Browsing by Author "Vial, Cecilia"
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Item A 19 Year Analysis of Small Mammals Associated with Human Hantavirus Cases in Chile(2019) Torrez-Pérez, Fernando; Palma, Eduardo; Boric-Bargetto, Dusan; Vial, Cecilia; Ferrés, Marcela; Vial, Pablo; Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Pavletic, Carlos; Parra, Alonso; Marquet, Pablo; Mertz, GregorySmall mammals present in areas where hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases had occurred in central and southern Chile were captured and analyzed to evaluate theabundance of rodents and seroprevalence rates of antibodies to Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV). Sampling areas ranged from the Coquimbo to Aysén regions (30–45° S approx.) regions. Ninetytwo sites in peridomestic and countryside areas were evaluated in 19 years of sampling. An antibody against ANDV was detected by strip immunoassay in 58 of 1847 specimens captured using Sherman traps. Of the eleven species of rodents sampled, Abrothrix olivacea, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and Abrothrix hirta were the most frequently trapped. O. longicaudatus had the highest seropositivity rate, and by logistic regression analysis, O. longicaudatus of at least 60 g had 80% or higher probability to be seropositive. Sex, age and wounds were significantly related to seropositivity only for O. longicaudatus. Across administrative regions, the highest seropositivity was found in the El Maule region (34.8–36.2° S), and the highest number of HCPS cases was registered in the Aysén region. Our results highlight the importance of long term and geographically extended studies, particularly for highly fluctuating pathogens and their reservoirs, to understand the implications of the dynamics and transmission of zoonotic diseases in human populations.Publication A non-randomized multicentre trial of human immune plasma for treatment of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome caused by Andes virus(International Medical Press, 2015) Vial, Pablo; Valdivieso, Francisca; Calvo, Mario; Rioseco, María; Riquelme, Raúl; Araneda, Andrés; Tomicic, Vinko; Graf, Jerónimo; Paredes, Laura; Fiorenzano, Matías; Bidart, Teresa; Cuiza, Analía; Marco, Claudia; Hjelle, Brian; Ye, Chunyan; Hanfelt-Goade, Daniel; Vial, Cecilia; Rivera, Juan; Mertz, Gregory; Hantavirus Study Group in Chile; Delgado, IrisBACKGROUND: In Chile, Andes virus (ANDV) is the sole aetiological agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) with mean annual incidence of 55 cases, 32% case fatality rate (CFR) and no specific treatment. Neutralizing antibody (NAb) titres at hospital admission correlate inversely with HCPS severity. We designed an open trial to explore safety and efficacy and evaluate pharmacokinetics of immune plasma as a treatment strategy for this disease. METHODS: We performed plasmapheresis on donors at least 6 months after HCPS and measured NAb titres through a focus-reduction neutralization test. Subjects admitted to 10 study sites with suspected/confirmed HCPS were eligible for treatment with immune plasma by intravenous infusion at an ANDV NAb dose of 5,000 U/kg. HCPS was confirmed through immunoglobulin M serology or reverse transcriptase-PCR. The main outcome was mortality within 30 days. RESULTS: From 2008-2012, we enrolled and treated 32 cases and confirmed HCPS in 29. CFR of hantavirus plasma-treated cases was 4/29 (14%); CFR of non-treated cases in the same period in Chile was 63/199 (32%; P=0.049, OR=0.35, CI=0.12, 0.99); CFR of non-treated cases at the same study sites between 2005-2012 was 18/66 (27%; (P=0.15, OR=0.43, CI=0.14, 1.34) and CFR in a previous methylprednisolone treatment study was 20/60 (33%; P=0.052, OR=0.32, CI=0.10, 1.00). We detected no serious adverse events associated to plasma infusion. Plasma NAb titres reached in recipients were variable and viral load remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Human ANDV immune plasma infusion appears safe for HCPS. We observed a decrease in CFR in treated cases with borderline significance that will require further studies for confirmation.Item A Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism of αVβ3 Integrin Is Associated with the Andes Virus Infection Susceptibility(2019) Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Angulo, Jenniffer; Corre, Nicole Le; Marco, Claudia; Vial, Cecilia; Miquel, Juan Francisco; Cerda, Jaime; Mertz, Gregory; Vial, Pablo; Lopez-Lastra, Marcelo; Ferrés, MarcelaThe Andes Orthohantavirus (ANDV), which causes the hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, enters cells via integrins, and a change from leucine to proline at residue 33 in the PSI domain (L33P), impairs ANDV recognition. We assessed the association between this human polymorphism and ANDV infection. We defined susceptible and protective genotypes as “TT” (coding