Long-Term Exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide and Ozone and Mortality: Update of the WHO Air Quality Guidelines Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO) and ozone (O) with mortality, to expand evidence that informed 2021 the WHO Air Quality Guidelines and guide the Health Risks of Air Pollution in Europe project.

Methods: We included cohorts investigating NO and O mortality from all-causes, respiratory diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI); and NO mortality from circulatory, ischemic heart, cerebrovascular diseases and lung cancer. We pooled estimates by random-effects models and investigated heterogeneity.

Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Mortality: An Update of the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: For the development of the 2021 global air quality guidelines, the World Health Organization (WHO) commissioned a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to assess the association between exposure to air pollution and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. One of these reviews, which we aim to update, focused on the effects of long-term exposure to PM and PM on all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Methods: The protocol for this study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023425327).

[Observations on the dengue vaccination strategy in Argentina].

A new dengue vaccine has recently been licensed in Argentina, with the Argentine government planning to acquire it in order to develop a vaccination strategy. As the disease is gradually following a path to endemicity in some regions of the country, the incorporation of these vaccines will have the potential to tackle the growing incidence of the disease and to reduce the disease burden. However, the establishment of the vaccination programme may also be susceptible of threats related to the epidemiological shift of the disease.

Dengue vaccine acceptance and willingness to pay: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Dengue is the most important human vector-borne disease in terms of disease burden. A first dengue vaccine has recently been licenced, and others are in advanced stages of development. However, to date, none of these vaccines has achieved balanced efficacy and safety for all dengue serotypes.

Effects of air pollution on restricted activity days: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The adverse effects of air pollution on human health include many diseases and health conditions associated with mortality, morbidity and disability. One example of these outcomes that can be translated into economic costs is the number of days of restricted activity. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of outdoor exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 and 2.

Short-term exposure to sulphur dioxide (SO) and all-cause and respiratory mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Many studies have assessed the harmful effects of ambient air pollution on human mortality, but the evidence needs further exploration, analysis, and refinement, given the large number of studies that have been published in recent years. The objective of this study was to evaluate all the available evidence of the effect of short-term exposure to ambient sulphur dioxide (SO) on all-cause and respiratory mortality.

Methods: Articles reporting observational epidemiological studies were included, comprising time-series and case-crossover designs.

Short-term exposure to ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide and emergency department visits and hospital admissions due to asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Air pollution is a major environmental hazard to human health and a leading cause of morbidity for asthma worldwide.

Objectives: To assess the current evidence on short-term effects (from several hours to 7 days) of exposure to ozone (O), nitrogen dioxide (NO), and sulphur dioxide (SO) on asthma exacerbations, defined as emergency room visits (ERVs) and hospital admissions (HAs).

Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and other electronic databases to retrieve studies that investigated the risk of asthma-related ERVs and HAs associated with short-term exposure to O, NO, or SO.

Short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM and PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO), and ozone (O) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Air pollution is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Short-term exposure (from one hour to days) to selected air pollutants has been associated with human mortality. This systematic review was conducted to analyse the evidence on the effects of short-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less or equal than 10 and 2.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach on rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units of two hospitals in Kuwait.

Objective: To analyse the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach (IMA) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in three intensive care units (ICUs) from two hospitals in Kuwait City from January 2014 to March 2015.

Design: A prospective, before-after study on 2507 adult ICU patients. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of VAP applying CDC/NHSN definitions.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)'s multidimensional approach on rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units in 22 hospitals of 14 cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background: To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and use of INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in Saudi Arabia from September 2013 to February 2017.

Methods: A multicenter, prospective, before-after surveillance study on 14,961 patients in 37 intensive care units (ICUs) of 22 hospitals. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of VAP applying the definitions of the CDC/NHSN.

Potential occurrence of Zika from subtropical to temperate Argentina considering the basic reproduction number (R0).

Objective: To assess the potential occurrence of Zika transmission throughout Argentina by the mosquito Aedes aegypti considering the basic reproduction number (R0).

Methods: A model originally developed for dengue was adapted for Zika. R0 was estimated as a function of seven parameters, three of them were considered temperature-dependent.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)'s Multidimensional Approach on Rates of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection in 14 Intensive Care Units in 11 Hospitals of 5 Cities in Argentina.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and the INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates in 14 intensive care units (ICUs) in Argentina from January 2014 to April 2017. DESIGN This prospective, pre-post surveillance study of 3,940 ICU patients was conducted in 11 hospitals in 5 cities in Argentina. During our baseline evaluation, we performed outcome and process surveillance of CLABSI applying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Health Safety Network (CDC/NHSN) definitions.

