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Steinberg HE, Ramachandran PS, Diestra A, Pinchi L, Ferradas C, Kirwan DE, Diaz MM, Sciaudone M, Wapniarski A, Zorn KC, Calderón M, Cabrera L, Pinedo-Cancino V, Wilson MR, Asayag CR, Gilman RH, Bowman NM. Clinical and Metagenomic Characterization of Neurological Infections of People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Peruvian Amazon. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad515. [PMID: 37965640 PMCID: PMC10642733 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Neurological opportunistic infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but are difficult to diagnose. Methods One hundred forty people with HIV with acute neurological symptoms from Iquitos, Peru, were evaluated for cerebral toxoplasmosis with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and for cryptococcal meningitis with cryptococcal antigen test (CrAg) in serum or CSF. Differences between groups were assessed with standard statistical methods. A subset of samples was evaluated by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of CSF to compare standard diagnostics and identify additional diagnoses. Results Twenty-seven participants were diagnosed with cerebral toxoplasmosis by qPCR and 13 with cryptococcal meningitis by CrAg. Compared to participants without cerebral toxoplasmosis, abnormal Glasgow Coma Scale score (P = .05), unilateral focal motor signs (P = .01), positive Babinski reflex (P = .01), and multiple lesions on head computed tomography (CT) (P = .002) were associated with cerebral toxoplasmosis. Photophobia (P = .03) and absence of lesions on head CT (P = .02) were associated with cryptococcal meningitis. mNGS of 42 samples identified 8 cases of cerebral toxoplasmosis, 7 cases of cryptococcal meningitis, 5 possible cases of tuberculous meningitis, and incidental detections of hepatitis B virus (n = 1) and pegivirus (n = 1). mNGS had a positive percentage agreement of 71% and a negative percentage agreement of 91% with qPCR for T gondii. mNGS had a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 100% for Cryptococcus diagnosis. Conclusions An infection was diagnosed by any method in only 34% of participants, demonstrating the challenges of diagnosing neurological opportunistic infections in this population and highlighting the need for broader, more sensitive diagnostic tests for central nervous system infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Steinberg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Prashanth S Ramachandran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Neurology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, SanFrancisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Andrea Diestra
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Cusi Ferradas
- Emerging Diseases and Climate Change Research Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Daniela E Kirwan
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Monica M Diaz
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Sciaudone
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Annie Wapniarski
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, SanFrancisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kelsey C Zorn
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, SanFrancisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maritza Calderón
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Viviana Pinedo-Cancino
- Laboratorio de Investigación de Productos Naturales Antiparasitarios de la Amazonía, Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
- Faculty of Human Medicine, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Michael R Wilson
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, SanFrancisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cesar Ramal Asayag
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Robert H Gilman
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Natalie M Bowman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Peñataro Yori P, Paredes Olórtegui M, Schiaffino F, Colston JM, Pinedo Vasquez T, Garcia Bardales PF, Shapiama Lopez V, Zegarra Paredes LF, Perez K, Curico G, Flynn T, Zhang J, Ramal Asayag C, Meza Sanchez G, Silva Delgado H, Casapia Morales M, Casanova W, Jiu B, Oberhelman R, Munayco Escate C, Silver R, Henao O, Cooper KK, Liu J, Houpt ER, Kosek MN. Etiology of acute febrile illness in the peruvian amazon as determined by modular formatted quantitative PCR: a protocol for RIVERA, a health facility-based case-control study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:674. [PMID: 37041550 PMCID: PMC10088183 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15619-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of the etiology of acute febrile illness (AFI) has historically been designed as a prevalence of pathogens detected from a case series. This strategy has an inherent unrealistic assumption that all pathogen detection allows for causal attribution, despite known asymptomatic carriage of the principal causes of acute febrile illness in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We designed a semi-quantitative PCR in a modular format to detect bloodborne agents of acute febrile illness that encompassed common etiologies of AFI in the region, etiologies of recent epidemics, etiologies that require an immediate public health response and additional pathogens of unknown endemicity. We then designed