leucine) and “CC” (coding proline), respectively. TT was present at a rate of 89.2% (66/74) among the first cohort of ANDV cases and at 60% (63/105) among exposed close-household contacts, who remained uninfected (p < 0.05). The protective genotype (CC) was absent in all 85 ANDV cases, in both cohorts, and was present at 11.4% of the exposed close-household contacts who remained uninfected. Logistic regression modeling for risk of infection had an OR of 6.2–12.6 (p < 0.05) in the presence of TT and well-known ANDV risk activities. Moreover, an OR of 7.3 was obtained when the TT condition was analyzed for two groups exposed to the same environmental risk. Host genetic background was found to have an important role in ANDV infection susceptibility, in the studied population.Item Accuracy of a Genetic Test for the Diagnosis of Hypolactasia in Chilean Children: Comparison With the Breath Test.(Philadelphia, PA : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2016) Alliende, Francisco; Vial, Cecilia; Espinoza, Karen; Schnettle, Daniela; Romero, Victoria; Miquel, Isabel; Arancibia, María Eugenia; Ríos, Gloria; Rodríguez, Lorena; Quesada, Soledad; Lucero, Yalda; Repetto, GabrielaBACKGROUND: Lactase nonpersistence (LNP) in humans is a genetically determined trait. This age-dependent decrease of lactase expression is most frequently caused by single nucleotide polymorphisms in the regulatory region of the lactase (LCT) gene. The homozygous LCT-13,910C/C genotype (rs 4988235) predominates in Caucasian adults with LNP, and is useful for its diagnosis in this population. The accuracy of this genetic test (GT) has not been completely established in children or in a Latin-American population. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine diagnostic accuracy of GT for LNP in Chilean children using the lactose breath test (BT) as a reference, and to compare diagnostic yield in preschool- (<6 years) and in school-age (≥6 years) children. METHODS: Children referred for BT for diagnosis of lactose malabsorption to the Gastroenterology Laboratory at Clínica Alemana, Santiago, from October 2011 to March 2012 were invited to participate. After informed consent, symptom questionnaires, both historic and post lactose ingestion were completed. H2 and CH4 in expired air and -13,910 C>T single nucleotide polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction, restriction enzyme analysis, and/or Sanger sequencing were determined. GT accuracy was calculated compared to BT as reference method. Diagnostic yield of GT in preschool- and school-age children was compared. RESULTS: Lactose malabsorption was detected by BT in 42 of 60 children (70%). Genotype -13,910C/C was identified in 41 of 60 patients (68%). GT showed 80% sensitivity, 63% specificity, and 74% accuracy for LNP in the preschool population. In school-age children values were higher, 85%, 80%, and 84%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GT results were significantly concordant with BT results for hypolactasia detection in Chilean children, particularly in those of age 6 years and older.Item Adaptation to Extreme Environments in an Admixed Human Population from the Atacama Desert(2019) Vicuña, Lucas; Fernández, Mario; Vial, Cecilia; Valdebenito, Patricio; Chaparro, Eduardo; Espinoza, Karena; Ziegler, Annmarie; Bustamante, Alberto; Eyheramendy, SusanaInorganic arsenic (As) is a toxic xenobiotic and carcinogen associated with severe health conditions. The urban population from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile was exposed to extremely high As levels(upto600 mg/l)in drink ing water between 1958 and 1971, leading to increased incidence of urinary bladder cancer (BC), skin cancer, kidney cancer, and coronary thrombosis decades later. Besides, the Andean Native-American ancestors of the Atacama population were previously exposed for millennia to elevated As levels in water (120 mg/l) for at least 5,000 years, suggesting adaptation to this selective pressure. Here, we performed two genome-wide selection tests—PBSn1 and an ancestry-enrichment test—in an admixed population from Atacama, to identify adaptation signatures to As exposure acquired before and after admixture with Europeans, respectively. The top second variant selected by PBSn1 was associated with LCE4A-C1orf68, a gene that may be involved in the immune barrier of the epithelium during BC. We performed association tests between the top PBSn1 hits and BC occurrence in our population. The strongest association (P1⁄4 0.012) was achieved by the LCE4A-C1orf68 variant. The ancestry-enrichment test detected highly significant signals (P1⁄4 1.3 109 ) mapping MAK16, a gene with important roles in ribosome biogenesis during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the genetic factors involved in adaptation to the pathophysiological consequences of As exposure.Publication An international, interlaboratory