First wave of SARS-CoV-2 in Santiago Chile: Seroprevalence, asymptomatic infection and infection fatality rate.

Background: The first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chile occurred during the cold season reaching a peak by the end of June 2020, with 80 % of the cases concentrated in its capital, Santiago. The main objective of this study was to estimate the attack rate during this first wave of SARS-CoV-2 in a large, densely populated city with more than seven million inhabitants. Since the number of confirmed cases provides biased information due to individuals' potential self-selection, mostly related to asymptomatic patients and testing access, we measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 to assess infection prevalence during the first wave in the city, as well as estimate asymptomatic cases, and infection fatality ratio.

A dual treatment blocks alcohol binge-drinking relapse: Microbiota as a new player.

Rationale: Gut microbiota communicates information to the brain. Some animals are born with a gut microbiota that predisposes to high alcohol consumption, and transplantation of fecal material from alcoholics to mice increases animal preference for ethanol. Alcohol-use-disorders are chronic conditions where relapse is the hallmark.

Innate gut microbiota predisposes to high alcohol consumption.

Gut microbiota is known to be transferred from the mother to their offspring. This study determines whether the innate microbiota of rats selectively bred for generations as high alcohol drinkers play a role in their alcohol intake. Wistar-derived high-drinker UChB rats (intake 10-g ethanol/kg/day) administered nonabsorbable oral antibiotics before allowing access to alcohol, reducing their voluntary ethanol intake by 70%, an inhibition that remained after the antibiotic administration was discontinued.

Imported scrub typhus: first case in South America and review of the literature.

Background: Scrub typhus is a neglected vector-borne zoonosis causing life-threatening illnesses, endemic in the Asian-Pacific region and, as recently discovered, in southern Chile. Scrub typhus is rarely reported in travelers, most probably due to the lack of clinical experience and diagnostic tests in non-endemic countries. We report the first case of imported scrub typhus in South America.

Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 with neurological manifestations, a case series.

Objectives: Describe a series of atypical presentations of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009.

Methods: Description of case series using hospital records.

Results: Six patients aged 1 to 65 years with confirmed pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 infection presented with neurological complications within 2 to 5 days after the first signs of influenza-like illness.

[Community acquired infections with methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus: report of five cases].

Community acquired infections with methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have a more aggressive clinical course and involve mostly skin and lungs. These infections appear as outbreaks among prisoners, sportsmen, men having sex with men and military personnel. The higher aggressiveness of these strains is due to the production of several toxins, mainly Panton- Valentine leukocidine.