The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance.

Microbiology reference laboratories perform a crucial role within public health systems. This role was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Viewpoint, we emphasise the importance of microbiology reference laboratories and highlight the types of digital data and expertise they provide, which benefit national and international public health.

Sentinel surveillance in bacterial pneumonia in children under 5 years old in a fourth-level pediatric hospital in Colombia 2016-2022.

Objectives: Sentinel surveillance for bacterial pneumonia (SSBP) allows the monitoring of immunopreventable diseases. The results of the SSBP carried out at HOMI, Fundación Hospital pediátrico de la Misericordia, are presented.

Methods: The daily active search for cases was carried out in accordance with the protocol of the Pan American Health Organization from January 2016 to December 2022.

Indirect impact of PCV10 children vaccination on the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae causing invasive disease in adults over 50 in Colombia, 2005-2019: Observational analysis.

Introduction: The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into childhood vaccination programmes has reduced the prevalence of vaccine serotypes (VTs) that cause invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children. In the elderly population, an impact has also been seen through indirect protection (herd effect). The aim of this study was to estimate the changes in serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates recovered from adult IPD and to evaluate the indirect effect of immunization with PCV10 based on laboratory records by analyzing the period from 2005 to 2019 for six years before and eight years after the universal PCV10 administration to Colombian children.

Population structure of Neisseria meningitidis ST-9493 identified in Colombian isolates.

Introduction: Neisseria meningitidis is associated with invasive infections causing high mortality rates. The objective of this study was to describe the population structure of Colombian invasive isolates with ST-9493, a potentially emerging clonal group in the country.

Methods: The complete genomes of 34 invasive isolates of serogroup B with ST-9493 and its variants at one or two loci were sequenced by Illumina to describe the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of these isolates.

Sentinel surveillance for bacterial pneumonia and meningitis in children under the age of 5 in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Colombia - 2016.

Introduction: Bacterial pneumonia and meningitis are vaccine-preventable diseases. Sentinel surveillance provides relevant information about their behavior.

Objective: To present the data from sentinel surveillance carried out at the Fundación HOMI, Fundación Hospital Pediátrico La Misericordia in 2016.

Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 genotypes in invasive isolates from Colombia.

Introduction: Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 is an important cause of pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis.

Objective: To establish the circulating genotypes of S. pneumoniae serotype 3 isolates recovered from the invasive disease between 1994 to 2015 in Colombia.

Molecular characterization of Neisseria meningitidis isolates recovered from patients with invasive meningococcal disease in Colombia from 2013 to 2016.

Background: Neisseria meningitidis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Meningococcal isolates have a highly dynamic population structure and can be phenotypically and genetically differentiated into serogroups and clonal complexes. The aim of this study was to describe the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of invasive isolates recovered in Colombia from 2013 to 2016.

[Molecular characterization of non-vaccine Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 11A, 15 B/C and 23A recovered from invasive isolates in Colombia].

Introduction: A total of 192 invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, from serotypes 11A, 15B/C and 23A (not included in the conjugated vaccines), were collected in Colombia between 1994 and 2014 as part of the activities of the Network surveillance system for the causative agents of pneumonia and meningitis (SIREVA II).

Objective: To determine the molecular characteristics of invasive S. pneumoniae isolates from serotypes 11A, 15B/C and 23A in Colombia from 1994 to 2014.

Frequency and molecular characterization of invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 6C and 6D in Colombia.

Introduction: Serogroup 6 of Streptococcus pneumoniae initially consisted of the 6A and 6B serotypes, but in recent years, the 6C and 6D serotypes were reported. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and molecular characterization of invasive S. pneumoniae isolates serotypes 6C and 6D in Colombia, from 1994 to 2013.

Characterization of Carriage Isolates of Neisseria meningitides in the Adolescents and Young Adults Population of Bogota (Colombia).

Background: Meningococcal carriage studies are important to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of meningococcal disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of meningococcal carriage and the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of isolates collected from a sample of students in the city of Bogotá, Colombia.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1459 oropharyngeal samples were collected from students aged 15-21 years attending secondary schools and universities.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B isolates from Cartagena, Colombia, 2012-2014.

Introduction: Neisseria meningitidis is one of the leading causes of bacterial meningitis. In 2013, an increase in invasive disease caused by N. meningitidis serogroup B occurred in Cartagena, Colombia.

Serotype and genotype distribution among invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Colombia, 2005-2010.

In Colombia, a laboratory-based surveillance of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates as part of SIREVA II PAHO has been conducted since 1994. This study describes the serotype distribution, antimicrobial resistance, and genetic relationships of pneumococcal isolates recovered in Colombia from 2005 to 2010. In this study, demographic data of invasive S.

Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1 invasive isolates in Colombia.

Objective: To determine the genetic relationship between Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1 Colombian isolates recovered from invasive disease between 1994 and 2011 and recognized serotype 1 international clones.

Methods: A total of 135 S. pneumoniae serotype 1 isolates with epidemiological and antimicrobial susceptibility data (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 2012) were studied.

Changes in Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype distribution in invasive disease and nasopharyngeal carriage after the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction in Bogotá, Colombia.

Background: In Bogotá, the Heptavalent Conjugate Vaccine (PCV7) was introduced into childhood immunization schedule since 2009. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in serotype distribution and penicillin susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates recovered from nasopharyngeal samples and invasive disease among children living in Bogotá, before and after PCV7 introduction.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from healthy children aged between 12 and 18 months of age before (years 2005-2006) and after (2011) PCV7 introduction.

[Streptococcus pneumoniae: serotype evolution and patterns of antimicrobial susceptibility in invasive isolates from 11 years surveillance (1994 -2004) in Colombia].

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults in the world.

Objective: Analysis of data from laboratory surveillance of S. pneumoniae, invasive isolates recovered from 1994 to 2004.

Challenges in the control of gonorrhea in South America and the Caribbean: monitoring the development of resistance to antibiotics.

Objective: : The objective of this study was to ascertain the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from 6 South American and 13 Caribbean countries participating in the Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (GASP) from 1990 to 1999.

Study: : A GASP network of laboratories was launched in the Americas and the Caribbean during the 1990s. Standardized methods and interpretative criteria were established for the isolation of N.

Detection and serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae from nasopharyngeal samples by PCR-based multiplex assay.

We developed a multiplex PCR-based methodology for nasopharyngeal samples maintained in egg thioglycolate antibiotic and skim milk-tryptone-glucose-glycerol media to identify and serotype the most important serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae that cause invasive disease in children. This technique can be used to study the epidemiology of pneumococcal colonization and the effect of conjugate vaccines.