ring trial confirms the feasibility of an extraction-less "direct" RT-qPCR method for reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in clinical samples(2022) Mills, Margaret; Bruce, Emily; Huang, Meei-Li; Crothers, Jessica; Hyrien, Ollivier; Oura, Christopher; Blake, Lemar; Brown, Arianne; Hester, Susan; Wehmas, Leah; Mari, Bernard; Barby, Pascal; Lacoux, Caroline; Fassy, Julien; Vial, Pablo; Vial, Cecilia; Martínez , Jose; Olalekan, Olusola; Inuwa, Bitrus; Shittu, Ismaila; Meseko, Clement; Chammas, Roger; Ferreira, Carlos; Dionísio, Thiago; Garbieri, Thais; Parisi, Aparecida; Mendes, Maria; De Paula, Anderson; Romano, Camila; Bentim, Luiz; Minoprio, Paola; Campos, Angélica; Cunha, Marielton; Vilela, Ana; Nyirenda, Tonney; Sawasawa, Rajhab; Muula, Adamson; Dumm, Rebekah; Harris, Rebecca; Mitchell, ConstanceReverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is used worldwide to test and trace the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). "Extraction-less" or "direct" real time-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a transparent and accessible qualitative method for SARS-CoV-2 detection from nasopharyngeal or oral pharyngeal samples with the potential to generate actionable data more quickly, at a lower cost, and with fewer experimental resources than full RT-qPCR. This study engaged 10 global testing sites, including laboratories currently experiencing testing limitations due to reagent or equipment shortages, in an international interlaboratory ring trial. Participating laboratories were provided a common protocol, common reagents, aliquots of identical pooled clinical samples, and purified nucleic acids and used their existing in-house equipment. We observed 100% concordance across laboratories in the correct identification of all positive and negative samples, with highly similar cycle threshold values. The test also performed well when applied to locally collected patient nasopharyngeal samples, provided the viral transport media did not contain charcoal or guanidine, both of which appeared to potently inhibit the RT-PCR reaction. Our results suggest that direct RT-PCR assay methods can be clearly translated across sites utilizing readily available equipment and expertise and are thus a feasible option for more efficient COVID-19 coronavirus disease testing as demanded by the continuing pandemic.Publication Autoantibodies Against Proteins Previously Associated With Autoimmunity in Adult and Pediatric Patients With COVID-19 and Children With MIS-C(2022) Burbelo, Peter; Castagnoli, Riccardo; Shimizu, Chisato; Delmonte, Ottavia; Dobbs, Kerry; Discepolo, Valentina; Lo Vecchio, Andrea; Guarino, Alfredo; Licciardi, Francesco; Ramenghi, Ugo; Rey, Emma; Vial, Cecilia; Marseglia, Gian; Licari, Amelia; Montagna, Daniela; Rossi, Camillo; Montealegre, Gina; Barron, Karyl; Warner, Blake; Chiorini, John; Espinosa, Yazmin; Noguera, Loreani; Dropulic, Lesia; Truong, Meng; Gerstbacher, Dana; Mató, Sayonara; Kanegaye, John; Tremoulet, Adriana; Pediatric Emergency Medicine Kawasaki Group; Eisenstein, Eli; Su, Helen; Imberti, Luisa; Poli, Cecilia; Burns, Jane; Notarangelo, Luigi; Cohen, JeffreyThe antibody profile against autoantigens previously associated with autoimmune diseases and other human proteins in patients with COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) remains poorly defined. Here we show that 30% of adults with COVID-19 had autoantibodies against the lung antigen KCNRG, and 34% had antibodies to the SLE-associated Smith-D3 protein. Children with COVID-19 rarely had autoantibodies; one of 59 children had GAD65 autoantibodies associated with acute onset of insulin-dependent diabetes. While autoantibodies associated with SLE/Sjögren's syndrome (Ro52, Ro60, and La) and/or autoimmune gastritis (gastric ATPase) were detected in 74% (40/54) of MIS-C patients, further analysis of these patients and of children with Kawasaki disease (KD), showed that the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was largely responsible for detection of these autoantibodies in both groups of patients. Monitoring in vivo decay of the autoantibodies in MIS-C children showed that the IVIG-derived Ro52, Ro60, and La autoantibodies declined to undetectable levels by 45-60 days, but gastric ATPase autoantibodies declined more slowly requiring >100 days until undetectable. Further testing of IgG and/or IgA antibodies against a subset of potential targets identified by published autoantigen array studies of MIS-C failed to detect autoantibodies against most (16/18) of these proteins in patients with MIS-C who had not received IVIG. However, Troponin C2 and KLHL12 autoantibodies were detected in 2 of 20 and 1 of 20 patients with MIS-C, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that IVIG therapy may be a confounding factor in autoantibody measurements in MIS-C and that antibodies against antigens