[Analysis of the demand for detection of SARSCoV-2 in a health area of Spain]. / Análisis de la demanda de detección de SARS-CoV-2 en un área de salud de España.

OBJECTIVE: Since the discovery of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the polymerase chain reaction technique (RT-PCR) has become the fundamental method for diagnosing the disease in its acute phase. The objective is to describe the demand-based series of RT-PCR determinations received at a Microbiology Service at a third-level reference hospital for a health area for three months spanning from the onset of the epidemic by SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the total of the RT-PCR requested in the Microbiology Service analyzed from 02/25/2020 to 05/26/2020 (90 days) has been carried out. They have been grouped by epidemiological weeks and by the petitioner service. A descriptive analysis was carried out by age, gender and number of requests for each patient. In the tests carried out, a confidence level of 95% (p <0.05) was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 27,106 requests was received corresponding to 22,037 patients. Median age 53.7 (RIC 40.9-71.7) years, women: 61.3%. Proportion of patients with any positive RT-PCR: 14%. Of the total requests for RT-PCR, positive 3,710. Week 13 had the highest diagnosis performance (39.0%). The primary care has been the service thar has made the most requests (15,953). Patients with 3 or more RT-PCR: 565, of them, 19 patients had a positive result after previously having a negative one. CONCLUSIONS: Requests have been increasing depending on the evolution of the epidemic. The RT-PCR has a high diagnostic performance in the phases of highest contagiousness and / or transmissibility of the virus.

[Episodes of nontyphoidal salmonellosis in adult patients of the Valladolid West Area in 2017: Evaluation of the suitability of the microbiological culture request and the prescribed treatment]. / Episodios de salmonelosis no tifoidea en pacientes adultos del Área Valladolid Oeste en 2017: Evaluación de la idoneidad de la petición del cultivo microbiológico y del tratamiento pautado.

OBJECTIVE: Gastroenteritic salmonellosis is still the second cause diagnosed of infectious diarrhea, most of these clinical pictures are mild and self-limited and therefore the use of antibiotics is limited to few cases. The aim of the study was to describe the episodes of diarrhea caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, assessing the suitability of the request and the use of antibiotics according to the criteria included in the methodology. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive, observational study was conducted, collecting data from the clinical history. RESULTS: A total of 122 episodes were included. The reason for consultation was diarrhea, which generated a greater demand in the Hospital Emergency Services (42.6%). The most frequent serotypes isolated were Enteritidis (53.3%), and Typhimurium (40.2%). The adequate request of the stool was 90.2%. Antibiotic was prescribed in 64.6% (79) of the episodes, most patients under 65 years (58 episodes), the average age was 48.43 years. They were treated mainly with ciprofloxacin and azithromycin, in 57 and 14 episodes, respectively. The average duration of antibiotic treatment was 6 days. There was an adequate use of antibiotics in 49.1% of episodes. When the origin of the request was the Hospital Emergency Service, it was inadequate in 63.5% (33) of them. It was inadequate in 60.0% (39) of episodes when ser. Enteritidis was isolated. Almost half, 48.85% (42) of the 58 episodes in which antibiotics were prescribed among those under 65 (86), were treated without being indicated. CONCLUSIONS: Training actions should be implemented focused on optimizing the management of antibiotics in this entity.

[Turicella otitidis, contributions to its role in the etiology of ear infections]. / Turicella otitidis, aportaciones a su posible papel en la etiología de la patología infecciosa del oído.

OBJECTIVE: Turicella otitidis is a gram-positive bacillus coryneforme described, after 16S RNA sequencing, in 1994 by Funke et al as a microorganism involved in otitis media, and it is in health conditions a habitual colonizer of the external auditory canal. Since its description, more than twenty years ago, few cases of otitis related to or directly attributed to this microorganism have been published. METHODS: Description of a case of mastoiditis that required surgery and other cases of otic pathology in which T. otitidis was isolated, in the second semester of 2017 in our institution. They were reported only when they grew in pure culture. The identification was made by mass spectrophotometry and an antibiogram was performed. RESULTS: In our institution in the second half of 2017, 5 cases of otitis media were documented, some of them complicated, in which T. otitidis was isolated. The most of patients were children with recurrent otic pathology, and in some cases the sample was taken before the administration of antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: Since the inclusion of new vaccines that protect against microorganisms typically causing otitis media, is possible there are a change in the etiology of this disease and that microorganisms anecdotally isolated until now have become protagonists. The improvement in the microbiological identification provided by tools such as mass spectrometry will help to clarify if there are or not a change in the etiology of these diseases.

[Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak due to the consumption of roast pork meat]. / Brote de Salmonella Typhimurium monofásica asociada al consumo de carne asada de cerdo.

This report presents an outbreak of monophasic Salmonella enteric serovar Typhimurium fagotipe 4, 5, 12: i:-, in a motorcycle concentration in Valladolid. Information was collected to one hundred and twelve affected from seven Spanish Autonomous Communities. The epidemiological investigation associated the outbreak with the consumption of roast pork with sauce sandwiches sold at a street market in that event.

[Prevalence of human papillomavirus in Spanish women from a population screening program]. / Prevalencia de virus del papiloma humano en mujeres españolas de un programa de cribado poblacionales de riesgo.

OBJECTIVE: The human papillomavirus (HPV), is necessary to cause a woman developing cervical cancer. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of women with HPV infection, covered by the program of prevention and early detection of cervical cancer of Castile and León (Spain). METHODS: Samples of women included in the screening program were analyzed. Including a total of 120,326 cervical swab samples, collected in the period from January 2012 to December 2014. RESULTS: 12,183 HPV positive samples were detected, representing a prevalence of 9.6 ‰, (IC 95% 9.5%-9.8%) in the female population. High-risk HPV were found in higher proportion that HPV low-risk genotypes. HPV prevalence correlates inversely with women age. Coinfections of multiple genotypes were found in one third of screened women population. CONCLUSIONS: Data showed in this study are the first and wider Spanish results from a cervical cancer screening program population non opportunistic based on HPV detection. These results would serve as a reference for future prevalence studies and to evaluate the future impact of HPV vaccination campaigns.

[A descriptive study of Hafnia alvei isolated from stool samples: an approach to its clinical assessment]. / Descriptivo de Hafnia alvei aisladas en coprocultivo: aproximación a su valoración en clínica.

OBJECTIVE: The importance in human diarrhoeal disease of Hafnia alvei is unclear. The objective of the study was to describe the population which was isolated H. alvei in stool cultures and the therapeutic management of these cases in our Health Area. METHODS: A descriptive retrospective study was carried out in 2014 and 2015. Epidemiological, clinical, treatment and evolution variables were collected in the computerized clinical history. RESULTS: A collection of 7,290 stool specimens were processed, 3,321 in 2014 and 3,969 in 2015, of which 58 (1.7%) and 53 (1.3%) were positive for H. alvei, respectively. A 60.4% of samples were isolated in women. The mean age was 38.68 years. A 68.5% of samples were from primary care. In 71.2% there was related clinic, diarrhoea in 57.7%. In 75.7% of the cases there was not associated underlying disease. A 43.2% of the cases received treatment. A 66.7% of treated patients came from Primary Care. The mean duration of treatment was 8 days. The evolution was favourable in 85.4% of the cases treated. All strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. CONCLUSIONS: More evidence is needed to support H. alvei as a cause of gastroenteritis.

Detección del VPH en mujeres con y sin alteraciones citológicas del cérvix en Castilla y León: estudio poblacional / Detection of HPV in women with no cellular alterations detected in uterine cytology in Castilla y León, population study

