
Alberto E. Paniz-MondolfiInstituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB · Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases,
Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi
MD, MSc, PhD, FFTM RCPS(Glasg)
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Publications (185)
The Venezuelan crisis is a complex issue that has had a profound impact on its citizens, compelling many to leave the country, often on foot. Currently, more than 6 million Venezuelans reside abroad, with over 2 million residing in Colombia, where a large portion often face precarious conditions. Colombia, due to its geographical, cultural, and his...
Orthohantaviruses, commonly called hantaviruses, are recognized as emerging zoonotic human pathogens with a global footprint. Orthohantavirus transmission is influenced by climate, environmental factors, urbanization, rodent host ecology, and human behavior and occurs primarily through contact with infected rodents and other small mammals or their...
Thelaziosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease reported in humans and animals, caused by species of Thelazia [1]. In humans, although neglected, it has sporadically been reported [2], rarely in Latin America, including animals [3]. Some species were described only in some regions, e.g., Thelazia callipeda in Asia, Europe and North America [2].
Thelazi...
This study seeks to address the critical knowledge gap surrounding the acute phase of Chagas disease in Colombia, with a specific focus on cases reported in 2019. The acute phase of Chagas disease is a pivotal period for intervention, yet it remains poorly understood, particularly in regions where oral transmission is presumed to be a significant f...
Diagnosing infectious diseases significantly influences patient care, aiding in outbreak identification, response, and public health monitoring. However, the range of FDA-approved molecular tests remains notably limited, especially concerning neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Drawing upon our experience as one of the largest healthcare networks i...
Thelazia lacrymalis was identified in an ocular infection of a Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) from South Colombia, and a fragment of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified and sequenced. This finding emphasises the importance of sequencing in detecting species in new hosts not previously reported, as is the case of T. lacrimalis in eagles, also nov...
Originally developed as a chemotherapeutic agent, miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine) is an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine synthesis with proven antiparasitic effects. It is the only oral drug approved for the treatment of Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). Although its precise mechanisms are not yet fully understood,...
In recent decades, Venezuela has faced a severe economic and social crisis, precipitated by political instability, which in turn has particularly afected public health provision. Here, we assess how Venezuela’s health crisis has impacted mosquito-borne infectious diseases (MBID s), placing Venezuela as the hotspot of malaria in the region and one...
Background
Persistent headache is a frequent symptom after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there is currently limited knowledge about its clinical spectrum and predisposing factors. A subset of patients may be experiencing new daily persistent headache (NDPH) after COVID-19, which is among the most treatment-refractory primary headache synd...
Background
Persistent headache is a frequent symptom after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there is currently limited knowledge about its clinical spectrum and predisposing factors. A subset of patients may be experiencing new daily persistent headache (NDPH) after COVID-19, which is among the most treatment-refractory primary headache synd...
Alterations caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in the composition of gut microbiome may play a vital role in the host-parasite interactions that shapes physiology and immune responses against infection. Thus, a better understanding of this parasite-host-microbiome interaction may yield relevant information in the comprehension of the pathophysiology of th...
Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela reveals diverse and changing epidemiological landscapes, as well as a spectrum of clinical phenotypes presumed to be linked to a variety of Leishmania species. Central-western Venezuela constitutes one of the highest endemic epicenters in the country, yet updated molecular epidemiological informa...
The continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 amid limited surveillance efforts and inconsistent vaccination of populations has resulted in the emergence of variants that uniquely impact public health systems. Thus, in conjunction with functional and clinical studies, continuous detection and identification are quintessential to informing diagnostic and...
Back Cover Caption: The cover image is based on the Research Article Food for thought: Eating before saliva collection and interference with SARS‐CoV‐2 detection by Matthew M. Hernandez et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27660.
We report the novel use of cryosurgery to treat cutaneous feline leishmaniosis (FeL) in a domestic cat from mid‐western Venezuela. Amastigotes, evident by microscopy in aspirates from the nodular, erythematous nose lesions, were identified as Leishmania mexicana by cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Lesions resolved completely without relapse aft...
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to circulate, multiple variants of concern (VOC) have emerged. New variants pose challenges for diagnostic platforms since sequence diversity can alter primer/probe binding sites (PBS), causing false-negative results. The Agena MassARRAY SARS-CoV-2 Panel utilizes reverse-tran...
We assessed the circulation of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants amongst vaccinated military personnel in Bogotá, Colombia to evaluate the mutations of certain variants and their potential for breakthrough infection in vaccinated subjects. We observed that in vaccinated individuals the most frequent infecting lineage was Mu (B.1.621 and B.1.621.1). The above pos...
