Historically, human migrations have determined the spread of many infectious diseases by promoting the emergence of temporal outbreaks between populations. We aimed to analyze health indicators, expenditure, and disability caused by tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS burden under the Colombian-Venezuelan migration flow focusing on the Northeastern border. A retrospective study was conducted using TB and HIV/AIDS data since 2009. We consolidated a database using official reports from the Colombian Surveillance System, World Health Organization, Indexmundi, the Global Health Observatory, IHME HIV atlas, and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Disability metrics regarding DALYs (disability adjusted life years) and YLDs (years lived with disability), were compared between countries. Mapping was performed on ArcGIS using official migration data of Venezuelan citizens. Our results indicate that TB profiles from Colombia and Venezuela are identical in terms of disease burden, except for an increase in TB incidence in the Colombian-Venezuelan border departments in recent years, concomitantly with the massive Venezuelan immigration since 2005. We identified a four-fold underfunding for the TB program in Venezuela, which might explain the low-testing rates for cases of multidrug-resistant TB (67%) and HIV/AIDS (60%), as well as extended hospital stays (150 days). We found a significant increase in DALYs of HIV/AIDS patients in Venezuela, specifically, 362.35 compared to 265.37 observed in Colombia during 2017. This study suggests that the Venezuelan massive migration and program underfunding might exacerbate the dual burden of TB and HIV in Colombia, especially towards the Colombian‐Venezuelan border.

Colombia is a "megadiverse" country with vast natural resources. A history of recent conflict means that information is only now being collected on the natural capital of regions that were previously unexplored. Better access to data, tools, and expertise is required for evidence-supported decisions on the conservation of these resources.The development of a bespoke cyberinfrastructure could help fulfill this need by providing access to digital resources in a collaborative cyberenvironment. We outline key priorities and develop a reference framework for building cyberinfrastructure in Colombia. This framework could be applied to other fields and countries to promote knowledge exchange, scientific innovation, and socioeconomic growth.

As a global health problem, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crosses national borders, leading UN (United Nations) multilateral agencies to call for all countries to improve the stewardship of antibiotics in humans and animals. South American countries have changed their regulations regarding antibiotic use in livestock production. This literature review examines how far the five largest meat-producing countries in South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay) have come in terms of the relevant legislation. Rules on market entry (marketing authorization and official distribution systems) are already set in all countries examined. Four countries do not allow growth promoters based on critically important antibiotics, and countries have also begun to set guidelines and minimum welfare and biosecurity requirements to reduce the therapeutic demand for antibiotics. Nonetheless, there are aspects related to the distribution, use, and disposal of antibiotics that need to be developed further. In conclusion, legislation in South American countries is moving towards the goals set by UN multilateral agencies, but more can be done. Differences between countries’ rules and the gold standards set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reveal possible adaptations to the countries’ realities. Further studies must examine compliance with the legislation already set and investigate other tools that can be used alongside legislation as a driving force to change stakeholder behaviour.

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of Hansen's disease, causes neural damage through the specific interaction between the external phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) and laminin subunit alpha-2 (LAMA2) from Schwann cells.OBJECTIVE To design a LAMA2-based peptide that targets PGL-1 from M. leprae.METHODS We retrieved the protein sequence of human LAMA2 and designed a specific peptide using the Antimicrobial Peptide Database and physicochemical parameters for antimycobacterial peptide-lipid interactions. We used the AlphaFold2 server to predict its three-dimensional structure, AUTODOCK-VINA for docking, and GROMACS programs for molecular dynamics simulations.FINDINGS We analysed 52 candidate peptides from LAMA2, and subsequent screening resulted in a single 60-mer peptide. The mapped peptide comprises four β-sheets and a random coiled region. This peptide exhibits a 45% hydrophobic ratio, in which one-third covers the same surface. Molecular dynamics simulations show that our predicted peptide is stable in aqueous solution and remains stable upon interaction with PGL-1 binding. In addition, we found that PGL-1 has a preference for one of the two faces of the predicted peptide, which could act as the preferential binding site of PGL-1.MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our LAMA2-based peptide targeting PGL-1 might have the potential to specifically block this key molecule, suggesting that the preferential region of the peptide is involved in the initial contact during the attachment of leprosy bacilli to Schwann cells.

Here, we characterized the structure of the two-component regulatory system, LisR/LisK, in Listeria monocytogenes. To predict the structure of both proteins and the relationship between them, we employed several bioinformatic tools and databases. Based on our results, LisK protein is embedded in the cell membrane and its modular composition (HAMP, histidine kinase and ATPase domains) is associated with its autophosphorylation (His-266). A stimulus-response likely determines the sequential signal propagation from the bacterial cell surface to its cytoplasmic components. According to our results, LisR is a cytoplasmic protein with a receptor domain (homologous to CheY) that comprises a phosphoacceptor residue (Asp-52) and a DNA-binding domain, which may allow the transmission of a specific transcriptional response. LisR/LisK has been experimentally characterized both biochemically and functionally in other Bacilli pathophysiology; our structure-function approach may facilitate the design of suitable inhibitors

Objetivo Evaluar el conocimiento en el uso de Medicamentos de Uso Veterinario (MUV) de los productores ganaderos y personal involucrado en Bogotá y municipios aledaños. Métodos Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal a través de entrevistas a operarios y productores ganaderos de una muestra de 30 hatos lecheros localizados en 15 municipios cerca de Bogotá, Cundinamarca. Resultados Se identificó la implementación de prácticas para la administración de MUV, incluyendo parámetros que influencian su administración y conocimientos en las personas que los prescriben y administran. Se encontró que los medicamentos de mayor frecuencia fueron los antimicrobianos con 60,7%, entre los cuales se destaca el uso de penicilina y oxitetraciclina. Los MUV inyectables (parenterales) fueron las formas más frecuentes de aplicación con un 64,7%. Se identificaron 251 MUV en los hatos lecheros, de los cuales el 81,3% están compuestos por principios activos que requieren tiempo de retiro en leche y carne. Se destaca el rol del mayordomo en el cuidado animal a nivel diagnóstico y administración del tratamiento. Conclusión El presente estudio sugiere que el uso de MUV es implementado empíricamente en producciones lecheras y podría contribuir a mediano y largo plazo a la emergencia de cepas con resistencia a MUV.