a study that would delineate background levels of transmission in the community in the absence of symptoms to provide corrected estimates of attribution for the principal determinants of AFI. METHODS A case-control study of acute febrile illness in patients ten years or older seeking health care in Iquitos, Loreto, Peru, was planned. Upon enrollment, we will obtain blood, saliva, and mid-turbinate nasal swabs at enrollment with a follow-up visit on day 21-28 following enrollment to attain vital status and convalescent saliva and blood samples, as well as a questionnaire including clinical, socio-demographic, occupational, travel, and animal contact information for each participant. Whole blood samples are to be simultaneously tested for 32 pathogens using TaqMan array cards. Mid-turbinate samples will be tested for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A and Influenza B. Conditional logistic regression models will be fitted treating case/control status as the outcome and with pathogen-specific sample positivity as predictors to attain estimates of attributable pathogen fractions for AFI. DISCUSSION The modular PCR platforms will allow for reporting of all primary results of respiratory samples within 72 h and blood samples within one week, allowing for results to influence local medical practice and enable timely public health responses. The inclusion of controls will allow for a more accurate estimate of the importance of specific prevalent pathogens as a cause of acute illness. STUDY REGISTRATION Project 1791, Registro de Proyectos de Investigación en Salud Pública (PRISA), Instituto Nacional de Salud, Perú.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Peñataro Yori
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Asociación Benefica PRISMA, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | | | - Francesca Schiaffino
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Josh M Colston
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Karin Perez
- Asociación Benefica PRISMA, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | | | - Thomas Flynn
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jixian Zhang
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Cesar Ramal Asayag
- Universidad Nacional de La Amazonia Peruana, Loreto, Peru
- Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Graciela Meza Sanchez
- Universidad Nacional de La Amazonia Peruana, Loreto, Peru
- Direccion Regional de Salud, Loreto, Peru
| | | | - Martin Casapia Morales
- Universidad Nacional de La Amazonia Peruana, Loreto, Peru
- Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Wilma Casanova
- Universidad Nacional de La Amazonia Peruana, Loreto, Peru
| | - Bruce Jiu
- Laboratorio de Referencia en Salud Publica de la Direccion Regional de Salud- Diresa, Loreto, Peru
| | - Richard Oberhelman
- Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Cesar Munayco Escate
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiologia, Prevencion, y Control de Enfermedades, Ministerio de Salud de Peru, Jesus Maria, Peru
| | - Rachel Silver
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Olga Henao
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kerry K Cooper
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jie Liu
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Eric R Houpt
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Margaret N Kosek
- Division of Infectious Disease and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Asociación Benefica PRISMA, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru.
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Public Health Sciences, 345 Crispell Dr, Rm 2525, Charlottesville, USA.
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Peñataro Yori P, Paredes Olórtegui M, Schiaffino F, Perez K, Curico Huansi G, Flynn T, Zhang J, Ramal Asayag C, Meza Sanchez G, Silva Delgado H, Casapia Morales M, Casanova W, Jiu B, Munayco Escate C, Silver R, Henao O, Cooper KK, Liu J, Houpt E, Kosek MN, Colston JM, Oberhelman R, Pinedo Vasquez T, Garcia Bardales PF, Shapiama Lopez WV, Zegarra Paredes LF. Etiology of Acute Febrile Illness in the Peruvian Amazon as determined by modular formatted quantitative PCR: A Protocol for RIVERA, a Health Facility-Based Case-Control Study. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-2635774. [PMID: 37034707 PMCID: PMC10081374 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2635774/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Background The study of the etiology of acute febrile illness (AFI) has historically been designed as a prevalence of pathogens detected from a case series. This strategy has an inherent unrealistic assumption that all pathogen detection allows for causal attribution, despite known asymptomatic carriage of the principal causes of acute febrile illness in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We designed a semi-quantitative PCR in a modular format to detect bloodborne agents of acute febrile illness that encompassed common etiologies of AFI in the region, etiologies of recent epidemics, etiologies that require an immediate public health response and additional pathogens of unknown endemicity. We then designed a study that would delineate background levels of transmission in the community in the absence of symptoms to provide corrected estimates of attribution for the principal determinants of AFI. Methods A case-control study of acute febrile illness