Prevalence of coinfections in a cross-sectional cohort of women screened for multiple pathogens in Peru.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma genitalium among asymptomatic women with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 842 asymptomatic women from Cajamarca, Peru. The pathogens were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the results were analyzed according to the HPV status: high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV and negative for HPV. Demographical and gyneco-obstetric data was analyzed to identify risk factors. Results: We found that 23.99% (202/842) women were positive for HPV, of whom 79.21% (160/202) were infected with a high-risk genotype. Co-infections were evaluated and 14.38% (23/160) were positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum, 9.38% (15/160) for Chlamydia trachomatis and 1.25% (2/160) for Mycoplasma genitalium. We found a significant association between HPV genotype and the number of children, partners, and history of sexual abuse. The co-infection between high-risk HPV and Chlamydia trachomatis was associated with number of abortions, number of sexual partners and no use of condom. Finally, co-infection between high-risk HPV and Ureaplasma urealyticum was associated with no use of condom and history of STIs. Conclusion: HPV infection continues to be a highly relevant problem in Peru, particularly due to the high prevalence of high-risk genotypes. In addition, we report high rates of co-infections with other STIs, such as U. urealyticum and C. trachomatis. We highlight the importance of active surveillance to promptly diagnose these infections, since they may lead to persistent HPV infections.

High prevalence and clinical characteristics of respiratory infection by human rhinovirus in children from Lima-Peru during years 2009-2010.

INTRODUCTION: Human rhinovirus is a major cause of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) worldwide. Epidemiological data on human rhinovirus (RV) in Peru is still scarce, as well as its role in respiratory infections in children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of rhinovirus and to identify the circulating species in nasopharyngeal swabs from children with acute respiratory infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed nasopharyngeal swab samples that were collected from children younger than 17 years old, who had a clinical diagnosis of ARI from the "Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia" between May 2009 and December 2010. The original study recruited 767 inpatients with ARI, 559 samples of which were included and analyzed in the current study. Detection of rhinovirus and determination of rhinovirus species were characterized by PCR. RESULTS: Rhinovirus was detected in 42.22% samples (236/559), RV-A was detected in 10.17% (24/236) of the cases, RV-B in 16.53% (39/236), and RV-C in 73.31% (173/236). The age group with the highest number of cases was the 0-5 months group with 45.97%, followed by the 1-5 years group with 25.22%. Most of the positive RV cases, i.e., 86.44% (204/236), were hospitalized. The most common signs and symptoms found in patients who tested positive for RV were cough (72.88%), fever (68.64%), rhinorrhea (68.22%), and respiratory distress (61.44%). Infection with RV-A was associated with wheezing (p = 0.02). Furthermore, RV-C was related to cough (p = 0.01), wheezing (p = 0.002), and conjunctival injection (p = 0.03). A peak in RV-C cases was found in March (32 cases in 2010); June (18 cases in 2009 and 12 cases in 2010), which corresponds to the fall season in Peru; and also November (17 cases in 2009 and 4 cases in 2010), which corresponds to spring. RV-A and RV-B cases were constant throughout the year. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found a high prevalence of rhinovirus C infection among pediatric patients with acute respiratory infections in Lima, Peru. This viral infection was more common in children between 0 to 5 months old, and was associated with cough, wheezing, and conjunctival injection. Epidemiological surveillance of this virus should be strengthened/encouraged in Peru to determine its real impact on respiratory infections.

Role of Non-Coding RNA of Human Platelet in Cardiovascular Disease.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major cause of death in the world. Numerous genetic studies involving transcriptomic approaches aimed at the detailed understanding of the disease and the development of new therapeutic strategies have been conducted over recent years. There has been an increase in research on platelets, which are implicated in CVD due to their capacity to release regulatory molecules that affect various pathways. Platelets secrete over 500 various kinds of molecules to plasma including large amounts of non-coding (nc) RNA (miRNA, lncRNA or circRNA). These ncRNA correspond to 98% of transcripts that are not translated into proteins as they are important regulators in physiology and disease. Thus, miRNAs can direct protein complexes to mRNAs through base-pairing interactions, thus causing translation blockage or/and transcript degradation. The lncRNAs act via different mechanisms by binding to transcription factors. Finally, circRNAs act as regulators of miRNAs, interfering with their action. Alteration in the repertoire and/or the amount of the platelet-secreted ncRNA can trigger CVD as well as other diseases. NcRNAs can serve as effective biomarkers for the disease or as therapeutic targets due to their disease involvement. In this review, we will focus on the most important ncRNAs that are secreted by platelets (9 miRNA, 9 lncRNA and 5 circRNA), their association with CVD, and the contribution of these ncRNA to CVD risk to better understand the relation between ncRNA of human platelet and CVD.

