The genus Rickettsia in Mexico: Current knowledge and perspectives.

The genus Rickettsia encompasses 35 valid species of intracellular, coccobacilli bacteria that can infect several eukaryotic taxa, causing multiple emerging and re-emerging diseases worldwide. This work aimed to gather and summarise the current knowledge about the genus Rickettsia in Mexico, updating the taxonomy of the bacteria and their hosts by including all the records available until 2020, to elucidate host-parasite relationships and determine the geographical distribution of each Rickettsia species present in the country. Until now, 14 species of Rickettsia belonging to four groups have been recorded in Mexico. These species have been associated with 26 arthropod species (14 hard ticks, three soft ticks, two sucking lice, and seven fleas) and 17 mammal species distributed over 30 states in Mexico. This work highlights the high biological inventory of rickettsias for Mexico and reinforces the need to approach the study of this group from a One Health perspective.

[Effect of shortened directly observed treatment on compliance and cure rate of pulmonary tuberculosis]. / Efecto del tratamiento acortado estrictamente supervisado (TAES) sobre la adherencia y la tasa de curación de la tuberculosis pulmonar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate shortened directly observed treatment (DOTS) for management of pulmonary tuberculosis and to compare its outcomes with self-administered therapy (SAT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Evaluation of DOTS, implemented since 1998, was compared with a cohort of pulmonary tuberculosis patients under SAT from 1992 to 1997. Efficacy and efficiency of treatment were evaluated to agree with the National Tuberculosis Control Program. The study was conducted at a primary health care center in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. RESULTS: One hundred thirty eight patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis were included, 45 in DOTS cohort and 93 in SAT. Efficiency was higher in DOTS-managed cases compared with SAT cohort (95.5% vs 76.3%), p<0.05. Indeed, efficiency was significantly higher in relapsed patients treated under DOTS, p<0.05. The non-compliance rate declined to 0.0% in the DOTS cohort. Twenty six percent of DOTS patients were supervised as outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of DOTS was a flexible and effective strategy in treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. DOTS allows treatment completion, decline in non-compliance, and increase in care rate.

Efecto del tratamiento acortado estrictamente supervisado (TAES) sobre la adherencia y la tasa de curación de la tuberculosis pulmonar / Effect of Shortened Directly Observerd Treatment on Compliance and Cure Rate of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Objetivo: evaluar los resultados del tratamiento acortado estrictamente supervisado (TAES) para el control de la tuberculosis pulmonar (TBP), y compararlos con los obtenidos mediante el esquema autoadministrado (TA). Material y métodos: la evaluación del tratamiento se llevó a cabo a través de la comparación de las cohortes de casos de TBP acumulados de 1992 al 2000. El tratamiento de los pacientes y el análisis de los resultados se efectuaron según los lineamientos del Programa Nacional para el Control de la Tuberculosis. El estudio se desarrolló en una unidad de atención primaria. Resultados: se incluyó un total de 138 casos de TBP bacilífera. El tratamiento fue más efectivo en los pacientes TAES (95.5%) que en los pacientes bajo el régimen autoadministrado (76.3%), p<0.05. Asimismo, la eficiencia del tratamiento en los casos que ingresaron por recaída también fue mayor en la cohorte-TAES, p<0.05. La tasa de abandono disminuyó del 14 al 0.0% con la estrategia TAES, p=0.01. El 26% de los esquemas TAES fueron supervisados fuera de la unidad de médica. Conclusiones: la implementación del TAES demostró ser una estrategia flexible y efectiva para el tratamiento de la TBP; garantiza su adherencia, disminuye los abandonos y eleva la tasa de curación.

Objective: To evaluate shortened directly observed treatment (DOTS) for management of pulmonary tuberculosis and to compare its outcomes with self-administered therapy (SAT). Material and Methods: Evaluation of DOTS, implemented since 1998, was compared with a cohort of pulmonary tuberculosis patients under SAT from 1992 to 1997. Efficacy and efficiency of treatment were evaluated to agree with the National Tuberculosis Control Program. The study was conducted at a primary health care center in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Results: One hundred thirty eight patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis were included, 45 in DOTS cohort and 93 in SAT Efficiency was higher in DOTS-managed cases compared with SA T cohort (95.5% vs 76.3%), p <0.05. Indeed, efficiency was significantly higher in relapsed patients treated under DOTS, p <0.05. The non-compliance rate declined to 0.0% in the DOTS cohort. Twenty six percent of DOTS patients were supervised as outpatients. Conclusions: Implementation of DOTS was a flexible and effective strategy in treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. DOTS allows treatment completion, decline in non-compliance, and increase in care rate.

Brote epidémico de sarampión: patrones de transmisión en Sonora / Epidemic measles in Sonora

El presente trabajo informa sobre el brote epidémico de sarampión registrado en el año de 1990. Se analizan algunas variables epidemiológicas, así como los patrones de transmisión del virus en los diferentes grupos afectados. Se discuten las acciones de vacunación adoptadas para el control del brote y las modificaciones al esquema primario que permitan la eliminación del sarampión a mediano plazo