Research Interests: Biochemistry, Construction Materials, Computational Biology, Biotechnology, Cancer, and 15 moreEnvironmental Health, Cell Biology, Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Biological Sciences, Guatemala, Region, IRS, Chagas disease, Infestation, Round, Indoor residual spraying, Medical and Health Sciences, Latin Americans, and Entomological indices
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Permethrin-impregnated bed nets were evaluated as a control measure for malaria in northern Guatemala. Twelve hundred forty participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups (impregnated bed nets [IBN], untreated bed nets... more
Permethrin-impregnated bed nets were evaluated as a control measure for malaria in northern Guatemala. Twelve hundred forty participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups (impregnated bed nets [IBN], untreated bed nets [UBN], and controls) and followed up for a period of 13 months. The incidence density of malaria was significantly lower in both IBN (86 cases/1,000 person-years) and UBN groups (106/1,000) compared with that in controls (200/1,000). No difference in malaria incidence was noted between the IBN and UBN groups. Complaints of fever and chills were less frequent in the IBN group compared with controls. The participants were enthusiastic about the nets, which they saw as a means for avoiding nuisance insects more than for preventing malaria. Most (85%) wanted to wash their nets every 4-12 weeks, a practice known to shorten the duration of residual insecticide action. Larger studies are needed to determine whether or not impregnated bed nets offer an advantage over untreated nets in this setting.
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La demanda de indicadores sencillos, prácticos y específicos del riesgo de bajo peso al nacer (~2.5 kg), es cada vez mayor, debido a su importancia pronóstica en términos de desarrollo posnatal, morbilidad y mortalidad. Con el fin de... more
La demanda de indicadores sencillos, prácticos y específicos del riesgo de bajo peso al nacer (~2.5 kg), es cada vez mayor, debido a su importancia pronóstica en términos de desarrollo posnatal, morbilidad y mortalidad. Con el fin de satisfacer esa demanda, recientemente se ha propuesto una serie de indicadores aplicables a los grupos más pobres de población, cuyo valor de predicción es independiente del conocimiento de la edad gestacional. Entre estos indicadores se han sugerido las características de vivienda familiar, la talla y los perímetros cefálico y braquial de la madre (I-3). Además, siempre que exista información confiable sobre la edad gestacional, la ganancia de peso durante el embarazo también constituye un indicador muy útil para detectar a las madres
Research Interests: Humanities and Medicine
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The objective of this report is to evaluate the utility of the ratio of head to chest circumference (head circumference/chest circumference x 100: H/ C ratio) as an index of the nutritional status of individuals and populations. The use... more
The objective of this report is to evaluate the utility of the ratio of head to chest circumference (head circumference/chest circumference x 100: H/ C ratio) as an index of the nutritional status of individuals and populations. The use of the ratio has been recommended for the ...
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The need for a valid, precise and simple field method to estimate protein ingestion of both populations and individuals has been often stated. Dietary survey interviews have been frequently used for this purpose, but their test-retest... more
The need for a valid, precise and simple field method to estimate protein ingestion of both populations and individuals has been often stated. Dietary survey interviews have been frequently used for this purpose, but their test-retest correlations are relatively low. As a result, in order to ...
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Research Interests: Environmental Health, Risk, Housing, Medicine, Birth Weight, and 14 moreRural Health, Cephalometry, Pregnancy, Humans, Guatemala, Low Birth Weight, Female, Diet Therapy, Estimation, Infant Mortality, Body Height, Socioeconomic Factors, Pregnancy complications, and Paediatrics and reproductive medicine
... By REYNALDO MARTORELL, JEAN-PIERRE HABICHT, CHARLES YARBROUGH, AARON LECHTIG and ROBERT E. KLEIN. Division of Human Development, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), Calzada Roosevelt, Zone 11, Guatemala City... more
... By REYNALDO MARTORELL, JEAN-PIERRE HABICHT, CHARLES YARBROUGH, AARON LECHTIG and ROBERT E. KLEIN. Division of Human Development, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), Calzada Roosevelt, Zone 11, Guatemala City ...