Clinical characteristics and molecular detection of Bordetella pertussis in hospitalized children with a clinical diagnosis of whooping cough in Peru.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pertussis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis. In Peru, actual public health programs indicate that vaccination against B. pertussis must be mandatory and generalized, besides all detected cases must be reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under five years of age with a presumptive diagnosis of whopping cough in Cajamarca, a region located in northern Peru. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The population of this cross-sectional study were children under 5 years old hospitalized as presumptive cases of pertussis during December 2017 to December 2018. The nasopharyngeal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR for the detection of B. pertussis. RESULTS: B. pertussis was identified as PCR + in 42.3% of our sample (33/78). The clinical presentation that was observed most frequently includes paroxysmal coughing (97%), difficulty breathing (69.7%), cyanosis (72.7%) and post-tussive emesis (60.6%). Additionally, pneumonia was the most observed complication (33.3%). Four of the patients with PCR+ for B. pertussis presented only lymphocytosis, five only leukocytosis, two patients with decreased leukocytosis and lymphocytes and only one patient with leukopenia and relative lymphocytosis. There was a percentage of 84.8% of unvaccinated children in the PCR+ group. Finally, the mother was the most frequent symptom carrier (18.2%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, in the studied population there is a high rate of PCR+ cases for B. pertussis. Laboratory values may show leukopenia or lymphopenia in patients with pertussis. It is necessary to use appropriate laboratory diagnostic tests in all infants with respiratory symptoms for B. pertussis. Since, the clinical diagnosis overestimates the diagnosis of pertussis.

A silent public health threat: emergence of Mayaro virus and co-infection with Dengue in Peru.

OBJECTIVE: To describe frequency and clinical characteristics of MAYV infection in Piura, as well as the association of this pathogen with DENV. RESULTS: A total of 86/496 (17.3%) cases of MAYV were detected, of which 54 were MAYV mono-infection and 32 were co-infection with DENV, accounting for 10.9% and 6.4%, respectively. When evaluating monoinfection by MAYV the main groups were 18-39 and 40-59 years old, with 25.9% and 20.4% respectively. Co-infections were more common in the age group 18-39 and those > 60 years old, with 34.4% and 21.9%, respectively. The most frequent clinical presentation were headaches (94.4%, 51/54) followed by arthralgias (77.8%, 42/54). During the 8-month study period the most cases were identified in the months of May (29.1%) and June (50.0%).

Dual-specificity protein phosphatase Msg5 controls cell wall integrity and virulence in Fusarium oxysporum.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are key signaling modules controlling development and virulence in fungal pathogens. Down-regulation of MAPK activity by protein phosphatases provides a critical layer of control during desensitization or adaptation to stimuli. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the dual-specificity phosphatase Msg5 dephosphorylates target threonine and tyrosine residues in the two MAPKs Mpk1 and Fus3, which regulate the cell wall integrity (CWI) and pheromone responses, respectively. Here we studied the role of the Msg5 ortholog in Fusarium oxysporum, a soilborne phytopathogen that infects host plants through the roots to cause vascular wilt and plant death. F. oxysporum mutants lacking Msg5 showed constitutively high levels of Mpk1 phosphorylation and increased sensitivity to the cell wall targeting compound Calcofluor White. Moreover, these mutants displayed reduced colony growth and conidiation. Importantly, msg5Δ mutants were impaired in hyphal chemotropism towards host plant roots and in virulence on tomato plants. These results reveal a key role of Msg5 in regulation of the CWI MAPK cascade of F. oxysporum as well as in infection-related signaling of this important fungal pathogen.

