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Objective: To determine the characteristics of the original papers about the plants properties published in Peruvian medical journals. Material and methods. We reviewed the bibliographic databases of SciELO Peru and SISBIB for the period 2004-2008. Results. We found 825 original papers in 14 journals, but only 45 were included to the study. The number of the included original papers by year was 3 (2004), 5 (2005), 9 (2006), 13 (2007) y 15 (2008). The journals that published the highest rate of original papers about plants were journals from medical faculties Rev Med Vallejiana (33%), Horizonte Médico (29%) y An Fac Med (13%). The institutions that developed more studies were Universidad. Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (45,5%), Universidad de San Martín de Porres (22%) y Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (13%). from 226 authors, 11 were the most productive authors with the 22,1% of the total production. from 57 studied plants, the most investigated were Lepidium sp. (maca), Croton palanostigma (sangre de grado), Calophyllum brasiliense (lagarto caspi) and Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacón). The potential uses of the plants more researched were nutritional, antineoplastic, antioxidative, hypoglycemic and arterial hypotensive. There were only six (13,3%) clinical studies and the rest was experimental or biochemical. Conclusions. The published scientific medical production related to the plant properties is scanty but growing, mainly done in the public and private universities with almost null participation of the private enterprise. There is an elite of highly-producing authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze the evolution of published scientific articles on HIV/AIDS in Peru. Methods. A bibliometric analysis of papers on HIV/AIDS published in journals indexed in MEDLINE, SciELO and LILACS until October 2010. We selected research papers fully developed in Peru, and multicenter studies with participating Peruvian sites. Results. We identified 257 publications on HIV/AIDS, showing an increase since 2003. The average publication delay was 2.8±1.8 years. Only 94 (36.6 %) articles were published in Spanish. The most studied areas were epidemiology (36.6 %) and clinical topics (35.8 %). The cross-sectional design was the most frequent (56.8 %) followed by case series. According to the WHO classification, studies to learn more about the disease and risk factors predominated (85.6 %) and according to the intervention areas, 46.7 % focused on diagnosis and treatment. Most studies were conducted in Lima (65.9 %). 48.2 % of studies focused on people living with HIV/AIDS. finally, Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública was the journal that published most articles on HIV/AIDS (9.7 %). Conclusions. We found a growth in scientific production on HIV / AIDS in Peru; however, we believe that the research undertaken was not based on an agreed national agenda or national research priorities, which might have limited its dissemination and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hipolito Unanue is considered as the Founding Father of Peruvian medicine. He was closely related to political affairs and he was one of the most important exponents of science during the late colonial period. However, his contributions in what is now called environmental health have been largely unnoticed. This paper presents an analysis of Dr. Unanue's studies, particularly his papers on weather, air, water, and vectors; so this may support the proposal for considering Dr. Hipolito Unanue as a pioneer for environmental health in Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human resources are the backbone of health sector actions; however, they are not necessarily the area with the greatest attention, therefore, the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA) together with regional governments, led the Decentralized and Agreed Sector Plan for the Capacity Development in Health 2010-2014 (PLANSALUD) with the aim of strengthening the capacities of Human Resources for Health (HRH) and contribute to health care efficient development, quality, relevance, equity and multiculturalism, in the context of descentralization, the Universal Health Insurance (AUS) and health policies. To achieve this goal, they have proposed three components (technical assistance, joint training and education - health articulation) that bring together an important set of interventions, which are planned and defined according to the national, regional and local levels, thus contributing to improve the government capacity, capability management and delivery of health services. This paper presents a first approach of PLANSALUD, including aspects related to planning, management, financing, structure and functioning, as well as monitoring and evaluation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurocysticercosis, the infection of the human central nervous system by the larval stage of the cestode Taenia solium, is an important cause of epilepsy and other neurological manifestations in Peru and most developing countries. Since 1987, the Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru has performed a series of epidemiological studies which led to estimate the impact and to better understand the transmission of Taenia solium. This information was later applied to the design and execution of a control program in Tumbes, in the Northern Coast of Peru. This paper reviews the main epidemiological indings, as well as the conceptual framework of the elimination program and the tools used. Advances in the control of taeniasis/cysticercosis in our country open the road towards its elimination and potential eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the year 2003, in the faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, the Permanent Program of Training for the Integral Attention of the Victims of Violence was created, has been training human resources for the comprehensive health care to victims of violence. In this sense, we was considered necessary to develop a methodology for health professionals, identifying their training needs and the conditions under how they work. It is in this context, that the year 2004, a base line study was delineated in the Microrred de Salud Huaycán, in the east of Lima city; that included diverse stages with a multisectorial approach with the aim to identify the training needs of the health professionals, as well as the evaluation of the logistic and administrative support for the