RESUMEN OBJETIVO: estimar la prevalencia de cambios y alteraciones cervicales en mujeres pertenecientes al Programa de Prevención y Detección Precoz de Cáncer de Cuello del Útero de Castilla y León, e identificar la coexistencia y genotipo más frecuente del VPH. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: estudio cuantitativo, observacional, descriptivo, transversal, retrospectivo, efectuado en mujeres de 25 a 64 años de edad que participaron en las pruebas de cribado de 2012 a 2014. Los resultados de la citología cervical convencional se interpretaron de acuerdo con la clasificación Bethesda 2001. La detección y genotipificación del VPH se realizó con PCR. Las variables cualitativas se describen mediante frecuencias absolutas y relativas (porcentajes) de sus categorías, con IC95% . Para estudiar la asociación entre variables cualitativas se utilizó la prueba de χ2. Se consideró estadísticamente significativo el valor de p≤0.05. RESULTADOS: se analizaron 190,203 muestras de frotis de cuello uterino. El 66.4% de las muestras citológicas no mostró lesiones ni alteraciones morfológicas. De las muestras citológicas con alteraciones se identificaron 7,083 con metaplasia, 2,844 con células escamosas atípicas (1.5%), 855 con lesiones de bajo grado (0.4%), 255 con lesiones de alto grado (0.13%) y 198 con lesiones cancerosas (0.1%). Las lesiones intraepiteliales de bajo y alto grado, además de los carcinomas, fueron más frecuentes en las muestras positivas a VPH (p<0.001). En relación con la atrofia vaginal de mujeres perimenopáusicas, los genotipos más frecuentes fueron el VPH-53 (0.7%), VPH-31 (0.6%) y VPH-58 (0.5%). En pacientes con lesiones intraepiteliales el genotipo más frecuente fue el VPH-16. CONCLUSIONES: la prevalencia del VPH suele ser más alta conforme aumenta la severidad de la lesión citológica detectada. El genotipo aislado con mayor frecuencia en lesiones intraepiteliales de alto o bajo grado es el VPH-16.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of cervical changes and alterations in women belonging to the Program for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer of Castilla y León, and to identify the most frequent presence and genotype of Human Papilloma Virus (HVP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study of women aged 25-64 years who participated in screening tests during 2012 and 2014. The results of conventional cervical cytology were interpreted according with the Bethesda 2001 classification. The detection and genotyping of HPV was performed across PCR. Qualitative variables are described by absolute and relative frequencies (percentages) of their categories, with a 95% confidence interval (CI 95%). To study the association between qualitative variables, the χ2 test was used. The value of p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: 190,203 samples of cervical smears were analyzed during the period. 66.4% of the cytological samples showed no lesions or morphological alterations. Of the cytological samples with alterations we identified 7,083 with metaplasia, 2,844 with atypical squamous cells (1.5%), 855 with low grade lesions (0.4%), 255 with high grade lesions (0.13%) and 198 with cancerous lesions%). Low- and high-grade intraepithelial lesions, in addition to carcinomas, were more frequent in HPV positive samples (p <0.001). To the vaginal atrophy of perimenopausal women we detected HPV-53 (0.7%), HPV-31 (0.6%) and HPV-58 (0.5%) genotypes. In patients with intraepithelial lesions the most frequent genotype was HPV-16. CONCLUSIONS: the prevalence of HPV is usually higher according to the severity of the cytological lesion detected. The most frequently isolated genotype in high-grade low-grade intraepithelial lesions is HPV-16.

Arsénico en agua de bebida: un problema de salud pública / Arsenic in drinking water: a problem of public health