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A longitudinal study was conducted into the effects of chronic malnutrition of physical and mental development. The study involved provision of 2 nutritional supplements for pregnant and lactating women and their children in 4 rural... more
A longitudinal study was conducted into the effects of chronic malnutrition of physical and mental development. The study involved provision of 2 nutritional supplements for pregnant and lactating women and their children in 4 rural villages in Guatemala. Preventive and outpatient curative medical care was also provided. Caloric supplementation was found to be associated with a lower proportion of low birth weight babies and a lower rate of infant mortality. This association was not affected by maternal size home diet morbidity during pregnancy obstetrical characteristics or socioeconomic status. The association remained constant across 2 consecutive births by the same mother. The study data is presented in charts and bar graphs. If such high-risk factors as maternal height head and arm circumference were used to select a population nutritional supplementation programs could be even more effective.
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There is evidence that calorie and protein-calorie supplementation of pregnant women from rural populations of Guatemala decreased the prevalence of intrauterine growth retardation. Moreover, results during pregnancy indicate that the two... more
There is evidence that calorie and protein-calorie supplementation of pregnant women from rural populations of Guatemala decreased the prevalence of intrauterine growth retardation. Moreover, results during pregnancy indicate that the two types of food supplement tested: ...
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... Signatura : GT3.1, Esp/INCAP/I-953. Autor : Delgado, Hernán L. Lechtig, Aaron. Brineman, Elena. Martorell, Reynaldo. Yarbrough, Charles. Klein, Robert E. Título : Nutrition and birth interval components: the Guatemalan experience. P.... more
... Signatura : GT3.1, Esp/INCAP/I-953. Autor : Delgado, Hernán L. Lechtig, Aaron. Brineman, Elena. Martorell, Reynaldo. Yarbrough, Charles. Klein, Robert E. Título : Nutrition and birth interval components: the Guatemalan experience. P. imprenta : New York. ESTADOS UNIDOS. ...
Research Interests: Obstetrics, Menstruation, Lactation, Medicine, Pregnancy, and 3 moreOvulation, Live birth, and Springer Ebooks
1. Hum Biol. 1979 Sep;51(3):371-89. Malnutrition, body size, and skeletal maturation: interrelationships and implications for catch-up growth. Martorell R, Yarbrough C, Klein RE, Lechtig A. PMID: 230145 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].... more
1. Hum Biol. 1979 Sep;51(3):371-89. Malnutrition, body size, and skeletal maturation: interrelationships and implications for catch-up growth. Martorell R, Yarbrough C, Klein RE, Lechtig A. PMID: 230145 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]. Publication Types: ...
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The need for a valid, precise and simple field method to estimate protein ingestion of both populations and individuals has been often stated. Dietary survey interviews have been frequently used for this purpose, but their test-retest... more
The need for a valid, precise and simple field method to estimate protein ingestion of both populations and individuals has been often stated. Dietary survey interviews have been frequently used for this purpose, but their test-retest correlations are relatively low. As a result, in order to ...
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Research Interests: Medical Microbiology, Environmental Health, Agriculture, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreEmerging Infectious Diseases, Disease Outbreaks, Humans, Child, Guatemala, Animals, Infant, Fruit, Clinical Sciences, Coccidiosis, Epidemiologic Studies, Food Parasitology, Cyclospora, Case Control Studies, and Child preschool
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Research Interests: Engineering, Medicine, Early Childhood, Birth Weight, Humans, and 15 moreGuatemala, Female, Age Estimation, Infant, American, Newborn Infant, Deciduous, Deciduous teeth, Incisor, Body Weight, Child preschool, Deciduous tooth, Molar, Medical and Health Sciences, and Infant nutritional physiological phenomena
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High incidence of elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values and low frequency of lower limbs edema (LLE) have been commonly acknowledged as characteristics of pregnant women from low socio-economic strata in which protein-calorie... more
High incidence of elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values and low frequency of lower limbs edema (LLE) have been commonly acknowledged as characteristics of pregnant women from low socio-economic strata in which protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) is highly ...
