Infectious disease outbreaks in the wake of natural flood disasters: global patterns and local implications.

Climate change is an urgent global health challenge, with floods becoming increasingly frequent and exacerbating the spread of infectious diseases. With its diverse climates and recurring natural disasters, Latin America is particularly susceptible to outbreaks following floods. These events disrupt ecosystems and create ideal conditions for the spread of waterborne and vector-borne pathogens.

Mycobacterium leprae in Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Ecuador.

We found Mycobacterium leprae, the most common etiologic agent of Hansen disease or leprosy, in tissues from 9 (18.75%) of 48 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) collected across continental Ecuador. Finding evidence of a wildlife reservoir is the first step to recognizing leprosy zoonotic transmission pathway in Ecuador or elsewhere.

Suitability of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) in the Black Sea basin through the scope of distribution modelling.

The Black Sea basin has a strategic geographic location bridging Asia and Europe and depends on traditional livestock practices for their local economies. Anthrax, a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, poses a significant global threat impacting public health, food security, pastoralist communities, and national economies. The disease is endemic or sporadic in the Black Sea basin, however, the study of its distribution has seldom been addressed, despite its burden and the presence of historical B.

Phenology of five tick species in the central Great Plains.

The states of Kansas and Oklahoma, in the central Great Plains, lie at the western periphery of the geographic distributions of several tick species. As the focus of most research on ticks and tick-borne diseases has been on Lyme disease which commonly occurs in areas to the north and east, the ticks of this region have seen little research attention. Here, we report on the phenology and activity patterns shown by tick species observed at 10 sites across the two states and explore factors associated with abundance of all and life specific individuals of the dominant species.

Triclabendazole efficacy, prevalence, and re-infection of Fasciola hepatica in bovine and ovine naturally infected in the Andes of Ecuador.

Fasciola spp., infections are distributed worldwide including the Andes region of Ecuador, affecting cattle, sheep, porcine, humans, and other herbivores. Triclabendazole (TCBZ) is commonly used to treat animal infections.

Doctors for the people? The problematic distribution of rural service doctors in Ecuador.

Primary health care is at the core of health systems that aim to ensure equitable health outcomes. With an estimated 36% of rural population, Ecuador has a service year programme (created in 1970) for recently graduated doctors to provide primary care services in rural and remote communities. However, little has been done to monitor or evaluate the programme since its inception.

Epidemiology and clinical features of venomous snake bites in the Northern Amazon of Ecuador (2017-2021).

Introduction: In Ecuador, poisonous snakebites are a public health problem. However, there is no recent hospital information from the Amazon. Objective: To retrospectively analyse the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of snakebites in patients admitted to a hospital in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Transmission risk of Oropouche fever across the Americas.

Background: Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are important contributors to the global burden of infectious diseases due to their epidemic potential, which can result in significant population and economic impacts. Oropouche fever, caused by Oropouche virus (OROV), is an understudied zoonotic VBD febrile illness reported in Central and South America. The epidemic potential and areas of likely OROV spread remain unexplored, limiting capacities to improve epidemiological surveillance.

Leptospirosis in Ecuador: Current Status and Future Prospects.

The location of Ecuador-an equatorial nation-favors the multiplication and dispersal of the genus both on the Pacific Coast and in the Amazon tropical ecoregions. Nevertheless, leptospirosis epidemiology has not been fully addressed, even though the disease has been recognized as a significant public health problem in the country. The purpose of this literature review is to update knowledge on the epidemiology and geographical distribution of spp.

Ethnodemographic characterization of stroke incidence and burden of disease in hospital discharge records in Ecuador.

Introduction: Stroke is the second most common cause of death and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally. However, the incidence and impact of stroke by ethnicity and gender is frequently distinct. This is particularly the case in Ecuador where geographic and economic marginalization are often correlated with ethnic marginalization and the extent to which females lack the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Mycobacterium leprae in Armadillo Tissues from Museum Collections, United States.

We examined armadillos from museum collections in the United States using molecular assays to detect leprosy-causing bacilli. We found Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in samples from the United States, Bolivia, and Paraguay; prevalence was 14.8% in nine-banded armadillos.

Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases Producing in South America: A Systematic Review with a One Health Perspective.

Purpose: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae, which includes , has emerged as a global health threat. ESBL enzymes including CTX-M, TEM, and SHV are the most detected. Here, a systematic review was developed to assess the status of ESBLs in considering studies performed in the human, animal, food, and environmental realms in South America.

Low risk of acquiring melioidosis from the environment in the continental United States.

Melioidosis is an underreported human disease of tropical and sub-tropical regions caused by the saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although most global melioidosis cases are reported from tropical regions in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, there are multiple occurrences from sub-tropical regions, including the United States (U.S.

Leptospirosis: Morbidity, mortality, and spatial distribution of hospitalized cases in Ecuador. A nationwide study 2000-2020.

Background: In Ecuador, leptospirosis surveillance involves a mandatory notification of all cases and a hospitalization for severe illness. Morbidity and mortality are, nevertheless, underestimated and contribute directly to the status of leptospirosis as a neglected disease. Leptospira spp.

To isolate or not to isolate: the impact of changing behavior on COVID-19 transmission.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 25 million cases and 800 thousand deaths worldwide to date. In early days of the pandemic, neither vaccines nor therapeutic drugs were available for this novel coronavirus. All measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are thus based on reducing contact between infected and susceptible individuals.

Updated distribution maps of predominant Culex mosquitoes across the Americas.

Background: Estimates of the geographical distribution of Culex mosquitoes in the Americas have been limited to state and provincial levels in the United States and Canada and based on data from the 1980s. Since these estimates were made, there have been many more documented observations of mosquitoes and new methods have been developed for species distribution modeling. Moreover, mosquito distributions are affected by environmental conditions, which have changed since the 1980s.

Uninformative and unuseful: why it is necessary to actively challenge COVID-19 antibody testing postvaccination.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the evidence on the usefulness of postvaccination testing of COVID-19 antibodies.

Study Design: We used a descriptive analytical approach.

Methods: We synthesized insights of studies on the immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection or vaccination and recommendations by regulatory institutions, such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.

Adapting for the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador, a characterization of hospital strategies and patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. In Ecuador, the first case of COVID-19 was recorded on 29 February 2020. Despite efforts to control its spread, SARS-CoV-2 overran the Ecuadorian public health system, which became one of the most affected in Latin America on 24 April 2020.

Cycle Threshold Values in the Context of Multiple RT-PCR Testing for SARS-CoV-2.

Purpose: Discharge or follow up of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases depend on accurate interpretation of RT-PCR. Currently, positive/negative interpretations are based on amplification instead of quantification of cycle threshold (Ct) values, which could be used as proxies of patient infectiousness. Here, we measured Ct values in hospitalized confirmed COVID-19 patients at different times and its implications in diagnosis and follow up.