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Background: Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) on antibiotic use are useful for understanding different aspects related to prescription patterns in hospitals.Methods: An adaptation of the WHO methodology for a PPS on antibiotic use was applied. Hospital wards were divided into medical (MED), surgical (SUR), ICUs, gynaecology and obstetrics (GO), high-risk (HR) and mixed wards (MIX). A web application (RedCap©) through a mobile device was used for data collection.Results: Between December 2018 and August 2019, 5444 patients in 33 hospitals in five countries were included (10 hospitals in Cuba, 7 in Paraguay, 6 in El Salvador, 5 in Mexico and 5 in Peru). Of these patients, 54.6% received at least one antibiotic, with variations between and within hospitals and countries. Antibiotics were more frequently used in ICUs (67.2%), SUR (64.5%) and MED wards (54.2%), with 51.2% of antibiotics prescribed for community-acquired infections (CAIs), 22.9% for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), 11.1% for surgical prophylaxis and 6.1% for unknown reasons. Adherence to guidelines was observed in 68.6% of cases (72.8% for CAIs, 72.4% for HAIs and 44.3% for prophylaxis). Third-generation cephalosporins were the class of antibiotics most frequently used (26.8%), followed by carbapenems (10.3%) and fluoroquinolones (8%). Targeted treatments were achieved in 17.3% of cases.Conclusions: Antibiotic use was generally higher than that published in other studies. There is an urgent need to promote and strengthen the antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 60 samples of water taken from 30 different reservoirs of water in El Salvador used by the population for their entertainment were examined. The identification of each sample included: date of collection, location, sample of surface or depth, and chlorinated or non-chlorinated condition. Each sample was settled and then was studied between a slide and a foil, using 10X and 40X objectives of the microscope, in the search of moving forms of amoeba. In addition to this, from the sediment, four plates of agar-agar were planted, each together with live or dead Escherichia coli. The cultures were examined using objective 4X of the microscope. Outdoor preparations were made from the colonies, and examined using 10X and 40X of the microscope. The preparations which contained trophozoites were attached together with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and dyed with trichrome coloring. The trophozoites which showed two or more of the following characteristics were considered FLA: (free-living amoebae) size between 13 and 30 micrometers, rounded pseudopods, and a nucleus with a prominent karyosome circled by a clear halo. FLA were found in two samples of water taken from the bottom of pools with chlorinated water, and in one sample taken from the bottom of another pool with non-chlorinated water . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eneste trabajo se examinaron 60 muestras de agua provenientes de 30 sitios del territorio salvadoreño donde se ubican reservorios Ede agua utilizados por la población para su diversión. La identificación de cada muestra incluyó: fecha de colecta, ubicación del lugar, toma de superficie o profundidad, y condición clorada o no clorada. Se sedimentó cada muestra y éste se estudió entre lámina y laminilla, utilizando objetivos 10X y 40X del microscopio, en busca de formas móviles de amibas. Adicionalmente, del sedimento se sembraron cuatro placas de agar-agar sembradas con Escherichia coli vivas o muertas. Los cultivos se examinaron utilizando objetivo 4X del microscopio. De las colonias se realizaron preparaciones al fresco y se observaron al microscopio con objetivos de 10X y 40X. A las preparaciones que mostraron trofozoitos de amibas se les fijó con PVA (alcohol poli vinílico) y les tiñó con coloración tricrómica. Se consideraron AVL (amibas de vida libre) los trofozoitos que presentaron dos o más de estas características: tamaño de 13 a 30 micrómetros, seudópodos redondeados, y núcleo con un cariosoma prominente rodeado por un halo claro. Se encontraron AVL en dos muestras de agua tomadas del fondo de piscinas con agua clorada, y en una muestra tomada del fondo de otra piscina de agua no clorada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]