¿Es la epidemiologia crítica distinta de la social?

Sr Editor, la concepción ecológica funcionalista de la epidemiología clásica no parece ser suficiente para abarcar el fenómeno salud-enfermedad, por ser fundamentalmente biologicista sin historia y desligado de la cultura que define a la sociedad, por centrarse en el reduccionismo empírico y cuantitativista, por abrigar las teorías totalizantes impositivas que sobreponen el conocimiento científico sobre el popular y por preferir la lógica de los factores de riesgo sobre la metacrítica y multicultura, de allí la necesidad de generar nuevas construcciones epistemológicas de la epidemiología en procura de recuperar y renovar este pensamiento científico clave para el estudio del complejo proceso salud-enfermedad con base en reflexiones sobre desigualdad, etnia, género, derechos humanos, justicia social, privación, exclusión social, subjetividad y en los modos de vida en lugar de factores de riesgo, entonces nacen la epidemiología social y crítica

Pueblos indígenas suramericanos e interculturalidad en la pandemia de COVID-19

La incertidumbre es la regla en el abordaje sanitario para mitigar la pandemia de COVID-19 en los pueblos indígenas en muchos países al sur del continente americano. Es aquí donde tiene cabida la pertinencia intercultural como herramienta necesaria para aproximar el mundo científico-tecnológico o biologicista a la cultura de cada pueblo, es decir, a la construcción dinámica de creencias, conocimientos, pensamientos y prácticas o conductas aprendidas en su relación con el medio ambiente e iguales, con el fin de lograr un acuerdo mínimo en el tratamiento de patologías emergentes, y por tanto, no incluidas en los programas sanitarios y que pueden resultar devastadoras para estos sectores debido a sus peores condiciones para enfrentarla. La pertinencia intercultural, tema de transcendental actualidad, se cree es la estrategia con la que los Estados pueden aplicar plenamente en material de salud su carta magna, toda vez que muchas reconocen la organización social, política y económica que rige a los pueblos indígenas, y particularmente sus costumbres culturales y religiosas, su lengua y hábitat.

[Methodological perspectives of public health research. A brief look]

Research allows for the strengthening of disciplines, particularly those that draw on information from various specialties, such as public health. The objective of this report is to provide consolidated methodological perspectives to enrich public health as a science. The review highlights three key elements: the type of investigative approach, the evidence and competence approaches in the methodological context of the inquiry into collective health. It is concluded that the systematic, specific knowledge, integrated to the context and obtained in attention to the circumstances of the investigation, the object of study and the institutional location, contribute with the strengthening of public health as a multidisciplinary science, directly involved, for its competence and based on the evidence, in the decision making in matters of health by the State in areas as important as needs, services and health systems.

[Prehospital emergency care injuries from external causes in a region of Venezuela]

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, approximately 3 500 000 people die every year as a result of injuries from external causes, in Venezuela these arte the third leading cause of overall morbidity. Nevertheless, in the country there are no records of the defining aspects of prehospital emergency care as a tool to address this socio-health problem, the aim of this investigation.

METHODS

A descriptive, transversal, field study based on the information recorded daily for a year paramedics was performed.

RESULTS

A total 1493 injured by external causes were reported, with a mean age of 29.5 ± 12 years, 84.5% male. Injuries mostly less-moderate (69.4%) were due to severe land transport accidents (70.9%) occurred during the day (75.9%), between monday and friday (72.9%), attended in 20 minutes or less, and transferred in 97.3% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The economically productive young men in areas with higher population density and urbanism are mostly affected by injuries from external causes. In both genres land transport accidents are the most common causes of injury with lower-moderate severity. The care that paramedics provide can be considered adequate.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of G6PD deficiency in two Plasmodium vivax endemic areas in Venezuela: predominance of the African A-(202A/376G) variant

BACKGROUND

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency causes acute haemolytic anaemia triggered by oxidative drugs such as primaquine (PQ), used for Plasmodium vivax malaria radical cure. However, in many endemic areas of vivax malaria, patients are treated with PQ without any evaluation of their G6PD status.