associated with autoimmune diseases or other human proteins are uncommon in MIS-C.Item Case fatality rate and associated factors in patients with 22q11 microdeletion syndrome: a retrospective cohort study(BMJ Publishing Group, 2014) Repetto, Gabriela; Guzmán, Maria Luisa; Delgado, Iris; Loyola, Hugo; Palomares, Mirta; Lay-Son, Guillermo; Vial, Cecilia; Benavides, Felipe; Espinoza, Karena; Alvarez, PatriciaOBJECTIVE: Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion is the most commonly occurring known microdeletion syndrome. Deaths related to the syndrome have been reported, but the magnitude of death has not been quantified. This study evaluated the deletion's impact on survival and its clinical manifestations in a large cohort of Chilean patients. DESIGN: Demographic and clinical data of individuals with 22q11 deletions diagnosed between 1998 and 2013 were collected from medical records and death certificates. Case fatality rate was calculated and compared with national vital statistics. OR with 95% CI analysis was used to assess the association between clinical manifestations and death. SETTING: Genetic services in tertiary care centres in Chile, following patients with 22q11.2 deletion. OUTCOMES: Fatality rate and associated factors. RESULTS: 59 of 419 patients (14.1%) died during the study period at a median of 3.4 months (range 0 to 32 years of age). Factors associated with death included congenital heart disease (OR 5.27; 95% CI 2.06 to 13.99; p<0.0001), hypocalcaemia (OR 4.27; 95% CI 1.67 to 11.15; p<0.002) and airway malacia (OR 13.37; 95% CI 1.19 to 110.51; p<0.002). Patients with deletions and defects such as tetralogy of Fallot with or without pulmonary atraesia, truncus arteriosus or ventricular septal defect, had a 2.6-fold to 4.6-fold higher death rate compared with nationwide reports for the same types of defects. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, we observed a death rate of 14.1%, implying that one in seven patients with 22q11 deletion died during the study period. Significant associations with cardiac defects, hypocalcaemia and airway malacia were observed. Furthermore, the death risk in patients with 22q11 deletion and cardiac defects exceeded the global figures observed in Chile for infants with structurally similar but apparently isolated anomalies. These observations indicate a need to identify patients who may require specific perioperative management to improve survival.Item Chromosomal microarrays testing in children with developmental disabilities and congenital anomalies(Sociedad Brasileira de Pediatria with Elsevier, 2015) Lay-Son, Guillermo; Espinoza, Karena; Vial, Cecilia; Rivera, Juan; Guzmán, María; Repetto, GabrielaObjectives Clinical use of microarray-based techniques for the analysis of many developmental disorders has emerged during the last decade. Thus, chromosomal microarray has been positioned as a first-tier test. This study reports the first experience in a Chilean cohort. Methods Chilean patients with developmental disabilities and congenital anomalies were studied with a high-density microarray (CytoScan™ HD Array, Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA). Patients had previous cytogenetic studies with either a normal result or a poorly characterized anomaly. Results This study tested 40 patients selected by two or more criteria, including: major congenital anomalies, facial dysmorphism, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. Copy number variants (CNVs) were found in 72.5% of patients, while a pathogenic CNV was found in 25% of patients and a CNV of uncertain clinical significance was found in 2.5% of patients. Conclusion Chromosomal microarray analysis is a useful and powerful tool for diagnosis of developmental diseases, by allowing accurate diagnosis, improving the diagnosis rate, and discovering new etiologies. The higher cost is a limitation for widespread use in this setting.Item Comparison of VSV Pseudovirus and Focus Reduction Neutralization Assays for Measurement of Anti-Andes orthohantavirus Neutralizing Antibodies in Patient Samples(2020-09) Vial, Cecilia; Whitaker, Annalis; Wilhelm, Jan; Ovalle, Jimena; Perez, Ruth; Valdivieso, Francisca; Ferres, Marcela; Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Eisenhauer, Philip; Mertz, Gregory J.; Hooper, Jay W.; Botten, Jason W.; Vial, PabloAndes orthohantavirus (ANDV) is the etiologic agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), which has a case fatality rate around 35%, with no effective treatment or vaccine available. ANDV neutralizing antibody (NAb) measurements are important for the evaluation of the immune response following infection, vaccination, or passive administration of investigational monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. The standard assay for NAb measurement is a focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT) featuring live ANDV