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G Quiroz

Publications and source records attributed to G Quiroz.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Tuberculosis epidemiology and control in Veracruz, Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) rates remain high in regions of Southern Mexico despite the existence of a National Tuberculosis Program. Understanding TB epidemiology in such settings would assist in the design of improved TB control and highlight the challenges confronting TB control in developing countries. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of treatment control cards from 1991 to 1994 in five municipalities in a semiurban region of Southern Mexico. RESULTS: The relatively high rate of TB observed, 42.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, did not change significantly during the study period. Cure rates among new cases were 79% and significantly lower among retreatment cases (62%). Directly observed therapy (DOT) was administered to 84% of patients. Approximately one-half of the retreatment cases who were not cured were compliant with therapy, suggesting that drug resistance contributed to these poor results. Of particular concern was a core group of 16 patients who had received at least three treatments. CONCLUSIONS: This region of Mexico has persistently high TB rates despite a DOT-based TB control programme which achieves an overall cure rate of 77%. There exist many retreatment cases for whom cure rates are significantly lower. These cases may serve as a core group for the dissemination of drug resistant TB. The control programme is being reinforced by a nominal register of patients, decreasing administrative barriers for drug supply to individual patients and the availability of mycobacteria cultures. In addition to these measures, in regions which are approaching the levels of efficacy recommended by the WHO it may be appropriate to consider focusing efforts on the identification and treatment of chronic cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Seroepidemiology of poliomyelitis in Mexico].

With the massive vaccination campaigns with the inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine starting in 1955 and its oral presentation in 1961, this disease has been controlled in many countries. However, wild polio virus is still transmitted in many developing countries. The study reported in this article had the objectives of estimating the prevalence of antibodies against polio for three types of virus (1, 2 and 3) in the population from 12 to 59 months of age in Mexico and determining the factors associated with the absence of immunity. One section of the National Seroepidemiology Survey (NSS), a study with a representative sample of the Mexican population, included the analysis of 5,260 blood samples for polio seropositivity. These samples were processed using the technique of plaque-reduction-neutralization, with the cut-off for positive titer values at 1:8. The national immunity levels reported for the three types of polio virus were: type 1 (89.8%); type 2 (97.6%); and type 3 (85.4%). The state with the lowest seroprevalence was Campeche, with 59.7 per cent, and the highest observed was Baja California Sur, with 93.0 per cent. The NSS also showed that the immunity level increases with age. There were some differences observed by place of residence; seroprevalences were higher in the urban areas (type one, 93.4%; type two, 98.5% and type three, 88.2%) than in the rural zones (86.6%, 96.8% and 82.9%, respectively). As expected, previous vaccination with three or more doses, referred verbally by the parent or guardian of the child, was associated with higher positivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Seroepidemiology of measles in Mexico].

Measles is an illness of universal distribution and great social impact. According to the WHO, the annual deaths due to this disease amount to more than a million children in the world. The objectives of this paper are to estimate the seroprevalence of titer of antibodies to measles in the population of 12 to 59 months of age in Mexico and identify the determinants of the immunity state. From the National Seroepidemiology Survey, 5,232 blood samples of children between 12 and 59 months of age, were analyzed, their blood samples were considered positive when the antibody titers were greater or equal to 1:4, tested by hemagglutination inhibition using sensitized erythrocytes. The National seroprevalence was 76.2 per cent. By age group, an increment in positive level was observed age increased. The seroprevalence was 56 per cent in children of 12 to 24 month and 82 per cent for children 48 to 59 month of age. The history of vaccination was obtained verbally; 62.5 per cent of seropositive didn't have vaccination history and 82.5 per cent were of those vaccinated were positive. By place of residence, at rural level (populations less than 2,500 inhabitants) 74 per cent positives, compared to 79 per cent in children of urban areas. All risk factor were significant, based on a univariate analysis, being the one with greatest risk those with negative vaccine history and children of one year of age. The efficiency of the vaccine estimation was of 63.6 per cent. Risk factors related to the vinculation of immunity protection to measles or seropositives were age, and verbal history of vaccination.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The reliability of simulated clients' quality-of-care ratings.

Evaluators of family planning programs have begun to use simulated client ratings to assess the quality of services. However, little is known about the reliability of such ratings when they are used to assess individual provider performance. This study examined the reliability of quality-of-care ratings in a Peruvian community-based distribution program by using pairs of concealed observers--a simulated client and a companion. Average interrater agreement, measured by intraclass correlation, was .50, indicating that ratings are not reliable enough for the evaluation of a single provider by a single rater. The study results suggest that checklist-item scores referring to specific provider behaviors will be more reliable and useful than ratings.

Adolescent↗