings of concurrent poxvirus lesions and aspergillosis infection in canaries

Objective:To investigate clinical, pathological and mycological findings in canaries, in which pox lesions and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) infection were observed simultaneously. Methods:This study was performed on a breeding colony (about 100 canaries) affected by fatal wasting disease. Necropsy was undertaken on 10 severely affected canaries, and gross lesions were recorded. Samples from internal organs displaying lesions were obtained for histopathological evaluation. Tracheal swap samples of internal organs of the all infected animals with lesions at necropsy were cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar for mycological examination. Results: At necropsy, caseous foci were determined in the lungs, on the air sacs, liver, spleen, heart. Swelling of the eyelids, diffuse hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue with small papular lesions of the skin were other typical necropsy findings. Histopathologically, pathognomonic eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, which called Bollinger bodies, in both skin cells and vacuolated air way epithelial cells confirmed canary pox infection. Moreover, histopathological examination of the white-yellowish caseous foci revealed necrotic granulomatous reaction consisting of macrophages, heterophil leukocytes and giant cells encapsulated with a fibrous tissue. After the culture of the tissue samples, the formation of bluish green colonies confirmed A. fumigatus infection. Conclusions:Canary pox has been known as the disease that can result in high losses in a short time, as a re-emerging disease that has not been present during recent years in canary flocks in Iran. So, the current paper provides useful information to prevent misdiagnosed of canary pox disease which can cause secondary mycotic infection.

Clinical and pathological findings of concurrent poxvirus lesions and aspergillosis infection in canaries

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate clinical, pathological and mycological findings in canaries, in which pox lesions and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) infection were observed simultaneously.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study was performed on a breeding colony (about 100 canaries) affected by fatal wasting disease. Necropsy was undertaken on 10 severely affected canaries, and gross lesions were recorded. Samples from internal organs displaying lesions were obtained for histopathological evaluation. Tracheal swap samples of internal organs of the all infected animals with lesions at necropsy were cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar for mycological examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At necropsy, caseous foci were determined in the lungs, on the air sacs, liver, spleen, heart. Swelling of the eyelids, diffuse hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue with small papular lesions of the skin were other typical necropsy findings. Histopathologically, pathognomonic eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, which called Bollinger bodies, in both skin cells and vacuolated air way epithelial cells confirmed canary pox infection. Moreover, histopathological examination of the white-yellowish caseous foci revealed necrotic granulomatous reaction consisting of macrophages, heterophil leukocytes and giant cells encapsulated with a fibrous tissue. After the culture of the tissue samples, the formation of bluish green colonies confirmed A. fumigatus infection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Canary pox has been known as the disease that can result in high losses in a short time, as a re-emerging disease that has not been present during recent years in canary flocks in Iran. So, the current paper provides useful information to prevent misdiagnosed of canary pox disease which can cause secondary mycotic infection.</p>

Leptospirosis: a re-emerging infection

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic infection. In developing countries large outbreaks have occurred in urban slums and following fl oods. Individuals from developed nations are also now more frequently exposed to the infection as a result of international travel and greater participation in certain outdoor recreational activities. Leptospirosis remains a diagnostic challenge since it often presents as a non-specifi c febrile event and laboratory diagnosis is still currently inadequate. Rapid tests may not be suffi ciently sensitive in early disease and culture facilities are not widely available. A severe pulmonary haemorrhagic form of the infection is increasingly being encountered in many countries including Malaysia. The control of leptospirosis is largely dependent on general hygienic measures and rodent control. An effective human vaccine is still not available. There remains much that is unknown about this disease and there is scope and opportunity for good quality research.

Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Republic of Korea / 감염과화학요법

Many infectious diseases have emerged or re-emerged during the past 50 years in the Republic of Korea. Some of these are new infectious diseases delivered by new or newly recognized micro-organisms. Others are already known infectious diseases which have increased in frequency or have developed an expanded region of occurrence. Still others are infectious diseases that are caused by the same micro-organisms which are resistant to antibiotics, and therefore difficult to treat. Newly recognized Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) include legionellosis, leptospirosis, tsutsugamushi diseases, Vibrio vulnificus sepsis, and brucellosis. New EIDs include acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Of the EIDs occurred in the Republic of Korea during the past 50 years, healthcare-related infections, especially by antibiotic-resistant organisms, are the most important EIDs in terms of morbidity and mortality.

International Health Regulations A Major Paradigm Shift from 1969 to 2005.