and must be completed under biosafety level (BSL)-3 conditions. In this study, we compared neutralization assays featuring infectious ANDV or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudovirions decorated with ANDV glycoproteins for their ability to measure anti-ANDV NAbs from patient samples. Our studies demonstrate that VSV pseudovirions effectively measure NAb from clinical samples and have greater sensitivity compared to FRNT with live ANDV. Importantly, the pseudovirus assay requires less labor and sample materials and can be conducted at BSL-2.Publication Deep immunophenotyping reveals biomarkers of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children in a Latin American cohort(2022) Rey, Emma; Espinosa, Yazmin; Astudillo, Camila; Jimena, Lina; Hormazábal, Juan; Noguera, Loreani; Cofré, Fernanda; Piñera, Cecilia; González, Ricardo; Bataszew, Alexander; Muñoz, Paula; Benadof, Dona; Álvarez, Patricia; Acevedo, Valeria; Vial, Pablo; Vial, Cecilia; Poli, CeciliaBackground: Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a life-threatening disease that occurs 2-5 weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 exposure and is characterized by severe multisystemic inflammation. Early recognition of MIS-C is key to prognosis; therefore, establishing clinical and laboratory biomarkers that predict complications is urgently needed. Objective: We characterized the immune response and clinical features of patients with acute MIS-C and determined biomarkers of disease in a cohort of 42 Latin American patients. Methods: Immune characterization was performed using flow cytometry from peripheral mononuclear cells and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific humoral and cellular response was performed using flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and neutralizing antibody assays. Results: MIS-C is characterized by robust T-cell activation and cytokine storm. We uncovered that while C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 9, IL-10, CXCL8, CXCL10, IL-6, and IL-18 are significantly elevated in patients with shock, while CCL5 was increased in milder disease. Monocyte dysregulation was specifically associated with KD-like MIS-C. Interestingly, MIS-C patients show a natural killer cell degranulation defect that is persistent after 6 months of disease presentation, suggesting it could underlie disease susceptibility. Most MIS-C had gastrointestinal involvement, and higher levels of neopterin were identified in their stools, potentially representing a biomarker of intestinal inflammation in MIS-C. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific cellular response and neutralizing antibodies were identifiable in convalescent MIS-C patients, suggesting sustained immunity. Conclusion: Clinical characterization and comprehensive immunophenotyping of Chilean MIS-C cohort provide valuable insights in understanding immune dysregulation in MIS-C and identify relevant biomarkers of disease that could be used to predict severity and organ involvement.Item Deletions in Genes Participating in Innate Immune Response Modify the Clinical Course of Andes Orthohantavirus Infection(2019) Ribeiro, Grazielle; León, Luis; Pérez, Ruth; Cuiza, Analía; Vial, Pablo; Ferres, Marcela; Mertz, Gregory; Vial, CeciliaAndes orthohantavirus (ANDV) is an important human pathogen causing hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) with a fatality rate of 30% in Chile. Around 60% of all cases have a severe clinical course, while the others have a mild clinical course. The main goal of this study was to understand if the genetic variation of patients is associated with the clinical course they develop after ANDV infection. For this, the frequency of copy number variants (CNVs, i.e., deletions and duplications) was studied in 195 patients, 88 with mild and 107 with severe HCPS. CNVs were called from intensity data of the Affymetrix Genome-Wide SNP Array 6.0. The analysis of the data was performed with PennCNV, ParseCNV and R softwares; Results: a deletion of 19, 416 bp in the q31.3 region of chromosome 1 is found more frequently in severe patients (p < 0.05). This region contains Complement Factor H Related (CFHR1) and CFHR3 genes, regulators of the complement cascade. A second deletion of 1.81 kb located in the p13 region of chr20 was significantly more frequent in mild patients (p < 0.05). This region contains the SIRPB1 gene, which participates in the innate immune response, more specifically in neutrophil trans-epithelial migration. Both deletions are associated with the clinical course of HCPS, the first being a risk factor and the second being protective. The participation of genes contained in both deletions in ANDV infection pathophysiology deserves further investigation.Item Diagnóstico de intolerancia a la lactosa en adultos: rendimiento comparativo de la clínica, test de hidrógeno espirado