Publications by authors named "M Ferres"
Since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in 2019, a diversity of viral genomic variants has emerged and spread globally due to increased transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immune evasion. By the first trimester of 2023 in Chile, as in most countries, BQ and XBB were the predominant circulating sub-lineages of Omicron. The molecular and antigenic characteristics of these variants have been mainly determined using non-authentic spike pseudoviruses, which is often described as a limitation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS) is a rare genetic condition leading to severe intellectual disabilities and other physical symptoms, diagnosed through clinical signs and the presence of a SMARCA2 mutation.
- The case presented involves a prenatal diagnosis of caudal regression and congenital vertical talus, ultimately linked to a de novo SMARCA2 variant after the pregnancy was terminated.
- This study suggests that these specific physical traits should be recognized as part of the spectrum associated with NCBRS when linked to the SMARCA2 pathogenic variant.
Background: Andes virus (ANDV) is a zoonotic Orthohantavirus leading to hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. Although most transmissions occur through environmental exposure to rodent faeces and urine, rare person-to-person transmission has been documented, mainly for close contacts. This study investigates the presence and infectivity of ANDV in body fluids from confirmed cases and the duration of viraemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths globally, and while several diagnostic systems were proposed, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the gold standard. However, diagnostic reagents, including enzymes used in RT-PCR, are subject to centralized production models and intellectual property restrictions, which present a challenge for less developed countries. With the aim of generating a standardized One-Step open RT-qPCR protocol to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in clinical samples, we purified and tested recombinant enzymes and a non-proprietary buffer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSewage surveillance provides useful epidemiologic and public health information on viral infections at the population level. We detected monkeypox virus DNA from sewage samples covering 85% of the population in Santiago Metropolitan Region Chile. We also isolated infective viruses from those samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF