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The aim of this paper is to analyze the participation in the global textile and apparel value chain with special attention, first, to the case of three dynamic and interrelated economies (Mexico, the United States, and China); and second, to a general approach to a larger sample of countries through the analysis of trade in value added. From the descriptive analysis, a high domestic share in each country's exports is found. However, China is the leading exporter in the industry, accounting for around a third of the domestic value added in the global textile final demand. An econometric estimation has also been carried out to observe the effects of tariffs, FDI, and labor costs on the total and backward participation in the textile GVC. In this case, the sample has been extended to 39 developed and 22 developing countries. The results reveal tariff protection as a determinant of the degree of participation of the sector, especially when backward participation and developing economies are considered. However, FDI and labor costs only show the expected results in the case of developing countries. This may be due to the different tasks performed by developing economies (primarily manufacturing) versus developed economies (branding, design) within the sector's value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serosurveillance helps establish reopening guidelines and determine the immunity levels in different populations to reach herd immunity. Then, there is an urgent need to estimate seroprevalence population wide. In Mexico, information about COVID-19 cases and related deaths is scarce. Also, there is no official serosurveillance, limiting our knowledge of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Here, we report the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 522,690 unvaccinated people from July 5th to December 31st, 2020. The overall seroprevalence was 32.8% and highest in adults aged 30–39 years (38.5%) than people under 20 years (33.0%) or older (28.9%). Moreover, in a cohort of 1655 individuals confirmed COVID-19 by PCR, we found that symptomatic people (HR = 2.56) increased seroconversion than presymptomatic. Also, we identified that the most discriminative symptoms for COVID-19 that could predict seroconversion were anosmia and ageusia (HR = 1.70), fever, myalgia/arthralgia, and cough (HR = 1.75). Finally, we found that obese people had lower seroconversion (HR = 0.53) than healthy people, but the opposite happens in diabetic people (HR = 1.39). These findings reveal that around one-third of Mexican outpatients had anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies before vaccination. Also, some symptoms improve empirically COVID-19 diagnosis and seroconversion. This information could help fine-tune vaccination schemes and the reopening and back-to-work algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mexican automotive sector--integrated into the regional value chain of North America, led by the United States--is characterized by performing mainly manufacturing tasks, which limits its value-added contribution. However, this does not imply that the environmental impact resulting from these tasks is proportional to the value it generates. The paper aims to analyze this dual dimension of the Mexican automotive sector, by describing both its productive structure and its environmental impact related to its foreign trade flows. The results reveal uneven participation in the regional value chain depending on whether Mexican value-added exports are considered in monetary or emission terms, which exhibits a greater contribution in terms of emissions than in value compared to the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To validate the performance, reproducibility, and reliability of BD automated instruments in order to establish a fully automated clinical microbiology laboratory. Methods: We used control strains and clinical samples to assess the accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability of the BD Kiestra WCA, the BD Phoenix, and BD Bruker MALDI-Biotyper instruments and compared them to previously established conventional methods. The following processes were evaluated: sample inoculation and spreading, colony counts, sorting of cultures, antibiotic susceptibility test, and microbial identification. Results: The BD Kiestra recovered single colonies in less time than conventional methods (e.g. E. coli, 7h vs 10h, respectively) and agreement between both methodologies was excellent for colony counts (κ=0.824) and sorting cultures (κ=0.821). Antibiotic susceptibility tests performed with BD Phoenix and disk diffusion demonstrated 96.3% agreement with both methods. Finally, we compared microbial identification in BD Phoenix and Bruker MALDI-Biotyper and observed