Prominence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis biomarkers among sputum culture-negative clinic attendees, independent of Ultra status.

Background: Highly-sensitive molecular tests like GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra improve detection of paucibacillary pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) but occasionally detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DNA in sputum from culture-negative individuals, with unclear significance. We hypothesized that Ultra may be detecting culture-negative TB, and manifest in a higher prevalence of TB biomarkers compared to Ultra-negative/culture-negative ('sputum-negative') individuals.

Methods: From 1200 symptomatic African adults undergoing evaluation for TB, we identified 66 with discordant results (Ultra-positive, culture-negative), and matched 52 sputum-negative (Ultra-negative, culture-negative) and 30 sputum-positive (Ultra-positive, culture-positive) participants.

Patterns of pharmaceutical supplies and medicines donations received during a natural disaster.

Background: In response to emergencies, such as wildfires, donations of pharmaceuticals often occur. These donations can be given directly by governments, to non-governmental organizations as corporate donations, or by private entities that donate to individual health institutions.

Objective: This paper aimed to collect, review and analyze pharmaceutical product donations received during the natural disaster caused by wildfires in the San Luis province, Argentina, in September and October 2020.

Parental hypercholesterolemia and family medical history as predictors of hypercholesterolemia in their children.

Introduction: Parental hypercholesterolemia would be a better predictor of hypercholesterolemia than family medical history in children.

Objectives: To compare the strength of association and predictive values of parental hypercholesterolemia versus a positive family history in pediatric hypercholesterolemia. Material and methods.

Relationship between genetic and environmental factors and hypercholesterolemia in children.

Introduction: Pediatric hypercholesterolemia has increased over the past decades. Knowing the environmental and genetic factors that have an impact on it would allow establishing more adequate screening guidelines.

Objetives: To determine if there is an association between genetic and environmental factors and hypercholesterolemia in children.

[Hypercholesterolemia reduction in children and adolescents after two years of intervention].

Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia, one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, can be detected since childhood. The early detection and a suitable educational process would allow to generate changes of habits and to decrease its prevalence. In 2003, total cholesterol (TC) > 170 mg/dl was found in 39.