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ABSTRACT Introduction: Understanding the intricate dynamics between different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding variations in clinical outcomes is essential for informed public health decision-making. Comprehensive insights into these fluctuations can guide resource allocation, healthcare policies, and the development of effective interventions. This study aimed to compare the characteristics and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 at peak transmission points by including all patients attended during the first four pandemic waves in a referral center in Colombia. Material and methods: In a prospective observational study of 2733 patients, clinical and demographic data were extracted from the Fundacion Valle de Lili's COVID-19 Registry, focusing on ICU admission, Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV), length of hospital stay, and mortality. Results: Our analysis unveiled substantial shifts in patient care patterns. Notably, the proportion of patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy and experiencing secondary infections exhibited a pronounced decrease across waves (p < 0.001). Remarkably, there was a significant reduction in ICU admissions (62.83% vs. 51.23% vs. 58.23% vs. 46.70 %, p < 0.001), Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV) usage (39.25% vs. 32.22% vs. 31.22% vs. 21.55 %, p < 0.001), and Length of Hospital Stay (LOS) (9 vs. 8 vs. 8 vs. 8 days, p < 0.001) over the successive waves. Surprisingly, hospital mortality remained stable at approximately 18-20 % (p > 0.05). Notably, vaccination coverage with one or more doses surged from 0 % during the initial waves to 66.71 % in the fourth wave. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the critical importance of adapting healthcare strategies to the evolving dynamics of the pandemic. The reduction in ICU admissions, IMV utilization, and LOS, coupled with the rise in vaccination rates, underscores the adaptability of healthcare systems. Hospital mortality's persistence may warrant further exploration of treatment strategies. These insights can inform public health responses, helping policymakers allocate resources effectively and tailor interventions to specific phases of the pandemic.

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Abstract Background Understanding the epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) isolates is important for pneumonia treatment and prevention. This research aimed to explore the epidemiological characteristics of S. pneumoniae isolated from pediatric inpatients and outpatients during the same period. Methods S. pneumoniae were isolated from unsterile samples of inpatients and outpatients younger than five years old between March 2013 and February 2014. The serotypes were determined using diagnostic pneumococcal antisera. The resistance of each strain to 13 antibiotics was tested using either the E-test or the disc diffusion method. The Sequence Types (STs) were analyzed via Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST). Results The dominant serotypes obtained from inpatients were 19F (32.9 %), 19A (20.7 %), 23F (10.7 %), 6A (10.0 %), and 14 (8.6 %), while those from outpatients were 19F (13.6 %), 23F (12.9 %), 6A (10.0 %), 6B (10.0 %), and 19A (7.9 %). The coverage rates of 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) formulations were high in both groups. The nonsusceptibility to penicillin, cefuroxime, imipenem, erythromycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole among the inpatient isolates was 7.1 %, 92.8 %, 65.7 %, 100 %, and 85.0 %, respectively, while that among the outpatient isolates was 0.7 %, 50.0 %, 38.6 %, 96.4 %, and 65.7 %, respectively. There were 45 and 81 STs detected from the pneumococci isolated from inpatients and outpatients, respectively. CC271 was common among both inpatients and outpatients (43.6 % and 14.3 %). Conclusions Pneumococcal vaccine-related serotypes are prevalent among both inpatients and outpatients, especially among inpatients, who exhibit more severe antibiotic resistance. Therefore, universal immunization with PCV13 would decrease the hospitalization rate due to S. pneumoniae and the antibiotic resistance rate of S. pneumoniae.

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Abstract Background Patients with kidney disease on Hemodialysis (HD) are susceptible to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) due to multiple risk factors. Aim This study aims to report the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among patients on hemodialysis before vaccination in Brazil and to compare with clinical, demographic, and laboratory data. Methods Blood samples from 398 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients treated in three different private institutions in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil were submitted to the total anti-SARS-CoV-2 testing. Kidney, liver, and hematological markers were also determined. Respiratory samples were tested by real-time PCR for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and positive samples were subjected to high-throughput sequencing on the MinION device. Results Overall, anti-SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was 54.5 % (217/398) and two individuals had SARS-CoV-2 RNA with variant B.1.1. High anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was found in male gender and those with hospital admission in the last 3-months before the inclusion in the study. Lower red blood cell count was observed in the anti-SARS-CoV-2 seropositive group. High levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 were found in those who reported symptoms, had low levels of eosinophils and low hematocrit, and who practiced physical activity. Conclusion High prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 was found in CKD patients before the universal immunization in Brazil suggesting that dialysis patients were highly exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

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ABSTRACT Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a hereditary disease characterized by extravascular and intravascular hemolysis and clinical variability, from mild pain to potentially life-threatening. Arboviruses include mainly Zika (ZIKV), Chikungunya (CHKV), and Dengue (DENV) virus, and are considered a public and social health problem. The present cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the prevalence of arbovirus infection in SCD patients from two Brazilian cities, Salvador and Manaus located in Bahia and Amazonas states respectively. A total of409 individuals with SCD were included in the study, and 307 (75.06 %) patients tested positive for DENV-IgG, 161 (39.36 %) for ZIKV-IgG, and 60 (14.67 %) for CHIKV-IgG. Only one individual was positive for DENV-NS1 and another for DENV-IgM, both from Salvador. No individuals had positive serology for ZIKV-IgM or CHIKV-IgM. Arbovirus positivity by IgG testing revealed that the SCD group presented high frequencies in both cities. Interestingly, these differences were only statistically significant for ZIKV-IgG (p = 0.023) and CHIKV-IgG (p = 0.005) among SCD patients from Manaus. The reshaping of arbovirus from its natural habitat by humans due to disorderly urban expansion and the ease of international Mobility has been responsible for facilitating the spread of vector-borne infectious diseases in humans. We found the need for further studies on arboviruses in this population to elucidate the real association and impact, especially in acute infection. We hope that this study will contribute to improvements in the personalized clinical follow-up of SCD patients, identifying the influence of arbovirus infection in severe disease manifestations.