perfect agreement (κ=1) and identification at a species level for control strains. Together these instruments allow us to process clinical urine samples in 36h (effective time). Conclusion: The BD automated technologies have improved performance compared with conventional methods, and are suitable for its implementation in very busy microbiology laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• High COVID-19 incidence was observed in working-age Mexican outpatients. • Logistics or delivery jobs have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. • Three symptomatic profiles were identified in COVID-19 patients. • Presymptomatic people were more frequent among elders than among young individuals. • Different epidemiologic profiles were found between symptomatic and presymptomatic. The COVID-19 diagnosis is difficult and ambiguous due to nonspecific symptoms. Further, data from Mexico arehospitable population-based without signs and symptoms information. Thus, this work aims to provide epidemiology information about the burden of COVID-19 in Mexican outpatients and to identify symptomatic COVID-19 profiles that could help in the early diagnosis of the disease. From June to September, epidemiological, clinical, and demographic data of 482,413 individuals diagnosed by RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 in Salud Digna clinics were collected. We observed a 41% incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections with a mean age of 36 years and with young adults (20–40 years) being the most affected. Among occupations, delivery persons (OR 1.38) or informal traders (OR 1.33) had a higher risk of COVID-19. Moreover, 13% of SARS-CoV-2 infections were in presymptomatic patients. Finally, we identified three different symptomatic profiles (common, respiratory, and gastrointestinal) associated with COVID-19. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 was high among outpatients with a significant proportion of presymptomatic carriers, and thus it is necessary to increase testing and continue SARS-CoV-2 surveillance with a better description of signs and symptoms; in this regard, we identified three symptomatic profiles that could help in the diagnosis of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since its appearance, COVID-19 has immensely impacted our society. Public health measures, from the initial lockdowns to vaccination campaigns, have mitigated the crisis. However, SARS-CoV-2's persistence and evolving variants continue to pose global threats, increasing the risk of reinfections. Despite vaccination progress, understanding reinfections remains crucial for informed public health responses., Methods: We collected available data on clinical and genomic information for SARS-CoV-2 samples from patients treated in Mexico City from 2020 epidemiological week 10 to 2023 epidemiological week 06 encompassing the whole public health emergency's period. To identify clinical data we utilized the SISVER (Respiratory Disease Epidemiological Surveillance System) database for SARS-CoV-2 patients who received medical attention in Mexico City. For genomic surveillance we analyzed genomic data previously uploaded to GISAID generated by Mexican institutions. We used these data sources to generate descriptors of case number, hospitalization, death and reinfection rates, and viral variant prevalence throughout the pandemic period., Findings: The fraction of reinfected individuals in the COVID-19 infected population steadily increased as the pandemic progressed in Mexico City. Most reinfections occurred during the fifth wave (40%). This wave was characterized by the coexistence of multiple variants exceeding 80% prevalence; whereas all other waves showed a unique characteristic dominant variant (prevalence >95%). Shifts in symptom patient care type and severity were observed, 2.53% transitioned from hospitalized to ambulatory care type during reinfection and 0.597% showed the opposite behavior; also 7.23% showed a reduction in severity of symptoms and 6.05% displayed an increase in severity. Unvaccinated individuals accounted for the highest percentage of reinfections (41.6%), followed by vaccinated individuals (31.9%). Most reinfections occurred after the fourth wave, dominated by the Omicron variant; and after the vaccination campaign was already underway., Interpretation: Our analysis suggests reduced infection severity in reinfections, evident through shifts in symptom severity and care patterns. Unvaccinated individuals accounted for most reinfections. While our study centers on Mexico City, its findings may hold implications for broader regions, contributing insights into reinfection dynamics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 de Anda-Jáuregui, Gómez-Romero, Cañas, Campos-Romero, Alcántar-Fernández and Cedro-Tanda.)