METHODS

G6PD deficiency and its genetic heterogeneity were evaluated in northeastern and southeastern areas from Venezuela, Cajigal (Sucre state) and Sifontes (Bolívar state) municipalities, respectively. Blood samples from 664 randomly recruited unrelated individuals were screened for G6PD activity by a quantitative method. Mutation analysis for exons 4-8 of G6PD gen was performed on DNA isolated from G6PD-deficient (G6PDd) subjects through PCR-RFLP and direct DNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Quantitative biochemical characterization revealed that overall 24 (3.6%) subjects were G6PDd (average G6PD enzyme activity 4.5 ± 1.2 U/g Hb, moderately deficient, class III), while DNA analysis showed one or two mutated alleles in 19 of them (79.2%). The G6PD A-(202A/376G) variant was the only detected in 17 (70.8%) individuals, 13 of them hemizygous males and four heterozygous females. Two males carried only the 376A → G mutation. No other mutation was found in the analysed exons.

CONCLUSIONS

The G6PDd prevalence was as low as that one shown by nearby countries. This study contributes to the knowledge of the genetic background of Venezuelan population, especially of those living in malaria-endemic areas. Despite the high degree of genetic mixing described for Venezuelan population, a net predominance of the mild African G6PD A-(202A/376G) variant was observed among G6PDd subjects, suggesting a significant flow of G6PD genes from Africa to Americas, almost certainly introduced through African and/or Spanish immigrants during and after the colonization. The data suggest that 1:27 individuals of the studied population could be G6PDd and therefore at risk of haemolysis under precipitating factors. Information about PQ effect on G6PDd individuals carrying mild variant is limited, but since the regimen of 45 mg weekly dose for prevention of malaria relapse does not seem to be causing clinically significant haemolysis in people having the G6PD A-variant, a reasoned weighing of risk-benefit for its use in Venezuela should be done, when implementing public health strategies of control and elimination.

[Synchronous adenocarcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in the stomach: a case presentation and literature review]

Gastric cancer is one of the main causes of death in the world. In Venezuela, gastric tumors represent 37% of all malignant tumors of the digestive system, but only 1,6% to 3,1% of these cases are lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. Synchronous neoplastic lesions are also rare. The clinical case presented herein, a man with two synchronous tumor lesions, is the first of its kind in this country. Despite their incipient aspect, the histologic study reported two malignant tumors of epithelial origin: well-differentiated adenocarcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Prevalence of anemia and deficiencies of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 in an indigenous community from the Venezuelan Amazon with a high incidence of malaria

The objective of this work was to determine the prevalence of anemia and deficiencies of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 in Betania del Topocho, a Piaroa community from Estado Amazonas, Venezuela, a zone with a high incidence of malaria. The group studied included 184 subjects of all ages that assisted to the local health center for malaria diagnosis. Analysis performed included hematology by coulter counter, ferritin quantification by ELISA with monoclonal antibodies and folic acid and vitamin B12 determinations by an immunoradiometric assay. It was found that the prevalence of anemia was 89.6% and deficiencies of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 affected 37.1,70.3 and 12.4% of the population studied, respectively. Plasmodium infection was detected by molecular diagnosis in 53.2% of the cases, and 86% of them were anemic. The highest incidence of anemia was found in children, with a prevalence of 100% in infants of both sexes. The high prevalence of anemia, iron and folic acid deficiencies found, indicates an important health and nutrition problem that should be immediately and properly addressed. The number of cases of anemia due to iron deficiency could be underestimated, since ferritin concentration increased as a acute phase protein, although prevalence data was also analyzed with a cutoff point of 30 microg/L for ferritin concentration.

C3-C 4 intermediate photosynthetic characteristics of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) : II. Initial products of(14)CO 2 fixation

Cassava, bean and maize leaves were fed with(14)CO2 in light and the primary products of photosynthesis identified 5 and 10 seconds after assimilation. In maize, approximately three quarters of the labelled carbon was incorporated in C4 acids, in beans about two thirds in PGA, and in cassava approximately 40-60% in C4 acids with 30-50% in PGA. These data indicate that cassava possesses the C4 photosynthetic cycle, however due to the lack of typical Kranz anatomy appreciable carbon assimilation takes place directly through the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle.