Boletin chileno de parasitologia最新文献

An epidemiological study on H. nana infection was carried out in Ciego de Avila province, Cuba, from 1981 to 1995. In this 15 years period 3,108,422 stool samples were examined for parasites, H. nana eggs were found in 250 (0.008%). Seasonal influence of this parasitism was not detected. There were more cases in children than in adults, with males prevailing over females. The more frequent symptoms and signs were abdominal pain, diarrhea and anorexia which relationships with food habits, dwelling characteristics, children day care center and school orchards are analyzed.

The trypanocidad activity against amastigote forms of SPA-14, Tulahuen and G strains and CL Brener clone of Trypanosoma cruzi of diterpenoids isolated from Azorella compacta, Phil. (Llareta), a plant with ethnomedicinal prestige from prespanish age, was investigated. Amastigocidal activity was shown in azorellanol (2), diterpene isolated by first time, with an inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) that varied between 60 M (CL Brener clone) and 84 M (SPA-14 strain), and in mulin -11,13 -dien-20-oico acid (5) with IC50 between 41 microM (G strain) and 87 mM (CL Brener clone). The cytotoxicity levels of both compounds against Hela and Vero cells and macrophages J144 are lower than nifurtimox and similar to gentian violet.

Specimens collected in several localities from Salta and Tucumán provinces (north-western Argentina) Liolaemus quilmes and L. ornatus (oviparous population), and L. alticolor (viviparous population) were dissected. The specimens of lizards examinated have nematodes, in stomach, fore-gut and cloaca, identified as Physaloptera lutzi Guimaraes, Cristófaro and Rodrigues, 1976. This represents the first record for this parasite from Liolaemus species in Argentina. Morphologic and morphometric parasitological studies were done. The specimens were drawn and photographed. Also, the following parasitic infection indexes were calculated: prevalence, mean and maximum intensity.

According to the gathered information from the 1992 Chile census and an extensive epidemiological field study of Chagas' disease in rural-periurban sections of the seven most northern regions where this malady is endemic, the following epidemiological outline arises: Total population in the country 13,348,401. Population in endemic regions 8,824,205 (urban 8,050,700, rural 773,505). Number of infected 142,000 (16.7%). Total number of cardiopathies 26,554 (18.7%). In considering the regime of fees for health attentions of the National Health Funds--including hospitalization, laboratory tests and surgical interventions--in its minimal prices plus the value of medicaments, it is possible to produce some estimates on the cost of attention and treatment, in U.S. dollars, of the chagasic patient. Average annual cost of a patient with chronic chagasic cardiopathy U.S. $439.29 to U.S. $584.25 If these values are multiplied by 26,554 give rise to a figure ranging from U.S. $11,644,906 to U.S. $15,514,474.

The present paper deals with a preliminary study of different larvae of nematoda found in two species of fish Paralichthys orbignyanus and Paralichthys patagonicus. In P. orbignyanus the genus Terranova type A was found. Both Anisakis type I and Hysterothylacium were present in P. patagonicus. Different types of larvae belonging to genera Terranova (B and B'), Contracaecum (A and B) and Raphidascaris occurred in both P. patagonicus and P. orbignyanus. The specimens of Nematoda were described and the corresponding morphometric indexes were determined. The abundance of Nematoda obtained in relation to the diet of the flounders led us to conclude that P. orbignyanus feeds basically on crabs and fish, while P. patagonicus has a more diverse diet.

Amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplastic DNA was used to enhance sensitivity in the detection of the parasite in blood, with the ultimate goal of improving the parasitological diagnosis of Chagas' disease in 0-10 year-old infected children. Twenty eight children were evaluated by using xenodiagnosis (XD) and PCR. Whereas XD detected 75.0% of the cases PCR was positive in 96.8%. The usefulness of the PCR was further investigated in the 28 children who have received specific treatment with nifurtimox. Negativation of XD after three and six months post treatment was observed in all the cases, but only 21.4% and 35.8% negativation of the PCR after three and six months post treatment respectively. These observations suggest that PCR is the most sensitive and quick technique available for direct detection of T. cruzi in chagasic children and that it can be a very useful tool for the follow-up of infected subjects after specific chemotherapeutical treatment.

