No abstract

Summary Objective No serological studies have been performed in Mexico to assess the seroprevalence of influenza A/H1N1/2009 in groups of people according to the potential risk of transmission. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against influenza A/H1N1/2009 in subjects in Mexico grouped by risk of transmission. Methods Two thousand two hundred and twenty-two subjects were categorized into one of five occupation groups according to the potential risk of transmission: (1) students, (2) teachers, (3) healthcare workers, (4) institutional home residents aged >60 years, and (5) general population. Seroprevalence by potential transmission group and by age grouped into decades was determined by a virus-free ELISA method based on the recombinant receptor-binding domain of the hemagglutinin of influenza A/H1N1/2009 virus as antigen (85% sensitivity; 95% specificity). The Wilson score, Chi-square test, and logistic regression models were used for the statistical analyses. Results Seroprevalence for students was 47.3%, for teachers was 33.9%, for older adults was 36.5%, and for the general population was 33.0%, however it was only 24.6% for healthcare workers (p = 0.011). Of the students, 56.6% of those at middle school, 56.4% of those at high school, 52.7% of those at elementary school, and 31.1% of college students showed positive antibodies (p < 0.001). Seroprevalence was 44.6% for college teachers, 31.6% for middle school teachers, and 29.8% for elementary school teachers, but was only 20.3% for high school teachers (p = 0.002). Conclusions The student group was the group most affected by influenza A/H1N1/2009, while the healthcare worker group showed the lowest prevalence. Students represent a key target for preventive measures.

Aims: The purpose of this paper was to determine the lacrimal concentration of IL-1α and MMP-9 in patients with active ocular rosacea before and after systemic treatment with azithromycin or doxycycline. Methods: After 4 weeks of therapy with azithromycin (500 mg/day, 3 days a week PO) or doxycycline (200 mg/day PO), lacrimal samples were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay multiplex. Results: There was a significant difference between baseline IL-1α (37.9 pg/mL) and MMP-9 (26.7 ng/mL) in rosacea eyes compared to controls (0.001 pg/mL for IL-1α and 0.2 ng/mL for MMP-9) (p < 0.001). IL-1α decreased from 47.0 pg/mL before azithromycin to 23.5 pg/mL after treatment (p = 0.024), but not after doxycycline therapy. On the contrary, baseline MMP-9 tear levels (10.28 ng/mL) decreased after treatment (8.36 pg/mL) with doxycycline (p = 0.054) but not with azithromycin. There was a strong clinical correlation of higher baseline IL-1α tear levels between patients who responded to doxycycline therapy and those who failed (p = 0.043). Patients unresponsive to azithromycin had significantly higher baseline MMP-9 levels than those with doxycycline (p = 0.040). Conclusions: While IL-1α levels decreased after azithromycin therapy, MMP-9 did so after doxycycline treatment. Baseline cytokine tear levels tend to be markedly elevated in patients with antibiotic failure, suggesting their potential role as therapeutic biomarkers for the disease.

One third of the seropositive subjects were asymptomatic, and few had an influenza-like illness. No difference was found in the symptom profiles of the seropositive and seronegative groups. No single symptom predicted seropositiveness. Large scale population studies are needed, especially in México, to characterize clinical syndromes.

Ziele: Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Konzentration von IL-1α und MMP-9 in der Tränenflüssigkeit von Patienten mit aktiver okulärer Rosazea vor und nach einer systemischen Behandlung mit Azithromycin oder Doxycyclin zu ermitteln. Methoden: Nach vierwöchiger Therapie mit Azithromycin (500 mg/Tag oral an 3 Tagen pro Woche) oder Doxycyclin (200 mg/Tag oral) wurden Tränenflüssigkeitsproben mittels Multiplex-Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) untersucht. Ergebnisse: Es fand sich ein signifikanter Unterschied bei den IL-1α- (37,9 pg/ml) und den MMP-9-Ausgangskonzentrationen (26,7 ng/ml) in der Tränenflüssigkeit zwischen den Augen mit Rosazea und den Kontrollen (0,001 pg/ml für IL-1α und 0,2 ng/ml für MMP-9) (p < 0,001). IL-1α nahm von 47,0 pg/ml vor der Azithromycin-Behandlung auf 23,5 pg/ml nach der Behandlung ab (p = 0,024), wohingegen nach der Doxycyclin-Therapie kein Rückgang zu beobachten war. Demgegenüber sanken die MMP-9-Ausgangskonzentrationen in der Tränenflüssigkeit (10,28 ng/ml) nach der Behandlung mit Doxycyclin (8,36 pg/ml) (p = 0,054), nicht jedoch nach Azithromycin. Es bestand eine starke klinische Korrelation von erhöhten IL-1α-Ausgangskonzentrationen in der Tränenflüssigkeit zwischen Patienten, die auf die Doxycyclin-Therapie angesprochen hatten, und jenen, die nicht darauf angesprochen hatten (p = 0,043). Patienten, die nicht auf Azithromycin angesprochen hatten, wiesen signifikant höhere Ausgangskonzentrationen von MMP-9 auf als Patienten, die nicht auf Doxycyclin angesprochen hatten (p = 0,040). Schlussfolgerungen: Während die IL-1α-Konzentrationen unter Azithromycin zurückgingen, war dies für die MMP-9-Konzentrationen unter Doxycyclin der Fall. Die Zytokin-Ausgangskonzentrationen in der Tränenflüssigkeit sind bei Patienten mit Antibiotika-Versagen deutlich erhöht, was eine mögliche Bedeutung als therapeutische Biomarker bei dieser Erkrankung vermuten lässt. Übersetzung aus Ophthalmic Res 2018;60:109-114 (DOI: 10.1159/000489092)