y test genético(Sociedad Medica de Santiago, 2012) Rollan, Antonio; Vial, Cecilia; Quesada, Soledad; Espinoza, Karena; Hatton, Mary; Puga, Alonso; Repetto, GabrielaBackground: Genetically programmed adult-type hypolactasia affects 56% of Chilean population. Ideally, diagnosis should be confirmed. Aim: To compare diagnostic yield of genetic test, hydrogen (H2) expiratory test and a validated symptomatic structured survey (SS). Material and Methods: Patients submitted to H2 test answered a historic (anamnestic) and current SS (after the ingestion of 25 g of lactose). A blood sample was obtained for determination of genetic polymorphisms C/T_13910, C/G_13907 and G/A_22018 by polymerase chain reaction. The gold standard for diagnosis of lactose intolerance (LI) was the agreement of at least two of three tests. Results: Sixty-one participants aged 39 ± 12 years (21 males), were studied. Anamnestic SS was diagnostic of LI in all cases (score > 7), while current SS detected LI in 27/61 (46%). H2 test (an increase > 15 ppm after ingestion of 25 g of lactose) showed LI in 31/61 (51%). The locus C/G_13907 showed no polymorphism and locus G/A_22018 was in complete linkage disequilibrium with C/T_13910. Genotype C/C_13910, associated to hypolactasia, was present in 30/58 (52%). According to the gold-standard, 32/61 (52.5%) patients were diagnosed as LI. Sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 79% and 69% for current SS, 93% and 93% for H2 test and 97% and 93% for the genetic test. The last two showed a positive likelihood ratio (LR) > 10 and a negative LR < 0.1, figures within the range considered clinically useful. Conclusions: Genotype C/C_13910 is responsible for hypolactasia in this population. Anamnestic report of symptoms after milk ingestion and symptoms after lactose ingestion, are not accurate enough. H2 and genetic tests are simple and similarly accurate to diagnose lactose intolerance in adults.Publication Evaluation of the Immune Response Induced by CoronaVac 28-Day Schedule Vaccination in a Healthy Population Group(2022) Escobar, Alejandro; Reyes, Felipe; Acevedo, Mónica; Alonso, Luis; Valiente, Fernando; Soto, Ricardo; Portillo, Hugo; Gatica, Jimena; Flores, Iván; Nova, Estefanía; Barrera, Carlos; Bono, María; Vargas, Leonardo; Simon, Valeska; Leiva, Elias; Vial, Cecilia; Hormazábal, Juan; Jimena, Lina; Valdés, Daniel; Sandino, Ana; Imarai, Mónica; Acuña, ClaudioCoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Life Science is currently being used in several countries. In Chile, the effectiveness of preventing hospitalization is higher than 80% with a vaccination schedule. However, to date, there are no data about immune response induction or specific memory. For this reason, we recruited 15 volunteers without previous suspected/diagnosed COVID-19 and with negative PCR over time to evaluate the immune response to CoronaVac 28 and 90 days after the second immunization (dpi). The CoronaVac administration induces total and neutralizing anti-spike antibodies in all vaccinated volunteers at 28 and 90 dpi. Furthermore, using ELISpot analysis to assay cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we found an increase in IFN-gamma- and Granzyme B-producing cells in vaccinated volunteers at 28 and 90 dpi. Together, our results indicate that CoronaVac induces a robust humoral immune response and cellular immune memory of at least 90 dpi.Item Factores de riesgo socio-demográficos del síndrome cardiopulmonar por hantavirus(2019) Vial, Cecilia; Valdivieso, Francisca; Cuiza, Analía; Delgado, Iris; Ribeiro, Grazielle; Llop, Elena; Ferrés, Marcela; Repetto, Gabriela; Riquelme, Raúl; Rioseco, María Luisa; Calvo, Mario; Mertz, Gregory; Vial, PabloBackground: Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is caused by new world hantaviruses, among which Andes hantavirus (ANDV) is endemic to Chile and Southern Argentina. The disease caused by ANDV produces plasma leakage leading to enhanced vascular permeability and has a high case fatality rate (35%), mainly due to respiratory failure, pulmonary edema and myocardial dysfunction, hypoperfusion and shock. Host sociodemographic and genetic factors might influence the course and outcome of the disease. Yet, they have not been thoroughly characterized. Aim: To evaluate sociodemographic factors as risk factors in severity of HCPS. Patients and Methods: Study period: 2004-20013, attending in eight collaborative centers, etiological diagnosis was performed by serology or molecular biology, mild and severe HCPS were compared.139 Chilean patients were analyzed, 64 (46%) with severe disease among which 12 (19 %) died. Results: European ethnicity had 5,1 times higher risk than Amerindian ethnic group to develop a severe HCPS, greater seriousness that was also associated with an urban residence. Conclusion: It was observed that ethnicity and type of residence were significant risk factors