Monkeypox Virus in Wastewater Samples from Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile

Sewage surveillance provides useful epidemiologic and public health information on viral infections at the population level. We detected monkeypox virus DNA from sewage samples covering 85% of the population in Santiago Metropolitan Region Chile. We also isolated infective viruses from those samples. Wastewater surveillance could complement clinical surveillance for monkeypox virus.

Is there a relationship between socioeconomic level, vegetation cover, free-roaming cats and dogs, and the diversity of native birds? A study in a Latin American capital city

Understanding how social and environmental factors influence biodiversity can contribute to sustainable development and promote environmental justice in cities. This knowledge is especially important in developing countries with strong social and environmental inequalities. This study investigates native bird diversity in relation to the socioeconomic level of neighborhoods, their plant cover, and the abundance of free-roaming cats and dogs in a Latin American city. Two causal hypotheses were tested: 1) socioeconomic level (defined by education and income) influence native bird diversity indirectly, as an effect mediated by plant cover, as well as directly; 2) in addition socioeconomic conditions also influence free-roaming cats and dogs which could affect native bird diversity. To test these hypotheses, data were collected at 120 sites located in neighborhoods of different socioeconomic levels across the city of Santiago de Chile and fit to Structural Equation Models. Evidence supported the second hypothesis: in wealthier neighborhoods there was greater plant cover that, in turn, positively influenced native bird diversity; in addition, fewer free-roaming cats and dogs were found in these neighborhoods but they had no effect on native bird diversity. Results suggest that increasing plant cover, especially in more socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods, would contribute to urban environmental justice and more equitable opportunities to access native bird diversity.

Determination of the welfare status of freeroaming dogs in two urban centres in Chile

Free-roaming dogs are not only a public health and ethical problem, they are also an environmental and economic one. Although the general belief is that freeroaming dogs are not in good condition, there have been insufficient studies in Chile to address and analyse the issue. The objective of this research was to assess the welfare of free-roaming dogs in the centre of the cities of Santiago and Valparaíso. The evaluation was carried out using an observational method and assessed a total of 554 dogs. The following variables were analysed: body condition, motor impairment, skin condition, respiratory disease, reaction to humans and other variables. In addition, spatial distribution was considered, and age, sex and social behaviour were estimated. When the results were analysed in terms of frequency, it was found that, in Valparaíso (n = 204), 37% of the dogs assessed had compromised welfare (poor or fair), while 63% had positive welfare (good or optimal). In contrast, in Santiago (n = 350), only 21.7% had compromised welfare, while 78.3% had positive welfare. With respect to social behaviour, 55% of the dogs assessed in Valparaíso and 68% of those assessed in Santiago led a solitary lifestyle. Although most of the individuals were in good condition, a high percentage were unable to meet the requirements for them to live in harmony with their environment.

Hazard potential of volcanic flank collapses raised by new megatsunami evidence

Large-scale gravitational flank collapses of steep volcanic islands are hypothetically capable of triggering megatsunamis with highly catastrophic effects. Yet, evidence for the generation and impact of collapse-triggered megatsunamis and their high run-ups remains scarce or is highly controversial. Therefore, doubts remain on whether island flank failures truly generate enough volume flux to trigger giant tsunamis, leading to diverging opinions concerning the real hazard potential of such collapses. We show that one of the most prominent oceanic volcanoes on Earth-Fogo, in the Cape Verde Islands-catastrophically collapsed and triggered a megatsunami with devastating effects ~73,000 years ago. Our deductions are based on the recent discovery and cosmogenic (3)He dating of tsunamigenic deposits found on nearby Santiago Island, which attest to the impact of this giant tsunami and document wave run-up heights exceeding 270 m. The evidence reported here implies that Fogo's flank failure involved at least one fast and voluminous event that led to a giant tsunami, in contrast to what has been suggested before. Our observations therefore further demonstrate that flank collapses may indeed catastrophically happen and are capable of triggering tsunamis of enormous height and energy, adding to their hazard potential.

Children at risk: A comparison of child pedestrian traffic collisions in Santiago, Chile, and Seoul, South Korea

OBJECTIVE

We examine and compare pedestrian-vehicle collisions and injury outcomes involving school-age children between 5 and 18 years of age in the capital cities of Santiago, Chile, and Seoul, South Korea.