Gut microbiota in hospitalized children with acute infective gastroenteritis caused by virus or bacteria in a regional Peruvian hospital.

BACKGROUND: Acute infective gastroenteritis (AIG) is a leading cause of mortality in children worldwide. In Peru, more than 40% of cases of AIG occurring in children under 5 years old. The disruption of the gut microbiota can increase risk for several health complications especially in patients with gastric infections caused by viruses or bacteria. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of 13 representative bacteria from the gut microbiota (GM) in stools samples from children under 5 years of age with acute infective gastroenteritis. RESULTS: The most commonly isolated bacteria from the GM were Firmicutes (63.2% 74/117) Bacteriodetes (62.4%; 73/117), Lactobacillus (59.8%; 70/117), Prevotella (57.2%; 67/117), Proteobacterium (53.8%; 63/117), regardless of the etiological agent responsible for the AIG. Interestingly, despite the high prevalence of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus and Prevotella across all samples, a visible reduction of these agents was observed especially among patients with a single bacterial infection or even bacteria-bacteria coinfections when compared to viral etiologies. Patients with exclusive or mixed breastfeeding registered the highest amount of gut microbiota bacteria, in contrast to infants who received formula or were not breastfed.

Detection of human Metapneumovirus infection in children under 18 years old hospitalized in Lima-Peru.

BACKGROUND: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a negative single-stranded RNA virus. Infection by hMPV mainly affects the pediatric population and can cause upper or lower respiratory tract pathologies which can develop life threating complications. This study was carried out between 2009 and 2010 in a high complexity national hospital in Lima, Peru. The time frame corresponds to the pandemic of influenza A H1N1. METHODS: A prospective study was performed between September 2009 and September 2010. Patients with a clinical diagnosis suggestive of an acute respiratory infection were included. RT-PCR was utilized to attain the amplification and identification of the hMPV. RESULTS: A total of 539 samples were analyzed from patients with a clinical context suggestive of an acute respiratory tract infection. Of these samples 73, (13.54%) were positive for hMPV. Out of the positive cases, 63% were under one year old, and increased to nearly 80% when considering children younger than two years old. Cough was the most frequent symptom presented by our population with a number of 62 cases (84.93%). Viral seasonality was also established, noting its predominance during the months of summer in the southern hemisphere. The infection by hMPV has an important prevalence in Peru. It mainly affects children under one year old and should be considered an important differential diagnosis in a patient with an acute respiratory infection.

Improvement of chemical quality of percolated leachates by in situ application of aqueous organic wastes on sulfide mine tailings.

One of the major environmental concerns in the mining industry is the generation of acid leachates from tailings deposits, which are highly concentrated in potentially hazardous elements. The continuous processing of these leachates in treatment plant is unsustainable, so the in situ chemical improvement of the mine wastes and their leachates, mainly with another waste produced in the mining area, can reduce treatment and operational costs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two types of domestic wastewaters (DWW) on the improvement of the chemical characteristics of the leachates generated from mine wastes containing sulfides. A mesocosm assay was performed under greenhouse and controlled conditions with mine wastes collected in La Zanja mining area (Peru). Three irrigation treatments were tested: untreated DWW, treated DWW and water as control. Percolated leachates of each treatment were collected once per week, for a period of 10 weeks. Electrical conductivity, pH and multi-elemental concentration were analysed. During the assay, the mine wastes generated acid leachates (≈4) with significant concentrations of elements (mg/L; Al: 1.4-30.0; Cd: 0.05-0.19; Cu: 5.7-22.1; Fe: 1.6-19.4; Mn: 2.6-26.0; Zn: 1.2-9.2) and sulfates (204.3-997.8 mg/L), which exceed the thresholds established by Peruvian legislations. After DWW application, pH in the leachates increased to ≈7 and concentrations of several studied elements (e.g. Al, As, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Mn) and sulfates decreased (>70% depending on DWW type, element and sampling) compared to the control. This fact allowed that the Environmental Quality standards from Peru (except for Cu and Mn) were reached. However, an enrichment of Na and K was obtained at the same leachates. At short term, the DWW application (especially untreated) on the mine wastes containing sulfides was effective in the improvement of the general chemical quality of their leachates. Moreover, the combined management of these two studied wastes (domestic wastewater and mine wastes) represents a promising cost-effective strategy during mining operation.