Background
The third wave of the global health crisis attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus reached Colombia in March 2021. Over the following 6 months, it was interpolated by manifestations of popular disapproval to the actual political regime—with multiple protests sprouting throughout the country. L...
We reported the frequency of resistance gene detection in Gram-negative blood culture isolates and correlated these findings with corresponding antibiograms. Data were obtained from 1045 isolates tested on the GenMark Dx ePlex Blood Culture Identification Gram-Negative Panels at the Mount Sinai Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in New York...
The Coronavirus Disease ‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is still challenging public health systems worldwide, particularly with the emergence of novel SARS‐CoV‐2 variants with mutations that increase their transmissibility and immune escape. This is the case of the Variant of Concern (VOC) Omicron that rapidly spread globally. Here, using epidemiological...
The Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was initially identified in November of 2021 in South Africa and Botswana as well as in a sample from a traveler from South Africa in Hong Kong1,2. Since then, B.1.1.529 has been detected globally. This variant seems to be at least equally infectious tha...
Saliva is a promising specimen for detection of viruses that cause upper respiratory infections including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) due to its cost‐effectiveness and non‐invasive collection. However, together with intrinsic enzymes and oral microbiota, children’s unique dietary habits may introduce substances that...
BACKGROUND
Cladophialophora bantiana is a dematiaceous, saprophytic fungus and a rare but reported cause of intracranial abscesses due to its strong neurotropism. Although it predominantly affects immunocompetent individuals with environmental exposure, more recently, its significance as a highly lethal opportunistic infection in transplant recipie...
Background
Saliva is an optimal specimen for detection of viruses that cause upper respiratory infections including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) due to its cost-effectiveness and non-invasive collection. However, together with intrinsic enzymes and oral microbiota, children’s unique dietary habits may introduce subst...
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked rapid development of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics. However, emerging variants pose the risk for target dropout and false-negative results secondary to primer/probe binding site (PBS) mismatches. The Agena MassARRAY® SARS-CoV-2 Panel combines RT-PCR and MALDI-TOF mass-spectrometry to probe for five targets across N and ORF1ab...
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID‐19 inf...
In April 2021, 126 active-duty militaries returned to Colombia after a mission in Egypt. Of 29 cases, 28 were B.1.1.7, and one C.36 (first description of this lineage in Colombia). We highlight the militaries as at-risk population and call for implementation of genomic surveillance to improve public health policies in military settings
Current efforts to understand the epidemiology, transmission dynamics and emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants worldwide has enabled the scientific community to generate critical information aimed at implementing disease surveillance and control measures, as well as to reduce the social, economic and health impact of the pandemic. Herein, we appl...
Background:
Mucormycosis is a life-threatening invasive fungal infection most commonly observed in immunocompromised patients. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of Mucorales associated infections, now termed COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM), have been reported. Despite an increase in fatality reports, no cases of rhino-orbit...
The emergence and rapid proliferation of Coronavirus Disease-2019, throughout the past year, has put an unprecedented strain on the global schema of health infrastructure and health economy. The time-sensitive agenda of identifying the virus in humans and delivering a vaccine to the public constituted an effort to flatten the statistical curve of v...
Capnocytophaga sputigena is a facultatively-anaerobic bacterium that is part of the human oropharyngeal microflora. Although C. sputigena bacteremia is uncommon, systemic infections have been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. We report a case of catheter-related bloodstream infection by C. sputigena and highlight its...
Objectives
To evaluate the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 from Venezuelan migrants living in Colombia.
Methods
SARS-CoV-2 from 30 clinical specimens collected from Venezuelan migrants were sequenced. Genomes were compared with the Wuhan-reference-genome to identify polymorphisms, reconstruct phylogenetic relationships, and perform comparative...
Numerous reports document the spread of SARS-CoV-2, but there is limited information on its introduction before the identification of a local case. This may lead to incorrect assumptions when modeling viral origins and transmission. Here, we utilize a sample pooling strategy to screen for previously undetected SARS-CoV-2 in de-identified, respirato...
Keratomycosis or mycotic keratitis is recognized as one of the major causes of ophthalmic morbidity worldwide. The most common organisms linked to keratomycosis include Candida spp., Fusarium spp., and Aspergillus spp. However, varieties of saprobic fungi have been reported as causative agents of keratomycosis. Amongst these are members of the genu...
In a recent commentary, Bradbury and colleagues raise concerns regarding the potential influence of preexisting helminth infections on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease severity in helminth-endemic regions [1]. They suggest that modulation of the immune response due to boosted Th2-like cytokine responses in helminth-infected persons could...
