Antimicrobial Consumption in Latin American Countries: First Steps of a Long Road Ahead.

BACKGROUND: Irrational antimicrobial consumption (AMC) became one of the main global health problems in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: In order to understand AMC in Latin-American Region, we performed the present research in 6 countries. METHODS: Antimicrobial consumption (J01, A07A, P01AB groups) was registered in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Peru. Source of information, AMC type, DDD (Defined Daily Doses), DID (DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), population were variables explored. Data was analyzed using the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) tool. RESULTS: Source of information included data from global, public, and private sectors. Total AMC was highly variable (range 1.91-36.26 DID). Penicillin was the most consumed group in all countries except in Paraguay, while macrolides and lincosamides were ranked second. In terms of type of AMC according to the WHO-AWaRe classification, it was found that for certain groups like "Reserve," there are similarities among all countries. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: This paper shows the progress that 6 Latin-American countries made toward AMC surveillance. The study provides a standardized approach for building a national surveillance system for AMC data analysis. These steps will contribute to the inclusion of Latin-America among the regions of the world that have periodic, regular, and quality data of AMC.

Morbimortalidad en pacientes COVID-19 positivo / Morbimortality in COVID-19 positive patients

Objetivo: Descripción de la actualidad de la morbimortalidad de pacientes COVID-19 positivo en el Hospital General Docente "Ambato", para comprender el comportamiento del virus. Método: Descriptiva observacional y análisis de casos de morbimortalidad de pacientes. Resultados: La mayor prevalencia de casos COVID-19 se encuentra en adultos maduros (40-65 años) con un 48.1% de los casos registrados. Conclusión: La patogenia en pacientes COVID-19; en los registros proporcionados por el Hospital General Docente Ambato, se evidencia que la existencia de alguna comorbilidad de transcurso crónico, sobre todo en patologías cardiovasculares, respiratorias, renales y endocrino-metabólicas; sumándole a esto, en las poblaciones más vulnerables como son de adultos maduros (40 ­ 64 años de edad); de adultos mayores (> de 65 años); explicarían la tasa elevada de mortalidad y las implicaciones de la aparición de casos críticos, debido a la gravedad de las complicaciones evolutivas conduciendo a la vida humana a un desenlace fatal.

Objective: Description of the current morbimortality of COVID-19 positive patients at the Hospital General Docente "Ambato", in order to understand the behavior of the virus. Method: Descriptive observational and case analysis of patient morbimortality. Results: the highest prevalence of COVID-19 cases is found in mature adults (40-65 years) with 48.1% of registered cases. Conclusion: The pathogenesis in COVID-19 patients; in the records provided by the Hospital General Docente Ambato, it is evident that the existence of some comorbidity of chronic course, especially in cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and endocrine-metabolic pathologies; adding to this, in the most vulnerable populations such as mature adults (40 - 64 years of age); older adults (> 65 years of age); would explain the high mortality rate and the implications of the appearance of critical cases, due to the severity of the evolutionary complications leading to a fatal outcome in human life.

A invisibilidade das pessoas LGBTQIA+ nas bases de dados: novas possibilidades na Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde 2019? / The invisibility of the LGBTQIA+ people in the databases: new possibilities in the 2019 National Health Research?

Resumo A disponibilidade de informações a respeito das minorias populacionais, nesse caso, da população LGBTQIA+ (Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis e Transexuais, Queers, Intersexuais e Assexuais) e a possibilidade de cruzamentos com demais variáveis em bases populacionais é imprescindível para a compreensão das similaridades e especificidades da realidade vivenciada por estes grupos, bem como para a criação de políticas públicas focalizadas. Nesse sentido, buscamos refletir nesse artigo sobre os problemas relativos à investigação sobre as orientações/performances de sexo e gênero e, por consequência, a falta de informação sobre tal temática disponível nas bases de dados populacionais. A partir da inclusão da pergunta sobre orientação sexual na base de dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde (PNS), de 2019, apesar das limitações, apresentamos algumas das possíveis oportunidades de investigações sobre o tema a partir de diferentes óticas.

Abstract The availability of information about population minorities, in this case, the LGBTQIA+ population (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transvestite/Transsexual, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual), and the possible intersections with other variables on population bases is essential for understanding the similarities and specificities of the reality experienced by these groups, and the establishment of focused public policies. In this sense, this paper aims to reflect on the problems related to research about the sex and gender orientations/performances and, consequently, the lack of information on this topic available in population databases. From the inclusion of the question about sexual orientation in the 2019 National Health Survey database, despite the limitations, this paper presents possible opportunities for investigations on the topic from different perspectives.