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has spread quickly worldwide, causing millions of cases and thousands of deaths. Some risk factors in the general population are related to the development of severe COVID-19 or death, but in pregnant women and neonates, the information is limited., Objective: To determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pregnant women and neonates diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and serological tests, and analyze the relationship between the influenza vaccination and COVID-19 symptoms in infected pregnant women in Sinaloa state., Methods: We collected samples from 116 pregnant women and 84 neonates from the Women´s Hospital of Sinaloa. They were diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and serological tests (IgG), and sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded., Results: A total of 11.2% (13/116) of the pregnant women were RT-PCR+, 25% (29/116) were IgG+ and 4.3% (5/116) were positive for both tests. Symptoms such as rhinorrhea (P = .04), cough (P = .02) and polypnea (P = .04) in pregnant women were related to COVID-19, also leukocyte index was higher in pregnant women with COVID-19 (P = .03), but the associations were lost after the Bonferroni correction. No laboratory parameters or underlying diseases were associated with COVID-19, and most infected pregnant women had mild cases. We found an association between the influenza vaccine and less common COVID-19 symptoms in pregnant women who were infected (P = .01). A total of 7.2% (6/84) of neonates were RT-PCR+, 35.7% (30/84) were IgG+, and there were no symptoms or underlying diseases associated with neonates who were infected. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that some symptoms were related to COVID-19, most pregnant women and neonates had mild cases, and the influenza vaccine could decrease the severity of COVID-19 cases in pregnant women., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Omicron is the most mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant-a factor that can affect transmissibility, disease severity, and immune evasiveness. Its genomic surveillance is important in cities with millions of inhabitants and an economic center, such as Mexico City. Results. From 16 November to 31 December 2021, we observed an increase of 88% in Omicron prevalence in Mexico City. We explored the R346K substitution, prevalent in 42% of Omicron variants, known to be associated with immune escape by monoclonal antibodies. In a phylogenetic analysis, we found several independent exchanges between Mexico and the world, and there was an event followed by local transmission that gave rise to most of the Omicron diversity in Mexico City. A haplotype analysis revealed that there was no association between haplotype and vaccination status. Among the 66% of patients who have been vaccinated, no reported comorbidities were associated with Omicron; the presence of odynophagia and the absence of dysgeusia were significant predictor symptoms for Omicron, and the RT-qPCR Ct values were lower for Omicron. Conclusions. Genomic surveillance is key to detecting the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants in a timely manner, even weeks before the onset of an infection wave, and can inform public health decisions and detect the spread of any mutation that may affect therapeutic efficacy.

Few reports have shared the workflows to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections among risk groups, including healthcare workers (HCWs). This study describes an occupational health program implemented to reduce the incidence of COVID-19 and establishes a back-to-work algorithm in HCWs of 129 Salud Digna outpatient care clinics in Mexico. This program was composed of training plans, screening SARS-CoV-2 infections, the containment of infections, follow-up COVID-19 cases, and continuing supervision in addition to the steady supply and training for the correct use of PPE. From 16 April 2020 to 15 April 2021, 7376 individuals were enrolled, of which 423 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria or refused the follow-up. In the cohort studied, we found a COVID-19 incidence of 35.4% (2610 individuals), lower hospitalization (0.11%), ICU (0.04%) and lethality rate (0.04%). Additionally, 85.9% of COVID-19 cases tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 after 14 days of the first positive test with an average isolation time of 26-33 days. Finally, 99% of people received personal protective equipment and adequate training to use it. Our results show that the program implemented reduced the hospitalization ICU admission and lethality in HCWs; we consider this workflow to help other workplaces offer safe conditions for HCWs and patients.

Aim: To identify associations among allelic variants of the genes FTO, ABCA1, ADRB3, and PPARG with anthropometric and biochemical traits, metabolic diseases (obesity, T2D or metabolic syndrome) in an adult population from Northwest Mexico., Methods: Blood samples were collected from 846 subjects including 266 normal weight subjects, 285 with obesity, and 295 with T2D. Of the 846 persons in the study, 365 presented metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria. Anthropometric and biochemical traits were recorded and 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): FTO rs9939609 A-allele, ABCA1 rs9282541 A-allele, ADRB3 rs4994 G-allele, and PPARG rs1801282 G-allele were genotyped by real-time PCR., Results: FTO rs9939609 A-allele was significantly associated with obesity (p: 8.3 × 10 -4 ), and metabolic syndrome (p: 0.001), but no individual SNPs were significantly associated with T2D. Finally, the cumulative risk of the four SNPs was significantly associated with obesity (p: 1.95 × 10 -4 )., Conclusion: Associations in FTO, ABCA, ADRB3, and PPARG SNPs presented in this study with obesity and metabolic syndrome could represent a risk for developing metabolic diseases in Northwest Mexican adult subjects., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is one of the most concerning health problems around the globe. We reported the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.519 in Mexico City. We reported the effective reproduction number (Rt) of B.1.1.519 and presented evidence of its geographical origin based on phylogenetic analysis. We also studied its evolution via haplotype analysis and identified the most recurrent haplotypes. Finally, we studied the clinical impact of B.1.1.519. The B.1.1.519 variant was predominant between November 2020 and May 2021, reaching 90% of all cases sequenced in February 2021. It is characterized by three amino acid changes in the spike protein: T478K, P681H, and T732A. Its Rt varies between 0.5 and 2.9. Its geographical origin remain to be investigated. Patients infected with variant B.1.1.519 showed a highly significant adjusted odds ratio (aOR) increase of 1.85 over non-B.1.1.519 patients for developing a severe/critical outcome ( p = 0.000296, 1.33-2.6 95% CI) and a 2.35-fold increase for hospitalization ( p = 0.005, 1.32-4.34 95% CI). The continuous monitoring of this and other variants will be required to control the ongoing pandemic as it evolves.

