Background A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (known as COVID-19), spread rapidly around the world, affecting all and creating an ongoing global pandemic. In the United States, Latinx, African American, and Indigenous populations across the country have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 cases and death rates. An examination of the perceptions and beliefs about the spread of the virus, COVID-19 testing, and vaccination amongst racial/ethnic minority groups is needed in order to alleviate the widespread disparity in new cases and deaths. Methods From November to December 2020 the research team conducted focus groups with members of Latinx farm-working communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley, located in the inland southern California desert region. A total of seven focus groups, six in Spanish and one in Purépecha, with a total of 55 participants were conducted. Topics covered include knowledge of the coronavirus, COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Results Using theme identification techniques, the findings identify structural factors that underly perceptions held by immigrant, migrant, and indigenous Latinx community members about COVID-19, which, in turn, shape attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Common themes that emerged across focus groups include misinformation, lack of trust in institutions, and insecurity around employment and residency. Conclusions This racial/ethnic minority population is structurally vulnerable to historical and present-day inequalities that put them at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure, morbidity, and mortality. Findings from the focus groups indicate a significant need for interventions that decrease structural vulnerabilities by addressing issues of (dis)trust in government and public health among this population.

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Background A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (known as COVID-19), spread rapidly around the world, affecting all and creating an ongoing global pandemic. Across the United States, Latinx and Indigenous populations have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 cases and death rates. An examination of the perceptions and beliefs about the spread of the virus, COVID-19 testing, and vaccination amongst racial-ethnic minority groups, specifically Latinx and Indigenous Latin American immigrant communities, is needed to alleviate the widespread disparity in new cases and deaths. Methods This study was carried out from August 2020 to January 2021 and used community-based participatory research to engage community partners and build the capacity of community health workers (i.e., promotores de salud) and pre-medical and medical students in conducting qualitative research. The objective of the study was to examine the structural and social determinants of health on perceptions of the coronavirus, its spread, and decisions around COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Data collection included ethnography involving observations in public settings and focus groups with members of Latinx and Indigenous Mexican farm-working communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley, located in the Inland Southern California desert region. A total of seven focus groups, six in Spanish and one in Purépecha, with a total of 55 participants were conducted. Topics covered include perceptions of the coronavirus and its spread, as well as COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Results Using theme identification techniques, the findings identify structural and social factors that underly perceptions held by Latinx and Indigenous Mexican immigrants about the virus and COVID-19, which, in turn, shape attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Common themes that emerged across focus groups include misinformation, lack of trust in institutions, and insecurity around employment and residency. Conclusions This immigrant population is structurally vulnerable to historical and present-day inequalities that put them at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure, morbidity, and mortality. Study findings indicate a significant need for interventions that decrease structural vulnerabilities by addressing issues of (dis)trust in government and public health among this population.

ResumenA partir de los nuevos hallazgos realizados en la región pedemontana de la provincia de Jujuy en los últimos 15 años, se discuten las particulares condiciones de inhumación y las prácticas mortuorias asociadas con los grupos adscriptos a la llamada Tradición San Francisco (800 a.C.-400 d.C). Aunque aún escasas y parciales, estas nuevas evidencias nos permiten discutir algunas de las modalidades en relación a las prácticas mortuorias llevadas a cabo por estas poblaciones tradicionalmente consideradas como agroalfareras y que hoy están siendo pensadas como sociedades cazadoras, recolectoras y pescadoras. Palabras claves: Prácticas Mortuorias, Región Pedemontana, Tradición San Francisco. AbstractFrom Jujuy province foothill region new findings of the last fifteen years, the inhumation and mortuary practices particular conditions linked to the so called San Francisco Tradition (800 b. C.-400 AD) are discussed. Although still scarce and partial, this new evidence allow to discuss some modes related to mortuary practices carried out by this populations, traditionally considered as agricultural societies and today reconsidered as hunting, gathering and fishing societies. IntroducciónEn relación a los hallazgos de restos humanos inhumados en la región sur del valle del río San Francisco, es muy poca la información con la que se cuenta. A pesar de que los primeros hallazgos provienen de principios de siglo XX (Nordenskiöld 1903, Boman 1908, dadas las particulares condiciones de preservación en ambientes subtropicales, los restos óseos humanos son escasos y algunos poco aptos para ser analizados. Esa particularidad sumado al hecho de las limitadas investigaciones sistemáticas llevadas a cabo en la región, resultaron en un exiguo conocimiento acerca de las formas de inhumación realizadas por estas poblaciones. La literatura arqueológica se refiere en general a la práctica de entierros de 56 56 56 56 56

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To investigate seroprevalence of anti‐Leptospira antibodies in equines and associated workers in Uruguay, 891 equine and 150 human sera were drawn; 212 equine urine samples were also taken for culture. Environmental conditions and equine raising or managing practices were recorded in all 72 visited establishments; epidemiological information was obtained from each worker. Microscopic agglutination technique (MAT) was performed with 10 Leptospira strains for equines and 18 for human sera, that were also studied with IgM indirect immunofluorescence (IgM‐IIF). Equine titres ≥100 were considered positive, and human sera titres ≥200 suggested probable recent or past infection. Urines were cultured in Ellinghausen–McCullough–Johnson–Harris (EMJH) media; local identification of one obtained isolate with lipL32 PCR, Multiple Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis and partial rrs gene sequencing, were completed at Institut Pasteur, Paris. Estimated reactivity was 61.3% for equines, which was higher than the studied bovine national levels (21%) and mainly observed with Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup (40.3%), Sejroe, Canicola, Pomona or Ballum. Aged animals from slaughterhouses and cattle farms were the most frequently positive. Multiple regression analysis confirmed a significant association between seropositivity and equine age. Only one positive culture could be fully studied, and confirmed to be Leptospira interrogans serogroup Canicola; it was added to the MAT antigen panel and revealed fairly frequent reaction with equine and human sera. Three workers (2%) showed titres = 200 with Icterohaemorrhagiae or Canicola serogroups, without recent clinical manifestations. Their attended equines reacted with the same serogroups, suggesting common source infections or infection transmitted by equines. Three other humans yielded titres = 100, and none of the 150 showed an IgM‐IIF‐positive result. Equines seem not to be an important origin of regional human leptospirosis, except perhaps during acute animal infection. More culture work is required to study intensity and lapses of leptospiruria, as well as to further identify circulating strains.