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This paper discusses some conditions necessary to detect an effect of maternal nutrition on birth weight and the relative contribution of calories and protein to such an effect. The expected dose- and time-response relationships for... more
This paper discusses some conditions necessary to detect an effect of maternal nutrition on birth weight and the relative contribution of calories and protein to such an effect. The expected dose- and time-response relationships for nutritional interventions aimed at the improvement of birth weight are also discussed. There appears to be a minimal level of nutrients which must be available in order to obtain adequate birth weight. However, above this minimum level, pregnant women can adapt themselves to a wide variety of food intake, both in quantity and quality, without affecting birth weight. The relative contribution of calories and protein to an increase in birth weight depends on the limiting nutrients of the home diet in the population under study. Other factors like physical activity, prevalence of disease and magnitude of the maternal nutritional stores before pregnancy are also important determinants of the relative contribution of calories and protein to birth weight. The anticipated input of a nutritional intervention on birth weight should range between 25 and 84 g of birth weight/10,000 kcal ingested during pregnancy. This estimate was computed from analyses based on four sources of published data: weight gain during pregnancy, prepregnant weight, fetomaternal body composition, and food intake during pregnancy. The expected reduction in proportion of low birth weight (LBW less than 2.5 kg) babies following a nutritional intervention will depend not only on the estimated range of fetal weight increase but also on the total amount of supplemented calories ingested during pregnancy as well as on the existent proportion of low birth weight babies prior to the intervention. The offspring of women who have low prepregnant weight, poor diet, low level of replacement of the home diet by the supplement, low physical activity during pregnancy and good health status will show larger increase in birth weight per unit of supplemented calories. Finally, nutritional interventions during pregnancy as opposed to earlier in the life of the mother, should have the higher impact on birth weight. In consequence, interventions as of pregnancy are recommended.
Research Interests: Engineering, Medicine, Energy Metabolism, Birth Weight, Pregnancy, and 15 morePopulation, Humans, Guatemala, Female, Body Composition, American, Body Weight, Fetus, Gestational Age, Calorie, Maternal-fetal exchange, Nutritional Requirements of Freshwater Fish, Rural Population, Pregnancy complications, and Medical and Health Sciences
In support of the National Program for Chagas Disease Control, we conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection across the five Departments (Chiquimula, Jalapa, Zacapa, Jutiapa, and... more
In support of the National Program for Chagas Disease Control, we conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection across the five Departments (Chiquimula, Jalapa, Zacapa, Jutiapa, and Santa Rosa) that are believed to comprise the entire principal endemic area in Guatemala. Also, so that the results could be used to identify areas of active transmission, we conducted the survey in school-aged children. We used an experimental enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with blood samples obtained by finger prick to estimate the seroprevalence of T. cruzi. This assay has been previously tested and showed good sensitivity and specificity. Overall, the seropositivity rate for T. cruzi infection was 5.28% (235 of 4,450). Of 173 communities evaluated, 35 (20.23%) had a seropositive rate ranging from 10% to 45%. A number of parameters, including but not limited to living conditions, were examined for possible association with seropositivity. While there are several associations, the strongest association with seropositivity is living in a house with a thatch roof. The survey results will permit the Ministry of Health to stratify T. cruzi-endemic communities, enabling local health authorities to efficiently focus on vector control operations.
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Surveys of residents of the Pacific coast of Guatemala revealed a lack of knowledge and many misconceptions about the transmission and treatment of malaria, which could adversely affect malaria control measures and antimalarial therapy.... more
Surveys of residents of the Pacific coast of Guatemala revealed a lack of knowledge and many misconceptions about the transmission and treatment of malaria, which could adversely affect malaria control measures and antimalarial therapy. Although mosquitoes are known to play an important role in malaria transmission and are thought to become infected by biting individuals with malaria, 75% of people interviewed believe that the mosquitoes can also acquire infections from contaminated water or by biting snakes and frogs. Furthermore, most residents believe that malaria can be acquired in other ways, such as by bathing too frequently or by drinking unboiled water. Although self-treatment of malaria with oral and injectable drugs purchased at stores and pharmacies is very common, less than 10% of the respondents were aware of the correct curative dose of chloroquine. Chloroquine injections are preferred to tablets and believed to be approximately three times as potent as tablets of the same concentration. Nearly two-thirds of the interviewees believed that pregnant and lactating women with malaria should avoid the use of chloroquine because it may cause a spontaneous abortion or dry up breast milk. Similar surveys of National Malaria Service workers and village malaria workers revealed higher levels of knowledge, although the village workers had many misconceptions about malaria transmission. An educational campaign directed at correcting some of these misconceptions should result in more appropriate self-treatment of malaria and greater acceptance by residents of personal protection methods and vector control and drug treatment programs.
