Clinical and Therapeutic Characteristics of Stroke and Their Implications on Outcomes: A Multi-center Study in Panama.

Introduction There are no previous studies that assess the time between stroke symptom onset and hospital arrival in Panama. With this study, we aim to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of the patients to determine whether our data on stroke care and outcomes align with those from other Latin American countries and nations with more advanced healthcare systems. Methods This prospective study included 214 stroke patients admitted to three healthcare centers in Panama between January and December 2023.

Hantavirus in Panama: Twenty Years of Epidemiological Surveillance Experience.

Twenty years have passed since the emergence of hantavirus zoonosis in Panama at the beginning of this millennium. We provide an overview of epidemiological surveillance of hantavirus disease (hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hantavirus fever) during the period 1999-2019 by including all reported and confirmed cases according to the case definition established by the health authority. Our findings reveal that hantavirus disease is a low-frequency disease, affecting primarily young people, with a relatively low case-fatality rate compared to other hantaviruses in the Americas (e.

Acute Presentation of Mesoamerican Nephropathy in an Agricultural Worker From Panama.

Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) is Central America's growing endemic renal disorder. No single cause is established, but many risk factors are hypothesized, such as young and medium-aged adults, male sex, work environment, heavy metals and agrochemicals exposure, occupational heat stress, nephrotoxic drug use, and low socioeconomic status. The diagnosis is confirmed by renal biopsy with chronic tubular atrophy and tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Descriptive epidemiology of snakebites in the Veraguas province of Panama, 2007-2008.

Background: Panama has the highest incidence of snakebites in Central America, however, few studies have looked at the epidemiology of human snakebites in Panama.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center study reviewed individuals who sustained a snakebite from 2007-2008. Demographic data, disease severity, species of snake, treatment, infectious complications and antibiotic usage were collected from the hospital records.