in patients ten years or older seeking health care in Iquitos, Loreto, Peru, was planned. Upon enrollment, we will obtain blood, saliva, and mid-turbinate nasal swabs at enrollment with a follow-up visit on day 21-28 following enrollment to attain vital status and convalescent saliva and blood samples, as well as a questionnaire including clinical, socio-demographic, occupational, travel, and animal contact information for each participant. Whole blood samples are to be simultaneously tested for 32 pathogens using TaqMan array cards. Mid-turbinate samples will be tested for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A and Influenza B. Conditional logistic regression models will be fitted treating case/control status as the outcome and with pathogen-specific sample positivity as predictors to attain estimates of attributable pathogen fractions for AFI. Discussion The modular PCR platforms will allow for reporting of all primary results of respiratory samples within 72 hours and blood samples within one week, allowing for results to influence local medical practice and enable timely public health responses. The inclusion of controls will allow for a more accurate estimate of the importance of specific, prevalent pathogens as a cause of acute illness. Study Registration Project 1791, Registro de Proyectos de Investigación en Salud Pública (PRISA), Instituto Nacional de Salud, Perú.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Cesar Munayco Escate
- Centro de Epidemiologia, Prevencion, y Control de Enfermedades, Ministerio de Salud
| | | | - Olga Henao
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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4
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Schiaffino F, Colston JM, Paredes Olortegui M, Rengifo Pinedo S, Zamora Babilonia M, Ramal Asayag C, Peñataro Yori P, Kosek MN. Antibiotic Use and Stewardship Practices in a Pediatric Community-based Cohort Study in Peru: Shorter Would be Sweeter. Clin Infect Dis 2022; 76:e1054-e1061. [PMID: 35748864 PMCID: PMC9907531 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a need to evaluate antibiotic use, duration of therapy, and stewardship in low- and middle-income countries to guide the development of appropriate stewardship programs that are global in scope and effectively decrease unnecessary antibiotic use. METHODS We prospectively collected information on illness occurrence and antibiotic use from a cohort of 303 children. We evaluated the incidence, duration of therapy, and appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions by 5 main antibiotic prescribers (physicians and nurses, pharmacists, nursing assistants, self-prescriptions, and neighbors or family members). RESULTS Ninety percent of children received an antibiotic during follow-up, and on average, by the end of follow-up a child had spent 4.3% of their first 5 years of life on antibiotics. The most frequent prescribers were physicians/nurses (79.4%), followed by pharmacists (8.1%), self-prescriptions (6.8%), nursing assistants (3.7%), and family or neighbors (1.9%). Of the 3702 courses of antibiotics prescribed, 30.9% were done so for the occurrence of fever, 25.3% for diarrhea, 2.8% for acute lower respiratory disease, 2.7% for dysentery, and 38.2% for an undetermined illness. Courses exceeding the recommended duration were common for the principal diseases for which treatment was initiated, with 27.3% of courses exceeding the recommended length duration, representing a potential reduction in 13.2% of days on which this cohort spent on antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS Stewardship programs should target medical personnel for a primary care stewardship program even in a context in which antibiotics are available to the public with little or no restrictions and appropriate duration should be emphasized in this training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Schiaffino
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Josh M Colston
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | | | - Cesar Ramal Asayag
- Hospital Regional de Loreto, Gobierno Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru,Faculty of Human Medicine, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Pablo Peñataro Yori
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA,Asociacion Benefica Prisma,Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Margaret N Kosek
- Correspondence: M. N. Kosek, University of Virginia, Division of Infectious Diseases, International Health, and Public Health Sciences, 345 Crispell Dr, Rm 2525, Charlottesville, VA 22903 ()
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Steinberg HE, Bowman NM, Diestra A, Ferradas C, Russo P, Clark DE, Zhu D, Magni R, Malaga E, Diaz M, Pinedo-Cancino V, Ramal Asayag C, Calderón M, Carruthers VB, Liotta LA, Gilman RH, Luchini A. Detection of toxoplasmic encephalitis in HIV positive patients in urine with hydrogel nanoparticles. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009199. [PMID: 33651824 PMCID: PMC7954332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnosis of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is challenging under the best clinical circumstances. The poor clinical sensitivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for Toxoplasma in blood and CSF and the limited availability of molecular diagnostics and imaging technology leaves clinicians in resource-limited settings with few options other than empiric treatment. METHOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS Here we describe proof of concept for a novel urine diagnostics for TE using Poly-N-Isopropylacrylamide nanoparticles dyed with Reactive Blue-221 to concentrate antigens, substantially increasing the limit of detection. After nanoparticle-concentration, a standard western blotting technique with a monoclonal antibody was used for antigen detection. Limit of detection was 7.8pg/ml and 31.3pg/ml of T. gondii antigens GRA1 and SAG1, respectively. To characterize this diagnostic approach, 164 hospitalized HIV-infected patients with neurological symptoms compatible with TE were tested for 1) T. gondii serology (121/147, positive samples/total samples tested), 2) qPCR in cerebrospinal fluid (11/41), 3) qPCR in blood (10/112), and 4) urinary GRA1 (30/164) and SAG1 (12/164). GRA1 appears to be superior to SAG1 for detection of TE antigens in urine. Fifty-one HIV-infected, T. gondii seropositive but asymptomatic persons all tested negative by nanoparticle western blot and blood qPCR, suggesting the test has good specificity for TE for both GRA1 and SAG1. In a subgroup of 44 patients, urine samples were assayed with mass spectrometry parallel-reaction-monitoring (PRM) for the presence of T. gondii antigens. PRM identified antigens in 8 samples, 6 of which were concordant with the urine diagnostic. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCES Our results demonstrate nanoparticle technology's potential for a noninvasive diagnostic test for TE. Moving forward, GRA1 is a promising target for antigen based diagnostics for TE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Steinberg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Natalie M. Bowman
- Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrea Diestra
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Cusi Ferradas
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Paul Russo
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Daniel E. Clark
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Deanna Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ruben Magni
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Edith Malaga
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Monica Diaz
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Viviana Pinedo-Cancino
- Laboratorio de Investigación de Productos Naturales Antiparasitarios de la Amazonía, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Cesar Ramal Asayag
- Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Maritza Calderón
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Lance A. Liotta
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Robert H. Gilman
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alessandra Luchini
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Virginia, United States of America
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Pajuelo MJ, Anticona Huaynate C, Correa M, Mayta Malpartida H, Ramal Asayag C, Seminario JR, Gilman RH, Murphy L, Oberhelman RA, Paz-Soldan VA. Delays in seeking and receiving health care services for pneumonia in children under five in the Peruvian Amazon: a mixed-methods study on caregivers' perceptions. BMC Health Serv Res 2018; 18:149. [PMID: 29490643 PMCID: PMC5831863 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-018-2950-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Delays in receiving adequate care for children suffering from pneumonia can be life threatening and have been described associated with parents’ limited education and their difficulties in recognizing the severity of the illness. The “three delays” was a model originally proposed to describe the most common determinants of maternal mortality, but has been adapted to describe delays in the health seeking process for caregivers of children under five. This study aims to explore the caregivers’ perceived barriers for seeking and receiving health care services in children under five years old admitted to a referral hospital for community-acquired pneumonia in the Peruvian Amazon Region using the three-delays model framework. Methods There were two parts to this mixed-method, cross-sectional, hospital-based study. First, medical charts of 61 children (1 to 60 months old) admitted for pneumonia were reviewed, and clinical characteristics were noted. Second, to examine health care-seeking decisions and actions, as well as associated delays in the process of obtaining health care services, we interviewed 10 of the children’s caregivers. Results Half of the children in our study were 9 months old or less. Main reasons for seeking care at the hospital were cough (93%) and fever (92%). Difficulty breathing and fast breathing were also reported in more than 60% of cases. In the interviews, caregivers reported delays of 1 to 14 days to go to the closest health facility. Factors perceived as causes for delays in deciding to seek care were apparent lack of skills to recognize signs and symptoms and of confidence in the health system, and practicing self-medication. No delays in reaching a health facility were reported. Once the caregivers reached a health facility, they perceived lack of competence of medical staff and inadequate treatment provided by the primary care physicians. Conclusion According to caregivers, the main delays to get health care services for pneumonia among young children were identified in the initial decision of caregivers to seek healthcare and in the health system to provide it. Specific interventions targeted to main barriers may be useful for reducing delays in providing appropriate health care for children with pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica J Pajuelo
