ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine the frequency of depression and anxiety among Latin American medical students during social distancing in the COVID-19 outbreak period. Methods: Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional design, the study included all Latin American medical students affiliated to the Federación Latinoamericana de Sociedades Científicas de Estudiantes de Medicina (FELSOCEM) selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling who agreed to participate in the study. Data was collected through a questionnaire, consisting primarily of socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, and country of origin; as a second section, the Goldberg depression and anxiety test was applied, and an analysis was carried out by the nature of the variables. The research protocol was approved by an institutional ethics committee. Results: Of 1579 participating students, from 15 Latin American countries, 68.59% (1083) were women, 65.04% (1027) were between 20 and 24 years old, 95.63% (1510) were single, 23.18% (366) lived in Panama and 11.08% (175) in Chile. 87.14% (1376) have symptoms of anxiety, 66.88% (1056) have symptoms of depression and 64.34% (1016) have both symptoms. Conclusions: A high percentage of medical students in Latin American population suffered symptoms of anxiety and depression during the social distancing measures in the covid-19 outbreak period, data that must be taken into account for future mental health strategies.

RESUMEN Objetivos: Determinar la frecuencia de depresión y ansiedad en estudiantes de la carrera de medicina de Latinoamérica durante el distanciamiento social en el período de brote del COVID-19. Métodos: Diseño observacional, descriptivo y corte transversal, se incluyó en el estudio todos los estudiantes de medicina de Latinoamérica que se encuentren afiliados a la Federación Latinoamericana de Sociedades Científicas de Estudiantes de Medicina (FELSOCEM) seleccionados a través del muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia que accedieron participar del estudio. Mediante un cuestionario se recopilaron datos, compuesto primeramente por características sociodemográficas como edad, género, estado civil y país de procedencia; como segunda sección, el instrumento estuvo compuesto por el test de depresión y ansiedad de Goldberg, se realizó un análisis en concordancia con la naturaleza de las variables. El protocolo de investigación fue aprobado por un comité de ética institucional. Resultados: De 1579 estudiantes participantes, de 15 países latinoamericanos, 68.59% (1083) fueron mujeres, 65.04% (1027) tenían entre 20 y 24 años, 95.63% (1510) eran solteros, 23.18% (366) vivían en Panamá y 11.08% (175) en Chile. El 87.14% (1,376) tienen síntomas de ansiedad, el 66.88% (1,056) tienen síntomas de depresión y el 64.34% (1,016) tienen ambos síntomas. Conclusiones: Un alto porcentaje de la población médico-estudiantil latinoamericana padecieron de síntomas de ansiedad y depresión durante las medidas de distanciamiento social en el periodo de brote del covid-19, dato que tiene que ser tomado en cuenta para futuras estrategias sobre salud mental.

Se estudió in vivo, el efecto del extracto acuoso de las raíces de Echinacea purpurea en la respuesta de los anticuerpos murinos al veneno de la serpiente Bothrops asper. El grupo 1 control, fue tratado con el veneno y PBS. El grupo 2 con veneno y alginato de sodio (método utilizado en el Instituto Clodomiro Picado), y el grupo 3 o experimental, con veneno y extracto acuoso de las raíces de E. purpurea. En todos los grupos, la primera inmunización fue hecha con FCA (Freund’s Complete Adjuvant). En las muestras correspondientes a la segunda sangría, los ratones del grupo 3 mostraron un marcado incremento en el nivel de anticuerpos, en comparación con los ratones de los otros grupos. También se determinó la proliferación de células inmunes in vitro, como respuesta al extracto acuoso de la raíz de E. purpurea, utilizando linfocitos humanos activados con diferentes lectinas (Con A, PHA y PWM). En todos los casos, el incremento en el porcentaje de linfoproliferación fue mayor, cuando estaba presente el extracto de la raíz de E. purpurea.

The effect of aqueous extract of Echinacea purpurea roots on the murine antibody response to Bothrops asper snake venom in vivo was studied. Three groups were used. Group #1, baseline control, was treated with snake venom plus PBS. Group #2 was treated with snake venom plus sodium alginate as adjuvant (routine method used at Instituto Clodomiro Picado), and group #3 or experimental group, was treated with snake venom plus aqueous extract of E. purpurea root as adjuvant. In all groups, the first inoculation was done with Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA). By the time of the second bleeding, mice in group #3 showed a remarkable increment in the level of anti-venom antibodies compared with those in groups #1 or #2. In vitro immune cell proliferation as a response to aqueous extract of E. purpurea root was studied using human lymphocytes activated with different lectins (Con A, PHA and PWM). In all cases, increase in percentage of lymphoproliferation was greater when E. purpurea root extract was used in addition to individual lectins. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (1): 113-119. Epub 2007 March. 31.

Triatoma dimidiata has been found in several cities and towns of those countries where the insect is a domestic or peridomestic pest. In Central America, urban infestations occur in the capitals of at least five countries. During 2001 and 2002 a survey was carried out in the county of San Rafael, Heredia province, located 15 km northwest of San José, capital of Costa Rica, in order to determine the degree of infestation by T. dimidiata in an entire city block. Six peridomestic colonies of the insect were detected in the backyards of eight households. The ecotopes occupied by the insects consisted of store rooms with old objects, wood piles or firewood, and chicken coops. A total of 1917 insects were found in the six foci, during two sampling periods, and a mean infection rate by Trypanosoma cruzi of 28.4% was found in 1718 insects examined. The largest colony found in one of the households yielded 872 insects that were thriving mainly at the expenses of two dogs. Opossums and adult insects were common visitors of the houses and it became evident that this marsupial is closely related to the peridomestic cycle of the Chagas disease agent. Lack of colonization of the insect inside the human dwellings is explained by the type of construction and good sanitary conditions of the houses, in contrast to the situation in most peridomiciliary areas. Stomach blood samples from the insects showed that the main hosts were, in order of decreasing frequency: rodents, dogs, fowl, humans, opossums, and cats. The fact that no indication of infection with Chagas disease could be detected in the human occupants of the infested houses, vis a vis the high infection rate in dogs, is discussed.