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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.g., ANDV and SNV). It presents an annual variation with peaks every 4-5 years and an interannual variation influenced by agricultural activities. Hantavirus disease is endemic in about 27% of Panama, which corresponds to agroecological conditions that favor the population dynamics of the rodent host, Oligoryzomys costaricensis and the virus (Choclo orthohantavirus) responsible for hantavirus disease. However, this does not rule out the existence of other endemic areas to be characterized. Undoubtedly, decentralization of the laboratory test and dissemination of evidence-based surveillance guidelines and regulations have standardized and improved diagnosis, notification at the level of the primary care system, and management in intensive care units nationwide.

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RESUMEN La planta de agraz (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz) es una especie nativa de arándano de Colombia y su fruto es una baya globosa con propiedades nutraceúticas, debido a su excelente fuente de antioxidantes, utilizado como ingrediente para la preparación de alimentos. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar las propiedades físico químicas del fruto, almacenado durante 12 días, a 2°C y 90% de HR. Se evaluaron frutos en dos estados de madurez: rompimiento de color, estado inmaduro (asociado al color rojo) y completamente pigmentado (100% pigmentación morado), los frutos fueron puestos en bolsas hechas de polietileno biorientado y polipropileno monoorientado. Los resultados muestran que los frutos inmaduros preservaron los sólidos solubles totales, cuando se mantuvieron en polipropileno monoorientado, mientras los sólidos solubles totales, se incrementaron significativamente en los frutos maduros almacenados en polipropileno monorientado, afectando el metabolismo del fruto y las reservas de carbohidratos. El pH disminuyó en todos los tratamientos; entre los 6 y 12DDT, coincidiendo, a su vez, con el aumento de la acidez total titulable durante el mismo periodo.

ABSTRACT 'Agraz' (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz) is a native blueberry from Colombia, being the fruit a globose berry, with nutraceutic quality due to an excellent source of antioxidants and is used as an ingredient for food preparation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical-chemical properties of fruits stored during 12 days, at a temperature of 2°C and a relative humidity of 90%. Fruits with two stages of ripeness, color break, an immature state (associated with red color), and fully pigmented (100% purple pigmentation) were stored, packaged in two different plastics recipients, one bioriented polyethylene and the other mono-oriented polypropylene. The results indicate that immature fruits demonstrated a prolonged preservation of the total soluble solids, when combined with the mono-oriented polypropylene packaging, otherwise TSS were significantly increased in mature fruits, packaged in mono-oriented polypropylene, affecting fruit metabolism and carbohydrate reserve. The pH diceased in all treatments, between 6 to 12 days after treatment, coinciding in turn, with the increase in total titratable acidity during the same period.

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INTRODUCTION: In April 2009, a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus was identified in patients from Mexico and the United States. From 8 May through 25 June 2009, in the Republic of Panama, 467 cases infected with the same virus were identified, 13 of which were hospitalized at the Santo Tomas Hospital in Panama City. Up to the date of this report, no deaths have been reported in Panama. This study presents the first thirteen cases of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 that were hospitalized in Panama City. METHODOLOGY: The Santo Tomas Hospital (HST), a third-level institution of the Ministry of Health (MINSA) for adult health care (patients above the age of 14), was designated as the reference center for treating these cases. For this purpose, the norms and criteria established by the system were followed and every patient (case) presenting flu-like symptoms was included (fever equal or greater than 38 masculineC (100.4 masculineF), cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea, lethargy in children under the age of one, and respiratory distress). RESULTS: Seventy-six patients were hospitalized as suspected cases for infection with the influenza A H1N1 2009 virus, of which 13 (17.1%) were confirmed as positive. The clinical picture was characterized by fever (100%), cough (92.3%), rhinorrhea (69.2%), malaise (53.8%), headache (53.8%), and only one case presented gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhoea). The male:female ratio was 1:2.2. CONCLUSION: The knowledge and technology translation previously acquired through courses to the HST health care providers were the key in controlling the first influenza A (H1N1) 2009 cases.

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Informa que el VIH/SIDA es un problema de gran magnitud en Panamá que ha sido objeto de diferentes intervenciones, de las cuales se desconoce su impacto y costo efectividad. Como se trata de una infección transmitida sexualmente, las intervenciones orientadas a los cambios de comportamiento sexual en adolescentes se ha propuesto como una medida de prevención que de resultar efectiva cambiaría la evolución de este problema.Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, observacional, analítico para comparar dos modalidades educativas en VIH/SIDA de escuelas de educación media. Se aplicaron encuestas de conocimientos, actitudes y práctica autoadministradas a estudiantes del grupo modelo y del grupo control, al iniciar y finalizar el año escolar. Los costos se obtuvieron mediantes registros de insumos y producción de las actividades que componen las intervenciones educativas en comportamientos para prevenir el VIH/SIDA entre adolescentes de la provincia de Panamá en 2004 y 2005: Sin embargo en ambas escuelas se observó una proporción de prejuicios y conceptos equivocados en relación al infectado por VIH/SIDA y a los riesgos de infección

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An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in the province of Los Santos, Panama, in late 1999 and early 2000. Eleven cases were identified; 9 were confirmed by serology. Three cases were fatal; however, no confirmed case-patient died. Case-neighborhood serologic surveys resulted in an overall hantavirus antibody prevalence of 13% among household and neighborhood members from the outbreak foci. Epidemiologic investigations did not suggest person-to-person transmission of hantavirus infection. By use of Sin Nombre virus antigen, hantavirus antibodies were detected in Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda cherriei. This outbreak resulted in the first documented cases of human hantavirus infections in Central America.

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En el estudio se aplicó a una muestra de 432 trabajadoras comerciales del sexo para determinar la prevalencia de VIH e ITS (sífilis, gonorrea, herpes y clamidia); identificar características sociodemográficas y determinar patrones de comportamiento de riesgos

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