[Knowledge, attitudes and practices about influenza A(H1N1) 2009, and influenza vaccine in Mexico: results of a population survey].

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding influenza pandemic, with special emphasis on issues related to influenza vaccine, seasonal and pandemic.

Materials And Methods: Cross-sectional study, probabilistic multistage sampling in patients over 18 years, residents of Mexico City (and metropolitan area), Monterrey, Guadalajara and Merida in December 2009.

Results: A total of 1.

Accelerating the development of a therapeutic vaccine for human Chagas disease: rationale and prospects.

Chagas disease is a leading cause of heart disease affecting approximately 10 million people in Latin America and elsewhere worldwide. The two major drugs available for the treatment of Chagas disease have limited efficacy in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected adults with indeterminate (patients who have seroconverted but do not yet show signs or symptoms) and determinate (patients who have both seroconverted and have clinical disease) status; they require prolonged treatment courses and are poorly tolerated and expensive. As an alternative to chemotherapy, an injectable therapeutic Chagas disease vaccine is under development to prevent or delay Chagasic cardiomyopathy in patients with indeterminate or determinate status.

Venom of Bothrops asper from Mexico and Costa Rica: intraspecific variation and cross-neutralization by antivenoms.

Bothrops asper is the species that induces the highest incidence of snakebite envenomation in southern Mexico, Central America and parts of northern South America. The intraspecies variability in HPLC profile and toxicological activities between the venoms from specimens collected in Mexico (Veracruz) and Costa Rica (Caribbean and Pacific populations) was investigated, as well as the cross-neutralization by antivenoms manufactured in these countries. Venoms differ in their HPLC profiles and in their toxicity, since venom from Mexican population showed higher lethal and defibrinogenating activities, whereas those from Costa Rica showed higher hemorrhagic and in vitro coagulant activities.

Surveillance of nosocomial infections in a Mexican community hospital. How are we doing?

Objective: To compare the nosocomial infection (NI) rate obtained from a retrospective review of clinical charts with that from the routine nosocomial infection surveillance system in a community hospital.

Material And Methods: Retrospective review of a randomized sample of clinical charts.Results were compared to standard surveillance using crude and adjusted analyses.