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infections continue, there is a substantial need for cost‐effective and large‐scale testing that utilizes specimens that can be readily collected from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in various community settings. Although multiple diagnostic methods utilize nasopharyngea...
Background
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has forced health authorities across the world to take important decisions to curtail its spread. Genomic epidemiology has emerged as a valuable tool to understand introductions and spread of the virus in a specific geographic location.
Methodology/Principal findings
Here, we report the sequences of 59 SARS-CoV-2...
Emerging diseases have significantly marked the last few decades (1-10). The emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in Africa, Asia, and Latin America which have reshaped these continents' the epidemiological landscape of these continents. The impact of these diseases, the establishment of local transmission in traditional...
As the world stills recovers from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about which pathogen is most likely to cause the next global pandemic has been under scrutiny of scientists and global health authorities. Multiple other potential threats including zoonotic viral diseases such as other coronaviruses and highly pathogenic avian influenza viru...
The continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the emergence of novel variants have raised concerns about possible reinfection events and potential changes in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission dynamics. Utilizing Oxford Nanopore technologies, we sequenced paired samples of three patients with positive RT-PCR results in a 1–2-month wi...
Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis with a dangerous cocktail of hyperinflation, violence, minimal local food production, and policies that impact the nutrition for millions of Venezuelans. Independent data suggests that most Venezuelans are food insecure, with alarming rates of acute and chronic malnutrition, especially among childr...
New York City (NYC) emerged as a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epicenter in March 2020, but there is limited information regarding potentially unrecognized severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections before the first reported case. We utilized a sample pooling strategy to screen for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in de-identified,...
Background. To date, there is no specific literature available on the determinants for therapeutic failure (TF) with meglumine antimoniate (MA) in Northwestern-Argentina. This study aimed to identify epidemiological, clinical, and treatment-related factors that could be involved in TF. Methodology/Principal Findings. We performed a case-control stu...
Back Cover Caption: The cover image is based on the Review Kawasaki Disease Seasonality in Venezuela Supports an Arbovirus Infection Trigger by Alberto E. Paniz‐Mondolfi et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26381.
The repurposing or repositioning of previously-approved drugs has become an accepted strategy for expansion of the pharmacopeia for neglected diseases. Accordingly, amiodarone, an inexpensive and extensively-used class III antiarrhythmic has been proposed as a treatment for Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. Amiodarone has a potent trypanocidal and...
There is concern that the global burden of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection might yield an increased occurrence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). It is currently unknown whether concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection and GBS are pathophysiologically related, what biomarke...
We read with interest the World Report about the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Venezuelan migrants.1 We concur wholeheartedly that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a negative impact on Venezuelans who have taken refuge in neighbouring countries.
A daunting situation is unfolding within Venezuela, which deserves immediate internat...
The urgent need to implement and rapidly expand testing for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection has led to development of multiple assays. How these tests perform relative to one another is poorly understood. We evaluated the concordance between the Roche Diagnostics cobas® 6800 SARS‐CoV‐2 Test and a laboratory‐ d...
For decades, Ivermectin (IVM) has been recognized as a robust antiparasitic drug with excellent tolerance and safety profiles. Historically it has been used as the drug of choice for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis global elimination programs. IVM is also a standard treatment against intestinal helminths and ectoparasites given its action a...
Over the course of three months (December 2019-March 2020) the pandemic of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (1), caused by a zoonotic virus (2), the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has raised multiple concerns and triggered an unprecedented and deep impact across multiple areas of biomedical research, especially...
Malaria cases in Latin America reached ~1 million in 2017 and 2018, with 53% and 51% reported from Venezuela, respectively. In this study, we characterized the spatiotemporal dynamics of malaria transmission between 2007-2017 in southern Venezuela, the main endemic area of the country. We found that disease transmission was focal and more prevalent...
After the spreading of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and North America, this emerging disease arrived in Latin America [1]. Up to March 16, 2020, more than 500 COVID-19 confirmed cases had been reported in Brazil, the first case of Latin America and the Caribbean diagnosed there, Mexico, Ecuador, Dominica...
Durante las últimas décadas, el mundo se ha expuesto a una serie de amenazas por brotes virales emergentes de diferente índole, los cuales, sólo al estudiarlos en detalle, surge la posibilidad de comprender su verdadero impacto, no sólo de forma inmediata, si no también, a largo plazo (1).
Recientemente, el 12 de diciembre de 2019, la Comisión Mu...
Durante las últimas décadas, el mundo se ha expuesto a una serie de amenazas por brotes virales emergentes de diferente índole, los cuales, sólo al estudiarlos en detalle, surge la posibilidad de comprender su verdadero impacto, no sólo de forma inmediata, si no también, a largo plazo (1).
