Forest Coverage and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Dengue in El Salvador, 2011-2013

Dengue Burden and Factors Influencing Severity in Honduras: A Descriptive and Analytical Study

BACKGROUND

Dengue is a disease that accounts for a major morbidity and mortality in Honduras.

METHODS

This descriptive study used an analytical component based on the data from the National Virology Laboratory between 2016-2022. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the classification of dengue without warning signs (DWOS), dengue with warning signs (DWS), and severe dengue (SD).

RESULTS

Overall, 14,687 dengue cases were included; 50.1% had DWOS, 36.5% had DWS, and 13.4% had SD. Patients that were more associated with a higher probability of DWS and SD were patients in the age groups 1-4 years (DWS OR 1.61; 95%CI:1.33-1.94), (SD OR 1.52; 95% CI:1.26-1.84), 5-9 years (DWS OR 2.01; 95% CI:1.68-2.40), (SD OR 2.00; 95% CI:1.67-2.40), and 10-19 years (DWS OR 1.55; 95% CI:1.30-1.85) (SD OR 1.57; 95% CI:1.31-1.88). The departments that were associated with a higher probability of DWS and SD were La Paz (OR 6.35; 95% CI:3.53-11.42), (OR 10.94; 95% CI:5.96-20.08), Copán (OR 6.94; 95% CI:5.05-9.53) (OR 7.33; 95% CI: 5.35-10.03), Valle (OR 5.22; 95% CI:1.25-21.82) (OR 10.71; 95% CI:2.21-51.88).

CONCLUSIONS

During the study period, dengue presented endemic behavior, with peaks consistent with the last two epidemics in Honduras in 2015 and 2019. The main factors associated with dengue severity were age< 19 years, male sex, and being from La Paz, Copán, or Valle.

TORCH Congenital Syndrome Infections in Central America's Northern Triangle

TORCH pathogens are a group of globally prevalent infectious agents that may cross the placental barrier, causing severe negative sequalae in neonates, including fetal death and lifelong morbidity. TORCH infections are classically defined by Toxoplasma gondii, other infectious causes of concern (e.g., syphilis, Zika virus, malaria, human immunodeficiency virus), rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex viruses. Neonatal disorders and congenital birth defects are the leading causes of neonatal mortality in Central America's Northern Triangle, yet little is known about TORCH congenital syndrome in this region. This review synthesizes the little that is known regarding the most salient TORCH infections among pregnant women and neonates in Central America's Northern Triangle and highlights gaps in the literature that warrant further research. Due to the limited publicly available information, this review includes both peer-reviewed published literature and university professional degree theses. Further large-scale studies should be conducted to clarify the public health impact these infections in this world region.

The Impact of Deforestation, Urbanization, and Changing Land Use Patterns on the Ecology of Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America

Central America is a unique geographical region that connects North and South America, enclosed by the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. This region, encompassing Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, is highly vulnerable to the emergence or resurgence of mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases due to a combination of key ecological and socioeconomic determinants acting together, often in a synergistic fashion. Of particular interest are the effects of land use changes, such as deforestation-driven urbanization and forest degradation, on the incidence and prevalence of these diseases, which are not well understood. In recent years, parts of Central America have experienced social and economic improvements; however, the region still faces major challenges in developing effective strategies and significant investments in public health infrastructure to prevent and control these diseases. In this article, we review the current knowledge and potential impacts of deforestation, urbanization, and other land use changes on mosquito-borne and tick-borne disease transmission in Central America and how these anthropogenic drivers could affect the risk for disease emergence and resurgence in the region. These issues are addressed in the context of other interconnected environmental and social challenges.