Revisamos el problema del arsénico en el agua de consumo, como problema de salud pública. La concentración de arsénico en el agua de consumo no debe ser superior al límite establecido de 50 microgramos/litro según la legislación vigente máxima en algunos países. El arsénico es un metaloide que se encuentra de manera natural ampliamente distribuido en la corteza terrestre. Es my ubicuo y está presente en cantidades ínfimas en todo tipo de rocas, suelos, agua y aire. El arsénico puede existir en cuatro estados de valencia: (3, 0, +3 y +S). Se distribuye extensamente en el agua superficial y subterránea. Las concentraciones de arsénico en aguas son muy variables, generalmente bajas, pudiendo existir concentraciones altas de forma natural o como consecuencia de la actividad humana. La mayoría de las zonas con altos niveles de arsénico son resultado de procesos naturales. Los distintos problemas de arsénico en aguas subterráneas ocurren tanto bajo condiciones reducidas como oxidantes, y también en ambientes húmedos y secos. La gente puede estar expuesta al arsénico por muchas vías diferentes. En intentos de suicidio y homicidio ocurren altos niveles de exposición por ingestión. También pueden ocurrir altas exposiciones por largos períodos de tiempo en algunos puestos de trabajo a través de la inhalación -o ingestión de polvo. El arsénico ha estado desde hace mucho tiempo asociado con efectos tóxicos, produciendo marcados impactos sobre la salud, tras exposición oral o inhalación, que van desde la muerte aguda a efectos crónicos como cáncer y enfennedades del sistema vascular. Los niveles de arsénico o de sus metabolitos en la sangre, el pelo, las uñas y la orina se utilizan como biomarcadores de la exposición al arsénico. Por tanto, el arsénico en el agua de bebida supone un importante problema de Salud Pública, que debe ser tenido en cuenta en nuestro entorno, debe ser conocido en sus diferentes aspectos por el personal sanitario relacionado con la Salud Pública y sobre el que debe hacerse una vigilancia periódica. (AU)

Brucella lipopolysaccharides induce cyclooxygenase-2 expression in monocytic cells.

Human brucellosis is characterized by the presence of both acute inflammatory episodes and chronic inflammation with granuloma formation. On this basis, the proinflammatory effects of smooth lipopolysaccharide of Brucella (S-LPS) were addressed and compared to those of LPS from Escherichia coli. For this purpose, the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the production of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) were studied. S-LPS was found to induce both COX-2 expression and MCP-1 production; however, the potency of E. coli LPS exceeded that of Brucella S-LPS by some orders of magnitude. However, at concentrations above 1 microg/ml, all of the LPS produced comparable effects, including their ability to activate the NF-kappa B system. These observations help explain the inflammatory events associated with Brucella infection and the ability of Brucella to produce monocyte recruitment and granuloma formation.

Lipopolysaccharides of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis induce nitric oxide synthesis in rat peritoneal macrophages.

Smooth lipopolysaccharide (S-LPS) and lipid A of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis induced the production of nitric oxide (NO) by rat adherent peritoneal cells, but they induced lower levels of production of NO than Escherichia coli LPS. The participation of the inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS) was confirmed by the finding of an increased expression of both iNOS mRNA and iNOS protein. These observations might help to explain (i) the acute outcome of Brucella infection in rodents, (ii) the low frequency of septic shock in human brucellosis, and (iii) the prolonged intracellular survival of Brucella in humans.

[Francisella tularensis: update on microbiological diagnosis after an epidemic outbreak]. / Francisella tularensis: puesta a punto en el diagnóstico microbiológico tras un brote epidémico.

AIMS: Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular gramnegative aerobic coccobacilli which is difficult to isolate. The appearance of an epidemic outbreak of tularemia in Castilla y Leon (Spain) during the first months of 1998 led bur microbiology laboratory to develop the diagnostic methods of this disease which, up to then, were unknown by the authors. METHODS: During the months of January and February, 1998, 25 samples were processed for culture (17, adenopathy pus and 8 necrotic skin ulcers) using enriched culture mediums. In 20, direct immunofluorescence was performed on the sample spread. Serologic study was carried out in 352 patients by the agglutination technique in tubes, with titers > or = 1/160 being considered as positive. Susceptibility tests were performed by the disk plate technique in chocolate agar. RESULTS: Three isolates of F. tularensis were achieved (12%). Seven samples (38.8%) were positive by direct immunofluorescence. By serology 149 negative (42%) and 203 positive (58%) results were obtained. Seroconversion was observed in 53 patients (increase in titer value 4-fold above the basal determination). The strains isolated were sensitive to third generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, macrolides and quinolones. CONCLUSIONS: F. tularensis is a microorganism which is highly demanding of its culture. Serology and direct immunofluorescence are more effective techniques for the diagnosis of tularemia than cultures. The strains presented high sensitivity to the antibiotics tested. Since the appearance of this outbreak, tularemia should be included in the differential diagnosis of the infectious processes observed in Spain.