Identfication of viral and bacterial etiologic agents of the pertussis-like syndrome in children under 5 years old hospitalized.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children, remaining a major public health concern, especially affecting children under 5 years old from low-income countries. Unfortunately, information regarding their epidemiology is still limited in Peru. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was performed from a previous cross-sectional study conducted in children with a probable diagnosis of Pertussis from January 2010 to July 2012. All samples were analyzed via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for the following etiologies: Influenza-A, Influenza-B, RSV-A, RSV-B, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza 1 virus, Parainfluenza 2 virus, Parainfluenza 3 virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae. RESULTS: A total of 288 patients were included. The most common pathogen isolated was Adenovirus (49%), followed by Bordetella pertussis (41%) from our previous investigation, the most prevelant microorganisms were Mycoplasma pneumonia (26%) and Influenza-B (19.8%). Coinfections were reported in 58% of samples and the most common association was found between B. pertussis and Adenovirus (12.2%). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of Adenovirus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other etiologies in patients with a probable diagnosis of pertussis. Despite the presence of persistent cough lasting at least two weeks and other clinical characteristics highly suspicious of pertussis, secondary etiologies should be considered in children under 5 years-old in order to give a proper treatment.

Highly clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori infection in asymptomatic children from a rural community of Cajamarca-Peru.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori in asymptomatic children in a rural community of Cajamarca (northern Peru). RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was detected in 17.2% (49/285) of the samples. Unboiled water consumption the most frequent associated factor in patients with positive PCR for H. pylori infection (93.9%). Clarithromycin resistant mutations were found in 79.6% (39/49) of the positive samples for H. pylori. The most frequent mutation was A2142G (46.9%), followed by the double-mutation A2142G-A2143G (28.6%).

Molecular etiological profile of atypical bacterial pathogens, viruses and coinfections among infants and children with community acquired pneumonia admitted to a national hospital in Lima, Peru.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to detect the presence of 14 respiratory viruses and atypical bacteria (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae), via polymerase chain reaction in patients under 18 years old hospitalized due to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from Lima, Peru. RESULTS: Atypical pathogens were detected in 40% (58/146); viral etiologies in 36% (52/146) and coinfections in 19% (27/146). The most common etiological agent was M. pneumoniae (n = 47), followed by C. pneumoniae (n = 11). The most frequent respiratory viruses detected were: respiratory syncytial virus A (n = 35), influenza virus C (n = 21) and parainfluenza virus (n = 10). Viral-bacterial and bacterium-bacterium coinfections were found in 27 cases. In our study population, atypical bacteria (40%) were detected as frequently as respiratory viruses (36%). The presence of M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae should not be underestimated as they can be commonly isolated in Peruvian children with CAP.

Etiology, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute diarrhea in hospitalized children in rural Peru.

INTRODUCTION: Diarrhea remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in children under five years of age especially in low-income countries. In Peru, epidemiological reports about enteropathogens related to acute diarrhea are scarce in rural areas. The aim of this study was to describe the etiology, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics of the principal causes of acute infectious diarrhea in in a northern rural region of Peru. METHODOLOGY: A prospective study was conducted from January 2011 to December 2012 to describe the main pathogens causing acute diarrhea using PCR assay. RESULTS: A total of 117 children diagnosed with acute diarrhea were included in the study. A single etiological agent was identified in 41.03% of samples, being rotavirus followed by norovirus and Shigella. Co-infections containing virus and bacteria were found in 22.22% of samples. Vomiting was most commonly found symptoms in 58.97% cases followed by fever (54.70%). Malnutrition was detected in 14.53% of the children. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of rotavirus, as well as adenovirus and norovirus, was observed in the present study. Shigella was the most common bacteria found in acute diarrhea in the area. The implementation of a better surveillance system is mandatory in order to identify the principal etiologies of gastroenteritis in the rural areas of Peru and to develop of better prevention strategies and reduce diarrhea-associated mortalities.