Scorpion stings are unfrequent in Chile. Most of cases occur in rural areas during the warm season. Clinical manifestations have a low to moderate intensity and consist in local pain and inflammation, sometimes associated with headache and hyperthermia. Two autbreaks of scorpion stings--affecting six and five adult residents (18-42 years old) of recently built urban dwelling complexes--have been recorded in Chile in summertime of 1957 and 1998. The first took place in the town of Maipú and the second in Villa Alborada sites respectively 10 and 150 km South of the city of Santiago. The Maipú dwelling complex was constituted by 112 one story houses in which lived 504 people. In Villa Alborada live 1,050 persons distributed in 158 apartments, 86 of which are in the main floor and in 26 of these last the occupants have observed scorpions inside. All the 11 cases occurred into the dwelling: four when sleeping at night, three performing different activities (trying to find a tool, searching a kee, housekeeping), two when putting their shoes, and two walking with bare feet in dormitory. In all the cases the causative scorpion was observed, captured or destroyed. Identification of six specimens from Maipú corresponded to Brachistoternus ehrenbergi and of two from Villa Alborada to Bothriurus borrelianus. All the patients presented mild to moderate symptomatology. Treatment consisted basically in oral antihistamanic and/or antinflammatory tablets. Recovery was observed within one to seven days with a mean of three days. Prophylactic measures consisted in health education and physical destruction of scorpions in Maipú and insecticide spraying on floors of basement apartments and surrounding areas in Villa Alborada. Though the majority of accidents by scorpion stings happens in rural areas, also may occur in urban areas--rural in the near past--where dwellings have been constructed in fields which in not to much preterit times constituted the habitat of the referred arthropod, phenomenom that have occurred in summertime in the two dwelling complexes described in the present communication.

Enterobius vermicularis is a nematode with a peculiar biological cycle, thus requiring a special diagnostic technique. In order to determine the prevalence of E. vermicularis infection among schoolchildren in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, 282 children aged 5-14 years old were evaluated between november 1995 and august 1996 by the Graham technique (three perianal swabs with adhesive cellulose tape). The prevalence of enterobiasis in the studied children was estimated 19.1% (54/282). There was no difference between sexes (P > 0.05), but there was a difference between ages (x2 = 13.8; 1.g. = 4), being the infection more frequent between 5 and 8 years. Symptoms were observed in 90.7% of the schoolchildren. Anal pruritus was the most common clinical finding (81.6%). Other less frequent manifestations were enuresis (28.6%) and vulvitis in girls (26.1%). This intestinal parasitosis occurs with high frequency among schoolchildren in Ciudad Bolívar with characteristic and identifiable symptoms in most cases. The Graham method must be used for its diagnosis. This test is not routinely performed in our laboratories unless specifically requested by the attending physician.

The specific therapy in Chagas' disease is useful in acute and neonatal infection and in children under three years old. The results of antiparasitic treatment during chronic infection are still controversial. It will be interesting to analyze the serological behavior in patients treated during chronic infection, to advance in the search of evolutive markers and markers of therapeutic efficacy. In the present work we have measured the antibody response by conventional serology and the response to partially purified T. cruzi antigens in chagasic patients who received nifurtimox or benznidazol 2 to 20 years before. The results showed that, by indirect immunofluorescence in 29% of treated patients the antibody levels were below the established cut off (1:32). By indirect hemagglutination 55% of treated patients showed this serological behavior. In this group a high number of discordant results was observed. By immunoenzimatic assay it was possible to detect a significative decrease of serologic reactivity to a partially purified acidic antigen (F IV) and to exoantigen of T. cruzi. It will be interesting to perform longitudinal surveys employing these antigens, to go further in the knowledge of possible immunological evolutive markers in Chagas' disease.