Jaime R Torres

• MD
• Central University of Venezuela

Over the past decade, Venezuela has experienced a political and economic crisis that has affected the country’s scientific research development. Currently, the state of HIV research in Venezuela remains unknown. We conducted a systematic review identifying 683 articles over the last 20 years of which only 101 met our inclusion criteria. A decrease...

BACKGROUND: Several Vaccinology courses are offered worldwide. Language and costs are barriers to accessinternational education for Latin American physicians. We describe a training initiative aimed at filling this gap. METHODS: We designed an 8 days’ training on Vaccines and Vaccination Policies in Spanish language, directedto Latin American (LATA...

Three Colombian patients with chronic HTLV-1 infection and severe intermediate and/or posterior uveitis are described. In one case, retinal ablation was necessary due to extensive peripheral degeneration, while the other two were successfully managed with local anti-inflammatory therapy. Gradual resolution of ocular findings was observed in all thr...

Background Malaria‐endemic areas are not spared from the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to co-infection scenarios where overlapping symptoms impose serious diagnostic challenges. Current knowledge on Plasmodium spp. and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) co‐infection in pregnant women remains limite...

Background Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Clinical and radiological features of ALA often mimic those of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). Currently, differential diagnosis between ALA and PLA relys on microscopic examination, anti-amoebic IgG serology, and culture of aspirate for pyogenic organis...

Still without ceasing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a new viral threat has now emerged outside its endemic niche in Africa affecting multiple countries and continents. After its appearance in May 2022, a multi-country outbreak of monkeypox disease (MPX) has triggered significant concerns due to its rapid spread and potential for...

Large bilateral subungual hemorrhages and hematomas were observed in an adult woman after receiving the second dose of a mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. Improvement was achieved after a course of prednisone. Unusual rare cutaneous adverse effects are likely to be increasingly noticed as the accelerated massive worldwide Covid-19 vaccination campaign intensi...

Usefulness of mass screening of arriving travelers at airports through rapid antigenic tests to reduce importation of SARS-Cov-2 into low incidence settings remains unproven. Recent successful Olympic experience indicates the need for additional strategies, including supervised quarantines, frequent retesting and close follow up of positive individ...

In 2016, Venezuela faced a large diphtheria outbreak that extended until 2019. Nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal samples were prospectively collected from 51 suspected cases and retrospective data from 348 clinical records was retrieved from 14 hospitals between November 2017 and November 2018. Confirmed pathogenic Corynebactrium isolates were biotyp...

Introduction The 1st Regional Experts on Infant Vaccination (REIV) meeting generated updated consensus recommendations to improve the control of various major vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) in Latin America. Areas covered Workshops highlighted recent changes in immunization schedules within the region, experience of countries incorporating com...

Introduction: Chikungunya and Zika Virus are vector-borne diseases responsible for a substantial disease burden in the Americas. Between 2013 and 2016, no cases of Chikungunya or Zika Virus were reported by the Venezuelan Ministry of Health. However, peaks of undiagnosed fever cases have been observed during the same period. In the context of scar...

Dengue disease represents a large and growing global threat to public health, causing a significant burden to health systems of endemic countries. For countries considering vaccination as part of their Integrated Management Strategy for Prevention and Control of Dengue, the World Health Organization currently recommends the first licensed dengue va...

Objective: To analize the clinical manifestations and evolution of suspected or confirmed cases of Diphtheria in Venezuela. Methods: A prospective, observational, descriptive, longitudinal and multicentric study was conducted in the Venezuelan’s states of Anzoategui, Bolivar, Carabobo, Capital District, Lara, Merida, Miranda and Zulia. The time 1 o...

Se revisa las características clínicas y epidemiológicas peculiares del dengue en el continente americano. Los diversos factores involucrados en la ocurrencia y extensión de la enfermedad en la región, al igual que el impacto económico y de salud de dicha patología, son también discutidos en extenso

Luego de los ataques terroristas a los Estados Unidos, el tema sobre terrorismo biológico ha cobrado mayor interés en la opinión pública internacional, generando polémica y preocupación en distintos países del mundo. En el siguiente trabajo abordamos las generalidades del bioterrorismo ( posibles agentes, manifestaciones clínicas y métodos diagnóst...

Se analiza brevemente la situación de la malaria en el país, constatándose que los Estados Sucre, Bolívar y Amazonas originan más del 90% de los casos reportados anualmente, llamando la atención que el Edo. Sucre sobrepasa al Edo. Bolívar en número de casos. Se suman al reporte de casos en los dos últimos años, algunos Estados como Miranda, Mérida...

About 100 000 cases of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occur annually in South America. The overall prevalence of HBV infection in low risk populations ranges from 6.7% to 41%, while hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) rates range from 0.4% to 13%. In high endemicity aboriginal or rural populations, perinatal transmis-sion may play a major...

A case of primary zygomycosis due to Rhizopus spp associated with Elastoplast bandage use in a young, healthy surgical patient is reported. Lesions resolved without complications after removal of the bandage from the wound and a short course of amphotericin B. Rhizopus spp was recovered from material obtained by scraping the lesions, and from unuse...

CAT-SCRATCH disease (CSD), also known as benign inoculation lymphoreticulosis or nonbacterial regional lymphadenitis, is a nonfatal illness that Debre et al1 first described in 1950. It is characterized by malaise; fever; subacute lymphadenitis limited to one region, with tendency to suppurate and with or without a primary skin lesion distal to the...

The incidence and distribution of dengue virus infection in the tropical regions of Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, has dramatically increased during the last two decades as a consequence, among other factors, of a wider distribution of Aedes aegypti, higher population density in many large urban areas, lack of effective progra...