Héctor Alejandro Serrano-Coll

• MD, MSc, PhD.
• Researcher at Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical-Universidad CES

SARS-CoV-2 infection is the most complex scientific challenge humanity has faced so far in the 21st century. However, all our previous knowledge in infections and vaccine platforms against other coronaviruses allowed us to develop, in record time, the first generation of vaccines against this new virus. However, this first generation of vaccines ha...

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious and neglected disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania, which produces a wide spectrum of cutaneous manifestations. CL research has shown that the innate immune activity of cells such as neutrophils, natural killers, macrophages, dendritic cells, and the complement system are capable of contr...

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a chronic granulomatous disease affecting the skin and mucous membranes. It is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan of the genus Leishmania, transmitted through the bite of a female sandfly of the genus Phlebotomus or Lutzomyia. The host immune response plays a cr...

Introduction Leprosy is a neglected infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis and remains a public health challenge in tropical regions. Therefore, the development of technological tools such as machine learning (ML) offers an opportunity to innovate strategies for improving the diagnosis of this complex disea...

Introduction Leishmaniasis, a chronic vector-borne disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania , presents diagnostic challenges. Conventional diagnostic methods struggle with accurate visualization of these parasites. Immunostaining with CD1a has demonstrated effectiveness in visualizing Leishmania parasites, particularly in the Old World....

Objective To estimate the economic burden associated with COVID-19 in Córdoba, Colombia, 2020 and 2021. Methods Economic burden study. Direct costs were analyzed from the third-party payer perspective using healthcare administrative databases and interviews from a cohort of confirmed COVID-19 cases from Córdoba. Costing aggregation was performed b...

Resumo Objetivo: Estimar a carga econômica associada à covid-19 em Córdoba, Colômbia, entre 2020 e 2021. Métodos: Estudo de avaliação da carga econômica da covid-19. Os custos diretos foram analisados segundo terceiros pagadores, usando-se bases de dados administrativas e entrevistas. A agregação dos custos foi realizada usando-se o método bottom-u...

Leprosy reactions are complex immune events, generating disabling consequences and threatening the lives of those who experience them. This case report addresses the episode of a 28-year-old female patient who suffered a severe type-2 leprosy reaction, characterized by significant hepatic involvement, specifically, nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis. T...

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious and disabling disease caused by two mycobacteria, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Acute inflammatory responses, known as leprosy reactions, are significant contributors to disabilities. Three types of leprosy reactions have been identified based on excessive cytokine release (e.g. t...

Introduction: COVID-19 has caused a health, social, and health system emergency, with a dismal infection behavior in patients with special conditions, such as the immunocompromised pediatric population. Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of infected SARS-CoV-2 pediatric patients with immunocompromised and neoplastic...

Background Despite Colombia's robust well-child visits program, Colombian children and mothers still suffer from anemia, especially in populations of lower socioeconomic status. In this study, we aimed to quantify the prevalence and risk factors among mothers and their children attending their well-child visits in Apartadó, a municipality in the Ur...

Background The emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to surges in cases and the need for global genomic surveillance. While some variants rapidly spread worldwide, other variants only persist nationally. There is a need for more fine-scale analysis to understand transmission dynamics at a country scale. For instance, the Mu...

Introduction: Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are considered one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Children under five and older adults are most likely to die from this cause. Objective: To describe the behavior of infection by respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic in a clinic in the Colombia...

Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis that preferentially compromises peripheral nerve, skin, and mucous membranes. Colombia achieved the goal of leprosy elimination in 1997. However, in Urabá (Colombia), there has been an increase in leprosy cases beginning in 2020. This case report shows a le...

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by two mycobacteria (Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis). The household contacts (HHC) of leprosy index cases are at higher risk of being infected with these mycobacteria. Therefore, serological testing in HHC would be an effective strategy to eliminate leprosy in Colomb...

Shewanella algae is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacillus that inhabits marine ecosystems and can cause sepsis in humans. This case report describes an 80-year-old obese woman with liver cirrhosis who presented with neurological and respiratory impairment. Shewanella algae were isolated in the blood cultures. Due to age and comorbidities, sepsis...

