Risk perception of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Dentro de las zoonosis de transmisión alimentaria, se destaca Escherichia coli productor de toxina Shiga debido a su impacto en salud. Esta bacteria cuyos principales reservorios son los rumiantes, llegan al hospedero susceptible mediante la contaminación de sus carnes, durante su procesamiento, transporte, comercialización y consumo. Afecta generalmente niños menores de 5 años, ocasionando desde diarreas hasta Síndrome Urémico Hemolítico (SUH) en muchos casos con necesidad de trasplante renal. Esta enfermedad es endémica en Argentina. Como parte de los estudios de exposición a factores de riesgo en esta enfermedad, hemos estudiado la percepción de riesgo de las personas en diversos contextos. Para ello desarrollamos y validamos un modelo de encuesta de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas dirigida a personas adultas. Este instrumento fue aplicado en Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Tierra del Fuego y Exaltación de la Cruz. Los estudios ponen de manifiesto la influencia de factores culturales-creencias en la percepción del riesgo subjetiva (individual) y la labilidad de las acciones comunicacionales aisladas en comparación a la percepción de riesgo real y colectivo. Se discute la influencia de los modelos deintervención basados en campañas o programas de promoción de salud.Among the foodborne zoonoses, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli stands out due to its impact on health. This microorganism, whose main reservoirs are ruminants, reaches the susceptible host through the contamination of meat, its processing, transport, trade and consumption. It generally affects children younger than 5 years, causing variable clinical manifestations ranging from diarrhea to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), in which many cases required kidney transplantation. This disease is endemic in Argentina. As part of the studies of exposure to risk factors in this disease, we have studied the perception of risk of people in various contexts. To do this, we developed and validated a survey model of knowledge, attitudes and practices aimed at adults. This survey was applied in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Tierra del Fuego and Exaltación de la Cruz. Studies show the influence of cultural-belief factors on the perception of subjective risk (individual) and the weakness of isolated communicative actions compared to the perception of real and collective risk. The influence of intervention models based on health promotion campaigns or programs is discussed.Fil: Broglio, Alicia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Graciano, Luciana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Sanin, Mariana Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Blanco Crivelli, Ximena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Cundon, Cecilia Carolina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Bonino, Maria Paz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Montalvo, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Unidad Ejecutora de Investigaciones en Producción Animal. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Unidad Ejecutora de Investigaciones en Producción Animal; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Área de Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias; ArgentinaFil: Degregorio, Osvaldo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Berra, Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Betancor, A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentin

Putative virulence factors and clonal relationship of O174 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from human, food and animal sources

Fil: Cundon, Cecilia. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina.Fil: Carbonari, Claudia C. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Zolezzi, Gisela. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Marta. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Bentancor, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina.Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is th etiological agent of gastrointestinal diseases as haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS). Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main virulence factor. There are two types, Stx1 and Stx2, and several subtypes. Other virulence factors are involved in pathogenesis. While O157:H7 is the predominant serotype, at present non-O157 STEC strains are increasingly recognized as foodborne pathogens worldwide. In Argentina, STEC O174 stands out as an emerging pathogen and is one of the four most prevalent non-O157 STEC serogroups. The aim of this study was to characterize 41 O174:[H21, H28] STEC strains isolated from animals, food, and humans. Isolates were characterized by stx genotyping, adhesion factors (afaC, eae, iha, lpfO113, saa, and toxB), additional toxins (cdtV, ehxA, subA) and clonal relationship by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Among 30 O174:H21 strains, the most prevalent stx subtype was stx2c (56.7%), and among 11 O174:H28 strains, the most prevalent was stx2a (90.9%). Regarding virulence factors, all strains were positive for afaC gene and negative for eae and toxB genes. In O174:H21, the frequency of additional factors was lpfO113 (96.6%), iha (83.3%), ehxA and saa (10%), and subA (3.3%), meanwhile in O174:H28 strains the frequency was iha and subA (100%), lpfO113 (90.9%), ehxA and saa (90.9%), and cdtV (9.09%). By Xbal-PFGE, 29 patterns were established with 64.01% similarity and three clusters were detected. Given the fact that the O174 serogroup is a local emergent, it is important to study the virulence profiles to understand its potential pathogenicity

Detection and analysis of Shiga toxin producing and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in cattle from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) are pathovars that affect mainly infants’ health. Cattle are the main reservoir of STEC. Uremic hemolytic syndrome and diarrheas can be found at high rates in Tierra del Fuego (TDF). This study aimed to establish the prevalence of STEC and EPEC in cattle at slaughterhouses in TDF and to analyze the isolated strains. Out of 194 samples from two slaughterhouses, STEC prevalence was 15%, and EPEC prevalence was 5%. Twenty-seven STEC strains and one EPEC were isolated. The most prevalent STEC serotypes were O185:H19 (7), O185:H7 (6), and O178:H19 (5). There were no STEC eae + strains (AE-STEC) or serogroup O157 detected in this study. The prevalent genotype was stx2c (10/27) followed by stx1a/stx2hb (4/27). Fourteen percent of the strains presented at least one stx non-typeable subtype (4/27). Shiga toxin production was detected in 25/27 STEC strains. The prevalent module for the Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation (LAA) island was module III (7/27). EPEC strain was categorized as atypical and with the ability to cause A/E lesion. The ehxA gene was present in 16/28 strains, 12 of which were capable of producing hemolysis. No hybrid strains were detected in this work. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed that all strains were resistant to ampicillin and 20/28 were resistant to aminoglycosides. No statistical differences could be seen in the detection of STEC or EPEC either by slaughterhouse location or by production system (extensive grass or feedlot). The rate of STEC detection was lower than the one reported for the rest of Argentina. STEC/EPEC relation was 3 to 1. This is the first study on cattle from TDF as reservoir for strains that are potentially pathogenic to humans.Fil: Bonino, Maria Paz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria;Fil: Blanco Crivelli, Ximena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria;Fil: Petrina, Juan Facundo. Gobierno de la Provincia de Tierra del Fuego. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Galateo, Sebastian Nicolas. Gobierno de la Provincia de Tierra del Fuego. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Tardelli Gomes, Tania Aparecida. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Navarro, Armando Jose. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Cundon, Cecilia Carolina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria;Fil: Broglio, Alicia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria;Fil: Sanin, Mariana Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria;Fil: Bentancor, Adriana Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria. Instituto de Investigaciones En Epidemiologia Veterinaria