Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in artisanal soft cheeses from different street markets of Ecuador

L. monocytogenes is one of the most important bacteria related with foodborne diseases. It causes an infectious disease known as listeriosis, which reports a significant impact on public health due to its high mortality rate (20-30% even with treatment)...L. monocytogenes es una de las bacterias más importantes relacionadas con las enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos. Causa una enfermedad infecciosa conocida como listeriosis, que reporta un impacto significativo en la salud pública debido a su alta tasa de mortalidad (20-30% incluso con tratamiento)..

Evaluación del nivel de estrés en leoncillos (Callithrix pygmeea) mediante la medición de cortisol en heces

The pigmy marmoset or leoncillo (Callithrix pygmaea) is the smallest known platyrrhine primate species. It lives only in gallery forests in the Upper Amazon basin of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. Although, all the species of primates in Ecuador are threatened by human activities, pigmy marmoset is the most vulnerable, due to its limited size and the uniqueness of its diet and habitat. Considering the area of distribution, the fragmentation of the forests, and the illegal traffic of pets, the populations of C. pygmaea have been seriously affected. As a result, this primate, has been included in the list of vulnerable species in Ecuador. The objective of this research project was to determine the levels of stress to which 3 populations of leoncillos from the eastern zone of Ecuador are subjected due to the previously mentioned factors. As an indicator of the level of stress, cortisol content in feces was used. A total of 92 samples were analyzed corresponding to the populations of Puyo, Tiputini and San Pablo, from which only 52 were included for the statistical analyses. Different levels of stress were determined among the three populations (ANOVA, p=0.00033). The population from Puyo was the one with the highest level of stress in comparison with the populations from Tiputini and San Pablo (Tukey p=0.0043848 and p=0.0006135) respectively. The non-invasive method to determinate the levels of cortisol in the feces samples, seems to be a reliable and safe technique; nevertheless, for a major reliability of the results it would be suitable to enhance the information about the time of collection of the sample, the sex, the age and the previous activities of the individuals.El tití pigmeo o leoncillo (Callithrix pygmaea), es la especie de primates platirrinos más pequeña. Habita en bosques siempre verdes de tierras bajas inundables de la Amazonía de Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia y Brasil. Aunque todas las especies de primates en el Ecuador están amenazadas por las actividades humanas, ésta es una de las más vulnerables, debido a su tamaño reducido y a la especificidad de su alimentación y hábitat. Considerando su área de distribución y los problemas de fragmentación de los bosques, junto con el tráfico ilegal de mascotas, la población de C. pygmaea se ha visto seriamente afectada, por lo que actualmente ha sido incluida en la lista de especies vulnerables en el Ecuador. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar los niveles de estrés a los que están sometidas tres poblaciones de leoncillos del oriente ecuatoriano debido a los factores mencionados anteriormente. Como indicador del nivel de estrés se usó el contenido de cortisol en heces de leoncillos. Se analizaron 92 muestras de las poblaciones del Puyo, Tiputini y San Pablo de las cuales 52 fueron incluidas para los análisis estadísticos. Se determinó diferentes niveles de estrés en las tres poblaciones (ANOVA, p=0.00033). La población de Puyo es la que presentó mayor nivel de estrés en comparación con Tiputini y San Pablo (Tukey p=0.0043848 y p=0.0006135) respectivamente. El método no invasivo de determinación de los niveles de cortisol en muestras de heces, parece ser una técnica confiable, sin embargo para mayor confiabilidad de los resultados sería conveniente complementar la información respecto de las horas de colección de la muestra, el sexo, la edad del individuo y sus actividades previas

Evaluación del nivel de estrés en leoncillos (Cebuella pygmaea) mediante la medición de cortisol en heces

The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the smallest platyrrhine primate. It lives in gallery forests in the Upper Amazon basin of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Although all the Ecuadorian primate species are threatened by human activities, the pygmy marmoset is one of the most vulnerable due to its high specialization in diet and habitat. It is included in the list of vulnerable species in Ecuador. Anthropogenic alteration of the habitats is a stress factor for pygmy marmosets. In this context this study aimed to establish a protocol to measure cortisol concentration in feces (ng/g), as an indicator of the stress level of the individuals, and to make a preliminary comparison of the levels of cortisol and stress of three populations of pygmy marmosets in Amazonian Ecuador. Fifty two fecal samples from the wild populations of Tiputini and San Pablo, and one captive population from Puyo were analyzed. The samples analyzed had a dry weight between 0.05 and 0.07 g. The biological validation made with the fecal samples of an individual quarantined, showed that cortisol levels were higher in times closer to its death. The preliminary results suggest that the captive population from Puyo has higher levels of stress than the wild populations. These results have to be confirmed by analyzing a larger number of samples with information about the time of fecal deposition, the sex, age and previous activities of the individuals.El leoncillo (Cebuella pygmaea), es la especie más pequeña de primate platirrino. Habita en bosques de la Amazonía alta en Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia y Brasil. Aunque todas las especies de primates en el Ecuador están amenazadas por las actividades humanas, ésta es una de las más vulnerables, debido a la especificidad de su alimentación y hábitat. C. pygmaea actualmente ha sido incluida en la lista de especies vulnerables en el Ecuador. La alteración antropogénica de los hábitats es un factor de estrés para los leoncillos. En este contexto, los objetivos de esta investigación fueron establecer un protocolo para medir el cortisol en heces, como un indicador del nivel de estrés de los individuos, y realizar una comparación preliminar de los niveles de cortisol y estrés de tres poblaciones de leoncillos en la Amazonía ecuatoriana. Se analizaron 52 muestras provenientes de las poblaciones silvestres de Tiputini y San Pablo y de una población en cautiverio en Puyo. Las muestras analizadas tuvieron pesos secos entre 0.05 y 0.07 g. La validación biológica realizada con muestras de heces de un individuo en cuarentena, evidenció que los niveles de cortisol fueron más elevados en los días más próximos a su muerte. Los resultados preliminares sugieren que la población en cautiverio de Puyo tiene niveles de estrés significativamente más altos que los de las poblaciones silvestres. Estos resultados deben ser confirmados analizando un mayor número de muestras de las que se tenga información completa sobre la hora de deposición y sobre los individuos de los que se tomaron las muestras

Effects of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study an international prospective cohort study

We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care. We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care