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA. .,Department of Cellular and Molecular Science. School of Science and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
| | - Cynthia Anticona Huaynate
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Science. School of Science and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Malena Correa
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Science. School of Science and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Holger Mayta Malpartida
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Science. School of Science and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Cesar Ramal Asayag
- Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Peru.,Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
| | | | - Robert H Gilman
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laura Murphy
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Richard A Oberhelman
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Valerie A Paz-Soldan
- Office of Global Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1140 Canal Street, Suite 2210, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Kosek MN, Mduma E, Kosek PS, Lee GO, Svensen E, Pan WKY, Olortegui MP, Bream JH, Patil C, Asayag CR, Sanchez GM, Caulfield LE, Gratz J, Yori PP. Plasma Tryptophan and the Kynurenine-Tryptophan Ratio are Associated with the Acquisition of Statural Growth Deficits and Oral Vaccine Underperformance in Populations with Environmental Enteropathy. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:928-937. [PMID: 27503512 PMCID: PMC5062803 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Early childhood enteric infections have adverse impacts on child growth and can inhibit normal mucosal responses to oral vaccines, two critical components of environmental enteropathy. To evaluate the role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) activity and its relationship with these outcomes, we measured tryptophan and the kynurenine–tryptophan ratio (KTR) in two longitudinal birth cohorts with a high prevalence of stunting. Children in rural Peru and Tanzania (N = 494) contributed 1,251 plasma samples at 3, 7, 15, and 24 months of age and monthly anthropometrics from 0 to 36 months of age. Tryptophan concentrations were directly associated with linear growth from 1 to 8 months after biomarker assessment. A 1-SD increase in tryptophan concentration was associated with a gain in length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) of 0.17 over the next 6 months in Peru (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11–0.23, P < 0.001) and a gain in LAZ of 0.13 Z-scores in Tanzania (95% CI = 0.03–0.22, P = 0.009). Vaccine responsiveness data were available for Peru only. An increase in kynurenine by 1 μM was associated with a 1.63 (95% CI = 1.13–2.34) increase in the odds of failure to poliovirus type 1, but there was no association with tetanus vaccine response. A KTR of 52 was 76% sensitive and 50% specific in predicting failure of response to serotype 1 of the oral polio vaccine. KTR was associated with systemic markers of inflammation, but also interleukin-10, supporting the association between IDO1 activity and immunotolerance. These results strongly suggest that the activity of IDO1 is implicated in the pathophysiology of environmental enteropathy, and demonstrates the utility of tryptophan and kynurenine as biomarkers for this syndrome, particularly in identifying those at risk for hyporesponsivity to oral vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret N Kosek
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Estomih Mduma
- Global Health Research Center, Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Manyara, Tanzania
| | | | - Gwenyth O Lee
- Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | | | - William K Y Pan
- Duke Global Health Institute, Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Maribel Paredes Olortegui
- Asociacion Benefica Proyectos de Informática, Salud, Medicina, y Agricultura (PRISMA), Iquitos, Peru
| | - Jay H Bream
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Crystal Patil
- Department of Women, Children, and Family Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | | | - Laura E Caulfield
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jean Gratz
- Center for Global Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Pablo Peñataro Yori
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Asayag CR, Garay CR, Sanchez GM, Angeles CC, Baca CJ, Evans C, Yori PP, Kosek M. Eight year old with fever, hepatomegaly, and positive thick smear. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008; 79:473. [PMID: 18840731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
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Asayag CR, Baca CJ, Sanchez GM, Yori PP, Garay CR, Evans C, Angeles CC, Kosek M. Eight Year Old with Fever, Hepatomegaly, and Positive Thick Smear. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008. [DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2008.79.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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