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ABSTRACT This is a cost analysis study based on hospital admissions, conducted from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), carried out in a cohort of patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of Brasília (UHB) due to Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) caused by COVID-19, from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022. An approach based on macro-costingwas used,considering thecosts perpatient identified in the Hospital Admission Authorizations (HAA). Were identified 1,015 HAA from 622 patients. The total cost of hospitalizations was R$ 2,875,867.18 for 2020 and 2021. Of this total, 86.41 % referred to hospital services and 13.59 % to professional services. The highest median cost per patient identified was for May 2020 (R$ 19,677.81 IQR [3,334.81–33,041.43]), while the lowest was in January 2021 (R$ 1,698.50 IQR [1,602.70–2,224.11]). The high cost of treating patients with COVID-19 resulted in a high economic burden of SARI due to COVID-19 for UHB and, consequently, for SUS.

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ABSTRACT Background: Leprosy is a neglected dermato-neurologic, infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis. Leprosy is treatable and curable by multidrug therapy/MDT, consisting of 12 months rifampicin, dapsone and clofazimine for multibacillary/MB patients and for 6 months for paucibacillary/PB patients. The relapse rate is considered a crucial treatment outcome. A randomized Controlled Clinical Trial (U-MDT/CT-BR) conducted from 2007‒2012 compared clinical outcomes in MB patients after 12 months regular MDT/R-MDT and 6 months uniform MDT/U-MDT in two highly endemic Brazilian areas. Objectives: To estimate the 10 years relapse rate of MB patients treated with 6 months U-MDT. Methods: The statistical analyses treated the data as a case-control study, sampled from the cohort generated for the randomized trial. Analyses estimated univariate odds ratio and applied logistic regression for multivariate analysis, controlling the confounding variables. Results: The overall relapse rate was 4.08 %: 4.95 % (16 out of 323) in the U-MDT group and 3.10 % (9 out of 290) in the regular/R-MDT group. The difference in relapse proportion between U-MDT and R-MDT groups was 1.85 %, not statistically significant (Odds Ratio = 1.63, 95 % CI 0.71 to 3.74). However, misdiagnosis of relapses, may have introduced bias, underestimating the force of the association represented by the odds ratio. Conclusions: The relapse estimate of 10 years follow-up study of the first randomized, controlled study on U-MDT/CT-BR was similar to the R-MDT group, supporting strong evidence that 6 months U-MDT for MB patients is an acceptable option to be adopted by leprosy endemic countries worldwide. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00669643.

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ABSTRACT Trypanosomatids are an important group of parasites that predominate in tropical and subtropical areas of the planet, which cause diseases that are classified as forgotten and neglected by the world health organization. In this group of parasites, we find Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Leishmania spp, for which there is no vaccine available, and its control has focused mainly on pharmacological treatment. Due to the poverty situation where these diseases are found and the biological complexity of these parasites, there are multiple variables to control, including the diversity of species, the complexity of their life cycles, drug resistance, cytotoxicity, the limited use in pregnant women, the high costs of treatment and the little-known pharmacological mechanisms of action, among others. It is therefore necessary to find new strategies and approaches for the treatment of these parasitic diseases. Among these new approaches is the rational search for new targets based on the allosteric inhibition of protein kinases, which have been little studied in trypanosomatids. Among these kinases, we find Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3), a kinase of great pharmacological interest, which is under intense basic and clinical research by pharmaceutical companies for the treatment of cancer. This kinase, highly studied in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway signaling in humans, has an orthologous gene in these parasites (GSK-3 s), which has proven to be essential for them in response to different challenges; Therefore, it is notable to increase research in this kinase in order to achieve a broad structural and functional characterization in the different species of trypanosomatids.

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ABSTRACT A substantial number of zoonotic diseases are caused by viral pathogens, representing a significant menace to public health, particularly to susceptible populations, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Individuals who have undergone solid organ transplantation frequently experience immunosuppression, to prevent organ rejection, and, thus are more prone to opportunistic infections. Furthermore, the reactivation of dormant viruses can threaten transplant recipients and organ viability. This mini-review examines the up-to-date literature covering potential zoonotic and organ rejection-relevant viruses in solid organ transplant recipients. A comprehensive list of viruses with zoonotic potential is highlighted and the most important clinical outcomes in patients undergoing transplantation are described. Moreover, this mini-review calls attention to complex multifactorial events predisposing viral coinfections and the need for continuous health surveillance and research to understand better viral pathogens’ transmission and pathophysiology dynamics in transplanted individuals.

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ABSTRACT Chlamydia psittaci – related community-acquired pneumonia associated to acute myocarditis was diagnosed in a young man with no medical history, and a professional exposition to birds. The diagnosis was confirmed with positive specific polymerase chain reaction in bronchoalveolar lavage. The patient was treated with spiramycin for two weeks with anti-inflammatory treatment for myocarditis for three months. Clinical and biological improvement was rapidly observed followed by normalization of electrocardiogram and chest CT scan. No relapse was reported for over a two-year follow-up.