Recientemente, el 12 de diciembre de 2019, la Comisión Mu...
Introduction
An epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) began in December 2019 in China leading to a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Clinical, laboratory, and imaging features have been partially characterized in some observational studies. No systematic reviews on COVID-19 have been published to date.
Methods
We...
Introduction: An epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) begun in December 2019 in China, causing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Among raised questions, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features have been partially characterized in some observational studies. No systematic reviews have been published on this matter. Me...
Introduction: Coronaviruses are zoonotic viruses that include human epidemic pathogens such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus (MERS-CoV), and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS-CoV), among others (e.g., COVID-19, the recently emerging coronavirus disease). The role of animals as potential reservoirs for such pathogens rem...
Zoonotic diseases have shaped the life of human beings during centuries. Particularly the
dynamics and changes over time make the difference in the occurrence, emergence and re-emergence of such conditions. Pathogen transmission from a vertebrate animal to a human, also known as zoonotic spillover, represents a global public health burden, which wh...
Purpose of Review
In this review, we summarized information regarding human toxocariasis knowledge of disease and relevance in Colombia.
Recent Findings
Current knowledge on the epidemiology and global burden of this infection is scarce. In part, because it remains a largely underdiagnosed clinical entity, and also since many countries do not offi...
After the spreading of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and North America, this emerging disease arrived in Latin America [1]. Up to March 21, 2020, more than 1,900 COVID-19 confirmed cases had been reported in Brazil, the first case of Latin America and the Caribbean diagnosed there, Mexico, Ecuador, Domini...
Introduction: An epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) begun in December 2019 in China, causing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Among raised questions, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features have been partially characterized in some observational studies. No systematic reviews have been published on this matter. Me...
Introduction: An epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) begun in December 2019 in China, causing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Among raised questions, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features have been partially characterized in some observational studies. No systematic reviews have been published on this matter.
M...
Introduction: An epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) begun in December 2019 in China, causing primary concern. Among raised questions, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features have been partially characterized in some observational studies. No systematic reviews have been published on this matter. Methods: We performed a systematic re...
There is no effective cure for Chagas disease, which is caused by infection with the arthropod-borne parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. In the search for new drugs to treat Chagas disease, potential therapeutic targets have been identified by exploiting the differences between the mechanisms involved in intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis, both in humans and...
Z oonotic diseases have shaped the life of human beings during centuries. Particularly the dynamics and changes over time make the difference in the occurrence, emergence and re-emergence of such conditions. Pathogen transmission from a vertebrate animal to a human, also known as zoonotic spillover, represents a global public health burden, which w...
We read with interest the recent systematic review of Momattin et al. [1], which clearly reflects that although there have been concern about emerging pathogenic coronaviruses, still there is a lack of enough research on many of their clinical, epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. Then, we would like to discuss how much has been inv...
Fifty-two febrile patients living in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, were screened for arbovirus infection by virus culture during an outbreak of what was thought to be Zika virus infection. We report identification of Mayaro virus (MAYV) on culture of plasma from one patient, an 18-year-old woman with acute febrile illness, arthralgias, and psoriasiform...
No one could have ever imagined that such a resource-rich country like Venezuela could fall in such a short time frame into one of the most complex humanitarian crisis ever witnessed in the western hemisphere [1,2]. The unexpected and rapid progress of a combined social, economic and political turmoil has driven one of the wealthiest economies of S...
Objective:
To evaluate clinical, serologic, parasitological, and histologic outcomes of dogs with naturally occurring Trypanosoma cruzi infection treated for 12 months with amiodarone and itraconazole.
Animals:
121 dogs from southern Texas and southern Louisiana.
Procedures:
Treatment group dogs (n = 105) received a combination of amiodarone h...
No one could have ever imagined that such a resource-rich country like Venezuela could fall in such a short time frame into one of the most complex humanitarian crisis ever witnessed in the western hemisphere [1, 2]. The unexpected and rapid progress of a combined social, economic and political turmoil has driven one of the wealthiest economies of...
Introduction
Venezuela has plunged into a humanitarian, economic, and health crisis of extraordinary proportions. This complex situation is derived from dismantling of structures at the institutional, legal, political, social, and economic level affecting the life and wellbeing of the entire population.
Aim
This study aims to assess the impact of...
Venezuela's tumbling economy and authoritarian rule have precipitated an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Hyperinflation rates now exceed 45,000%, and Venezuela's health system is in free fall. The country is experiencing a massive exodus of biomedical scientists and qualified healthcare professionals. Reemergence of arthropod-borne and vaccine-p...