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In a comparative study of evil eye ( mal de ojo), we demonstrate a methodology appropriate for the study of cultural transmission of beliefs. We studied four diverse populations with historical links to Spain: Puerto Ricans in... more
In a comparative study of evil eye ( mal de ojo), we demonstrate a methodology appropriate for the study of cultural transmission of beliefs. We studied four diverse populations with historical links to Spain: Puerto Ricans in Connecticut, Mexican Americans in south Texas, Mexicans in Guadalajara, and rural Guatemalans. Using agreement on ideas or themes about evil eye within and across sites, we identify specific ideas that may have persisted through time. The relevance of specific themes was estimated with a cultural consensus analysis. Mal de ojo was widely recognized in each community and higher community prevalence was associated with higher agreement on reported causes, symptoms, and treatments. Each community exhibited a distinct model for ojo, although models were highly similar between sites. Agreement among individuals and across communities suggests a pan-regional description for mal de ojo and possible content of older versions of these beliefs in Latin America.
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Although anthropologists have provided descriptions of many folk illnesses, few have systematically evaluated their prevalence and determined who is at greatest risk for acquiring them. This report attempts to provide a systematic... more
Although anthropologists have provided descriptions of many folk illnesses, few have systematically evaluated their prevalence and determined who is at greatest risk for acquiring them. This report attempts to provide a systematic description of the folk illness empacho including the symptoms that define it. Illness prevalence was estimated and subpopulations at greatest risk were identified from illness histories collected from a random sample of households in rural Guatemala. Empacho was found to constitute a distinct cluster of symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, headache, and lack of appetite. It differed from other gastrointestinal illnesses in that headaches were more likely and stomachaches were less likely to be reported. Empacho was highly prevalent and occurred in adults and children. Further, results showed that although empacho was frequently diagnosed by residents, folk healers were rarely consulted for any illness. Nevertheless, a strong association exists between a household diagnosis of empacho and the use of folk healers by those households (p less than .001).
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... 199-202. Article: AARON LECHTIG,; HERNAN DELGADO,; CHARLES YARBROUGH,; ROBERT E. KLEIN,; and REYNALDO MARTORELL. Field Indicators of High Risk of Infant Death Based on Birth Information J Trop Pediatr (1975) 21(4): 199-202... more
... 199-202. Article: AARON LECHTIG,; HERNAN DELGADO,; CHARLES YARBROUGH,; ROBERT E. KLEIN,; and REYNALDO MARTORELL. Field Indicators of High Risk of Infant Death Based on Birth Information J Trop Pediatr (1975) 21(4): 199-202 doi:10.1093/tropej/21.4.199. ...
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Research Interests: Anthropology, Malaria, Public Health, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreCollaborative Networks, Community Health Workers, Latin America, Humans, Child, Guatemala, Personnel Selection, Female, Inquiry, Male, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Public health systems and services research, and Clinical Competence
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Introduction The high proportion of babies with low birth weight (LBW < 2.5 kg) prevailing in the low socio-economic strata of many countries constitutes a major public health problem,1'6 and there is evidence that improved... more
Introduction The high proportion of babies with low birth weight (LBW < 2.5 kg) prevailing in the low socio-economic strata of many countries constitutes a major public health problem,1'6 and there is evidence that improved maternal nutrient intake decreases the incidence of these ...
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Research Interests: Medicine, Birth Weight, Malnutrition, Pregnancy, Humans, and 14 moreGuatemala, Placenta, Female, Socioeconomic Status, Dietary Carbohydrates, Health surveys, Urban Population, Review of Literature Protein Energy Malnutrition, Calorie, Nutritional Requirements of Freshwater Fish, Socioeconomic Factors, Rural Population, Pregnancy complications, and Paediatrics and reproductive medicine
ABSTRACT Their review of the available pertinent data convinces the authors that an improvement in nutritional status during pregnancy leads to a substantial decrease in the incidence of low birth weight infants in preindustrialized... more
ABSTRACT Their review of the available pertinent data convinces the authors that an improvement in nutritional status during pregnancy leads to a substantial decrease in the incidence of low birth weight infants in preindustrialized societies. Simple caloric supplementation is an important positive factor. Improved fetal growth may, in turn, contribute to a reduction in the high infant mortality in these countries.
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The main purpose of the Guatemalan Program of Primary Health Care (SINAPS) is to increase the effective coverage of primary health care services in rural populations of Guatemala. The Rural Health Promoter (RHP) provides services such as... more
The main purpose of the Guatemalan Program of Primary Health Care (SINAPS) is to increase the effective coverage of primary health care services in rural populations of Guatemala. The Rural Health Promoter (RHP) provides services such as community census and maps vaccinations detection and distribution of food supplements to pregnant women and preschool children at high risk of malnutrition oral rehydration to children with diarrhea primary curative care encouragement of longterm breastfeeding and promotion of health and environmental sanitation. The traditional birth attendant (TBA) provides care of normal pregnancy birth and puerperium detection of high nutritional risk newborns and referral of high risk pregnant women to health services. SINAPS external evaluation is performed through baseline and endline surveys carried out in a random sample of families in 3 control and 6 experimental Health Districts. Results indicate that both groups control and experimental were very similar before program implementation in terms of malnutrition infant mortality vaccinations and contraceptive usage. As of December 31 1981: 1) 100% of malnourished children were participating in the food supplementation program 2) 84% of households received oral rehydration salts and 3) prevalence of contraceptive usage increased from 10.7-15% after 3 months of the program. Personnel training is carried out in-service and as of 30 December 1981 405 RHPs and 228 TBAs were being trained. Several methods developed in SINAPS are currently being adopted at the national level in Guatemala and other Latin American countries.
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Page 1. AARON LECHT1G, ROBERT E. KLEIN, CARLOS HERNAN DAZA, MERRILL, S. READ AND SAMUEL G. KAHN Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Infant Health:* Implications for Action Report of An International Workshop, Panajachel, Guatemala, March... more
Page 1. AARON LECHT1G, ROBERT E. KLEIN, CARLOS HERNAN DAZA, MERRILL, S. READ AND SAMUEL G. KAHN Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Infant Health:* Implications for Action Report of An International Workshop, Panajachel, Guatemala, March 12-16, 1979 ...
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... 26. Davie R, Butler N, Goldstein H: From Birth to Seven. ... Performance in Rural Guatemala Robert E. Lasky, PhD; Aaron Lechtig, MD, MPH; Hernan Delgado, MD, MPH; Robert E. Klein, PhD; Patricia Engle, PhD; Charles Yarbrough, PhD;... more
... 26. Davie R, Butler N, Goldstein H: From Birth to Seven. ... Performance in Rural Guatemala Robert E. Lasky, PhD; Aaron Lechtig, MD, MPH; Hernan Delgado, MD, MPH; Robert E. Klein, PhD; Patricia Engle, PhD; Charles Yarbrough, PhD; Reynaldo Martorell, PhD ...
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... AARON LECHTIG, IIERNAN DELOADO. ... Transplacental infection produced by arbor virus has, also been shown, especially by agents of western equine encephalitis (Copps and Giddings, 1959; Shinefield and Townsend, 1953), herpes virus... more
... AARON LECHTIG, IIERNAN DELOADO. ... Transplacental infection produced by arbor virus has, also been shown, especially by agents of western equine encephalitis (Copps and Giddings, 1959; Shinefield and Townsend, 1953), herpes virus (Sieber, Fulginiti and Brazie, .1966 ...
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This study ia aimed to develop indicators of low birth weight in the newborn for use in communities where babies are usually delivered at home and where scales to weigh newborns are not available. For this purpose head arm chest thigh and... more
This study ia aimed to develop indicators of low birth weight in the newborn for use in communities where babies are usually delivered at home and where scales to weigh newborns are not available. For this purpose head arm chest thigh and calf circumferences triceps and subscapular skinfolds weight and length were determined in 1000 newborns during the 1st 24 hours after delivery in 2 hospitals in Guatemala. Except for triceps and subscapular skinfolds all anthropometric variables were highly associated with birth weight. From the analysis performed the following limits may be useful to define newborns at risk of having low birth weight (=or< 2.5 kg): arm circumference =or< 9.0 cm; 2) head circumference =or< 32.0 cm; 3) calf circumference =or< 10.0 cm; 4) thigh circumference =or< 14.5 cm; 5) chest circumference =or< 30.0 cm; and 6) lenght =or< 48.0 cm. Newborns falling within these categories may be considered at high risk of low birth weight and thus be eligible for immediate nutritional as well as medical attention aimed to increase their chances for survival and optimal development. (authors modified)