Antiplatelet efficacy of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in Mediterranean patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic coronary syndromes: A crossover pharmacodynamic investigation.

Introduction: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have augmented platelet reactivity and diminished responsiveness to clopidogrel. Ticagrelor, a more potent P2Y inhibitor, is clinically superior to clopidogrel in acute coronary syndromes, although its role in chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) is still the subject of debate. The aim of this investigation was to compare the pharmacodynamic effectiveness of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in Mediterranean DM patients with CCS.

Association of fractalkine with functional severity of heart failure and impact on clopidogrel efficacy in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Introduction: Patients with heart failure (HF) display elevated levels of soluble fractalkine, a chemokine involved in inflammation processes, atherosclerosis and platelet activation. Further, fractalkine has been associated with reduced pharmacodynamic (PD) responsiveness to clopidogrel. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of fractalkine with the severity of HF and its impact on platelet activation and clopidogrel response in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with and without HF.

Associations between household environmental factors and immature mosquito abundance in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Background: Aedes aegypti-borne diseases are becoming major public health problems in tropical and sub-tropical regions. While socioeconomic status has been associated with larval mosquito abundance, the drivers or possible factors mediating this association, such as environmental factors, are yet to be identified. We examined possible associations between proximity to houses and roads and immature mosquito abundance, and assessed whether these factors and mosquito prevention measures mediated any association between household environmental factors and immature mosquito abundance.

Origin, distribution, and potential risk factors associated with influenza A virus in swine in two production systems in Guatemala.

Background: Guatemala is the country with the largest swine production in Central America; however, evidence of influenza A virus (IAV) in pigs has not been clearly delineated.

Objectives: In this study, we analyzed the presence and spatial distribution of IAV in commercial and backyard swine populations.

Methods: Samples from two nationwide surveys conducted in 2010 and 2011 were tested using virological (rRT-PCR and virus isolation) and serological (ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition) assays to detect IAV.

Impact of mild hypothermia on platelet responsiveness to aspirin and clopidogrel: an in vitro pharmacodynamic investigation.

Unlabelled: The combination of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and therapeutic hypothermia in comatose patients after cardiac arrest due to an acute coronary syndrome has been reported to be safe and effective. However, recent investigations suggest that hypothermia may be associated with impaired response to clopidogrel and greater risk of thrombotic complications after PCI. This investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of hypothermia on the pharmacodynamic response of aspirin and clopidogrel in patients (n = 20) with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary PCI.

Importation of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum by Guatemalan peacekeepers returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: Malaria elimination is being pursued in five of seven Central American countries. Military personnel returning from peacekeeping missions in sub-Saharan Africa could import chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, posing a threat to elimination and to the continued efficacy of first-line chloroquine (CQ) treatment in these countries. This report describes the importation of P.

West Nile virus ecology in a tropical ecosystem in Guatemala.

West Nile virus ecology has yet to be rigorously investigated in the Caribbean Basin. We identified a transmission focus in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, and established systematic monitoring of avian abundance and infection, seroconversions in domestic poultry, and viral infections in mosquitoes. West Nile virus transmission was detected annually between May and October from 2005 to 2008.

Norovirus outbreak of probable waterborne transmission with high attack rate in a Guatemalan resort.

Background: In February 2009, a group of Guatemalan school children developed acute gastroenteritis (AGE) after participating in a school excursion.

Objectives: We conducted a retrospective cohort investigation to characterize the outbreak and guide control measures.

Study Design: A case was defined as an illness with onset of diarrhea or vomiting during February 25-March 5, 2009.

Influenza a viruses from wild birds in Guatemala belong to the North American lineage.

The role wild bird species play in the transmission and ecology of avian influenza virus (AIV) is well established; however, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the worldwide distribution of these viruses, specifically about the prevalence and/or significance of AIV in Central and South America. As part of an assessment of the ecology of AIV in Guatemala, we conducted active surveillance in wild birds on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Cloacal and tracheal swab samples taken from resident and migratory wild birds were collected from February 2007 to January 2010.