for HCPS severity. Hypotheses explaining these findings are discussed.Item First wave of SARS-CoV-2 in Santiago Chile: Seroprevalence, asymptomatic infection and infection fatality rate(2022) Vial, Pablo; González, Claudia; Apablaza, Mauricio; Vial, Cecilia; Lavín, M. Estela; Araos, Rafael; Rubilar, Paola; Icaza, Gloria; Florea, Andrei; Pérez, Claudia; Concha, Paula; Bastías, Diego; Errázuriz, María Paz; Pérez, Ruth; Guzmán, Francisco; Olea, Andrea; Guzmán, Eugenio; Correa, Juan; Munita, José; Aguilera, XimenaBackground: The first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chile occurred during the cold season reaching a peak by the end of June 2020, with 80 % of the cases concentrated in its capital, Santiago. The main objective of this study was to estimate the attack rate during this first wave of SARS-CoV-2 in a large, densely populated city with more than seven million inhabitants. Since the number of confirmed cases provides biased information due to individuals’ potential self-selection, mostly related to asymptomatic patients and testing access, we measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 to assess infection prevalence during the first wave in the city, as well as estimate asymptomatic cases, and infection fatality ratio. To our knowledge this is one of the few population-based cross- sectional serosurvey during the first wave in a highly affected emerging country. The challenges of pandemic response in urban settings in a capital city like Santiago, with heterogeneous subpopulations and high mobility through public transportation, highlight the necessity of more accurate information regarding the first waves of new emerging diseases. Methods: From April 24 to June 21, 2020, 1326 individuals were sampled from a long-standing panel of household representatives of Santiago. Immunochromatographic assays were used to detect IgM and IgG anti-body isotypes. Results: Seroprevalence reached 6.79 % (95 %CI 5.58 %− 8.26 %) in the first 107 days of the pandemic, without significant differences among sex and age groups; this figure indicates an attack rate 2.8 times higher than the one calculated with registered cases. It also changes the fatality rate estimates, from a 2.33 % case fatality rate reported by MOH to an estimated crude 1.00 % (CI95 % 0.97–1.03) infection fatality rate (adjusted for test performance 1.66 % [CI95 % 1.61–1.71]). Most seropositive were symptomatic (81,1 %). Conclusions: Despite the high number of cases registered, mortality rates, and the stress produced over the health system, the vast majority of the people remained susceptible to potential new epidemic waves. We contribute to the understanding of the initial spread of emerging epidemic threats. Consequently, our results provide better information to design early strategies that counterattack new health challenges in urban contexts.Item Genetic structure characterization of Chileans reflects historical immigration patterns(Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2015) Eyheramendy, Susana; Martínez, Felipe; Manevy, Federico; Vial, Cecilia; Repetto, GabrielaIdentifying the ancestral components of genomes of admixed individuals helps uncovering the genetic basis of diseases and understanding the demographic history of populations. We estimate local ancestry on 313 Chileans and assess the contribution from three continental populations. The distribution of ancestry block-length suggests an average admixing time around 10 generations ago. Sex-chromosome analyses confirm imbalanced contribution of European men and Native-American women. Previously known genes under selection contain SNPs showing large difference in allele frequencies. Furthermore, we show that assessing ancestry is harder at SNPs with higher recombination rates and easier at SNPs with large difference in allele frequencies at the ancestral populations. Two observations, that African ancestry proportions systematically decrease from North to South, and that European ancestry proportions are highest in central regions, show that the genetic structure of Chileans is under the influence of a diffusion process leading to an ancestry gradient related to geography.Publication Hantavirus in humans: a review of clinical aspects and management(2023) Vial, Pablo; Ferrér, Marcela; Vial, Cecilia; Klingström, Jonas; Ahlm, Clas; López, René; Le Corre, Nicole; Mertz, GregoryHantavirus-induced diseases are emerging zoonoses with endemic appearances and frequent outbreaks in different parts of the world. In humans, hantaviral pathology is characterized by the disruption of the endothelial cell barrier followed by increased capillary permeability, thrombocytopenia due to platelet activation/depletion and an overactive immune response. Genetic vulnerability due to certain human leukocyte antigen haplotypes is associated with disease severity. Typically, two different hantavirus-caused