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Abstract Background Altitude influences bicarbonate levels, it is a variable that is hardly considered in diagnosing Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA), so it should be a factor to consider when diagnosing this pathology, especially at 2250 mts over the sea level as it is the case of Mexico City. RTA is most often misdiagnosed. Regarding of this, the present study established reference limits for bicarbonate levels in healthy children without pathologies associated with alterations in the acid-base balance in Mexico City and it´s metropolitan area. Methods A total of 267 healthy pediatric patients were included, within normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and without any associated pathology of any alteration in the acid-base balance. Results Compared to older children, children younger than two years of age showed statistically higher levels of calcemia and cystatin C. On the other hand, this same group showed lower values of creatininemia, pCO2, and HCO3 -. Percentile 50 of bicarbonate in children under two years of age were 19.9 mEq/L and 21.9 mEq/L in those over that age. A correlation was identified between HCO3 - levels and pCO2 (r = 0.68; p

Splenic cyst is rare, approximately 800 cases reported in the literature. A 33-year-old woman with abdominal pain of 2-weeks’ duration in the left hypochondrium underwent tomography, which reported a complex splenic cyst with a volume of 1786 mL. Therefore, percutaneous ultrasound drainage was performed, and 1600 mL was drained. Laparoscopic splenectomy was scheduled, which was performed without complications. The laparoscopic approach has proven to be an effective technique for the definitive treatment of splenic cysts with minimal bleeding with prompt recovery of the patient.

Kallmann syndrome is a low-frequency pathology that mainly affects men. This case report aims to present the management of a pediatric patient diagnosed with Kallmann syndrome in Mexico. An 11-year-old male patient presented with a micropenis, cryptorchidism, possible testicular atrophy, anosmia, and absence of olfactory bulbs and nerves detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Our patient started therapy with human chorionic gonadotropin hormone and later with testosterone, presenting a favorable response. We concluded that early intervention based on hormonal therapy allows reestablishing the phenotypic characteristics of chronological age.

The objective of this work was to use the random amplification of the polymorphic DNA–polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) technique to select polymorphic patterns through qualitative and quantitative analyses to differentiate the species A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. tubingensis. Twenty-seven Aspergillus isolates from different species were typified using phenotypic (macro- and micromorphology) and genotypic (partial BenA gene sequencing) methods. Thirty-four primers were used to obtain polymorphic patterns, and with these a qualitative analysis was performed to select the primers that presented species-specific patterns to distinguish each species. For the quantitative selection, a database was built from the polymorphic patterns and used for the construction of logistic regression models; later, the model that presented the highest value of sensitivity against specificity was evaluated through ROC curves. The qualitative selection showed that the primers OPA-19, P54, 1253 and OPA-02 could differentiate the species. A quantitative analysis was carried out through logistic regression, whereby a species-specific correlation of sensitivity and specificity greater than 90% was obtained for the primers: OPC-06 with a 96.32% match to A. flavus; OPF-01 with a 100% match to A. fumigatus; OPG-13 with a 98.01% match to A. tubingensis; and OPF-07 with a 99.71% match to A. niger. The primer OPF-01 discriminated the four species as well as closely related species. The quantitative methods using the selected primers allowed discrimination between species and showed their usefulness for genotyping some of the species of medical relevance belonging to the genus Aspergillus.

Tumors of the spine are rare, with an incidence of 1.0 and 1.5 per 100,000 individuals. A 44-year-old female patient underwent emergency surgery for posterior decompression and tumor resection. A 3-level laminectomy was performed from T6 to T8 using the Medtronic Midas Rex drill and a 5 mm diamond drill, with microsurgical resection of the lesion. A new resection was performed one week later to address a residual tumor located towards the rostral and cephalic levels. A sample of the extradural lesion was obtained and was sent to the Pathology Department of the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca (HRAEI) for histopathological diagnosis, reporting Grade 1 psammomatous meningioma according to the WHO’s criteria. Our patient’s rehabilitation treatment consisted of two parts. The first part occurred during her hospital stay, before and after surgery, and upon her discharge. At the first outpatient consultation three weeks after surgery, the patient showed improved strength in the lower extremities, scoring 4/5 on the Daniel’s scale muscle strength test. After one year of follow-up, our patient has recovered muscle strength. This allows her to move freely, scoring 5/5 on the Daniel’s scale muscle strength test.

Empyema necessitatis is a rare complication of an untreated or inadequately controlled empyema. We present the case of an 11-year-old female adolescent living in precarious conditions, overcrowding, incomplete vaccinations, irregular dental hygiene, and no significant family or personal medical history. The patient started with symptoms one week prior to her hospitalization, presenting a persistent sporadic dry cough, and was later diagnosed with complicated pneumonia, resulting in the placement of an endopleural tube. Vancomycin (40 mg/kg/day) and ceftriaxone (75 mg/kg/day) were administered. However, the clinical evolution was unfavorable, with fever and respiratory distress, so a right jugular catheter was placed. The CT scan showed a loculated collection that occupied the entire right lung parenchyma and pneumothorax at the right upper lobe level. After four days of treatment, the patient still presented purulent drainage with persistent right pleural effusion syndrome. P. melaninogenica and D. pneumosintes were identified from the purulent collection on the upper right lobe, so the antimicrobial treatment was adapted to a glycopeptide, Teicoplanin, at a weight-based dosing of 6 mg/kg/day and Metronidazole at a weight-based dosing of 30 mg/kg/day. In addition, VAC therapy was used for 26 days with favorable resolution.

We evaluated the specificity of the primers OPF-01, P54, and 1253 to identify A. fumigatus, A. flavus, and A. niger, respectively, with the RAPD-PCR method. Eighty-two isolates belonging to the sections Fumigati, Flavi, and Nigri were used. The isolates were identified by phenotypic (macro- and micromorphology) and genotypic (partial sequences of the BenA gene) methods. The RAPD-PCR method was used to obtain polymorphic patterns with the primers OPF-01, P54, and 1253. The specificity of the polymorphic patterns of the isolates of each species was evaluated through the UPGMA clustering method and logistic regression model. All isolates of the genus Aspergillus were identified at the section level by macro- and micromorphology showing the typical morphology of the sections Fumigati, Flavi, and Nigri, and the species were identified by the construction of the phylogeny of the partial sequence of the BenA gene. The patterns’ polymorphic strains obtained with the primers OPF-01, P54, and 1253 for the isolates of A. fumigatus, A. flavus, and A niger, respectively, showed the same polymorphic pattern as the reference strains for each species. To verify the specificity of the primers, they were tested with other species from the sections Fumigati, Flavi and Nigri. The results support that the primers OPF-01, P54, and 1253 generate polymorphic patterns by RAPD-PCR species specific to A. fumigatus, A. flavus, and A. niger, respectively.

Surgical intervention is a key element in the management of patients diagnosed with mucormycosis. A retrospective cohort study was carried out, in which patients with a proven diagnosis of mucormycosis were evaluated over a period of 10 years, according to the MSGERC criteria. A descriptive analysis of the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, imaging, and microbiology studies, as well as medical and surgical treatment and the type of prosthesis was carried out. A total of 22 cases were identified, of which 54.5% (n = 12) of the population were men. Furthermore, 77.2% (n = 17) of the population had diabetes mellitus. The main antifungal treatment implemented was liposomal amphotericin B (77.2%, n = 17). The most affected structures in our patients were the paranasal sinuses (n = 18; 81%), followed by the maxilla and orbit (n = 15; 68%), nose (n = 12; 54%), central nervous system (n = 11; 50%), and skin and soft tissues (n = 2;

Using orthopedic devices or prosthetic joints to treat various conditions is expected in a Traumatology and Orthopedics Unit. Recently, the materials used to build these different devices have evolved; however, pathogens can still infect these materials. Additionally, the immune system has limitations when defending against these pathogens, which results in bacterial infections like Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A total of 276 patients who attended the Traumatology and Orthopedics Unit of our hospital from 1 June 2018 to 1 June 2019, were included in the present study. Our study analyzed the incidence of S. aureus and other bacterial pathogens in the surgical sites of patients with orthopedic implants, as well as the most used types of implants and implant materials. The specimens obtained from the surgical sites of the patients were cultured in anaerobic and aerobic media for subsequent identification using their phenotypic characteristics. Subsequently, antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed to establish the appropriate treatment. The primary pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus (26.4%), followed by Escherichia coli (21.0%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (15.8%). The most commonly used implants were plates (41.7%), followed by endomedullary nails (20%), Kirschner wires (14.1%), and fixators (10.1%). As for the anatomical regions of the implants, the most frequent sites were the legs, followed by the thighs, wrists, and ankles. The pathogens were more susceptible to ciprofloxacin (95%), clindamycin (89%), and cefotaxime (86%). S. aureus is the primary infectious agent in our hospital, with an incidence of 26.4% after the placement of orthopedic implants. Although its incidence was lower compared to other tertiary hospitals, it is necessary to improve aseptic techniques in such a way as to reduce the incidence of this pathogen further.

Background: Phase III clinical trials have documented the efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Nonetheless, it is imperative to continue analyzing the clinical response to different vaccines in real-life studies. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of five different vaccines in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 during the third COVID-19 outbreak in Mexico dominated by the Delta variant. Methods: A test-negative case–control study was performed in nine tertiary-care hospitals for COVID-19. We estimated odds ratios (OR) adjusted by variables related a priori with the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity. Results: We studied 761 subjects, 371 cases, and 390 controls with a mean age of 53 years (SD, 17 years). Overall, 51% had a complete vaccination scheme, and an incomplete scheme (one dose from a scheme of two), 14%. After adjustment for age, gender, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, we found that the effectiveness of avoiding a SARS-CoV-2 infection when hospitalized with at least one vaccination dose was 71% (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.19–0.45), that of an incomplete vaccination scheme, 67% (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.18–0.62), and that of any complete vaccination scheme, 73% (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.17–0.43). Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program showed effectiveness in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients during a Delta variant outbreak.

HIV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is mainly due to infections caused by viruses, fungi, and, to a lesser extent, bacteria, often with fatal results. Case presentation: A 15-year-old pediatric patient from another institution was admitted to our hospital with a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Clinical analysis and laboratory studies diagnosed HIV infection. The approach to an FUO in a patient with AIDS is much more complex due to the search for common etiologies and opportunistic infections. In this case, disseminated histoplasmosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumocystosis, and ehrlichiosis were diagnosed, prompting an urgent and comprehensive approach to prevent mortality. Due to the multiple infections, HLH was triggered. An early intervention with trimethoprim (TMP)–sulfamethoxazole (SMX), liposomal amphotericin B, doxycycline, and quadruple antiphimic therapy to suppress infections, in conjunction with the early administration of HLH treatment, favored the survival of this patient.