[Colombian Guidelines of clinical practice for the use of immunoglobulins in the treatment of replacement and immunomodulation].

Immunoglobulins are heterodimeric proteins composed of 2 heavy chains and 2 light chains. Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) is a plasma derivative and contains more than 95% of IgG. The composition of IgG subclasses is similar to that of normal human plasma.

[Risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: A multicenter matched case-control study].

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent pathogen at critical care services. Its presence leads to increased hospital stays and mortality risk in patients with bacteremia. However, the etiology of this resistance marker has not been fully studied.

Loss of follow-up and associated factors in patients enrolled in the HIV/AIDS program of the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Colombia, 2012-2013.

Introduction: Regular long-term clinical follow-up is an important component of HIV care. 

Objective: To describe the reasons for follow-up loss among patients enrolled in the HIV/AIDS program of a university hospital. 

Materials And Methods: A nested case-control study was carried out on a retrospective cohort between January 1st, 2012 and July 31st, 2013.

Safety Profile of Nifurtimox and Treatment Interruption for Chronic Chagas Disease in Colombian Adults.

Nifurtimox (NFX) is one of the approved drugs used to treat Chagas disease. Safety profile studies and models on risk factors for treatment interruption in adults are scarce in Latin America. This study evaluated retrospectively the medical records of adult Chagas disease patients treated with NFX between 2007 and 2012 in Bogotá, Colombia.

[Effect of adequate initial antimicrobial therapy on mortality in critical patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia].

Introduction: Among hospital-acquired infections, bacteremia is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, especially among intensive care unit patients, where it is more frequent. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most aggressive agents causing bacteremia.

Objective: To evaluate the association between initial antimicrobial therapy and hospital mortality in these patients.

Molecular epidemiology and characterization of virulence genes of community-acquired and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Colombia.

Objective: To determine the molecular epidemiology and presence of virulence genes in community-acquired (CA) and hospital-acquired (HA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates and their relationship to clinical outcomes.

Methods: An observational and prospective study of infections caused by MRSA was conducted between June 2006 and December 2007 across seven hospitals in three Colombian cities. MRSA isolates were analyzed for SCCmec.

[Necrotizing pneumonia by community-acquired, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Colombia].

The emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) as a cause of severe infections has been described in the recent years. In 2006, the first report of skin and soft tissue infection by CA-MRSA was published in Colombia. Herein, two additional cases of CA-MRSA are reported with a clinical course characterized by rapid progression, prolonged stay in the intensive care unit and complication of pneumonia with the onset of empyema.

Nosocomial infections caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Colombia.

Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (CA-MRSA) have emerged as the causative agent of health care-associated infections.

Methods: An observational and prospective study was carried out in 5 hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia; severe MRSA infections were identified, and their origin led to classification as health care-associated (HA-MRSA), community-associated, or nosocomial infections. MRSA isolates were analyzed by SCCmec, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and virulence factors.

[Infectious diseases transmission during air travel: from myth to reality].

Air transport could disseminate infectious diseases in a few hours around the world. Although it is considered one of the safest means of transportation, little is known about its public health safety impact, keeping in mind that it is expanding and increasing the amount of users who can acquire and spread these diseases.The critical point to avoid a pandemic outbreak is to foresee and to be prepared; this could be done with health and aviation personnel training.