Estimation of expected dengue seroprevalence from passive epidemiological surveillance systems in selected areas of Argentina: A proxy to evaluate the applicability of dengue vaccination.

Background: Current recommendations about dengue vaccination by the World Health Organization depend on seroprevalence levels and serological status in populations and individuals. However, seroprevalence estimation may be difficult due to a diversity of factors. Thus, estimation through models using data from epidemiological surveillance systems could be an alternative procedure to achieve this goal.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium's multidimensional approach on rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in 14 intensive care units in 11 hospitals of 5 cities within Argentina.

Background: To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach (IMA) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in 11 hospitals within 5 cities of Argentina from January 2014-April 2017.

Methods: A multicenter, prospective, before-after surveillance study was conducted through the use of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Surveillance Online System. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of VAP applying the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention's National Healthcare Safety Network.

Association of outdoor air pollution with the prevalence of asthma in children of Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between asthma prevalence and outdoor air pollution in children in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Data Sources: We searched studies in global and regional databases: PubMed, Scopus, LILACS and SciELO.

Study Selection: Articles following a cross-sectional design, studying children from 0 to 18 years old, and comparing the prevalence of asthma in two or more areas of LAC countries with different air pollution levels were included.

Prospective multicentre study in intensive care units in five cities from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach on rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection.

Objective: To analyse the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates in five intensive care units (ICUs) from October 2013 to September 2015.

Design: Prospective, before-after surveillance study of 3769 patients hospitalised in four adult ICUs and one paediatric ICU in five hospitals in five cities. During baseline, we performed outcome and process surveillance of CLABSI applying CDC/NHSN definitions.

Effect of outdoor air pollution on asthma exacerbations in children and adults: Systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.

Background: Several observational studies have suggested that outdoor air pollution may induce or aggravate asthma. However, epidemiological results are inconclusive due to the presence of numerous moderators which influence this association. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between outdoor air pollutants and moderate or severe asthma exacerbations in children and adults through a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.

Multicenter study in Colombia: Impact of a multidimensional International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) approach on central line-associated bloodstream infection rates.

Background: The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach and the use of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Surveillance Online System on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates from June 2003-April 2010.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, before-after surveillance study of 2,564 patients hospitalized in 4 adult intensive care units (ICUs) and 424 patients in 2 pediatric ICUs of 4 hospitals in 2 cities of Colombia. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of CLABSI applying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network definitions.

[Dengue vaccines. A reality for Argentina?].

Dengue outbreaks have occurred yearly in Argentina since 1998. A number of candidate vaccines have been tested in endemic countries. The most advanced one was licensed in three countries of Latin America for children over 9 years of age.

Cost-utility analysis of dengue vaccination in a country with heterogeneous risk of dengue transmission.

Background: Dengue is one of the most important vector-borne diseases worldwide, and annually, nearly 390 million people are infected and 500,000 patients are hospitalized for severe dengue. Argentina has great variability in the risk of dengue transmission due to eco-climatic reasons. Currently no vaccines are available for dengue even though several vaccines are under development.

Multicenter study of device-associated infection rates in hospitals of Mongolia: Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC).

Background: To report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multicenter study conducted in Mongolia from September 2013-March 2015.

Methods: A device-associated health care-associated infection prospective surveillance study in 3 adult intensive care units (ICUs) from 3 hospitals using the U.S.

Clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of split-septum and single-use prefilled flushing device vs 3-way stopcock on central line-associated bloodstream infection rates in India: a randomized clinical trial conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC).

Background: Three-way stopcocks (3WSCs) are open systems used on intravenous tubing. Split septums (SSs) are closed systems with prepierced septums. Single-use prefilled flushing devices (SUFs) carry a lower risk of contamination than standard intravenous flushing.

[Using Google Trends to estimate the incidence of influenza-like illness in Argentina].

The aim of this study was to find a model to estimate the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) from the Google Trends (GT) related to influenza. ILI surveillance data from 2012 through 2013 were obtained from the National Health Surveillance System, Argentina. Internet search data were downloaded from the GT search engine database using 6 influenza-related queries: flu, fever, cough, sore throat, paracetamol, and ibuprofen.