development of training activities to diverse levels. In this paper, the procedures and principal results are exposed, in a succinct way. There was demonstrated that the population of Huaycán were affected by the sequels of the political violence; nevertheless, the health services have severe limited resources to give appropriate health care to victims of violence. The health professionals require an intensive training on this issue. An adequate logistic and administrative conditions allowed to carry out an appropriate training program. We suggest that this methodology will facilitate to construct products and instruments for a suitable and speciic training for the integral health care to the victims of the violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a short review of the discovery of Chagas disease and the current information of the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the disease observed in Peru. With the discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi in the blood of a child in 1909, the isolation of the etiologic agent in experimental animals and the finding of similar parasites in the intestinal content of triatomines, Carlos Chagas determined the parasite's life cycle and, clinical symptoms of this new entity designated as Chagas disease. Eight years after Dr Carlos Chagas discovery (1917), Dr. Edmundo Escomel born in Arequipa, reported the presence of Triatoma infestans in the valleys of Arequipa department and after two years the first human case of Chagas disease from Madre de Dios. In Peru, have been described 19 species of triatomines, and several studies show guinea pig "cuy" as the most important reservoir of the parasite. The endemic areas are present in the south, north and northeast, mainly the Amazonian area. Recently, Tacna has been declared free of vectorial transmission and we hope others parts of the country could receive similar certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the current situation of the epidemic of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB MDR) and extensively-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB XDR) in Peru. We do an analysis of our situation in comparison with the rest of Latin America, and of the temporal spatial distribution of the TB XDR cases in Lima, We also present our reflection about what is happening and we believe it must change, as summarized in giving due weight to a problem that is coming over and we should put before own interests, the interests of humanity, therefore we cannot keep silent, and we must declare TB as a national health emergency. That is an answer, hopefully, still viable for Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a bibliometric study, searching for articles published by authors affiliated Ica, in indexed scientific journals, with the aim to know the biomedical scientific production in this Peruvian province during the decade from 1998 to 2007. We found 37 papers, most research in the public health area, ten of which were published in journals out of circulation. The most common affiliation of the authors is the faculty of Sciences of the universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga (46.9%), while the faculties of medicine and nursing are those that occur less frequently (both 2.7%). It should enhance the scientific output of institutions in health sciences in the province of Ica, requiring more training and motivation to become a publishing culture in their students and professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to identify key indicators related to the health of families in their homes and surroundings, and so, to understand the importance of inform Peruvian people about the Healthy Housing Initiative promoted by Pan American Health Organization. We have focused on health factors related to housing in different regions of Peru, taking into account the local ways of life, prioritizing the analysis on lower-income socio-economic groups within the cities, and considering that healthy housing is an important component within environmental health. The material presented is resultant of interviews with professionals with experience in the health and housing field, as well as comparing bibliographic information and news with our subjective perception of reality, aiming to reach conclusions and recommendations. Given the status of housing conditions in Peru and their impact on the health of the population, it becomes necessary to encourage the formation of a national network that may bring together various public and private institutions that have been working from different approaches in promoting the improvement of housing and environmental conditions in Peru, in order to complement their capabilities and support each other in their activities. Finally, we believe that healthy housing is a right and an obligation for people, in tune with the right for health and life and it is also a shared responsibility between local governments and the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, historical reference is made about legal provisions for recognition of the training and certification of medical specialists in Peru through university programs provided since 1928 and culminating in 1973 with the legal authorization by the relevant state authority to implement the Second Specialization Program in Human Medicine and to grant the Certification of Specialist in the Name of the Nation upon completion of a university residency program and specialized training by the "regular modality", and the recognition by the university with the "non-regular modality". In Peru it has been established to the present that the Professional Certifications of Specialists in Human Medicine "in the Name of the Nation", both in "regular modality" as well as in "non-regular modality", can only be granted by public or private universities authorized for this mission and, besides, no other public or private institution can claim this role that corresponds exclusively for the Peruvian University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents three cases of eosinophilic migratory nodular panniculits in Perú. This is a parasitic disease caused by a nematode belonging to the Gnathostoma species. The infection occurs after eating contaminated raw fish or undercooked seafood. Our first patient represents the first documented case of eosinophilic migratory nodular panniculits diagnosed in Peru. He had multiple recurrences. The other two cases developed life threatening condition because of the location of the lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]