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Evidence of the effectiveness of the tests used to diagnose Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in primary healthcare is limited. This cross-sectional study aims to assess the accuracy of tests used for to diagnose H. pylori infection in primary care patients and its relationship with gastroduodenal pathologies. Over 12 months, 173 primary care patients with dyspeptic symptoms were referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to obtain gastric biopsies, and venous blood was extracted from them. H. pylori infection was detected using a rapid urease test (RUT), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), H. pylori-IgG ELISA, and Western blot (WB). The culture and histological findings were used as the reference standard for H. pylori infection. H. pylori prevalence was 50%. There were no significant differences between men and women overall or by age group. The presence of H. pylori was associated with chronic moderate gastritis and its absence with chronic inactive gastritis, as well as the combination of gastritis and gastric lesions (p < 0.05). RUT and ELISA H. pylori -IgG tests showed the highest overall performance (accuracy 98.9% and 84.4%), followed by WB and RT-PCR (accuracy 79.3% and 73.9%). These findings support the notion that combined invasive and noninvasive methods, such as RUT and H. pylori-IgG ELISA, can be a primary diagnostic screening tool for detecting H. pylori among adult dyspeptic patients in Cuba's primary care setting.

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Resumen Objetivo: Determinar la circulación de poliovirus en tres municipios considerados como punto transitorio de migrantes en Colombia. Material y método: Se colectaron muestras de aguas residuales (n=36) de municipios fronterizos, seleccionados por mayor tránsito de migrantes regulares como irregulares, en el periodo comprendido entre el 2017-2019. Las muestras fueron concentradas y cultivadas siguiendo el algoritmo de vigilancia ambiental para la circulación de poliovirus de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). La identificación molecular se realizo mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa empleando cebadores específicos de grupo, de serotipo y de cepa vacunal sabin. Resultados y Discusión: Se detectó la presencia de Enterovirus no polio (EVNP) en las muestras ambientales obtenidas y no se hallo circulación de poliovirus deriva dos de la vacuna ni de poliovirus salvaje en los tres municipos evaluados; sin embargo en dos estudios previos publicados por Gonzalez y col con una metodologia similar en el año 2005 y 2015 evaluando las aguas residuales de la ciudad de Armenia-Quindio; se logró identificar la presencia de virus derivado de vacuna, con resultados negativos para la identificación de poliovirus salvaje. Conclusiones: Los hallazgos indican que el sistema de monitoreo de aguas residuales con el fin de determinar la presencia de virus es una herramienta util para realizar vigilancia ambiental.

Abstract Objective: To determine the circulation of poliovirus in three municipalities considered as transitory points for migrants in Colombia. Material and Method: Wastewater samples (n = 36) were collected from border municipalities, selected for greater transit of regular and irregular migrants, in the period between 2017-2019. The samples were concentrated and cultured following the World Health Organization (WHO) environmental surveillance algorithm for poliovirus circulation. Molecular identification was performed by polymerase chain reaction using group-specific, serotype and sabin vaccine strain primers. Results: The presence of non-polio Enterovirus (NPV) was detected in the environmental samples obtained and no circulation of poliovirus derived from the vaccine or wild poliovirus was found in the three evaluated municipalities; However, in two previous studies published by Gonzales et al with a similar methodology in 2005 and 2015 evaluating the wastewater of the city of Armenia-Quindío; It was possible to identify the presence of virus derived from vaccine, with negative results for the identification of wild poliovirus. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the wastewater monitoring system in order to determine the presence of viruses is a useful tool to carry out environmental surveillance.

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Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v), the main causative agent of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC), can be isolated from both the eyes and lower alimentary tract. However, the molecular features of CVA24v in feces is not well-documented. In this study, we compared the VP1 and 3C sequences of CVA24v strains isolated from feces during AHC epidemics in Cuba in 1997, 2003, and 2008-2009 with those obtained from conjunctival swabs during the same epidemic period. The sequence analyses of the 3C and VP1 region of stool isolates from the three epidemics showed a high degree of nucleotide identity (ranging from 97.3-100%) to the corresponding conjunctival isolates. The phylogenetic analysis showed that fecal CVA24v isolates from the 1997 and 2003 Cuban outbreaks formed a clade with CVA24v strains isolated from conjunctival swabs in Cuba and other countries during the same period. There were three amino acid changes (3C region) and one amino acid change (VP1 region) in seven CVA24v strains isolated sequentially over 20 days from fecal samples of one patient, suggesting viral replication in the intestine. Despite these substitutions, the virus from the conjunctival swab and fecal samples were genetically very similar. Therefore, fecal samples should be considered as a reliable alternative sample type for the routine molecular diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of CVA24v, also during outbreaks of AHC.

