Dr. Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

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Academic Career Length

24Years (2003-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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20 December 2017 in Arthritis & Rheumatology

Journal Article

Frequency of Chronic Joint Pain Following Chikungunya Virus Infection

Aileen Chang

Liliana Encinales

Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

Nelly Pacheco

St. Patrick Reid

Gary L. Simon

20 December 2017 in Arthritis & Rheumatology

Journal Article

Chikungunya Arthritis Mechanisms in the Americas

Aileen Chang

Karen A. O. Martins

Liliana Encinales

St. Patrick Reid

Marlon Acuña

Gary S. Firestein

+21

7 June 2019 in Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública

Journal Article

Co-circulation of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in Colombia from 2008 to 2018

Alejandro Rico-Mendoza

Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

Aileen Chang

Liliana Encinales

Rebecca Lynch

Objective. This study aimed to identify the co-circulation patterns of three viruses (dengue, Zika, and chikungunya) in Colombia from 2008 to 2018 by using notification reports provided to the national surveillance system. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted through a review of data for 2008 through 2018 from Colombia’s Public Health Surveillance System (SIVIGILA). Results. In 2015, when chikungunya was first detected, it had a higher incidence (1 359.0 cases per 100 000 persons) than did the two other diseases. In 2016, when the circulation of Zika virus was first found, the incidence was 296.4 cases per 100 000 persons; that incidence declined dramatically in the next two years. Between 2015 and 2018, there was a substantial decrease in the frequency of dengue circulation, with it going from 334.1 cases per 100 000 persons in 2015 to 90.7 cases per 100 000 in 2017 and 173.1 cases per 100 000 in 2018. Conclusions. The decrease in the number of dengue cases after co-circulation of the three viruses could indicate possible cross-protection. This finding should be further analyzed.

4 May 2016 in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Journal Article

The Burden of Dengue and the Financial Cost to Colombia, 2010–2012

Raúl Castro Rodríguez

Gabriel Carrasquilla

Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

Katia Galera-Gelvez

Juan Guillermo Lopez Yescas

Jorge A. Rueda-Gallardo

Data on the burden of dengue and its economic costs can help guide health policy decisions. However, little reliable information is available for Colombia. We therefore calculated the burden of the disease, expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), for two scenarios: endemic years (average number of cases in non-epidemic years 2011 and 2012) and an epidemic year (2010, when the highest number of dengue cases was reported in the study period). We also estimated the total economic cost of the disease (U.S. dollars at the average exchange rate for 2012), including indirect costs to households derived from expenses such as preventing entry of mosquitos into the home and costs to government arising from direct, indirect, and prevention and monitoring activities, as well as the direct medical and non-medical costs. In the epidemic year 2010, 1,198.73 DALYs were lost per million inhabitants versus 83.88 in endemic years. The total financial cost of the disease in Colombia from a societal perspective was US$167.8 million for 2010, US$129.9 million for 2011, and US$131.7 million for 2012. The cost of mosquito prevention borne by households was a major cost driver (accounting for 46% of the overall cost in 2010, 62% in 2011, and 64% in 2012).

5 June 2019 in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Journal Article

Neutralizing Antibodies from Convalescent Chikungunya Virus Patients Can Cross-Neutralize Mayaro and Una Viruses

Most alphaviruses are mosquito-borne and can cause severe disease in domesticated animals and humans. The most notable recent outbreak in the Americas was the 2014 chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak affecting millions and producing disease highlighted by rash and arthralgia. Chikungunya virus is a member of the Semliki Forest (SF) serocomplex, and before its arrival in the Americas, two other member of the SF complex, Una (UNAV) and Mayaro (MAYV) viruses, were circulating in Central and South America. This study examined whether antibodies from convalescent CHIKV patients could cross-neutralize UNAV and MAYV. Considerable cross-neutralization of both viruses was observed, suggesting that exposure to CHIKV can produce antibodies that may mitigate infection with UNAV or MAYV. Understanding the impact of CHIKV exposure on population susceptibility to other emerging viruses may help predict outbreaks; moreover, identification of cross-reactive immune responses among alphaviruses may lead to the development of vaccines targeting multiple viruses.

20 October 2018 in Diseases

Journal Article

The Cytokine Profile in Acute Chikungunya Infection is Predictive of Chronic Arthritis 20 Months Post Infection

The cytokine profile during acute chikungunya infection that predicts future chronic arthritis has not yet been investigated. We conducted a nested case-control study comparing serum cytokine concentrations during acute chikungunya infection in cases (n = 121) that reported the presence of chronic joint pain versus age- and gender-matched controls (n = 121) who reported recovery at 20 months post infection. We observed that a robust cytokine response during acute infection was correlated with a decreased incidence of chronic joint pain and that low TNFα, IL-13, IL-2, and IL-4 during acute infection was predictive of chronic joint pain. These data suggest that a robust cytokine response is necessary for viral clearance and cytokines that are related to immune tolerance during acute infection may be protective for chronic arthritis pathogenesis.

About Me

Dr. Alexandra Porras-Ramirez is an epidemiologist and public health researcher with extensive experience in infectious diseases, epidemiological surveillance, health systems, and implementation research. She is affiliated with Universidad El Bosque and has participated in multidisciplinary research initiatives focused on tuberculosis, dengue, viral hepatitis, healthcare-associated infections, vaccination strategies, and public health preparedness in Latin America. Her academic work integrates epidemiology, molecular surveillance, health policy, and translational public health research, with a particular emphasis on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in vulnerable and resource-limited settings. She has contributed to multiple scientific publications, systematic reviews, epidemiological analyses, and health technology assessments, including studies on infectious disease prevention, burden of disease, antimicrobial resistance, and healthcare quality improvement. Dr. Porras-Ramirez has also collaborated in institutional and multicenter projects related to infectious disease control, outbreak response, vaccination impact evaluation, and digital epidemiology. Her research interests include molecular epidemiology, public health surveillance, tropical diseases, implementation science, One Health approaches, and innovative strategies for infectious disease prevention and control. Research Keywords: Infectious Diseases; Epidemiological Surveillance; Molecular Epidemiology;

Dr. Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

Dr. Alexandra Porras-Ramirez

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