María Mercedes Ávila

University of Oxford

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María A. Pando

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida

Rubén Marone

Asociación por los Derechos Civiles

Mercedes Weissenbacher

Academia Nacional de Medicina

Silvia M. Montano

Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi

Victoria Barreda

Asociación por los Derechos Civiles

Iván C. Balán

Florida State University

Alex Carballo‐Diéguez

Columbia University

Jean K. Carr

Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Horacio Salomón

University of Buenos Aires

Curtis Dolezal

New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute

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Kawasaki Hospital

149

University of Buenos Aires

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Naval Medical Research Command

Naval Medical Research Unit Six

Johns Hopkins University

Asociación por los Derechos Civiles

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Two HIV-1 Epidemics in Argentina: Different Genetic Subtypes Associated With Different Risk Groups

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2002)

María Mercedes Ávila María A. Pando Gladys Carrión Liliana Martínez Peralta Horacio Salomón

Summary: This study determined the risk behaviors and viral subtypes of HIV-1 found in 134 heterosexual HIV-seroprevalent maternity patients, 41 of their sexual partners (men who have sex with women [MSW]), and 95 homosexual men (men who have sex with men [MSM]) from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified from blood and used for DNA extraction, amplification, and genotyping by the envelope heteroduplex mobility assay (env HMA). Most of the women had been infected by having sex with an already infected partner (84%), whereas most of the male partners had been infected via drug use (76%). Both the patients and their sexual partners were poorly educated, only 30% having completed secondary school. The MSM study subjects, however, were significantly better educated and had a lower prevalence of injecting drug use. Env HMA subtype F was found in 77% (103 of 134) of the maternity patients, with similar rates in their partners (73%). Most of the remaining samples were env subtype B. All but one of the couples was concordant in subtype. In the MSM risk group, however, only 10% were env HMA subtype F. Ninety percent of the MSM samples were subtype B. There are at least two independent epidemics of HIV-1 infection in Buenos Aires, Argentina. One, in heterosexual men and women, is dominated by env subtype F whereas the other, in homosexual men, is dominated by env subtype B, as determined by env HMA.

Heteroduplex

10.1097/00042560-200204010-00015

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Citations (8)

Latinas Experiences with Sexual Satisfaction, Pleasure and Desire: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Affilia (2022)

Christine Velez María Mercedes Ávila Jared I. Best Jaylyn Chalco

While factors related to undesirable consequences of sexual activity for Latinas are well documented, Latinas’ experiences with sexual satisfaction and pleasure in the broader context of sexual health remain understudied. The objective of this study is to increase understanding around adult Latinas’ experiences with sexual satisfaction, pleasure, and desire. Participants were recruited via a combination of convenience and snowball sampling approaches and engaged in individual interviews which utilized a semi-structured approach. Twenty self-identified Latina women, ages 19–37, participated. Participants represented diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds within the Latina diaspora. Three themes (each with subthemes) emerged from this analysis: (1) Latina women value sex and sexuality, (2) specific factors make their sexual experiences more or less pleasurable, and (3) experiences of being Latina shape sexual relationships and encounters. These findings have implications for social work education, practice, and policy. Critical and strengths-based approaches encourage questioning and critiquing power dynamics in the sexual lives of Latina women and have potential to inform work with other groups.

Snowball sampling

Exploratory research

10.1177/08861099221137560

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Citations (0)

High Frequency of Illegal Drug Use Influences Condom Use Among Female Transgender Sex Workers in Argentina: Impact on HIV and Syphilis Infections

AIDS and Behavior (2017)

María Mercedes Ávila María Sol dos Ramos Farías Lucía Fazzi Marcela Romero Elena Reynaga

Health psychology

Transgender women

Sex Work

10.1007/s10461-017-1766-x

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Citations (24)

Human immunodeficiency virus bDNA assay for pediatric cases.

PubMed (2000)

María Mercedes Ávila Diana Liberatore Liliana Martínez Peralta Mirna Biglione O Libonatti

BDNA test

Source

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Citations (2)

HIV Knowledge and Beliefs Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) in Buenos Aires, Argentina

AIDS and Behavior (2013)

María A. Pando Iván C. Balán Rubén Marone Curtis Dolezal Victoria Barreda

Health psychology

Anal sex

10.1007/s10461-012-0404-x

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Adenovirus type 7h respiratory infections: a report of 29 cases of acute lower respiratory disease

Acta Paediatrica (1993)

Patricia Murtagh Cristina Cerqueiro Alicia Halac María Mercedes Ávila Adriana E. Kajon

Twenty‐nine cases of pediatric acute lower respiratory disease associated with adenovirus genome type 7h were evaluated retrospectively. They constituted 2.4% of 1233 cases of acute respiratory infections treated in five hospitals in Buenos Aires, between September 1984 and September 1988. Pneumonia and bronchiolitis were the principal diagnoses. The mean age of patients was 8.8 months and 82.7% of the children were less than one year of age. None of the patients had previously been exposed to measles or was immunocompromised. A mixed infection, viral or bacterial, was demonstrated in 8 of the 29 patients. Sixteen children developed a severe pulmonary disease which required intensive care. Ten with a clinical diagnosis of multifocal pneumonia and necrotizing bronchiolitis died. Extrapulmonary manifestations were observed in the most severe cases. Observations suggest a possible high pathogenicity of adenovirus type 7h and emphasize the need for adequate control and case management programs.

