Publications by authors named "Martha Lucia Ospina Martinez"

Los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (INS) miembros de la Red Regional Latinoamericana de la Asociación Internacional de Institutos Nacionales de Salud Pública, reunidos en forma presencial en la sede del Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública de México, en la Ciudad de Cuernavaca, los días 5 al 7 de octubre de 2022, contando con la participación de los directores o representantes de los INS de (...

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The huge impact of SARS-CoV-2 infections on organ transplant recipients makes it necessary to optimize vaccine efficacy in this population. To effectively implement multiple strategies, it is crucial to understand the performance of each type of available vaccine. In our study, the antibody titer was measured, and the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated after 90 days of immunization; furthermore, the differences between hybrid immunity, immunity by vaccination, and immunosuppressant type were identified.

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To mitigate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), vaccines have been rapidly developed and introduced in many countries. In Colombia, the population was vaccinated with four vaccines. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the ability of the vaccines introduced in the National Vaccination Plan to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and induce seroconversion and sought to investigate the longevity of antibodies in the blood.

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Project (VEZ), an intensified surveillance of pregnant women with symptoms of the Zika virus disease (ZVD) in Colombia, aimed to evaluate the relationship between symptoms of ZVD during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy, birth, and infant outcomes and early childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes. During May-November 2016, pregnant women in three Colombian cities who were reported with symptoms of ZVD to the national surveillance system, or with symptoms of ZVD visiting participating clinics, were enrolled in Project VEZ. Data from maternal and pediatric (up to two years of age) medical records were abstracted.

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Article Synopsis
  • - SARS-CoV-2 has genetic diversity that can influence how easily the virus spreads and its ability to evade immunity from natural infections or vaccines.
  • - A study in Colombia identified the B.1.621 lineage of SARS-CoV-2 (a variant of interest) from genome sequencing of samples collected between January and April 2021, revealing several significant mutations in the Spike protein.
  • - The B.1.621 variant showed a rapid increase in prevalence in various regions of Colombia, raising concerns about its potential impact on public health and the effectiveness of existing immunity levels.
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COVID-19 pandemics has led to genetic diversification of SARS-CoV-2 and the appearance of variants with potential impact in transmissibility and viral escape from acquired immunity. We report a new and highly divergent lineage containing 21 distinctive mutations (10 non-synonymous, eight synonymous, and three substitutions in non-coding regions). The amino acid changes L249S and E484K located at the CTD and RBD of the Spike protein could be of special interest due to their potential biological role in the virus-host relationship.

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Article Synopsis
  • COVID-19 was first detected in Colombia on February 26, 2020, in a traveler from Italy, but there's limited information about its origins in the country.
  • Researchers sequenced the SARS-CoV-2 virus from 43 clinical samples and analyzed 79 existing genome sequences to study how the virus entered Colombia.
  • The study identified multiple introductions of the virus from Europe, documenting over 12 lineages and emphasizing the importance of genome sequencing in understanding the outbreak's evolution and transmission.
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Background: Colombia experienced a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in 2015-2016. To assist with planning for medical and supportive services for infants affected by prenatal ZIKV infection, we used a model to estimate the number of pregnant women infected with ZIKV and the number of infants with congenital microcephaly from August 2015 to August 2017.

Methods: We used nationally reported cases of symptomatic ZIKV disease among pregnant women and information from the literature on the percent of asymptomatic infections to estimate the number of pregnant women with ZIKV infection occurring August 2015-December 2016.

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In Colombia, approximately 105,000 suspected cases of Zika virus disease (diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, regardless of laboratory confirmation) were reported during August 9, 2015-November 12, 2016, including nearly 20,000 in pregnant women (1,2). Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a known cause of microcephaly and serious congenital brain abnormalities and has been associated with other birth defects related to central nervous system damage (3). Colombia's Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) maintains national surveillance for birth defects, including microcephaly and other central nervous system defects.

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Article Synopsis
  • eHealth has gained acceptance in Colombia, especially in cancer care, highlighting challenges and benefits from using tech in healthcare.
  • Colombia's National Cancer Information System, established in 2012, exemplifies the country's commitment to leveraging innovative health technologies.
  • Future efforts should focus on optimizing cancer care interventions and expanding eHealth tools to address broader health needs and inequalities.
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