ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Cuba’s science policy is grounded in a scientific and technological innovation system applicable to all institutions. In hospitals, the system should influence medical care and administrative and teaching processes, as well as promotion of scientific activity as such. OBJECTIVE Describe results of the Scientific and Technological Innovation System at the Dr Gustavo Aldereguia Lima University Hospital, the main provincial hospital in Cienfuegos, Cuba. METHOD This was a key informant survey and document review concerning the hospital’s scientific activity during 2000–2014. A questionnaire was administered to 22 key informants to select key indicators and area. Data on the hospital’s scientific activity related to these indicators were retrieved from hospital, provincial public health and scientific publishing databases. A second group of 35 key informants confirmed linkages between scientific outputs and the innovation system’s main activities. RESULTS The following were reported over the study period: sustained development of scientific human resources (40% grade II specialists, 30% master’s degree holders and 11.4% accredited academic researchers among the hospital’s professional staff), high scientific output (annual average of 445 studies completed, 118 publications and 203 projects under way) and high visibility (national and international recognition) of the hospital’s achievements in science and innovation. Key informants considered that results related to development of scientific potential were influenced by the following activities of the Scientific and Technological Innovation System: promotion of grade II specialty training, researcher accreditation and awarding of master’s degrees and PhDs in the sciences, development of an extensive continuing education program (for researchers and their mentors), public recognition of professionals with good scientific results, promotion of research and other scientific activities, and the requirement that professional and technical staff participate in national events sponsored by scientific societies. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of a Scientific and Technological Innovation System can contribute to a hospital’s scientific capacity and productivity.

INTRODUCTION: the infection by nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most frequent cause of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Most of cases occur in isolation although numerous outbreaks have been described. OBJECTIVES: to describe the clinical manifestations and the characteristics of the cerebrospinal fluid and other supplementary exams from 11 patients diagnosed as eosinophilic meningoencephalitis carriers. METHODS: a case study of eleven patients diagnosed with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis and admitted to "Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima" general university hospital. These patients worked at the same workplace located in a rural area and their clinical symptoms appeared in the same period of time (january to february, 2006). RESULTS: predominant symptoms were persistent headache (100 % of cases 9, cutaneous paresthesia and hyperesthesia (100 %), myalgias (45 %), impaired vision (45 %), neck rigidity (18 %), peripheral facial paralysis in two cases (18 %). One single patient said that he had got fever. CONCLUSIONS: Meningoencephalitis caused by A. cantonensis should be suspected whenever a person suffers from persistent headache, paresthesias and hyperesthesias, even when neither fever nor neck rigidity is declared. Eosinophilia in peripheral blood associated to previous symptoms may indicate such a diagnosis. Pleocytosis, in which the percentage of eosinophils is high, is a characteristic of this disease; however, the lack of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid does not reject this diagnosis. It is frequent that at some stage, lymphocytes will be predominant. The description of this case study allows us to present the first report of an outbreak of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis occurred in Cuba.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la infección por el nematodo Angiostrongylus cantonensis es la causa más frecuente de meningoencefalitis eosinofílica. La mayoría de los casos aparecen de forma aislada aunque se han descrito numerosos brotes epidémicos. OBJETIVOS: describir las manifestaciones clínicas y las características del líquido cefalorraquídeo y otros exámenes complementarios de 11 pacientes con diagnóstico de meningoencefalitis eosinofílica. MÉTODOS: se trata de un estudio de serie de casos, de 11 enfermos admitidos en el Hospital General Universitario "Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima" con el diagnóstico de meningoencefalitis eosinofílica. Estos pacientes provenían de un mismo centro de trabajo, situado en un área rural, y sus síntomas clínicos coincidieron en el tiempo (enero-febrero 2006). RESULTADOS: los síntomas predominantes fueron cefalea persistente (100 %), parestesias e hiperestesias cutáneas (100 %), mialgias (45 %), trastornos visuales (45 %), rigidez nucal (18 %), parálisis facial periférica en 2 casos (18 %). Solo un enfermo refirió fiebre. CONCLUSIONES: el diagnóstico de meningoencefalitis por A. cantonensis debe sospecharse en todo enfermo con cefalea persistente, parestesias e hiperestesias, aun en ausencia de fiebre y rigidez nucal. La presencia de eosinofilia en sangre periférica asociada a los síntomas anteriores sugiere el diagnóstico. La pleocitosis con un porcentaje elevado de eosinófilos es característico de esta enfermedad, pero la ausencia de eosinófilos en el líquido cefalorraquídeo no niega el diagnóstico. Es frecuente que ocurra en alguna etapa un predominio de linfocitos. Con la descripción de esta serie de casos se presenta el primer reporte de un brote epidémico de meningoencefalitis eosinofílica ocurrido en Cuba.