Bordetella pertussis diagnosis in children under five years of age in the Regional Hospital of Cajamarca, Northern Peru.

INTRODUCTION: Bordetella pertussis is an important human pathogen that causes whooping cough (pertussis), an endemic illness responsible of significant morbidity and mortality, especially in infants and children. Worldwide, there are an estimated of 16 million cases of pertussis, resulting in about 195,000 child deaths per year. In Peru, pertussis is a major health problem that has been on the increase despite immunization efforts. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under five years of age suspected to have whopping cough in Cajamarca, Peru. METHODOLOGY: Children diagnosed with whooping cough admitted to the Hospital Regional de Cajamarca from August 2010 to July 2013 were included. Nasopharyngeal samples were obtained for B. pertussis culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection. RESULTS: In 133 children, the pertussis toxin and IS481 gene were detected in 38.35% (51/133) of the cases by PCR, while only 9.02% (12/133) of the Bordetella cultures were positive. The most frequent symptoms in patients with positive B. pertussis were paroxysm of coughing 68.63% (35/51), cyanosis 56.86% (29/51), respiratory distress 43.14% (22/51), and fever 39.22% (20/51). Pneumonia and acute bronchial obstructive syndrome were present in 17.65% (9/51) and 13.72% (7/51) of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: B. pertussis is responsible for an important proportion of whooping cough in hospitalized children in Cajamarca. Epidemiologic surveillance programs for B. pertussis are essential in Peru, especially in children who could most benefit from the vaccine.

Incidence of respiratory viruses in Peruvian children with acute respiratory infections.

Acute respiratory infections are responsible for high morbi-mortality in Peruvian children. However, the etiological agents are poorly identified. This study, conducted during the pandemic outbreak of H1N1 influenza in 2009, aims to determine the main etiological agents responsible for acute respiratory infections in children from Lima, Peru. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from 717 children with acute respiratory infections between January 2009 and December 2010 were analyzed by multiplex RT-PCR for 13 respiratory viruses: influenza A, B, and C virus; parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1, 2, 3, and 4; and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, among others. Samples were also tested with direct fluorescent-antibodies (DFA) for six respiratory viruses. RT-PCR and DFA detected respiratory viruses in 240 (33.5%) and 85 (11.9%) cases, respectively. The most common etiological agents were RSV-A (15.3%), followed by influenza A (4.6%), PIV-1 (3.6%), and PIV-2 (1.8%). The viruses identified by DFA corresponded to RSV (5.9%) and influenza A (1.8%). Therefore, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) were found to be the most common etiology of acute respiratory infections. The authors suggest that active surveillance be conducted to identify the causative agents and improve clinical management, especially in the context of possible circulation of pandemic viruses.

Diarrhoea caused by rotavirus in a regional Peruvian hospital: determination of circulating genotypes.

BACKGROUND: Gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus is responsible for approximately 810 deaths per year in children under 5 years of age in Peru and emerging rotavirus genotypes have led to concerns regarding cross-protection by the vaccines available. Moreover, there are no reports on the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Peru. METHODS: A total of 131 stool samples were obtained from children under 5 years hospitalised from January 2010 to December 2012 in the Hospital Regional de Cajamarca (Peru). ELISA and RT-PCR techniques were performed for rotavirus detection. G and P typing of rotavirus-positive samples were performed by semi-nested multiplex RT-PCR, and sequencing was performed to confirm the PCR results. RESULTS: Of the 117 samples available, 22 (18.8%) tested positive for rotavirus by ELISA and 42 (35.9%) tested positive by RT-PCR. Among the G genotypes identified, G9 (35.7%; 15/42) and G12 (33.3%; 14/42) were the most prevalent, with the most common combination being G12/P[6] (23.8%; 10/42). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of the G12/P[6] genotype was detected. It is known that this genotype is not covered by the current vaccines available. More in-depth studies are needed to determine the current rotavirus genotypes presents in Peru.