Objetivos: Estimar la carga de COVID-19 aguda en Córdoba, uno de los departamentos (estados) más afectados de Colombia, a través de la estimación de años de vida ajustados por discapacidad (AVISAS). Métodos: Los AVISAS se estimaron con base en el número de casos de infección por severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reportados por fuentes...

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the burden of acute COVID-19 in Córdoba, one of the most affected departments (states) in Colombia, through the estimation of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Methods: DALYs were estimated based on the number of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection cases reported by of...

Pasteurella multocida is a germ known to present opportunistic pathologies in most cases associated with contact with animals or their secretions. Systemic infections are rare and tend to occur in patients with risk factors or those who have contact with animals. A case of P. multocida bacteremia is presented in a 76-year-old male patient from a ru...

Introduction: Leprosy is an ancient and chronic infectious disease caused by 2 mycobacteria (Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis). Recently, our research group observed that HES-1, an innate cellular component of the Notch signaling pathway, is related to the pathogenesis of leprosy. Therefore, it could be helpful in its detection....

Introduction Currently, more than 4.5 billion doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been applied worldwide. However, some developing countries are still a long way from achieving herd immunity through vaccination. In some territories, such as the Colombian Amazon, mass immunization strategies have been implemented with the CoronaVac® vaccine. Due to it...

American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) is an infectious disease affecting the skin and mucous membranes. ATL is caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus with around one million cases are reported each year worldwide. This paper describes three rare cases of tegumentary leishmaniasis treated at a tropical disease research center.

Introduction Although more than half of the world's population is already vaccinated, the appearance of new variants of concern puts public health at risk due to the generation of new immunogens against the virus as a crucial and relevant strategy in the control of these new variants. Methods A preclinical study used a potential vaccine candidate...

Background The ability of SARS-CoV-2 to remain in asymptomatic individuals facilitates its dissemination and makes its control difficult. Objective. To establish a cohort of asymptomatic individuals, change to the symptomatic status, and determine the most frequent clinical manifestations. Methods Between April 9 and August 9, 2020, molecular dia...

The emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to surges in cases and the need for global genomic surveillance. While some variants rapidly spread worldwide, other variants only persist nationally. There is a need for more fine-scale analysis to understand transmission dynamics at a country scale. For instance, the Mu variant of...

The emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to surges in cases and the need for global genomic surveillance. While some variants rapidly spread worldwide, other variants only persist nationally. There is a need for more fine-scale analysis to understand transmission dynamics at a country scale. For instance, the Mu variant of...

Leprosy is a neglected disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis, and is related to significant disabilities resulting from the neural damage generated by this mycobacteria. Neuropathic ulcers—lesions that can appear at the plantar and extra-plantar levels—are one such disability, and diagnosis requires an adequate derma...

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic, has evolved to have a wide range of hosts, including non-human primates, wild and domestic animals. The ACE2 protein has a high level of conservation and is the common receptor invertebrate species for a viral infection to occur; this...

The control of SARS-CoV-2 infection is one of the main challenges for health authorities worldwide, and one of the strategies for its control would be to delve into the geospatial dynamics of this infection. The objective of this research was Describe the geospatial and epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the department of Córdoba....

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a virus of zoonotic origin that can bind to ACE2 receptors on the cells of many wild and domestic mammals. Studies have shown that the virus can circulate among animals mutate, lead to animal-to-human zoonotic jump, and further onward spread between humans. Infection in pe...

El control de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 es uno de los principales desafíos para las autoridades sanitarias a nivel mundial, y una de las estrategias para su control sería profundizar en la dinámica geoespacial de esta infección. El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir la dinámica geoespacial y epidemiológica de la infección por SARS-CoV-2...

Leprosy is a granulomatous infection caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis. We evaluated skin biopsy and slit skin smear samples from 92 leprosy patients in Colombia by quantitative PCR. Five (5.4%) patients tested positive for M. lepromatosis, providing evidence of the presence of this pathogen in Colombia.

Background Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which continues to be endemic in tropical countries, making it necessary to implement strategies for its elimination. The objective of the current article was to detect M. leprae infection and associated factors through serological and epidemiological evaluation in f...

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a collective of infectious diseases predominantly reported in under resourced settings, directly affect over a billion people. Multiple initiatives have been launched to combat NTDs but they continue to place a significant economic and social burden on developing nations. Beyond their immediate importance, studie...