The International Health Regulations (IHR 1969), replaced by IHR 2005 had been adopted by the World Health Assembly on 23 May 2005 and came into force on 15 June 2007. IHR 2005 are a legally binding agreement among World Health Organisation (WHO) member states and other states that have agreed to be bound by them. New revision was necessitated by concerns about increasing global health threats and the need to respond with more effective surveillance and control practices. The limitations of IHR 1969, which led to their revision, related to their narrow scope, their dependence on official country notifications, and their lack of a formal internationally coordinated mechanism to contain international disease spread. The IHR 2005, which is firmly based on practical experiences, has broaden the scope of IHR 1969 to cover existing, new and re-emerging diseases, including emergencies caused by non-infectious disease agents.

Dengue clásico y hemorrágico: sospecha diagnostica de una enfermedad reemergente / Hemorragic and clasical Dengue: suspect diagnosis of a reemerging disease

El dengue, conocido popularmente como” fiebre quebrantahuesos” es la más importante enfermedad viral humana transmitida por vectores artrópodos del genero Aedes, principalmente A. aegypti, se ha extendido en regiones tropi­cales y subtropicales alrededor del mundo representando una amenaza para millones de personas por lo que se la con­sidera como una de las principales enfermedades virales reemergentes a escala mundial. El dengue presenta un amplio espectro de manifestaciones clínicas que van desde los casos inaparentes hasta las formas aparentes de Dengue clásico (DC) y las formas graves y a veces fatales de Dengue Hemorrágico (DH) /Síndrome de Choque por Dengue ( SCD) En virtud a que el dengue puede confundirse con múltiples enfermedades , numerosos casos de infección pueden ser sub­diagnosticados o mal diagnosticados, la sospecha diagnostica es fundamental para un diagnostico precoz y un plan te­rapéutico temprano que puede modificar el curso de la enfermedad.

Dengue is the most important re­emerging infectious diseases called “bone­breaker” transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes. It is extended in tropical and sub­tropical regions around the world; million people are now at risk from dengue and it is considered the most important re­emerging infectious diseases, clinical fe­atures are very variable from due to multiple alterations induced by the virus in the organism (DF/DHF). Diagnosis of dengue virus infection it must be difficult if we do not suspect it, rapid clinical and serologic diagnosis is an important steep to management and prevention skills.

The Global Epidemiology, Public Health Outcomes, Management, and Prevention of Re-Emerging Ectoparasitic Diseases

The ancient ectoparasitic diseases share many features in common with newly emerging infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease, including hyperendemic causative agents afforded selective advantages by changing ecological or socioeconomic conditions; origination as zoonoses; transmission by competent arthropod vectors; and introduction into new, susceptible host populations. Many ectoparasites are also developing increased resistance to medical therapies, including the safest insecticides. Over the past two decades, there have been several reports of outbreaks of ectoparasitic diseases, principally myiasis, scabies, and tungiasis, both in regional communities and in travelers returning from developing nations. Today ectoparasitic diseases infest not only executives and tourists returning from travel to developed and developing nations, but also individuals immunocompromised by advancing age and institutionalization, chronic infectious and malignant disease, malnutrition and homelessness. Ectoparasitic diseases are no longer infestations of children and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in tropical countries; they have re-emerged as unusual, but not uncommon, infectious diseases worldwide.

New Vaccine Technology for Control of Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases / 한국역학회지

Although the development of vaccines has been one of the most important contributions of immunology to medicine and public health, and despite vaccination having been proven as the most effective and cheapest medical practice to prevent infectious diseases, infectious diseases still remain the main cause of human deaths and new infectious diseases continue to emerge. Furthermore, we face an unprecedented succession of new pathogens able to jump species barriers and infect humans, even as we continue to be frustrated in our efforts to control devastating diseases such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. Hence the need to develop new vaccines and improve existing vaccines. Other challenges for scientists include rapid identification and response to emerging diseases and successful intervention in re-emerging infectious diseases. Remarkable progress in molecular biology and biotechnology is making possible the development and improvement of new and old vaccines. Recombinant DNA technology, genetic attenuation of viral and bacterial pathogens and their use as vectors for heterologous proteins, naked DNA vaccines and peptide vaccines represent the most popular approaches hitherto adopted. Reverse genetics and reverse vaccinology are now used to investigate new vaccines. Genome-based reverse vaccinology is very useful and a major tool in vaccine development. The rapid identification of the genome sequence to new pathogens enables the speedy development of diagnostic tools as well as recombinant expression of targets for vaccine. Strengthening research and development in vaccines, including international cooperation, may be the most effective next step to control and prevent infectious diseases worldwide.