The Experience of Testing for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) at a Single Diagnostic Center in Paraguay before the Introduction of Vaccination.

Soon after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute for Health Sciences Research (IICS) of the National University of Asunción, Paraguay became a testing laboratory (COVID-Lab) for SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-Lab testing performance was assessed from 1 April 2020 to 12 May 2021. The effect of the pandemic on the IICS and how the COVID-Lab contributed to the academic and research activities of the institute were also assessed.

SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Paraguay: Detection and Surveillance with an Economical and Scalable Molecular Protocol.

SARS-CoV-2 variant detection relies on resource-intensive whole-genome sequencing methods. We sought to develop a scalable protocol for variant detection and surveillance in Paraguay, pairing rRT-PCR for spike mutations with Nanopore sequencing. A total of 201 acute-phase nasopharyngeal samples were included.

Detection and characterization of spp. by semi-nested multiplex PCR both in mosquito vectors and in humans residing in historically endemic areas of Paraguay.

In Paraguay, no cases of Malaria have been recorded since 2011. Microscopy and the SnM-PCR technique were implemented to detect and characterize spp. both in mosquitoes and in humans residing in historically endemic areas of Paraguay, to evaluate the possibility of finding asymptomatic cases and/or Plasmodium parasites circulating in anophelines.

Absence of asymptomatic cases of malaria in a historically endemic indigenous locality of the Department of Caaguazú, Paraguay: moving toward elimination.

Introduction:: Paraguay was among the 16 countries that reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2014.

Methods:: A cross-sectional observational descriptive study was performed in 100 adults from Santa Teresa, Paraguay. Parasite detection was carried out using seminested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microscopy.

21-Hydroxylase gene mutant allele CYP21A2*15 strongly linked to the resistant HLA haplotype B*14:02-DRB1*01:02 in chronic Chagas disease.

We previously reported protective haplotype HLA-B*14:02-DRB1*01:02 against chronic Chagas disease in Bolivia. The V281L mutant allele of the 21-Hydroxylase gene, CYP21A2*15, is reported to be located in the Class III region of the Human leukocyte antigen region and linked to the haplotype HLA-B*14:02-DRB1*01:02. The mutant allele might play a primary role in the pathogenesis of chronic Chagas disease in the associated HLA region.

Protective human leucocyte antigen haplotype, HLA-DRB1*01-B*14, against chronic Chagas disease in Bolivia.

Background: Chagas disease, caused by the flagellate parasite Trypanosoma cruzi affects 8-10 million people in Latin America. The mechanisms that underlie the development of complications of chronic Chagas disease, characterized primarily by pathology of the heart and digestive system, are not currently understood. To identify possible host genetic factors that may influence the clinical course of Chagas disease, Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) regional gene polymorphism was analyzed in patients presenting with differing clinical symptoms.

Association of MICA and MICB alleles with symptomatic dengue infection.

Dengue viruses (DV) are one of the most important arthropod-borne viral diseases in the developing world. DV can cause syndromes that are either self-limiting or severe. Allelic variants of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes have been demonstrated to be associated with disease susceptibility.

Trypanosoma cruzi lineages detected in congenitally infected infants and Triatoma infestans from the same disease-endemic region under entomologic surveillance in Paraguay.

Trypanosoma cruzi II is associated with Chagas disease in the southern part of South America. We analyzed T. cruzi variants in field-collected triatomines and congenitally infected infants living in the same disease-endemic region in Paraguay.