Introduction. COVID-19 is a pathology caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than 225 million cases and 4.5 million deaths worldwide. Objective: To describe the seropositivity, spatial distribution, and clinical and sociodemographic variables of SARS-CoV-2 in a community of the Colombian Amazon region....

Introduction. COVID-19 is a pathology caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus. The World Health Organization has reported more than 94 million cases and two million deaths worldwide. Objective: To describe the seroprevalence, spatial distribution, and clinical and sociodemographic variables of SARS-CoV2 in a community of the Colombian Amazon region. Methods....

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic, has been proven to have a broad range of host species, including non-human primates, as well as domestic animals and pets. A high conservation degree in the structure of the ACE2 receptor, which is the critical protein for viral inf...

Background: Serological evaluation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an alter- native that allows us to determine the prevalence and dynamics of this infection in populations. The goal of this study was to determine the clinical and sociodemographic dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a region of the Colombian Carib...

La infección por SARS-CoV-2 es el desafío científico más complejo al que se ha enfrentado la humanidad en lo que va del siglo XXI. Sin embargo, todo nuestro conocimiento previo en infecciones y plataformas vacunales contra otros coronavirus nos permitió en un tiempo récord desarrollar la primera generación de vacunas contra este nuevo virus. No obs...

Introduction. Currently, more than 1.8 billion doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been applied worldwide. However, some developing countries are still a long way from achieving herd immunity through vaccination. In some territories, such as the Colombian Amazon, mass immunization strategies have been implemented with the CoronaVac® vaccine. Due to i...

This study describe the infection fatality rate (IFR) by COVID-19 by age groups in one department of Colombia. It used results from a serological survey to stablish a closer estimation of the true proportion of infected people. It found an overall IFR of 0.24% quite lower than the overall CFR (5.6%). We conclude that CFR severely overestimate the l...

There are many doubts about the SARS-CoV-2 immune response's length, and it is unknown whether those patients may exhibit different kinetics in the secretion of IgG anti-SARS-CoV2 according to the severity of their infection. This research aimed to evaluate IgG antibodies' kinetics and persistence against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein in a group of...

Introduction Despite the high volume of infections, some clinical aspects of this disease are still unknown. There are currently no studies in Colombia that describe the disease’s clinical and treatment aspects in detail. Objective Describe the characteristics and clinical management of a group of admitted patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a p...

Introduction Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae , which is endemic in some tropical countries. It is necessary to implement strategies for its detection and elimination. We propose a strategy useful could be identifying risk factors associated with a seropositive test in leprosy. Objective We aimed to quantify t...

The ability of SARS-CoV-2 to remain in asymptomatic individuals facilitates its dissemination and makes its control difficult. Objective. To establish a cohort of asymptomatic individuals, change to the symptomatic state, and determine the most frequent clinical manifestations. Methods. Between April 9 and August 9, 2020, molecular diagnosis of SAR...

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and nerves. The nerve damage in leprosy may be related to alterations in transcriptional factors, such as Krox-20, Oct-6, Sox-10. Thirty skin biopsies in leprosy patients and 15 non-leprosy skin biopsies were evaluated using RT-qPCR to assess Krox-20, Oct-6, and S...

Introduction: Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a debilitating disease that affects the skin and peripheral nerves. It is possible that tissue changes during infection with leprosy are related to alterations in the activity of the Notch signaling pathway, an innate signaling pathway in the physiology of the skin and p...

Actualmente, múltiples estudios han informado que la nutrición es clave en la modulación y en la activación de la respuesta inmune innata y adaptativa. En el caso de la lepra, el efecto de los micronutrientes sigue siendo desconocido; proponemos el estudio del estado nutricional en convivientes, ya que déficits de micronutrientes podrían estar rela...

La lepra es una enfermedad infecciosa crónica causada por Mycobacterium leprae, la cual tiene una notoria afinidad por la piel y los troncos nerviosos periféricos. Esta enfermedad se caracteriza por tener una clínica polimorfa que depende de la respuesta inmune del hospedero. La inmunopatogénesis de esta enfermedad aún representa un reto para los i...

Background: Leprosy is is still considered a public health issue and in Colombia 7-10% of new cases are found in children, indicating both active transmission and social inequality. We hypothesized that circulating antibodies against Natural Octyl Disaccharide-Leprosy IDRI Diagnostic (NDO-LID) (a combination of Mycobacterium leprae antigens) could...