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Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v) is a major causative agent of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreaks worldwide, yet the evolutionary and transmission dynamics of the virus remain unclear. To address this, we analyzed and compared the 3C and partial VP1 gene regions of CVA24v isolates obtained from five outbreaks in Cuba between 1986 and 2009 and strains isolated worldwide. Here we show that Cuban strains were homologous to those isolated in Africa, the Americas and Asia during the same time period. Two genotypes of CVA24v (GIII and GIV) were repeatedly introduced into Cuba and they arose about two years before the epidemic was detected. The two genotypes co-evolved with a population size that is stable over time. However, nucleotide substitution rates peaked during pandemics with 4.39 × 10-3 and 5.80 × 10-3 substitutions per site per year for the 3C and VP1 region, respectively. The phylogeographic analysis identified 25 and 19 viral transmission routes based on 3C and VP1 regions, respectively. Pandemic viruses usually originated in Asia, and both China and Brazil were the major hub for the global dispersal of the virus. Together, these data provide novel insight into the epidemiological dynamics of this virus and possibly other pandemic viruses.

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Although acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is the "gold standard" for detecting cases of polio, environmental surveillance can provide supplementary information in the absence of paralytic poliomyelitis cases. This study aimed to detect the introduction and/or circulation of wild poliovirus or vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPV) in wastewater, covering a significant population of Armenia, Colombia, before trivalent oral polio vaccine (OPV) cessation. Between March and September 2015, 24 wastewater samples were collected from eight study sites in eight communes of Armenia, Colombia. Virus detection and characterization were performed using both cell culture (i.e., RD or L20B cells) and RT-PCR. Polioviruses were isolated in 11 (45.8%) of 24 wastewater samples. All isolates were identified as Sabin strains (type 1 = 9, type 3 = 2) by intratypic differentiation. Type 2 poliovirus was not detected in any of the samples. No wild poliovirus or VDPV was detected among the isolates. Non-polio enterovirus was identified in 8.3% (2/24) of the samples. This study revealed the excretion of Sabin poliovirus from OPV-immunized individuals, as well as the absence of VDPV and wild poliovirus in wastewaters of Armenia, Colombia. This confirms that environmental surveillance is an effective method, as an additional support to AFP surveillance, to monitor poliovirus during the OPV-to-IPV (inactivated polio vaccine) transition period.

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Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is usually caused by coxsackievirus A16 or enterovirus 71 (EV71). Between 2011 and 2013, HFMD cases were reported from different Cuban provinces. A total of 42 clinical specimens were obtained from 23 patients. Detection, identification and phylogenetic analysis of enterovirus-associated HFMD were carried out by virus isolation, specific enterovirus PCR and partial VP1 sequences. HEV was detected in 11 HFMD cases. Emerging genetic variants of coxsackievirus A6 and EV71 were identified as the causative agents of the Cuban HFMD cases.

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BACKGROUND: An outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in Cuba in 2008 and 2009. OBJECTIVE: To determinate the etiological agent associated with the Cuban outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis during 2008 and 2009. STUDY DESIGN: Conjunctival swabs and/or faecal samples from 382 patients with clinical diagnosis suggestive of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis were subject to viral culture in HEp-2 human laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma cells. Positive samples were identified by a specific Coxsackievirus A24 variant PCR and the 3C protease region of 16 isolates was sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Enterovirus cytopathic effect was observed in 138 cases (36%). A higher percent of CA24v was recovered from faecal samples, 19 out of 45 cases (42.2%), than from conjunctival swabs, 127 out of 355 samples (35.8%). All isolates were identified as Coxsackievirus A24 variant. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 2008 and 2009 Cuban outbreaks were caused by the same virus strains and that isolates were closely related to those from Taiwan (2006-2007), China (2007-2008) and Singapore (2005) with a bootstrap value of 71%. CONCLUSIONS: Outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in Cuba in 2008 and 2009 were caused by Coxsackievirus A24 variant. The faecal-oral route is another mode of transmission of CA24v in the acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreaks. Phylogenetic analysis of Cuban CA24v strains involved in an acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreak in 2008 and 2009 confirms a new introduction of the CA24 variant into the Americas from South-east Asia.

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