Abstracts / International Journal of Infectious Diseases 73S (2018) 3–398
UMP. 333
Current situation of Chagas seology in a General
Hospital Service Area of Buenos Aires City
M.T.G. Rocculi ∗ , V. Rodríguez, D. Klajn, A. Arcuri
Hospital General de Agudos Dr. Enrique Tornu, CABA,
Argentina
Background: Because of the increasing migrations to Buenos
Aires from Chagas disease endemic regions, it is important to know
the disease prevalence due to its impact in other public health areas.
According to Programa Nacional de Chagas (PNCh), general preva-
lence in Argentina in 2010 was 4%; prevalence in blood donors
(BD) was 1,9-3,8% (Hemocentro Buenos Aires, 2012), with a preva-
lence of 0,61-2,87% in pregnant women (PW) (Cesacs 11, 15 and
39; 2009). As far as we know, there is no report of prevalence of
positive Chagas serology (CHS) for Buenos Aires general hospitals.
Objective. To determine positive CHS prevalence by groups in a
public general hospital service area of Buenos Aires, comparing it
with Argentina general situation.
Methods & Materials: Retrospective cross-sectional study of
laboratory data. Inclusion criteria were CHS performed by serolog-
ical pair among BD, general patients (GP), and PW from Cesac 33.
Descriptive and analytical statistics was performed using Stata 10.1
Results: Between 2013 and 2016, 5701 CHS (3,2% of commune
population) were processed: 3972 corresponded to BD (69.67%),
1461 to GP (25.63%), and 268 to PW (4.70%), with increasing annual
tendency. BD were 18-65 years old; GP were 97,74% adults, mostly
women (56,25%), mean age of 33 (SD 13). Mean age of PW was 29
(SD 7). Prevalence was 0.48% in BD (IC95%: 0.26-0.69); 6,23% in GP
(IC95%: 5.84-6.62), and 0.35% in PW (IC95%: 0-1). GP prevalence was
statistically significantly higher than national prevalence (6.23% vs
4.00%, p < 0.001)
Conclusion: A low number of CHS samples was processed. Test-
ing were mostly of adult women. Seventy percent of the samples
were from BD. Prevalence among BD and PW were similar, lower
than those reported by HCB, PNCh and Cesacs 11, 15 and 39. Highest
prevalence was observed in GP and was significantly higher than
the national one. It is essential to diagnose the infection in any
stage, to reduce the risk of severe complications associated with
immunosuppressive diseases in this population.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2018.04.3929
UMP. 334
Ascariasis among Internally Displaced People of
Colombia, 2009-2016
A.J. Rodriguez-Morales 1 , M. Valencia-Salinas 1 , J.
Murillo-Abadia 1 , A.M. Patiño-Barbosa 1,∗ , C.
González-Colonia 1 , J.C. Gutiérrez-Segura 1 , J.A.
Cardona-Ospina 1 , G.J. Lagos-Grisales 2
1 Public Health and Infection Research Group,
Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnológica
de Pereira, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
2 Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Faculty of
Health Sciences, Pereira, Colombia
Background: Ascariasis is a major neglected tropical disease
(NTD), highly associated with poverty and social vulnerabil-
ity, particularly in rural areas. Its assessment in refugees
and internally displaced populations (IDPs) is globally scarce,
including Latin America. Then, we studied its occurrence in
Colombia, the country with the highest number of IDPs in
227
the in the world, and compare it with general popula-
tion.
Methods & Materials: This ecological study assessed incidence
and differences, of ascariasis between general population and IDPs
in Colombia and its departments (32) during 2009–2016. Epidemio-
logical data were collected from a major health information system
(RIPS-SISPRO), retrieving the ICD-10 codes (B77.0-B77.9) for ascari-
asis in both populations. We estimated ascariasis incidence rates on
both populations (cases/100,000 pop), using reference population
of the IDPs (official record of the Secretary of Social Welfare) and the
general population (from the national statistics institute, DANE).
Incidence rates ratios were calculated comparing both populations.
Results: In general population, 15,284 cases of ascariasis
occurred (32.6 cases/100,000 pop, 95%CI 32.0–33.0) (5% with
intestinal complications, 2% with other complications) while 393
among IDPs (177.5 cases/100,000 pop, 95%CI 160.0–195.0) (3% with
intestinal complications, 3% with other complications). Ascaria-
sis was 5.4 times higher among IDPs than in general population
(p < 0.05) (reaching up to 33.5 times higher in one department,
Atlantico). Also, high variation was observed during the period,
reaching up to 17.9 times higher among IDPs for the year 2016
(in this year, at Caldas department, ascariasis incidence was 155.6
times higher).
Conclusion: This study evidenced a significantly higher ascaria-
sis incidence among IDPs, when compared with general population
in the same territories. This would be expectable given the socioen-
vironmental conditions in which these subjects have lived. This
has relevant implications for screening, diagnosis and management
among IDPs, especially in rural areas. More studies are required
to improve the understanding of this and other NTDs, especially
other soil-transmitted helminthiasis, among those vulnerable pop-
ulations, as well to provide better medical interventions and for the
development of public policies in countries, such as Colombia, with
this special population (IDPs).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2018.04.3930
UMP. 335
Proportion of Blood Units with the Potential to
Transmit Hepatitis B and the Economic Impact
of Alternative Strategies for Screening of
Voluntary Blood Donors
L. Picazo
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Laboratory
Research Division office, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
Background: Blood transfusion is an essential part of modern
health care. It can be a lifesaving intervention and can improve
health when used properly. The residual risk of Hepatitis B still
occurs in the Philippines because routine screening for Hepatitis B
relies mostly on HBsAg.
The study aimed to determine the proportion of blood units with
the potential to transmit Hepatitis B and to estimate the economic
impact of alternative strategies for blood screening using Anti-HBc,
Anti-HBs and HBV DNA in addition to HBsAg.
Methods & Materials: The study was conducted using
descriptive/cross-sectional study design. An aliquot of blood sam-
ples were obtained from the Philippine National Red Cross
Headquarter and tested for HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc at the
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine which is the research and
development arm of the Department of Health, Philippines.
Samples tested positive for isolated anti-HBc was further exam-
ined using HBV DNA Nested PCR. Moreover, computation of cost
variables was also done which includes the different testing param-