[Analysis of the epidemiological pattern of Shigellosis in Barcelona between 1988 and 2012: Is it an emerging sexually transmitted infection?].

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the evolution and epidemiologic characteristics of shigellosis patients over a 25 year period in a large city.

Methods: Shigellosis is a notifiable disease in Spain since 1988. Cases are analyzed in Barcelona residents included in the registry between 1988-2012.

Retrospective space-time cluster analysis of whooping cough, re-emergence in Barcelona, Spain, 2000-2011.

A retrospective, space-time study of whooping cough cases reported to the Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Spain between the years 2000 and 2011 is presented. It is based on 633 individual whooping cough cases and the 2006 population census from the Spanish National Statistics Institute, stratified by age and sex at the census tract level. Cluster identification was attempted using space-time scan statistic assuming a Poisson distribution and restricting temporal extent to 7 days and spatial distance to 500 m.

[Incidence of whooping cough in the city of Barcelona between 1999 and 2011].

Introduction: The aim of the study was to describe the long-term incidence of whooping cough in a large city.

Methods: Descriptive study of the cases reported in the notifiable disease registry between 1999 and 2011 in Barcelona.

Results: An increase in incidence was observed, especially in children and in the year 2011.

Salmonella paratyphi B and Salmonella litchfield outbreaks associated with pet turtle exposure in Spain.

Introduction: Salmonellosis is an important public health problem. Turtles are increasingly involved in the role of transmitters of this infection to humans.

Methods: Salmonella cases are reported to the local Surveillance Agency where interviews are carried out to address possible exposures.

Motivations for participating in a clinical trial on an avian influenza vaccine.

In this study we describe the sociodemographic characteristics of people participating in a clinical trial on the safety and immunogenicity of a H5N1 influenza vaccine and we identify the main motivations for joining it.

A Campylobacter outbreak in a Barcelona school.

Introduction: Campylobacter outbreaks are less common and described than sporadic Campylobacteriosis.

Methods: We describe the epidemiological investigation including stool examination and bacteriological typing of a Campylobacter outbreak affecting 75 primary school children.

Results: The highest risk ratio was associated with the food served 4 days before the peak of cases, namely roast chicken and Russian salad.

[Characteristics of cases hospitalized for severe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Catalonia].

Background: Influenza pandemics may cause more severe cases. The objective was to determine the characteristics of hospitalized severe cases of pandemic influenza in Catalonia and to study risk factors for admission to intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective epidemiologic study of new cases of pandemic influenza hospitalized by their severity between June 2009 and May 2010.

Epidemiological analysis of severe hospitalized 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) cases in Catalonia, Spain.

From 25th April 2009 to 20th January 2010, 771 laboratory confirmed cases of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) were admitted to intensive care units (ICU) or hospitalized in medical wards with clinical criteria of severe disease (hospitalized pneumonias, multiorganic failure, septic shock or admitted to ICU or death while hospitalized). 82% of cases were hospitalized between epidemiological week 43 and 48 (25th October - 5th December 2009). Median age of patients was 40 years (range 0-89 years) and 56% were males.

Hospital at home in elective total hip arthroplasty.

With the recent trend towards reducing hospital stay, it has become increasingly important to ensure that early patient discharge after total hip replacement is a safe practice. We evaluated complications and length of hospital stay associated with primary unilateral hip arthroplasty in 47 patients undergoing a new early discharge protocol consisting of at home based specialized care after hospital discharge. The mean length of stay (and standard deviation) in hospital was 4.

[Artificial liver support. Literature review].

We performed a systematic review to assess the efficacy and safety of extracorporeal albumin dialysis systems in patients with liver failure. After screening 436 references, 10 controlled trials were detected. The analyzed interventions were MARS, Prometheus and Biologic-DT.

Plasmodium falciparum-specific cellular immune responses after immunization with the RTS,S/AS02D candidate malaria vaccine in infants living in an area of high endemicity in Mozambique.

Results from clinical trials in areas where malaria is endemic have shown that immunization with RTS,S/AS02A malaria vaccine candidate induces partial protection in adults and children and cellular effector and memory responses in adults. For the first time in a malaria vaccine trial, we sought to assess the cell-mediated immune responses to RTS,S antigen components in infants under 1 year of age participating in a clinical phase I/IIb trial of RTS,S/AS02D in Mozambique. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-specific responses were detected in approximately half of RTS,S-immunized infants and included gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and combined IL-2/IL-4 responses.

Long-term safety and efficacy of the RTS,S/AS02A malaria vaccine in Mozambican children.

Background: We previously reported that the RTS,S/AS02A vaccine had an acceptable safety profile, was immunogenic, and demonstrated efficacy against Plasmodium falciparum malaria disease for 21 months.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled, phase 2b trial of RTS,S/AS02A in 2022 Mozambican children aged 1-4 years. We now report safety results for all randomized subjects and vaccine efficacy (VE) findings for children in the Manhiça area over the 45-month surveillance period.

[Validation of the EuroSCORE probabilistic model in patients undergoing coronary bypass grafting].

Introduction And Objectives: EuroSCORE utilizes a probabilistic model for predicting the risk of in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. It is a useful instrument for evaluating quality of care. The model has two variants: the logistic EuroSCORE and the additive EuroSCORE.

Safety of the RTS,S/AS02D candidate malaria vaccine in infants living in a highly endemic area of Mozambique: a double blind randomised controlled phase I/IIb trial.

Background: Malaria remains a leading global health problem that requires the improved use of existing interventions and the accelerated development of new control methods. We aimed to assess the safety, immunogenicity, and initial efficacy of the malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS02D in infants in Africa.

Methods: We did a phase I/IIb double-blind randomised trial of 214 infants in Mozambique.