Testing for SARS-CoV-2 at the core of voluntary collective isolation: Lessons from the indigenous populations living in the Amazon region in Ecuador

Ortíz-Prado, Esteban; Rivera-Olivero, Ismar A.; Freire‐Paspuel, Byron; Lowe, Rachel; Lozada, Tannya; Henriquez-Trujillo, Aquiles R.; García-Bereguiaín, Miguel Angel

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.02.039

Cited by 15 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Two physicians were in charge of performing the swabs in both communities. The extraction of the genetic material was performed by well-trained laboratorists from the molecular medicine laboratory of the university [26,27].…”

Section: Nasopharyngeal Sample Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Analysis at Low and High Altitude: A Case Study from Ecuador

Ortíz-Prado

Simbaña-Rivera

Fernandez-Naranjo

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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SARS-CoV-2 has spread throughout the world, including remote areas such as those located at high altitudes. There is a debate about the role of hypobaric hypoxia on viral transmission and COVID-19 incidence. A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral load among patients living at low (230 m) and high altitude (3800 m) in Ecuador was completed. Within these two communities, the total number of infected people at the time of the study was 108 cases (40.3%). The COVID-19 incidence proportion at low altitude was 64% while at high altitude was 30.3%. The mean viral load from those patients who tested positive was 3,499,184 copies/mL (SD = 23,931,479 copies/mL). At low altitude (Limoncocha), the average viral load was 140,223.8 copies/mL (SD = 990,840.9 copies/mL), while for the high altitude group (Oyacachi), the mean viral load was 6,394,789 copies/mL (SD = 32,493,469 copies/mL). We found no statistically significant differences when both results were compared (p = 0.056). We found no significant differences across people living at low or high altitude; however, men and younger populations had higher viral load than women older populations, respectively.

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Section: Nasopharyngeal Sample Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Analysis at Low and High Altitude: A Case Study from Ecuador

Ortíz-Prado

Simbaña-Rivera

Fernandez-Naranjo

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…6,7,20 Furthermore, no information about the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 among community-dwelling asymptomatic individuals beyond the few studies carried out by universities is available. 7,11,[21][22][23] In this context, the present study is a follow-up of a previous short report publish in this journal. 11 Now, with 15 cantons from Manab ı Province included and more than 4,000 community-dwelling individuals tested, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate of 16.13% clearly supports that uncontained SARS-CoV-2 community transmission was happening in Manab ı Province during August-September 2020.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Moreover, this information is mainly coming from government reports that are frequently incomplete for Ecuador. 6,7,11,[20][21][22][23] According to the few scientific reports available, SARS-CoV-2 community transmission was happening in Ecuador 11,[21][22][23] during the first half-year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not enough testing capacity was available across the country, particularly among rural and indigenous communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Community Transmission and Super Spreaders in Rural Villages from Manabi Province in the Coastal Region of Ecuador Assessed by Massive Testing of Community-Dwelling Population

Rodriguez-Paredes

Vallejo-Janeta

Morales-Jadán

et al. 2022

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Neglected rural communities in Latin America are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to a poor health infrastructure and limited access to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnosis. Manabí is a province of the Coastal Region of Ecuador characterized by a high prevalence of rural population living under poverty conditions. In the current study, we present the retrospective analysis of the results of a massive SARS-CoV-2 testing operation in nonhospitalized populations from Manabí carried out from August to September 2020. A total of 4,003 people from 15 cantons were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction, resulting in an overall infection rate of 16.13% for SARS-CoV-2, with several communities > 30%. Moreover, 29 SARS-CoV-2 super-spreader community-dwelling individuals with viral loads above 108 copies/mL were found. These results support that uncontrolled COVID-19 community transmission was happening in Manabí during the first semester of COVID-19 pandemic. This report endorses the utility of massive SARS-CoV-2 testing among asymptomatic population for control and surveillance of COVID-19.

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“…Moreover, 61.9% of the total SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests done at the Amazonian province of Pastaza were done at our laboratory. Notably, our medical brigades carried out massive COVID-19 surveillance at Waorani People communities, one of the most endangered Amazonian ethnic groups [ 7 ]. Our coordinated actions with Waorani leaders to report SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks on their communities supported the lawsuit, previously filed on May 21st 2020, and directed to Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno and Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, for the lack of protective actions against COVID-19 spread.…”

Section: The Role Of the Universities Improving Sars-cov-2 Surveillance In Neglected Provinces And Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crucial contribution of the universities to SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in Ecuador: Lessons for developing countries

et al. 2021

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COVID-19 pandemic has challenged public health systems worldwide, particularly affecting developing countries in Latin America like Ecuador. In this report, we exposed the fundamental role of the Ecuadorian universities to improve COVID-19 surveillance in the country, with an overall contribution over 15% of the total SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests done. We highlight the role of our university during the first semester of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to a massive free SARS-CoV-2 testing up to almost 10% of the total diagnosis completed in the country, mainly focus on underserved urban, rural and indigenous communities. Finally, we described our contribution to a high quality and low-cost SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR diagnostic in Ecuador.

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Testing for SARS-CoV-2 at the core of voluntary collective isolation: Lessons from the indigenous populations living in the Amazon region in Ecuador

Cited by 15 publications

References 10 publications

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Analysis at Low and High Altitude: A Case Study from Ecuador

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Analysis at Low and High Altitude: A Case Study from Ecuador

COVID-19 Community Transmission and Super Spreaders in Rural Villages from Manabi Province in the Coastal Region of Ecuador Assessed by Massive Testing of Community-Dwelling Population

Crucial contribution of the universities to SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in Ecuador: Lessons for developing countries

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