Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909 (Nematoda: Ascarididae) in Mexico: three clinical cases from the Peninsula of Yucatan

Human lagochilascariasis (HL) is a parasite produced by Lagochilascaris minor Leiper 1909 that also can be found in cats and dogs. HL is considered an emerging zoonosis in the Americas, spreading from Mexico to Argentina, and the Caribbean Islands. The present paper describes three HL cases from the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico, recorded in the last decade. It describes the characteristics of the lesions and discusses the route of transmission in humans and particularly in the observed patients.La Lagochilascariasis humana (HL) es producida por Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909; el cual es un parásito que puede ser encontrado también en gatos y perros. HL es considerada una zoonosis emergente en América distribuida desde México hasta Argentina y las islas del Caribe. El presente artículo describe tres casos de HL en la Península de Yucatán, México registrados en la última década. Se describen las características de las lesiones y se discute la ruta de transmisión en humanos y particularmente en los pacientes observados

Effects of land use on water quality and Ceriodaphnia dubia reproduction

This study evaluated the effect of water quality of streams from micro-watersheds with different land use (cloud forest, coffee plantation, pasture and under urban influence) during the dry and rainy seasons, lying within the upper watershed of the La Antigua river in Veracruz, Mexico. Water characteristics were measured and laboratory subchronic toxicity tests were performed to evaluate average accumulated progeny, broods per female, and non-reproductive females of Ceriodaphnia dubia. The cloud forest contained chemically undisturbed streams, while the lowest levels of chemical alteration were detected in pasture streams: low fecundity of C. dubia was observed in both types of streams. The most disturbed streams were those associated with coffee plantations and under urban influence, which resulted in enhanced C. dubia fecundity; however, the highest chemical disturbance, found in a stream with urban influence, led to reproduction suppression in the dry season. The most favorable conditions for reproduction were provided by nutrient and probably organic enrichment in streams associated with urban environments and coffee plantations, while in cloud forest and pasture streams, the natural, and close to natural water chemistry caused a reduction in fecundity. Female fecundity was higher during the rainy season

Generic diversity of Trichoptera (Insecta) of Paramo Rabanal (Cundinamarca-Boyacá, Colombia)

Los tricópteros son considerados un componente biótico importante y diverso de los ecosistemas acuáticos continentales. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la comunidad del orden Trichoptera en dos microcuencas con diferente grado de perturbación. Se realizaron cuatro campañas de muestreo en dos microcuencas de la Cordillera Oriental de los Andes colombianos. Se realizaron análisis mediante curvas de rarefacción, el índice de Bray Curtis y partición de la diversidad, usando como medidas la riqueza y la diversidad de Shannon. Se encontró que, aunque la riqueza fue similar entre las dos microcuencas, la abundancia siempre fue mayor en los arroyos de la microcuenca conservada. En cada microcuenca dominaron géneros diferentes, exceptoOchrotrichia que fue abundante en todos los sitios. La diversidad alfa entre los arroyos de la microcuenca conservada fue similar, mientras que en la perturbada se observó una reducción de la diversidad asociada a un gradiente de perturbación de los arroyos. La diversidad beta (0Db y 1Db ) entre microcuencas y entre arroyos conservados fue similar, mientras que en los perturbados también mostró un gradiente similar al de la diversidad alfa. El análisis de similitud agrupó los arroyos según su estado de conservación. Las diferencias encontradas en los atributos de los comunidades de tricópteros confirman que su uso es adecuado para conocer el estado de conservación de los sistemas que habita.Trichopterans are considered an important and diverse biotic element in continental aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the assemblages of the order Trichoptera in two subwatersheds with a gradient of disturbance. Four sampling events were conducted in two subwatersheds in the Eastern Mountain Range of the Colombian Andes. For the analysis we used rarefaction curves, Bray-Curtis’ Index and Partitioning Diversity and total richness and Shannon’s diversity as metrics. Although total richness was similar between both subwatersheds, abundance was always highest in streams within the conserved subwatershed. Each subwatershed was dominated by different genera, except Ochrotrichia, which was abundant at all sites. Alpha diversity was similar among streams in the conserved watershed, while a reduction in diversity potentially associated with the disturbance gradient was observed in streams of the disturbed subwatershed. Beta diversity (0Db and 1Db) between subwatersheds and among conserved streams was similar, while in disturbed streams a similar gradient to that of alpha diversity was found. The similitude analysis clustered streams according to their conservation status. Differences found in trichopteran assemblages do confirm that the use of their attributes is adequate to assess the conservation status of stream ecosystems. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 2): 97-110. Epub 2014 April 01.