clinical syndromes have been reported: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). The primarily affected vascular beds differ in these two entities: renal medullary capillaries in HFRS caused by Old World hantaviruses and pulmonary capillaries in HCPS caused by New World hantaviruses. Disease severity in HFRS ranges from mild, e.g. Puumala virus-associated nephropathia epidemica, to moderate, e.g. Hantaan or Dobrava virus infections. HCPS leads to a severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with high mortality rates. Due to novel insights into organ tropism, hantavirus-associated pathophysiology and overlapping clinical features, HFRS and HCPS are believed to be interconnected syndromes frequently involving the kidneys. As there are no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines approved in Europe or the USA, only preventive measures and public awareness may minimize the risk of hantavirus infection. Treatment remains primarily supportive and, depending on disease severity, more invasive measures (e.g., renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) are needed.Item Hemodynamic and Pulmonary Permeability Characterization of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome by Transpulmonary Thermodilution(MDPI AG, 2019) López, René; Pérez-Araos, Rodrigo; Salazar, Álvaro; Ulloa, Ana; Vial, Pablo; Vial, Cecilia; Jerónimo, GrafHantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is characterized by capillary leak, pulmonary edema (PE), and shock, which leads to death in up to 40% of patients. Treatment is supportive, including mechanical ventilation (MV) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Hemodynamic monitoring is critical to titrate therapy and to decide ECMO support. Transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) provides hemodynamic and PE data that have not been systematically used to understand HCPS pathophysiology. We identified 11 HCPS patients monitored with TPTD: eight on MV, three required ECMO. We analyzed 133 measurements to describe the hemodynamic pattern and its association with PE. The main findings were reduced stroke volume, global ejection fraction (GEF), and preload parameters associated with increased extravascular lung water and pulmonary vascular permeability compatible with hypovolemia, myocardial dysfunction, and increased permeability PE. Lung water correlated positively with heart rate (HR, r = 0.20) and negatively with mean arterial pressure (r = -0.27) and GEF (r = -0.36), suggesting that PE is linked to hemodynamic impairment. Pulmonary vascular permeability correlated positively with HR (r = 0.31) and negatively with cardiac index (r = -0.49), end-diastolic volume (r = -0.48), and GEF (r = -0.40), suggesting that capillary leak contributes to hypovolemia and systolic dysfunction. In conclusion, TPTD data suggest that in HCPS patients, increased permeability leads to PE, hypovolemia, and circulatory impairment.Publication Immunization and SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Seroprevalence in a Country with High Vaccination Coverage: Lessons from Chile(2022) Aguilera, Ximena; González, Claudia; Apablaza, Mauricio; Rubilar, Paola; Icaza, Gloria; Ramírez, Muriel; Pérez, Claudia; Cortes, Lina; Núñez, Loreto; Quezada, Rubén; Castillo, Carla; Correa, Juan; Said, Macarena; Hormazábal, Juan; Vial, Cecilia; Vial, PabloChile is among the most successful nations worldwide in terms of its COVID-19 vaccine rollout. By 31 December 2021, 84.1% of the population was fully vaccinated, and 56.1% received booster doses using different COVID-19 vaccines. In this context, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies following the infection and vaccination campaign. Using a three-stage stratified sampling, we performed a population-based cross-sectional serosurvey based on a representative sample of three Chilean cities. Selected participants were blood-sampled on-site and answered a short COVID-19 and vaccination history questionnaire using Wantai SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA to determine seroprevalence. We recruited 2198 individuals aged 7-93 between 5 October and 25 November 2021; 2132 individuals received COVID-19 vaccinations (97%), 67 (3.1%) received one dose, 2065 (93.9%) received two doses, and 936 received the booster jab (42.6%). Antibody seroprevalence reached 97.3%, ranging from 40.9% among those not vaccinated to 99.8% in those with booster doses (OR = 674.6, 154.8-2938.5). SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were associated with vaccination, previous COVID-19 diagnosis, age group, and city of residence. In contrast, we found no significant differences in the type of vaccine used, education, nationality, or type of health insurance. We found a seroprevalence close to 100%, primarily due to the successful vaccination program, which strongly emphasizes universal access.