Emergence and spread of plasmid-borne tet(B)::ISCR2 in minocycline-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates.

Resistance to minocycline has emerged in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Buenos Aires hospitals. Few reports about the description and dispersion of tet genes in this species have been published. We observed the presence of tet(B) in all minocycline-resistant isolates. This gene was found to be associated with the ISCR2 mobile element, which may, in part, explain its dispersion.

Perfil de la salud ambiental de la niñez en la región noroeste de la Argentina / Children’s environmental health profile in the Northern West region of Argentina

INTRODUCCION: La carga ambiental de las enfermedades infantiles puede ser controlada y prevenida evitando daños irreversibles.OBJETIVO: Elaborar un perfil de la salud ambiental de la niñez en la región Noroeste de la Argentina. Esta herramienta aporta un elemento importante para orientar las acciones de prevención y protección de la salud y el ambiente de dicha región. Este estudio se nutrió de la capacidad, experiencias obtenidas y del impacto positivo derivado del Perfil de la Salud Ambiental de la Niñez en la Argentina (Perfil SANA) realizado por la Asociación Argentina de Médicos por el Medio Ambiente, el Ministerio de Salud de la Nación y la Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.METODOS: El desarrollo del perfil promovió la interacción y la creación de vínculos entre los participantes de los sectores de ambiente y salud. El perfil permitió cuantificar la situación de la niñez utilizando los parámetros de salud en el análisis de los indicadores de contexto (población, edad, pobreza, género, entre otros), salud, exposición ambiental y de acción (por ejemplo, identificación de acciones y oportunidades).RESULTADOS: La definición y el análisis de los indicadores permitieron identificar los vacíos de información y las brechas de intervención y construir la línea de base como parámetro para comparar y evaluar en el tiempo y regionalmente el impacto de las acciones.CONCLUSIONES: La información obtenida brinda una base para que los responsables de la toma de decisiones, los investigadores, el sector privado y la comunidad en general, tengan una herramienta que les permita identificar situaciones de riesgo y desarrollar acciones para proteger mejor a los niños de los peligros ambientales.

INTRODUCTION: Children’s environmental burden of diseases can be controlled and preventes to avoid irreversible health damages.OBJECTIVE: To build children’s environmental health profile of the North-western Region of Argentina. This tool is an important element to protect health and envirtonment in the selected region. The project took into account the positive impact of the experience Profile of Children’s Environmental Health in Argentina (SANA Profile), developed by the Argentine Society of Doctors for the Environment, the Ministry of Health of the Nation and the Argentine Society of Pediatrics.METHODS: Different actors participated in the development of the profile, promoting interaction and creating links between environment and health. The profile allowed to quantify the children’s situation using health parameters in the analysis of context indicators (population, age, poverty, gender, etc.), health, environmental exposure and action (for example, identification of actions and opportunities).RESULTS: The definition and the analysis of the indicators allowed to identify the gaps of information and intervention, so as to build a base line to evaluate and compare the impact of the actions throughout time and regionally.CONCLUSIONS: The information is a preliminary basis for decision makers, researchers, private sector and community actors. It represents a tool to identify danger situations and develop actions to protect children from environmental hazards.

Perfil de la salud ambiental de la niñez en la región noroeste de la Argentina / Childrens environmental health profile in the Northern West region of Argentina

INTRODUCCION: La carga ambiental de las enfermedades infantiles puede ser controlada y prevenida evitando daños irreversibles.OBJETIVO: Elaborar un perfil de la salud ambiental de la niñez en la región Noroeste de la Argentina. Esta herramienta aporta un elemento importante para orientar las acciones de prevención y protección de la salud y el ambiente de dicha región. Este estudio se nutrió de la capacidad, experiencias obtenidas y del impacto positivo derivado del Perfil de la Salud Ambiental de la Niñez en la Argentina (Perfil SANA) realizado por la Asociación Argentina de Médicos por el Medio Ambiente, el Ministerio de Salud de la Nación y la Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.METODOS: El desarrollo del perfil promovió la interacción y la creación de vínculos entre los participantes de los sectores de ambiente y salud. El perfil permitió cuantificar la situación de la niñez utilizando los parámetros de salud en el análisis de los indicadores de contexto (población, edad, pobreza, género, entre otros), salud, exposición ambiental y de acción (por ejemplo, identificación de acciones y oportunidades).RESULTADOS: La definición y el análisis de los indicadores permitieron identificar los vacíos de información y las brechas de intervención y construir la línea de base como parámetro para comparar y evaluar en el tiempo y regionalmente el impacto de las acciones.CONCLUSIONES: La información obtenida brinda una base para que los responsables de la toma de decisiones, los investigadores, el sector privado y la comunidad en general, tengan una herramienta que les permita identificar situaciones de riesgo y desarrollar acciones para proteger mejor a los niños de los peligros ambientales.

INTRODUCTION: Childrens environmental burden of diseases can be controlled and preventes to avoid irreversible health damages.OBJECTIVE: To build childrens environmental health profile of the North-western Region of Argentina. This tool is an important element to protect health and envirtonment in the selected region. The project took into account the positive impact of the experience Profile of Childrens Environmental Health in Argentina (SANA Profile), developed by the Argentine Society of Doctors for the Environment, the Ministry of Health of the Nation and the Argentine Society of Pediatrics.METHODS: Different actors participated in the development of the profile, promoting interaction and creating links between environment and health. The profile allowed to quantify the childrens situation using health parameters in the analysis of context indicators (population, age, poverty, gender, etc.), health, environmental exposure and action (for example, identification of actions and opportunities).RESULTS: The definition and the analysis of the indicators allowed to identify the gaps of information and intervention, so as to build a base line to evaluate and compare the impact of the actions throughout time and regionally.CONCLUSIONS: The information is a preliminary basis for decision makers, researchers, private sector and community actors. It represents a tool to identify danger situations and develop actions to protect children from environmental hazards.

First case of fulminant sepsis due to Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica.

We report the first case of fulminant sepsis due to Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica. This case is also the first one reported in South America. We emphasize the importance of recognizing bacteria that live in the larvae of a parasitic fly as the causative agent of severe infections in homeless patients.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 expression on monocytes is associated with inflammation but not with infection in acute pancreatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is usually a mild and self-limiting disease, but some patients develop a severe form that is associated with high mortality. In AP, local inflammation is followed first by the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and then by the compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome, which is defined by low human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR expression on monocytes, increased concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and decreased monocyte function. Our aim was to measure the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-1 (a proposed marker of infection or inflammation) and HLA-DR on monocytes, and the serum concentrations of IL-6 (a proinflammatory cytokine) and IL-10 in patients with AP to determine whether these markers can identify patients at high risk of developing severe AP or infection. METHODS: Fifty healthy volunteers, 18 patients with mild AP, and 11 patients with severe AP were included in this study. Samples were taken at admission and one and three days later. TREM-1 and HLA-DR expression was evaluated by flow cytometry, and soluble TREM-1, IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: TREM-1 expression was higher in patients with AP than in healthy volunteers, but there was no difference between patients with mild and severe AP. TREM-1 expression was not associated with mortality or with the presence of infection. Soluble TREM-1 concentration in serum was higher in non-survivors than in survivors. HLA-DR expression was lower and IL-6 concentration higher in patients with severe AP and in infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: Increased TREM-1 expression was associated with the presence of inflammation but not infection in AP. In patients with AP, low HLA-DR expression and high IL-6 concentration could predict severity and infection in samples taken shortly after admission.