Croup

Adenovirus infection

10.1111/j.1651-2227.1993.tb12753.x

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Citations (83)

High HIV–Trypanosoma cruzi Coinfection Levels in Vulnerable Populations in Buenos Aires, Argentina

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses (2016)

Andrés Benchetrit Guadalupe Andreani María Mercedes Ávila Diana Rossi Ana M. De Rissio

The coinfection with Tripanosoma cruzi (T.cruzi) and HIV is a relevant clinical event.The goal of this study was to establish the frequency of coinfection in at-risk populations for HIV infection from Argentina.A total of 280 HIV positive serum samples from HIV seroprevalence studies in HIV at-risk groups were tested for T.cruzi infection.Of those samples, 8 were positive for T. cruzi (coinfection rate: 2.9%); 6 of them came from HIV positive intravenous drug users (IDUs)( rate: 7.8%).In view of these results, all HIV infected patients in Argentina should undergo T. cruzi diagnosis, especially IDUs.

10.1089/aid.2016.0068

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Health Equity for Abenaki Indigenous People: Improving Access to Quality Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Health Equity (2022)

María Mercedes Ávila Christine B. Vining Joshuaa D. Allison‐Burbank Christine Velez

The purpose of this study was to learn about the Abenaki Indigenous communities' access to services, specifically, their beliefs and knowledge about different types of mental health and substance abuse services and supports within their communities.This was an exploratory qualitative study using a focus group approach. Two focus groups were conducted in spring 2020 with community members and tribal leaders from different Abenaki Bands in Franklin, Chittenden, and Addison Counties and the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont. Participants were recruited via a mix of convenience and snowball sampling approaches.A total of 15 Abenaki community members participated in 2 separate focus groups, including 5 current and former Chiefs who served or were currently serving as the primary leadership of this state-recognized tribe. Members of the Abenaki community communicated that the loss and erasure of their culture combined with lack of trust of community support agencies impacted the ways in which the Abenaki community conceptualizes health and wellness for themselves and thus impacts parenting and youth substance use as well as opioid use and prescription drug misuse for participants in this study.Abenaki Indigenous experience many obstacles to effective prevention and intervention services. Recruitment of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals, specifically Abenaki, into the health and mental health workforce can support health equity efforts for this population. Finally, better efforts to foster and support AI/AN culture, specifically Abenaki culture, can support substance use and suicide prevention with this vulnerable community.

Snowball sampling

Community-Based Participatory Research

10.1089/heq.2022.0091

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Citations (1)

HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TYPE 1 AND OTHER VIRAL CO-INFECTIONS AMONG YOUNG HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN IN ARGENTINA

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2004)

María de los Ángeles Pando Mirna Biglione M Fernández Toscano Rey J Kevin L. Russell

Infections with hepatitis C virus, (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human T lymphotropic type I/II (HTLV-I/II) virus are commonly found in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We conducted a seroepidemiologic study among 174 HIV-positive heterosexuals in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1999. Evidence of exposure to HCV, HBV, and HTLV-I/II was found in 32%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. A higher prevalence of HBV infection was observed among males (33%) compared with females (12%; P < 0.05). Among women, a prior history of a sexually transmitted infection, injecting drug use (IDU), having had more than five lifetime sex partners, and having exchanged sex-for-goods were significantly associated with HCV infection, whereas an IDU history, syringe sharing, and having exchanged sex-for-goods were found to be associated with HBV infection. Among men, an IDU history and syringe/needle sharing were significantly associated with HCV infection. The IDU-related and sexual transmission of hepatitis viruses constitute a significant problem among young, HIV-infected, heterosexuals in Argentina.

Hepatitis C

Sexual transmission

Hepatitis B

Heterosexuality

10.4269/ajtmh.2004.71.153

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Citations (26)

Incidence of HIV Type 1 Infection, Antiretroviral Drug Resistance, and Molecular Characterization in Newly Diagnosed Individuals in Argentina: A Global Fund Project

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses (2010)

María A. Pando Manuel Gómez-Carrillo Moira Vignoles Andrea Rubio María Sol dos Ramos Farías

An HIV incidence estimation was performed among men who have sex with men (MSM), drug users (DUs), sex workers (SWs), and pregnant women (PW) from Argentina. Volunteers older than 18 years old without a previous HIV-positive diagnosis were included. HIV-positive samples were analyzed by the Serological Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion (STARHS) to estimate incidence. By partial RT-PCR and sequencing of the HIV pol gene, an HIV subtype and resistance profile were determined. A total of 12,192 volunteers were recruited from October 2006 to September 2008. A higher HIV prevalence was detected among trans SWs (33.9%, 38/112), male SWs (10.8%, 12/111), and MSM 10.4% (161/1549). HIV incidence estimates by STARHS was also higher on trans SWs (11.31 per 100 person-years), male SWs (6.06 per 100 person-years), and MSM (6.36 per 100 person-years). Antiretroviral primary resistant mutations were detected in 8.4% of the study group, with a higher frequency in female DUs (33.3%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that 124 (57.9%) samples were subtype B, 84 (39.3%) intersubtype BF recombinants, 5 (2.3%) subtype C, and 1 (0.5%) subtype F in the pol region. Subtype B was most commonly found in MSM and male SWs whereas the intersubtype BF recombinant was more prevalent in female DUs, female SWs, and PW. Given the high HIV prevalence and incidence found in most of these groups, monitoring the continuing spread of the HIV epidemic is essential for determining public health priorities, assessing the impact of interventions, and estimating current and future health care needs.

Seroconversion

10.1089/aid.2010.0013

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Citations (43)