Global reporting of progress towards elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Background: The 69th World Health Assembly endorsed the global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Achieving and measuring the 2030 targets requires a substantial increase in the capacity to test and treat viral hepatitis infections and a mechanism to monitor the progress of hepatitis elimination. This study aimed to identify the gaps in data availability or quality and create a new mechanism to monitor the progress of hepatitis elimination.

HIV, syphilis, and viral hepatitis among Latin American indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants: a systematic review.

Objective: To identify and summarize existing literature on the burden of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and viral hepatitis (VH) in indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants in Latin America to provide a broad panorama of the quantitative data available and highlight problematic data gaps.

Methods: Published and grey literature were systematically reviewed to identify documents published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese with data collected between January 2000 and April 2016 on HIV, STI, and VH disease burden among indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants in 17 Latin American countries.

Results: Sixty-two documents from 12 countries were found.

Access to sexual and reproductive health services for women living with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: systematic review of the literature.

Introduction: Systematic reviews show that women living with HIV (WLHIV) have high unmet sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs due to barriers to access sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS). In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as of 2016, there were nearly one million WLHIV, but the existing evidence of their SRH needs comes from a few individual studies. This systematic review provides an overview of these women's needs to help define new and/or adapt existing public health strategies to the local context.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION GLOBAL HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGY ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS: AN EVIDENCE-TO-ACTION SUMMARY FOR COLOMBIA.

Curable and incurable sexually transmitted infections (STI) are acquired by hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year. Undiagnosed and untreated STIs cause a range of negative health outcomes including adverse birth outcomes, infertility and other long term sequelae such as cervical cancer. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global STI Strategy (2016-2021).

Syphilis in the most at-risk populations in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review.

Objective: To describe syphilis prevalence in men who have sex with men (MSM), the transgender population, and sex workers and their clients, identifying critical geographical areas, trends, and data gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Methods: A systematic review of syphilis prevalence was conducted by searching PubMed, LILACS, EMBASE, conference records, and other sources (2000-2010).

Results: Forty-eight articles were included in the review, from which 84 data points were identified relating to MSM and female sex workers and only 10 relating to the transgender population, male sex workers, and clients of sex workers.

Progress of implementation of the World Health Organization strategy for HIV drug resistance control in Latin America and the Caribbean.

By the end of 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) achieved 63% antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage. Measures to control HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) at the country level are recommended to maximize the efficacy and sustainability of ART programs. Since 2006, the Pan American Health Organization has supported implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) strategy for HIVDR prevention and assessment through regional capacity-building activities and direct technical cooperation in 30 LAC countries.

Patterns, trends and sex differences in HIV/AIDS reported mortality in Latin American countries: 1996-2007.

Background: International cohort studies have shown that antiretroviral treatment (ART) has improved survival of HIV-infected individuals. National population based studies of HIV mortality exist in industrialized settings but few have been presented from developing countries. Our objective was to investigate on a population basis, the regional situation regarding HIV mortality and trends in Latin America (LA) in the context of adoption of public ART policies and gender differences.

[Diagnostic yield of the extended prostatic biopsy with 10 cores. Prospective study on 222 patients].

Objectives: The number of biopsy samples for a proper prostate cancer diagnosis has not yet been established. We report our experience with the 10-sample extended biopsy.

Methods: We collected the results of a group of 222 patients undergoing extended ultrasound guided prostate biopsy with 10 samples.

[Tolerability and complications of the ultrasound guided transrectal biopsy of the prostate extended to 10 cores. The role of neurovascular bundle blockage with lidocaine].

Objectives: The growing interest on increasing the number of biopsy samples during ultrasound guided prostatic biopsies moved us to evaluate the tolerability and complications of the extensive biopsy with/without blockage of neurovascular bundles.

Methods: A group of 222 patients underwent prostatic biopsy with the aim to obtain 10 cores on each. After evaluation of the first 50 cases performed without anesthesia, decision was taken to proceed with neurovascular blockage with 2% lidocaine, comparatively evaluating both groups for results on tolerability, complications and global adverse events.

[The role of prostate volume in ultrasound guided transrectal prostate biopsy: is it as important as a marker as PSA?].

Objectives: The limitations of PSA to identify patients with prostate cancer prompted the definition of different parameters trying to increase specificity without reducing sensitivity. This paper studies the relationship of volume and presence of prostate cancer in sextant biopsies.

Methods: We collected the results of prostate biopsies performed to 6000 patients between 1994 and 2002.

[Results of a series of transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate in 6000 patients. Part II: PSA derived parameters].

Objectives: We review the results of 6000 patients with the clinical suspect of prostate cancer who underwent one or more prostate, biopsies, analyzing the role of PSA derived parameters in the probability of having prostate cancer in the TRUS biopsy.

Methods: We selected 6000 patients who under- went TRUS biopsy between 1994 and 2002. 861 of them underwent more than one is biopsy, adding up to a total of 7127 biopsies.

[Results of a series of transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate in 6000 patients. Part I: pathology, digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasound, and PSA].

Objectives: To analyze the results of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy of the prostate in 6000 patients, and their relation to common-use clinical parameters.

Methods: We collected PSA, digital rectal examination, TRUS characteristics, and pathology report in a data- base including 6000 patients who underwent sextant TRUS biopsy from 1994 to December 2002. 861 of them underwent more than one biopsy, accounting for a total of 7127 biopsies.