Leprosy affects peripheral nerves and causes disability. Colombia has a high grade 2 disability rate among new leprosy cases, indicating late diagnosis. An early and economic screening method for leprosy is required in endemic countries. In this study, sensibility and intrinsic muscle function of hands and feet were examined by Semmes Weinstein Mon...

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This disease is characterized by skin and peripheral nerve trunk damage. The mechanisms responsible for the observed nerve damage in leprosy could be directly related to the ability of M. leprae to infect Schwann cells, leading to triggering of signaling events. Therefore, we h...

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This disease is characterized by skin and peripheral nerve trunk damage. The mechanisms responsible for the observed nerve damage in leprosy could be directly related to the ability of M. leprae to infect Schwann cells, leading to triggering of signaling events. Therefore, we h...

Pure neural leprosy, defined as a peripheral neuropathy in which the patient has no skin lesions, is difficult to diagnose. Its verification by bacteriological index and histopathology is not possible in the majority of the patients. We describe four cases of pure neural leprosy diagnosed by clinical criteria. The clinical outcome of three of the p...

The Notch signaling pathway is evolutionarily preserved and is involved in the control of several events during the development of eukaryotic cells. This pathway has been linked to expression and differentiation of immune cells, therefore it´s activation is critical in the expression of the innate immune and acquired response that allows mammals to...

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a broad spectrum of manifestations. Delays in attaining correct diagnosis permit progressive peripheral nerve damage that can produce irreversible disabilities. Tests detecting antigen-specific antibodies can aid the diagnostic process and potentially detect patients earlier. Reported tests have lacked o...

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae mainly affecting skin and peripheral nerves. Leprosy has a broad range of clinical manifestations that range from mild (tuberculoid leprosy) to severe (lepromatous leprosy) forms, and are highly dependent on the host’s immune response. Among the immune response elements involved...

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. In the course of this disease patients can develop a peripheral neuropathy called leprous neuropathy, which is responsible for the appearance of disabilities in eyes, hands and feet. A structured search was performed in Pubmed and OVID databases using the following MeSH terms: leprosy...

Background Leprosy is a complex infectious and neurological disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Nerve damage is related to immunological hypersensitivity responses known as leprosy reactions (LRs). Diagnostic tools to predict LRs are not available. We hypothesized that natural octyl disaccharide-leprosy IDRI diagnostic (NDO-LID) would be helpfu...

Objectives: An expert group of peripheral nerve surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, and immunologists who have extensive experience with Hansen’s Disease convened to discuss the status of nerve decompression as a treatment for leprous neuropathy. The expert group recommended an international, multi-center randomised controlled trial (RCT). Subseque...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of individualised rehabilitation programmes intended to reduce disabilities in patients with Hansen’s disease. Methodology: This is an interventional study (before and after), carried out among ten leprosy patients whose previous multidisciplinary assessment (medical, physiotherapy, and biomechanical) desig...

Diffuse lepromatous leprosy (DLL) is a severe clinical outcome of lepromatous leprosy (LL). The aetiologic cause is believed to be different from Mycobacterium leprae. A new species, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, was identified from a group of Mexican patients with DLL, and severe leprosy reactional state type 3 (Lucio's phenomenon). However, a total...

La microbiota oral es uno de los ecosistemas microbianos más antiguos en ser reconocido, y su descripción inicia en 1863 cuando Anton van Leeuwenhoek observa por primera vez en el microscopio a estos microorganismos en placas dentales. En la actualidad, las técnicas de secuenciación y el análisis del genoma a gran escala ha permitido construir base...

The oral microbiota is one of the oldest microbial ecosystems recognized. The oral microbiota description began in 1863 when Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed, using the microscope, microorganisms in dental plaque. Recently, DNA sequencing and genome analysis have allowed researchers to build large-scale genomic databases, characterize specific microb...

El término micotoxicosis hace referencia a un amplio grupo de intoxicaciones causadas por inhalación, contacto directo o la ingestión de alimentos que han sido contaminados con micotoxinas(1), metabolitos secundarios tóxicos producidos por una gran variedad de hongos filamentosos, donde se destacan los géneros Aspergillus, Fusarium, Claviceps, Peni...