The first cases of unexplained pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China, in December of 2019. Later, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified as the causal agent of pneumonia. This virus has since spread to more than 180 countries and has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Herein, we aimed to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of symptomatic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the relationship between the influenza vaccine with a lower risk of severe COVID-19 infection in the state of Sinaloa. We collected demographic and clinical data of 4,040 patients with acute respiratory infections across Sinaloa state hospitals from February 28 to May 15, 2020. The prevalence of COVID-19 among hospitalized patients with respiratory symptoms in Sinaloa showed 45.2% of men were more affected than women ( p < 0.001), and people aged 40-49 years were the most affected. The main symptoms of COVID-19 infection were cough and fever ( p < 0.001), while hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes were the chronic diseases associated with COVID-19 than non-COVID-19 ( p < 0.003). Healthcare workers were most likely to be infected compared to other occupations ( p < 0.001). The general lethality rate was 14.1%, and males >62 years were the ones who had a higher lethality rate ( p < 0.001); the aforementioned chronic diseases were related to higher lethality of COVID-19 ( p < 0.001). Likewise, higher lethality was seen in housewives and patient retirees/pensioners compared with other occupations ( p < 0.001). Finally, we found there was a relationship between influenza vaccination and a lower risk of severe COVID-19 infection and mortality ( p < 0.001). These findings showed that healthcare workers, men >62 years with chronic diseases, and retired people were most affected. Furthermore, the influenza vaccine could decrease the severeness of COVID-19 cases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Angulo-Zamudio, Martínez-Villa, Leon-Sicairos, Flores-Villaseñor, Velazquez-Roman, Campos-Romero, Alcántar-Fernández, Urrea, Muro-Amador, Medina-Serrano, Martinez-Garcia, Sanchez-Cuen, Angulo-Rocha and Canizalez-Roman.)

In Mexico, HPV vaccines available immunize against genotypes 16/18 and 16/18/6/11; however, there is limited surveillance about carcinogenic subtypes in different states of the country that allow evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination and cervical cancer screening programs. Here, we report the regional and age-specific prevalence of 14 hr-HPV genotypes as well as their prevalence in abnormal cytology (from ASCUS to cervical cancer) among Mexican women which were undergoing from cervical cancer screening in the Salud Digna clinics in 20 states of the country. This study includes women with social security from the majority of public health institutions (IMSS, ISSSTE, SEMAR, and PEMEX), and women without social security. For cervical cancer screening, we used the SurePath liquid-based cytology and the BD Onclarity HPV Assay. From December 1, 2016, to August 2, 2018, the hr-HPV prevalence among 60,135 women was 24.78%, the most prevalent types were HPV 16 (4.13%), HPV 31 (4.12%) and HPV 51 (3.39%), while HPV 18 (1.70%) was less prevalent among infected women. Interestingly, the genotypes not covered by current vaccines in Mexico were commonly found in precancerous lesions, evidencing their carcinogenic potential, so it is necessary to increase their surveillance and inclusion in cervical cancer screening triage.

Background: We undertook this study to make an accurate cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness assessment of the "Telemedicina Anáhuac" project, which provides virtual satellite medical care via fixed teleconsultations and movable units in rural/marginal areas., Methods: The basis of the study was a bibliographical analysis of health areas., Results: When making a monetary analysis and observing fair profits, accessibility and increase in coverage in these populations, it is easier to determine whether or not the project is viable and whether or not it accomplishes cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness conditions. It has not been possible to accurately evaluate epidemiological situations or their changes and impact on health because of the short duration of the project in each community. The most valuable benefit of "Telemedicina Anáhuac" is the appropriate medical referral of surgical patients., Conclusions: From the results obtained, we are aware that this project offers to our country a great opportunity to resolve health problems in marginalized areas. It offers several benefits to the population, to the Health Ministry, to the personnel and to the social service medical students who operate it. In the surgical area, better diagnoses are obtained, and the project helps to decongest the second level of medical care in Mexico.