This work describes the epidemiological pattern of tegumentary leishmaniasis in an area north of Salta, Argentina. The prevalence and incidence were estimated by means of a cross-sectional study and two follow-up studies during two consecutive years. The Montenegro Skin Test (MST) was administered to 7336 subjects at baseline. The prevalence and incidence between 1990 and 1992 of infection (MST...

BACKGROUND We studied the transmission of rotavirus infection in households in peri-urban Ecuador in the vaccination era. METHODS Stool samples were collected from household contacts of child rotavirus cases, diarrhea controls and healthy controls following presentation of the index child to health facilities. Rotavirus infection status of contacts was determined by RT-qPCR. We examined facto...

OBJECTIVE To study the antibody prevalence against dengue in the municipality of Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil, due to the low number of official confirmed autochthonous cases. METHODS A serological study on dengue infection was conducted during January 2010 and previous reports on dengue and entomological surveillance during that period were reviewed. RESULTS A prevalence of 7.8% IgG positive...

In the absence of effective vaccines, antiviral drugs and personal protective measures, such as voluntary self-isolation, have been a part of preparedness plans for the next influenza pandemic. We used a household model to assess the effect of voluntary self-isolation on outbreak control when antiviral drugs are not provided sufficiently early. We found that the early initiation of voluntary se...

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections result in a spectrum of clinical outcomes, and frequently the infection persists in a latent, clinically asymptomatic state. The within-host bacterial population is likely to be heterogeneous, and it is thought that persistent mycobacteria arise from a small population of viable, but non-replicating (VBNR) cells. These are likely to be antibiotic tolerant a...

Melioidosis is a clinically diverse disease caused by gram negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is a potential bioterrorism agent. The high risk group includes the agricultural and construction workers whose contact with contaminated soil and water may expose them to bacteria. The clinical manifestations varies from asymptomatic infection to overwhelming sepsis. To diagnose melioido...

Yaws, a neglected tropical disease, is targeted for eradication by 2020 through large-scale mass-treatment programs of endemic communities. A key determinant for the success of the eradication campaign is good understanding of the disease epidemiology. We did a review of historical trends and new information from endemic countries, with the aim of assessing the state of knowledge on yaws diseas...

Analysis of historical data has strongly shaped our understanding of the epidemiology of pandemic influenza and informs analysis of current and future epidemics. Here, the authors analyzed previously unpublished documents from a large household survey of the "Spanish" H1N1 influenza pandemic, conducted in 1918, for the first time quantifying influenza transmissibility at the person-to-person le...

Variola minor 38 Clinical course 38 Variola sine eruptione and subclinical infection 40 Smallpox acquired by unusual routes of infection 40 Inoculation variola and variolation 40 Congenital smallpox 42 Effects of vaccination on the clinical course of smallpox 42 Effects of vaccination on toxaemia 43 Effects of vaccination on the number of lesions 43 Effects of vaccination on the character and e...

Hypertension is the number 1 risk factor for mortality in the world1 and an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.2,3 Hypertension is typically diagnosed and managed in the outpatient setting and is one of the most common reasons to visit a family physician.4 With almost a quarter of the adult population and almost half of people aged 50 years and older having hypertension...