Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(3):125-131

The late media emergency of smallpox vaccine, news coverage of Spanish press (1999-2004)                                 
 


PEDRO JAVIER MARTÍNEZ-MARTINEZ,  JOSÉ TUELLS, GEMA COLMENAR-JARILLO              

 

Introduction. Discussions on the need for smallpox virus preservation in 1999 focused attention on an eradicated disease 20 years ago. Smallpox was replaced as a potential candidate to be used as a bioterrorist weapon because of the international alarm scenario produced after the 11/9 events in USA. The reactivation of a vaccine which remained forgotten was the direct consequence. The initial target groups were the security forces of America. Spain was also among the countries that were interested in acquiring the smallpox vaccine. The aim of this study is to analyze the considerable media coverage of smallpox obtained in our country.
Methods. Systematic review of published news in the four largest national daily newspapers (ABC, El Mundo, El País and La Vanguardia) for the period 1999-2004 of the Dow Jones Factiva document database. “Smallpox” were used as a key word. From the obtained data, a qualitative and quantitative analysis was done.
Results. 416 reviews were analyzed; the newspaper El Mundo was the most interested in these news (158 citations, 37.98%). Most of the news were published in 2003 (152, 36.5%) The year with more news about smallpox (2003) coincides with the purchase of vaccines in Spain. The type of messages in the news was highly changeable over this six-year period. Those related to “politics and diplomacy”, “epidemiological risk”, “bioterrorism” and “vaccine” were predominant.
Conclusions. The alarm raised around the smallpox vaccination was a media phenomenon due to political strategy issues rather than a real public health problem.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(3):125-131 [pdf]

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(Suppl. 1):12-15

Therapeutic options for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae    

                        
PATRICIA SALGADO, FERNANDO GILSANZ, EMILIO MASEDA              

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) has spread worldwide becoming a threat to public health. However, no randomized clinical trials about the efficacy of optimizing antibiotic treatment have been published. Experimental studies have been designed to find combinations of antibiotics with synergistic activity. Their main aim has been increasing the speed of bacterial destruction and decreasing resistance. The latest guidelines recommend combination therapy. The carbapenems has been chosen as the basis of such therapy. We face limited therapeutic options. Polymyxins, fosfomycin and gentamicin have reemerged in this context, becoming the basis of multiple combination regimens, with beneficial effects both in vitro and in murine models of infection.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(Suppl. 1):12-15 [pdf]

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Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(5):263-266

Evaluation of antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli in urinary tract infections in Primary Care Barbastro Sector (Huesca)     

                        
ANA BETRÁN, ANA Mª CORTÉS, CONCEPCIÓN LÓPEZ              

Objectives. Evaluate the resistance of community-uropathogen, Escherichia coli to several antibiotics in our health sector and deduce empirical treatment options.
Methods. E. coli strains isolated from urine cultures of patients from Primary Care Barbastro Sector, between January 2011 and December 2013, were studied. The resistances rates for nine common antibiotics were determined, and differences in sensitivity were analyzed, comparing confidence intervals for proportions by the method of Wilson.
Results. E. coli was the most frequently isolated bacteria (61.08% of positive urine cultures sent from Primary Care). Overall, there has been an increase in resistance of E. coli isolates in all antimicrobials studied. Still, resistance has remained below 4% compared to fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin and below 10% in cephalosporins second and third generation. Resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate has increased progressively reaching 21.5% in 2013; only this antibiotic has presented a statistically significant increase. The maximum levels of resistance (over 30%) were found in the antibiotics administered orally and often indicated in uncomplicated urinary tract infections: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin.
Conclusions. Update knowledge susceptibility patterns of microorganisms most commonly isolated in urine samples in each health area allows to choose the most suitable and effective treatments trough empirical knowledge.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2015:28(5):263-266 [pdf]

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