METHODS

We conduct descriptive analysis of the child pedestrian-vehicle collision (P-VC) data (904 collisions for Santiago and 3,505 for Seoul) reported by the police between 2010 and 2011. We also statistically analyze factors associated with child P-VCs, by both incident severity and age group, using 3 regression models: negative binomial, probit, and spatial lag models.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics suggest that child pedestrians in Seoul have a higher risk of being involved in traffic crashes than their counterparts in Santiago. However, in Seoul a greater proportion of children are unharmed as a result of these incidents, whereas more child pedestrians are killed in Santiago. Younger children in Seoul suffer more injuries from P-VCs than in Santiago. The majority of P-VCs in both cities tend to occur in the afternoon and evening, at intersections in Santiago and at midblock locations in Seoul. Our model results suggest that the resident population of children is positively associated with P-VCs in both cities, and school concentrations apparently increase P-VC risk among older children in Santiago. Bus stops are associated with higher P-VCs in Seoul, and subway stations relate to higher P-VCs among older children in Santiago. Zone-level land use mix was negatively related to child P-VCs in Seoul but not in Santiago. Arterial roads are associated with fewer P-VCs, especially for younger children in both cities. A share of collector roads is associated with increased P-VCs in Seoul but fewer P-VCs in Santiago. Hilliness is related to fewer P-VCs in both cities. Differences in these model results for Santiago and Seoul warrant additional analysis, as do the differences in results across model type (negative binomial versus spatial lag models).

CONCLUSIONS

To reduce child P-VCs, this study suggests the need to assess subway station and bus stop area conditions in Santiago and Seoul, respectively; areas with high density of schools in Santiago; areas with greater concentrations of children in both cities; and collector roads in Seoul.

Chemical speciation and source apportionment of fine particulate matter in Santiago, Chile, 2013

Santiago is one of the largest cities in South America and has experienced high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in fall and winter months for decades. To better understand the sources of fall and wintertime pollution in Santiago, PM2.5 samples were collected for 24 h every weekday from March to October 2013 for chemical analysis. Samples were analyzed for mass, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), water soluble nitrogen (WSTN), secondary inorganic ions, and particle-phase organic tracers for source apportionment. Selected samples were analyzed as monthly composites for organic tracers. PM2.5 concentrations were considerably higher in the coldest months (June-July), averaging (mean ± standard deviation) 62±15 μg/m(3) in these two months. Average fine particle mass concentration during the study period was 40±20 μg/m(3). Organic matter during the peak winter months was the major component of fine particles comprising around 70% of the particle mass. Source contributions to OC were calculated using organic molecular markers and a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. The four combustion sources identified were wood smoke, diesel engine emission, gasoline vehicles, and natural gas. Wood smoke was the predominant source of OC, accounting for 58±42% of OC in fall and winter. Wood smoke and nitrate were the major contributors to PM2.5. In fall and winter, wood smoke accounted for 9.8±7.1 μg/m(3) (21±15%) and nitrate accounted for 9.1±4.8 μg/m(3) (20±10%) of fine PM. The sum of secondary inorganic ions (sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) represented about 30% of PM2.5 mass. Secondary organic aerosols contributed only in warm months, accounting for about 30% of fine PM during this time.

Respiratory disease and particulate air pollution in Santiago Chile: contribution of erosion particles from fine sediments

Air pollution in Santiago is a serious problem every winter, causing thousands of cases of breathing problems within the population. With more than 6 million people and almost two million vehicles, this large city receives rainfall only during winters. Depending on the frequency of storms, statistics show that every time it rains, air quality improves for a couple of days, followed by extreme levels of air pollution. Current regulations focus mostly on PM10 and PM2.5, due to its strong influence on respiratory diseases. Though more than 50% of the ambient PM10s in Santiago is represented by soil particles, most of the efforts have been focused on the remaining 50%, i.e. particulate material originating from fossil and wood fuel combustion, among others. This document emphasizes the need for the creation of erosion/sediment control regulations in Chile, to decrease respiratory diseases on Chilean polluted cities.

[The prevalence of irritable bowel symptoms in a population of shopping mall visitors in Santiago de Chile]

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort that is associated with altered bowel habit. Both its prevalence and clinical characteristics vary throughout Latin America. A percentage of patients does not seek medical attention, therefore a reliable prevalence figure can only be established by interviewing non-selected populations.

AIMS

To study the prevalence and clinical characteristics of IBS symptoms in non-selected subjects in Santiago, Chile.

METHODS

A total of 437 shopping mall visitors above the age of 15 years (246 women) participated in the study by answering the Rome II validated questionnaire for IBS. The demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, comorbidities, and a family history of IBS were registered.

RESULTS

A total of 64.1% subjects reported having gastrointestinal symptoms and 28.6% had symptoms suggestive of IBS. When the subjects with IBS symptoms were compared with the asymptomatic individuals, a predominance of women (65.6 vs. 42.9, P<.001) and a greater cholecystectomy frequency (33.6 vs. 12.9% P<.05) were observed in the former. The age of symptom onset was 30.4 years. An equal percentage of subjects (42.4%) presented with diarrhea and constipation and 15.2% presented with alternating IBS. Participants with a higher educational level reported a lower percentage of IBS (P<.05). A family history of the disease was present in 40% of the subjects with IBS, compared with 14.9% in the asymptomatic individuals (P<.05). Only 39.2% of the subjects had seen a physician for their symptoms and the treatment and tests ordered were inappropriate.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of IBS symptoms in the population studied is one of the highest described. Therefore, health teams should have the necessary knowledge and skill required for its management.