Publications by authors named "Eduardo Becerril Vargas"

Article Synopsis
  • SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, has caused over 7 million deaths worldwide since its emergence, leading to trials of treatments like the anti-IL6 inhibitor tocilizumab, which failed to significantly improve survival rates.
  • Researchers isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs) from 39 severe COVID-19 patients to explore their potential as biomarkers, finding that specific viral proteins (spike and nucleocapsid) were dynamic in expression during treatment and recovery.
  • The study suggests that the changing levels of EV viral proteins could correlate with clinical outcomes, indicating that EVs might help identify long COVID and other complications in patients with severe cases.
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  • Thirty-nine clinical isolates from 11 cystic fibrosis patients were analyzed over a 10-year period using whole genome sequencing (WGS) to study their genomic and phenotypic characteristics.
  • A single, persistent strain was identified in a long-term patient, showing reduced elastase activity and growth rate, which suggests adaptive changes over time, with no instances of transmission between patients or centers.
  • The study highlights unique genomic traits of the isolates, such as the conservation of biofilm and phenazine-related genes, and emphasizes the importance of integrating both genomic and virulence-related phenotypic testing in cystic fibrosis research.
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  • * The study found a significant link between high HIV viral loads and cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, with most strains belonging to Lineage 4, particularly the H and T clades.
  • * The findings indicate a high genetic diversity of MTb strains, underscoring the importance of establishing molecular epidemiological systems for effective monitoring and control of TB among HIV patients.
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Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is associated with higher mortality rates in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In Mexico, the number of deaths due to TB among the HIV-positive population has tripled in recent years.

Methods: Ninety-three strains isolated from the same number of HIV-infected patients treated in a public hospital in Mexico City were studied to determine the drug resistance to first- and second-line anti-TB drugs and to identify the mutations associated with the resistance.

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Background: Damage due to respiratory viruses increases the risk of bacterial and fungal coinfections and superinfections. High rates of invasive aspergillosis are seen in severe influenza and COVID-19. This report describes CAPA cases diagnosed during the first wave in the biggest reference centre for severe COVID-19 in Mexico.

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Background: Ventilator-Associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients in lower-and-middle-income settings, where timely access to emergency care and accurate diagnostic testing is not widely available. Therefore, rapid microbiological diagnosis is essential to improve effective therapy delivery to affected individuals, preventing adverse outcomes and reducing antimicrobial resistance.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with suspected VAP and COVID-19, evaluating the diagnostic performance of the BioFire® FilmArray® Pneumonia Panel (FA-PP).

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BACKGROUND Giant cell tumors of the bone (GCTB) are rare, locally aggressive benign neoplasms that primarily occur in the metaphyses of long bones. In less than 2% of cases, GCTBs arise in the spine, predominantly below the sacrum. We report the clinical manifestations, diagnostic approach, and successful surgical treatment of a patient with a GCTB of the thoracic spine.

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  • The study investigates a new kit, the Qiaprep & Viral RNA UM kit, designed to streamline the process of diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 by combining sample preparation and RT-PCR amplification in fewer steps.
  • A clinical trial with 190 samples showed that the QIA P&A kit had a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 100%, and a Kappa value of 0.76 compared to the traditional RT-PCR, indicating it performed acceptably but not optimally.
  • The researchers concluded that while the QIA P&A kit shows promise for quicker SARS-CoV-2 detection, more studies are necessary to confirm its cost-effectiveness and reliability as a diagnostic tool.
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Background: COVID-19 requires an early diagnosis to optimize management and limit transmission. SARS-CoV-2 is able to spread effectively. Infected asymptomatic individuals have been found to be contagious.

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines effectively protect against severe disease and death. However, the impact of the vaccine used, viral variants, and host factors on disease severity remain poorly understood. This work aimed to compare COVID-19 clinical presentations and outcomes in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in Mexico City.

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During the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Mexico, more than two million people were infected. In this study, we analyzed full genome sequences from 27 February 2020 to 28 February 2021 to characterize the geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 lineages and identify the most common circulating lineages during this period. We defined six different geographical regions with particular dynamics of lineage circulation.

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The COVID-19 outbreak has caused over three million deaths worldwide. Understanding the pathology of the disease and the factors that drive severe and fatal clinical outcomes is of special relevance. Studying the role of the respiratory microbiota in COVID-19 is especially important as the respiratory microbiota is known to interact with the host immune system, contributing to clinical outcomes in chronic and acute respiratory diseases.

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  • * Researchers identified a new variant called B.1.1.519, which has specific mutations (T478K, P681H, T732A) in its spike protein.
  • * This new variant quickly outperformed existing variants in Mexico, becoming the dominant strain in the first quarter of 2021.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Healthcare workers (HCWs) constitute a population which is significantly affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection worldwide. In Mexico, the (INER) is the principal national reference of respiratory diseases.

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  • - The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted many, particularly pregnant women, who experience unique physiological changes that may affect their health.
  • - A case study describes a 34-year-old pregnant woman with twin pregnancies who developed a skin rash linked to SARS-CoV-2, confirmed through testing.
  • - Despite ongoing research, there’s currently no clear evidence that pregnant women are more susceptible to severe COVID-19 than non-pregnant individuals, emphasizing the need for diagnostic testing when skin rashes appear.
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BACKGROUND Coinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) has been reported, albeit rarely, in various parts of the world and has received attention from health systems because up to one-third of the world's population has been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Mexico was not included in the first-ever report on a global cohort of patients with this coinfection. We report on a case of SARS-CoV-2/MBT coinfection in a 51-year-old taxi driver from Mexico City that underscores the importance of rapid and accurate laboratory testing, diagnosis, and treatment.

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Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health problem and the ninth leading cause of death worldwide. Progression of infection to active disease depends on mycobacterial virulence, environmental diversity, and host susceptibility and immune response. In children, malnutrition and immaturity of the immune system contribute to an inadequate immune response.

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BACKGROUND Acute kidney injury is one of the most common complications in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, occurring in up to 7% of cases and increasing to 23% in patients treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The objective of this report was to describe the clinical case of a patient infected by SARS-CoV-2 who developed acute renal injury, probably secondary to this infection. CASE REPORT On 1 April 2020, a 65-year-old woman presented to the emergency service of the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico City, with a 15-day history of dry cough and subjective fever.

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Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted countries worldwide, necessitating the study of how the virus evolves and spreads to improve control measures.
  • Researchers analyzed the genome sequences of 17 early SARS-CoV-2 cases in Mexico, revealing two main viral lineages from North America and Europe, along with 14 distinct introduction events.
  • Findings indicated early local transmission in Mexico by mid-March 2020, featuring a genetic mutation in the Spike protein that could help track further viral spread in the region.
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SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. In this report, we describe the complete genome sequence of the first imported SARS-CoV-2, detected in a Mexican patient who had traveled to Bergamo, Italy. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this isolate belongs to subclade A2a (lineage G) and is closely related to isolates from Finland, Germany and Brazil, all of which were from patients with a history of travel to Italy.

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Objectives: To evaluate the performance of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) and influenza vaccines' effectiveness (VE) during an outbreak setting.

Methods: We compared the performance of a RIDT with RT-PCR for influenza virus detection in influenza-like illness (ILI) patients enrolled during the 2016/17 season in Mexico City. Using the test-negative design, we estimated influenza VE in all participants and stratified by age, virus subtype, and vaccine type (trivalent vs quadrivalent inactivated vaccines).

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