Background The use of dexamethasone in patients infected with Strongyloides stercoralis can cause severe complications. It is necessary to investigate the relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and strongyloidiasis infection. Methods A retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive study was undertaken to review all patients admitted with a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection at the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca, Spain, during 1 March–31 December 2020. Results A total of 2567 patients received a diagnosis of COVID-19. Eighty-six patients from endemic areas were included. Seven patients had strongyloidiasis. Five patients were female. The mean age (±SD) was 39 (±10.8) y. Six patients were Latin-American and only one patient was from Africa. Six patients had previous symptoms compatible with strongyloidiasis infections. Only three patients received dexamethasone (6 mg once daily) for 10 d. In all cases, the clinical courses of the patients were satisfactory. No patient died or was admitted to the ICU. Conclusions Screening programmes using serological techniques should be implemented in COVID-19 patients to prevent strongyloidiasis. Our study suggested that drugs used against COVID-19 in patients with strongyloidiasis did not affect the evolution of the disease. However, more studies are necessary to elucidate the role of dexamethasone in COVID-19 patients infected with Strongyloides.

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Background. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem that causes multiple comorbidities. People in prisons who inject intravenous drugs are at increased risk of HCV infection, and HCV infection is 15-fold more prevalent among prisoners compared with the community. The objective of this study was to analyse the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of residents of a Spanish prison with HCV infection who received antiviral treatment. Material and methods. An observational, descriptive and retrospective study was performed. All patients with HCV infection diagnosed or followed up in an Infectious Diseases attached to a penitentiary were included in this study. Results. Of 81 patients analysed, sixty-nine (83.1%) patients were male. The mean age was 50.1 (SD8.8) years, and 70% of the inmates had a history of injection drug use. Coinfection with HIV was detected in 30%. In up to 25% of the sample, there were data on chronic liver disease in the degree of liver cirrhosis. The diagnosis of HCV infection had been made more than 15 years earlier in 28% of those studied. Decompensations from liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, or hospital admissions were exceptional. Most of the inmates with HCV accepted treatment, and approximately 94% of the patients who completed treatment achieved a sustained virological response without interactions or complications of interest. Conclusions. The availability of direct-acting antivirals and their exceptional side effects constitute an opportunity to reduce the burden of HCV infection in Spain, particularly in these high-risk populations.