Front of the Class (2008): A challenge of social acceptance

La película El primero de la clase (2008) de Peter Werner, se encuentra basada en la vida de Brad Cohen, que a partir de los 6 años empieza presentar manifestaciones clínicas del síndrome de Tourette. La trama se desarrolla entorno a como Brad vive su día a día con su enfermedad y cómo este logra enfrentar los diversos obstáculos que la sociedad le presenta para lograr su más grande sueño: ser profesor de escuela primaria. Brad es continuamente abusado por parte de sus compañeros, cuenta con profesores intolerantes e incluso tiene un padre muy poco comprensivo, esto debido a que se desconocía que era un portador de Síndrome de Tourette (ST), generando que en un principio se aislara de los demás y no quisiera interactuar con otras personas. Durante el filme observamos como continuamente Brad es víctima del estigma social al no poder comportarse como los demás, derivado del ST, impidiéndole en un principio tener amigos y posteriormente conseguir trabajo. En el presente artículo, ofreceremos una revisión del padecimiento para comprender sus manifestaciones y el modo en el que afectaron la vida de Brad.The film Front of the class (2008) by Peter Werner, is based on the life of Brad Cohen, from the age of 6 years that starts presenting clinical manifestations of Tourette syndrome. The plot is developed around how Brad lives his day to day with his illness and how it manages to cope with the various obstacles that society presents to him to achieve his greatest dream: to be an elementary school teacher. Brad is continually abused by his peers, has intolerant teachers and even has a very unsympathetic father, this because it was unknown that he was a carrier of Tourette syndrome (TS), generating isolation from the others and aversion to interact with other people. During the film we observe how continually Brad is a victim of social stigma by not being able to behave like the other derivative of the TS, preventing him in the beginning to have friends and then to get work. In this article, we will offer a review of the condition to understand its manifestations and the way in which Brad's life was affected

Intra-host growth kinetics of dengue virus in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

Dengue virus (DENV) transmission by mosquitoes is a time-dependent process that begins with the consumption of an infectious blood-meal. DENV infection then proceeds stepwise through the mosquito from the midgut to the carcass, and ultimately to the salivary glands, where it is secreted into saliva and then transmitted anew on a subsequent bite. We examined viral kinetics in tissues of the Aedes aegypti mosquito over a finely graded time course, and as per previous studies, found that initial viral dose and serotype strain diversity control infectivity. We also found that a threshold level of virus is required to establish body-wide infections and that replication kinetics in the early and intermediate tissues do not predict those of the salivary glands. Our findings have implications for mosquito GMO design, modeling the contribution of transmission to vector competence and the role of mosquito kinetics in the overall DENV epidemiological landscape

CHICKEN COOPS, Triatoma dimidiata INFESTATION AND ITS INFECTION WITH Trypanosoma cruzi IN A RURAL VILLAGE OF YUCATAN, MEXICO

Investigamos longitudinalmente la asociación entre la infestación por Triatoma dimidiata, su infección con Trypanosoma cruzi y las características ambientales de los domicilios/peridomicilios en 101 viviendas de Molas, Yucatán, México entre Noviembre de 2009 (temporada lluviosa) y Mayo de 2010 (temporada seca). Mediante modelos de regresión logística se probaron asociaciones entre la infestación/infección de T. dimidiata y factores de riesgo potenciales a nivel de las viviendas. Se colectó un total de 200 individuos de T. dimidiata en el 35.6% de las viviendas, mayormente del peridomicilio (73%). De todos los triatominos colectados el 48% se encontraron infectados con T. cruzi. Los triatomas infectados fueron colectados en el 31.6% de las viviendas (54.1% y 45.9% en intra y peridomicilio respectivamente). Aproximadamente el 30% de todos los triatominos colectados, fueron encontrados en gallineros. La presencia de un gallinero en el peridomicilio de una vivienda se asoció significativamante tanto con las posibilidades de encontrar T. dimidiata (OR = 4.10, CI 95% = 1.61-10.43, p = 0.003) como con la presencia de triatominos infectados con T. cruzi (OR = 3.37, CI 95% = 1.36-8.33, p = 0.006). Los resultados de este estudio enfatizan la relevancia de los gallineros como fuente putativa de poblaciones de T. dimidiata y como una fuente potencial de riesgo de transmisión de T. cruzi.This study longitudinally investigated the association between Triatoma dimidiata infestation, triatomine infection with Trypanosoma cruzi and household/backyard environmental characteristics in 101 homesteads in Molas and Yucatan, Mexico, between November 2009 (rainy season) and May 2010 (dry season). Logistic regression models tested the associations between insect infestation/infection and potential household-level risk factors. A total of 200 T. dimidiata were collected from 35.6% of the homesteads, mostly (73%) from the peridomicile. Of all the insects collected, 48% were infected with T. cruzi. Infected insects were collected in 31.6% of the homesteads (54.1% and 45.9% intra- and peridomiciliary, respectively). Approximately 30% of all triatomines collected were found in chicken coops. The presence of a chicken coop in the backyard of a homestead was significantly associated with both the odds of finding T. dimidiata (OR = 4.10, CI 95% = 1.61-10.43, p = 0.003) and the presence of triatomines infected with T. cruzi (OR = 3.37, CI 95% = 1.36-8.33, p = 0.006). The results of this study emphasize the relevance of chicken coops as a putative source of T. dimidiata populations and a potential risk for T. cruzi transmission