Prevalence, Distribution and IgG Antibody Levels Associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Among Health-System and Community-Based Employees and Patients.

BACKGROUND: Following the high morbidity and mortality due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in New Orleans, Louisiana, we sought to assess progress toward herd immunity. METHODS: Ochsner Health employees and patients who volunteered for Abbott SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody test between March 1 and May 1, 2020 were included. We estimated IgG prevalence and used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for variables associated with IgG test status. RESULTS: Of the 13,343 participants with IgG test results, 78.6% were women, 70.6% were non-Hispanic White, 21.1% non-Hispanic Black, 2.9% Hispanic Americans and 5.4% belonged to other races. Overall, 7.99% (95% CI: 7.53-8.45%) of the participants tested IgG positive. In age-, sex- and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted analyses, non-Hispanic Blacks were 2.7-times more likely to test positive than non-Hispanic Whites (OR=2.72; 95% CI: 2.33-3.19). Corresponding ORs (95% CIs) were 1.29 (0.84-1.99) for Hispanic Americans and 1.22 (0.85-1.75) for Other race/ethnicities. Compared to participants in administrative occupations, physician assistants (OR=7.14; 95% CI: 1.72-29.6) and therapists (OR=4.74; 95% CI: 1.49-15.03) were significantly more likely to have IgG antibodies while the association among nurses was not significant (OR=2.35; 95% CI: 0.96-5.77). Relative to 1.40, the test threshold for positivity, our measurements indicate a strong immune response (5.38±1.69), especially among those with a higher BMI. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-COV-2 IgG antibodies were prevalent only in 8% of the participants. IgG prevalence was highest among non-Hispanic Blacks and participants with higher BMI but was lower among older participants.

Cutaneous Myiasis in Rural Haiti.

Background: Myiasis is a disease caused by the infestation of human tissue by the larval stage of various flies. It has been identified in sub-Saharan Africa and in tropical parts of the Americas. Cases have also been identified among travelers returning to the United States. Infestations may involve any part of the body, including the scalp, and open wounds may become infected with these larvae. The primary cause of wound myiasis in the western hemisphere is Cochliomyia hominivorax. Case Report: We present a case of wound myiasis in an adult Haitian male with a persistent wound for 2 years. To our knowledge, only 1 other report of wound myiasis in Haiti caused by C hominivorax has been published. Conclusion: Wound myiasis can occur in many tropical regions of the world, including Haiti. Because of the prevalence of global travel, clinicians should be familiar with the condition's diagnosis and management.

Medicine in Society Health Project: Five Students' Journey to a Resource-Limited Clinic in the Haitian Countryside.

BACKGROUND: Five medical students traveled with 4 doctors and a medical photographer to Mayaya, La Victoire, Haiti, as part of a Medicine in Society rotation to provide medical care to the indigenous population. METHODS: Preparation for the trip involved special study in identifying microbes and using blood analysis equipment; work in a clinic for underserved people in the New Orleans, LA, area; background reading; Haitian dialect classes; and development of ideas for streamlining clinic operations. RESULTS: During the week in country, the healthcare team saw 472 patients and made more than 1,100 diagnoses. A shortage in almost all needed medications was one of the biggest challenges. CONCLUSION: Each aspect of the pretrip training was useful but did not prepare the students for the conditions in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Overall, the clinic functioned smoothly, and each student had an important role to play each day. Medicine in Society-Haiti gave the medical students a completely new perspective on medicine as they experienced firsthand the ethical dilemma of resource scarcity.