Prevalence and determinants of genital among school-going, sexually experienced adolescents in urban and rural Indigenous regions of Panama.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of genital (CT) among school-going sexually experienced male and female adolescents in Panama.

Methods: We conducted two multisite cross-sectional studies using two-stage cluster sampling to select adolescents aged 14-19 years attending urban public high schools (URB) in Panama City, San Miguelito, Colón and Panama Oeste from 2015 to 2018, and in the rural Indigenous Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé (CNB) from July-November 2018. CT testing was performed by real-time PCR on urine samples.

Evolution of late presentation to care and advanced HIV in newly HIV diagnosed subjects in the Republic of Panama: 2012-2017.

Most of the information on clinical factors related to HIV infection is focused on key populations and young people. Therefore, there is little information on clinical factors related to HIV infection in older persons (>45 years old). In this study, data on CD4 lymphocyte counts were analyzed on adults who are linked to care and have their first CD4 cell count done from different regions of the Republic of Panama from 2012 to 2017.

High Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections, and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Indigenous Adolescents of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama.

Background: There is scant information on sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence and risk factors among Latin American indigenous populations. We investigated STI prevalence and risk factors among adolescents of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé indigenous region of Panama.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among school-going adolescents aged 14 to 19 years.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes Circulating in Different Risk Groups of Panama, Evidence of the Introduction of Genotype A2 in the Country.

The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) can cause acute or chronic infection it is also associated with the development of liver cancer, thousands of new infections occur on a yearly basis, and many of these cases are located in certain areas of the Caribbean and Latin America. In these areas, the HBV prevalence is still high which makes this virus a serious public health concern to the entire region. Studies performed in Panama suggest a complex pattern in the distribution of HBV among the country's different risk groups.

High diversity of hepatitis B virus genotypes in Panamanian blood donors: a molecular analysis of new variants.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is an infectious agent that causes more than half of the cases of liver disease and cancer in the world. Globally there are around 250 million people chronically infected with this virus. Despite 16% of the cases of liver disease in Central America are caused by HBV, the information regarding its genetic diversity, genotypes and circulation is scarce.

Molecular characterisation of hepatitis B virus in the resident Chinese population in Panama City.

Despite the effectiveness of current hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines, it is estimated that 350 million individuals suffer from chronic HBV infection and more than 50% of these affected individuals live on the Asian continent. Panama is a country with a great diversity of foreign groups; the Chinese community is a large example of this phenomenon. There is an urgent need to perform studies that evaluate the prevalence and the genetic diversity of HBV in this community.

Simple, specific molecular typing of dengue virus isolates using one-step RT-PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

A one-step RT-PCR and one-enzyme RFLP was used to detect and distinguish among flaviviruses, including the four serotypes of dengue and the St. Louis Encephalitis, West Nile and Yellow Fever viruses in cultured virus samples or acute-phase human serum. Using a previously described RT-PCR, but novel RFLP procedure, results are obtained in 24 h with basic PCR and electrophoresis equipment.

Mifepristone 2.5 mg versus 5 mg daily in the treatment of leiomyoma before surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 2.5 mg and 5 mg mifepristone during 3 months for the treatment of uterine fibroids before surgery.

Design: Multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Reciprocal tripartite interactions between the Aedes aegypti midgut microbiota, innate immune system and dengue virus influences vector competence.

Dengue virus is one of the most important arboviral pathogens and the causative agent of dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome. It is transmitted between humans by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, and at least 2.5 billion people are at daily risk of infection.

Evaluation of the efficacy of albendazole sulphoxide and praziquantel in combination on Taenia crassiceps cysts: in vitro studies.

Objectives: Praziquantel and albendazole are currently used for chemotherapeutic treatment of neurocysticercosis. Albendazole has been found to be more effective than praziquantel; however, it is well known that not all patients will show a complete resolution of cysts. Searching for more effective treatments, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of the combination of praziquantel and albendazole sulphoxide in a Taenia crassiceps in vitro model as well as the kind of interaction between both drugs.

Predictors of smoking cessation success.

Purpose: To evaluate Smoking Cessation Clinic success rate and attitudes toward smoking among current and quitters enrolled at the clinic.

Methods: Telephone survey among a random sample of 61 subjects enrolled at the Smoking Cessation Clinic in the San Juan Veterans Affairs Hospital. The questionnaire was validated and standardized for Hispanic subjects.