In this study, a family of porphyrins based on 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-ethylphenyl)porphyrin (1, Ph) and six metallo-derivatives (Zn²⁺(2, Ph-Zn), Sn⁴⁺(3, Ph-Sn), Mn²⁺ (4, Ph-Mn), Ni²⁺ (5, Ph-Ni), Al³⁺ (6, Ph-Al), and V³⁺ (7, Ph-V)) were tested as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy against Leishmania braziliensis and panamensis. The singlet oxygen quantum yield value (Φ_Δ) for (1–7) was measured using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as a singlet oxygen trapping agent and 5,10,15,20-(tetraphenyl)-porphyrin (H2TPP) as a reference standard; besides, parasite viability was estimated by the MTT assay. After metal insertion into the porphyrin core, the Φ_Δ increased from 0.76–0.90 and cell viability changed considerably. The Φ_Δ and metal type changed the cytotoxic activity. Finally, (2) showed both the highest Φ_Δ (0.90) and the best photodynamic activity against the parasites studied (IC₅₀ of 1.2 μM).

Oropouche Orthobunyavirus, Colombia, 2017

Water-related diseases are closely linked with drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) indicators, socioeconomic status, education level, or dwelling’s conditions. Developing countries exhibit a particular vulnerability to these diseases, especially rural areas and urban slums. This study assessed socioeconomic features, WASH indicators, and water-related diseases in two rural areas of the Colombian Caribbean coast. Most of this population did not finish basic education (72.3%, N = 159). Only one of the communities had a water supply (aqueduct), whereas the other received water via an adapted tanker ship. No respondents reported sewage services; 92.7% (N = 204) had garbage service. Reported cases of diarrhea were associated with low education levels (P = 2.37 × 10⁻⁹) and an unimproved drinking water supply (P = 0.035). At least one fever episode was reported in 20% (N = 44) of dwellings, but the cases were not related to any indicator. The Aedes/House index (percentage of houses that tested positive for Aedes larvae and/or pupae) was 69%, the container index (percentage of water-holding containers positive for Aedes larvae or pupae) 29.4%, and the Breteau index (number of positive containers per 100 houses in a specific location) was three positive containers per 100 inspected houses. The presence of positive containers was associated with the absence of a drinking water supply (P = 0.04). The community with poorer health indicators showed greater health vulnerability conditions for acquisition of water-related diseases. In summary, water supply and educational level were the main factors associated with the presence of water-related diseases in both communities.

Mosquito studies are important for understanding their role in the transmission of pathogens including arboviruses, parasites, and protozoa. This study characterized the prevalence of Culicidae fauna in rural and peri-urban areas with human populations in the Colombian Caribbean region to establish the risk of transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens. From 2016 to 2017, adult mosquitos were collected in Turbaco (Bolívar), Sabanalarga (Atlántico) and Pueblo Bello (Cesar). The collections in rural areas were in the forest fragments using CDC, Shannon, and human bait traps. In peri-urban areas, Prokopack aspirator collections were used inside households. Entomological and ecological indicators were also calculated. A total of 11,566 mosquito specimens, from 13 genera and 63 species, were collected. The forests fragments of Sabanalarga and Turbaco had the highest species abundance and richness. Turbaco had the highest adult Aedes aegypti index. Arbovirus vectors were among the identified species, including Ae. aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, Haemagogus janthinomys, Sabethes chloropterus, Aedes angustivittatus, Mansonia titillans, Coquillettidia venezuelensis and the subgenera Culex Melanoconion. Overall, the diversity and abundance of mosquitoes present in these municipalities establish a potential disease transmission risk by these vectors.

During last decade the metabolic syndrome has been defined by five different guidelines. Discrepancies in such definitions could influence syndrome predictive ability over cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of agreement between these five guidelines, in population from Cartagena (Colombia). A cross sectional study was conducted in adults from urban zone. Sample size was estimated based on 2005 DANE census, which included 670 individuals. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was determined through the WHO (World Health Organization), AHA/NHLBI (American Heart Association/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute), ATP III (Adult Treatment Panel III), IDF (International Diabetes Federation) and JIS (Joint Interim Statement) guidelines. Frequencies obtained were compared through Cohen's kappa index. According to JIS, IDF, ATPIII, AHA/NHBLI and WHO guidelines, metabolic syndrome prevalence was 36.3% [32.6 - 39.9], 35.1%, 30.3%, 24.2% and 4.9%. Agreement between JIS and IDF was 0.893, while index for these two guidelines with AHA/NHLBI was 0.778 y 0.750, respectively. ATPIII had a lower agreement with JIS and IDF (0.711 and 0.645, respectively), however with AHA/NHLBI agreement was 0.863. WHO presented a agreement with the others guidelines between 0.14 and 0.16. Significant agreement was found between the four most recent guidelines. Abdominal obesity cut-off points might support differences agreement differences.

Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are of great concern to the public health of Colombia. One of the main control strategies for these diseases is the application of insecticides directed at the Aedes aegypti vector. However, insecticide resistance has been increasingly recorded in the country, making control measures difficult. Here, we evaluated the resistance profiles for pyrethroids in populations of Ae. aegypti from La Guajira, Colombia. The frequency (diagnostic dose, DD) and intensity (2×, 5×, and 10× DD) of resistance to permethrin, deltamethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin were determined in 15 populations of Ae. aegypti from La Guajira, Colombia, using the bottle bioassay. The kdr mutations V1016I, F1534C, and V410L, were identified, and their allele and genotype frequencies were calculated. Finally, the mortality values for the analyzed pyrethroids were interpolated following the IDW method for predicting pyrethroid resistance. The populations of Ae. aegypti showed a high frequency of resistance to permethrin with a low to moderate intensity, which was associated with the triple-resistant haplotype LL410/II1016/CC1534. They remain susceptible to deltamethrin and, in some populations, expressed the risk of developing resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin.