Epidemiología de la leptospirosis humana de un área rururbana del partido de Tandil

El objetivo general es analizar la presentación de la leptospirosis en la comunidad rururbana de María Ignacia Vela. Específicamente se propuso estimar la prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-Leptospira spp. en los habitantes de la comunidad, conocer los serogrupos prevalentes y estudiar los factores de riesgo asociados

Epidemiología de la leptospirosis canina

Los caninos son considerados reservorios primarios de Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola. Si bien diferentes serovares han sido asociados serológicamente con la enfermedad clínica, Castellonis, Canicola y Copenhageni son los más reactivos en el test de microaglutinación (MAT).Trabajo publicado en Cagliada, Maria del Pilar Lilia y Galosi, Cecilia Mónica (comps.). I Congreso de Microbiología Veterinaria. Libro de resúmenes. La Plata: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, 2021.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Predicting Older Adults’ On-Road Driving Performance

We examined the predictive utility of the Roadwise Review and the Hazard Perception Test on a standardized driving assessment using both conventional and alternative scoring criteria in a sample of health older adults (N = 57). Our results indicate that both tests can predict passing or failing the road evaluation. The Hazard Perception Test was more consistent in predicting total points and hazardous errors in on-road performance. Future research should examine the predictive validity of these tests in cognitively impaired drivers

Comparación entre PCR en tiempo real, serología y cultivo en leptospirosis, a partir de muestras de animales silvestres capturados en la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

The definitive diagnostic test for leptospirosis is the recovery of leptospires from the culture of clinical samples. The micro- agglutination test (MAT) which has high sensitivity and specificity, is a reference standard test for serum diagnostic. The advent of molecular methods has facilitated the diagnosis of leptospirosis by PCR reaction. The aim of this study was to compare the results obtained by using bacteriology (culture), serology and molecular biology, from samples of wild animals. The 8.8% of positive samples was obtained by MAT (two R. norvegicus and L. griseus positives). Kidneys from all animals were cultured, and two isolate (2/34) of L. interrogans from R. norvegicus was obtained (6.9%). Serum sample was studied by real-time PCR and 17/34 was positive (50%). Isolation of leptospires from clinical samples is strong evidence to confirm the diagnosis in order to identify the serotypes circulating in a particular geographic region, and in turn be used as antigens in MAT. In real-time PCR from serum samples time, proved to have high sensitivity, being an important tool for the diagnosis of leptospirosis, especially in acute cases of disease, in which the other techniques often provide negative results.La recuperación de leptospiras a partir del cultivo de muestras clínicas es el diagnóstico definitivo de la enfermedad. La prueba de micro aglutinación (MAT) que tiene una alta sensibilidad y especificidad, es la prueba de referencia. La llegada de los métodos moleculares ha facilitado el diagnóstico de la leptospirosis mediante técnicas de PCR. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue comparar los resultados de bacteriología (cultivo), serología y biología molecular, a partir de muestras de animales salvajes. Por medio MAT se detectó un 8.8% de positividad (dos R. norvegicus y un L. griseus). Se aislaron leptospiras en 2/34 cultivos de riñón (6.9%). Mediante PCR en tiempo real se detecta 17/34 animales positivos (50%). El aislamiento de leptospiras a partir de muestras clínicas es la evidencia para confirmar el diagnóstico, permitiendo identificar los serotipos que circulan en una región geográfica determinada, y a su vez ser utilizados como antígenos en MAT. La PCR en tiempo real a partir de muestras de suero, demostró tener una alta sensibilidad, siendo una herramienta importante para el diagnóstico de la leptospirosis en casos agudos de enfermedad, donde las otras técnicas a menudo proporcionan resultados negativos.Fil: Scialfa, Exequiel Alejandro. Division Zoonosis Rurales; ArgentinaFil: Recavarren, Mariana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata; Argentina. Instituto de Análisis Fares Taie; ArgentinaFil: Quintana, Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata; Argentina. Instituto de Análisis Fares Taie; ArgentinaFil: Giamperetti, Sergio Alberto. Hospital F. J. Muñiz. Servicio de Zoonosis; Argentin

Developing a North American Static Hazard Perception Test

We examined the ability of young novice (M = .19 yrs experience) and experienced drivers (M = 5.1 yrs experience) to identify and localize frequently encountered roadway hazards using static images taken in western Canada. Dependent measures also included subjective ratings of hazard risk and scene clutter. Novice drivers reacted to roadway hazards more slowly while rating them as being less hazardous than young, experienced drivers. Using a small subset of scenes, it was determined that a brief hazard perception test employing static images could classify individuals with high accuracy (78%) and good reliability (Cronbach\u27s alpha = .91)

Predicting Older Drivers\u27 Difficulties Using the Roadwise Review

There has been a substantial growth in research attempting to predict accidents and performance in older drivers. The Roadwise Review and the substantively identical Driver Health Inventory have been reported to provide a valid and cost-effective means of assessing crash risk in older communitydwelling adults. We administered the DHI to a community-dwelling sample of older (45 - 85 years) drivers. We also asked them to report on the difficulties they experienced while driving and on the frequency and type of crashes and moving violations the experienced in the previous two years. Results indicated on several of the tests there are substantial floor or ceiling effects, as well as barriers to usability and acceptance. Low inter-test correlations are consistent with the notion that different capacities are being indexed with the DHI. However, generally there were only low correlations between DHI performance and self-reported difficulties in driving, accidents or moving violations. While the DHI and Roadwise Review may well be valuable in providing older drivers with information on skills related to driving performance, in its current form it does not appear to be a useful tool in licensure or the prediction of driver risk

A Meta-Analysis of Driving Performance and Crash Risk Associated with the Use of Cellular Telephones While Driving

This paper addresses the effects of cell phones on driving by means of a review of the literature and an analysis of scientifically credible epidemiological and driver performance studies. A total of 84 articles were obtained covering the period from 1969 to 2004. Sixty-eight articles were research papers measuring driving performance while using a cell phone and 16 articles were epidemiological studies that examined cell phone usage and their relationship to vehicular crashes. Epidemiological findings consistently showed an increase in crashes associated with use of cell phones. However, these studies did not control for exposure to cell phone use or to driving. The negative impact of cell phone usage is larger for responses to critical events than for vehicular control. Drivers responded about a quarter of a second later to stimuli in the presence of a cell phone distractor for all studies that were analyzed. Hands-free cell phones produced similar performance decrements to hand-held phones

Molecular and serologic diagnosis in human leptospirosis (Buenos Aires province, Argentina)

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue aplicar la técnica de PCR en tiempo real para detectar ADN de los serovares más comunes de leptospiras que infectan humanos a partir de cultivos puros de referencia, y de sueros de pacientes en distintas etapas de infección. Se realizó extracción, amplificación y cuantificación del ADN de cultivos puros de Leptospira interrogans serovares Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Pyrogenes y Hardjo; Leptospira borgpeterseni serovares Tarassovi, Wolffi y Castellonis y Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa. La sensibilidad de la PCR en tiempo real in vitro fue en promedio de 8 genomas. A partir de 23 muestras de sueros de pacientes con sospecha clínica de leptospirosis se determinó por la técnica de aglutinación microscópica (MAT) la presencia de anticuerpos, y por PCR en tiempo real con dos pares de cebadores diferentes, la presencia de ADN bacteriano. En el período agudo de la enfermedad (1 a 7 días) MAT fue positivo en 9/10 muestras y PCR en tiempo real en 8/10. Fue llamativo que 3/4 muestras de período tardío (superior a 14 días) fueran PCR positivas, lo cual no concuerda con la patogenia aceptada para la leptospirosis Debido a estas consideraciones, por el momento, y en nuestro medio, la utilidad de la técnica de PCR es complementaria a la MAT y no debe reemplazarla.The aim of this study was to apply the technique of real-time PCR to detect DNA of the most common Leptospira serovars that infect humans from pure cultures of reference, and sera from patients at different stages of infection. Extraction, amplification and quantification of DNA from pure cultures of Leptospira interrogansserovars Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona,Hardjo and Pyrogenes performed; Leptospira serovars borgpeterseniTarassovi, Wolffi and Castellonis and Leptospira serovar kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa. The in vitro sensitivity of real-time PCR averaged 8 genomes. From 23 serum samples from patients suspected of leptospirosis the presence of antibodies was determined by microscopic agglutination technology (MAT), and the presence of bacterial DNA by real-time PCR with two different primer pairs. In the acute stage of the disease (1-7 days) MAT was positive in 9/10 samples and real-time PCR in 8/10. It was interesting that 3/4 of late period samples (over 14 days) were PCR positive, which is inconsistent with the accepted pathogenesis for leptospirosis. Because of these considerations, for the moment, and in our field, the usefulness of the PCR technique is complementary to the MAT and should not replace it.Fil: Recavarren, Mariana Ines. Instituto de Análisis Bioquímicos Fares Taie; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Scialfa, Exequiel Alejandro. Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. División de Zoonosis Rurales; ArgentinaFil: Rivero, Mariana Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Quintana, Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Análisis Bioquímicos Fares Taie; Argentin

Hazard Perception Test (HPT): A Pilot Study in Brazil

Traffic collisions are a major cause of violent death and disability worldwide (Goldman & Ausiello, 2009). In developing countries, mortality rates are significantly higher when compared to other countries. In Brazil, official data show 23.4 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 10.6 in the United States and 6.0 in Canada (Global Status Report on Road Safety, 2015). Driving requires specific motor and cognitive skills, such hazard perception. The Hazard Perception Test (HPT) assesses a drivers\u27 ability to identify or anticipate dangerous situations in traffic (Horswill & McKenna, 2004) and taps into different cognitive processes, such as speed to detect the hazard, judgment of hazard severity, and decision-making. The HPT has been directly associated with the risk of collision (Darby et al, 2009; McKenna & Horswill, 1999; Quimby et al, 1986; Wells et al, 2008). Many countries, such as Australia and Great Britain, have made hazard perception a regular component of the driving test. In Brazil, however, candidates undergo an exam that has the characteristics of a clinical screening and does not assess context-specific cognitive abilities. Thus, there is a clear demand for clinical procedures with greater diagnostic sensitivity that address fundamental abilities such as hazard perception. The goal of the study was to employ an adapted version of the static Hazard Perception Test (s-HPT) under standardized Brazilian conditions. Results indicated that drivers\u27 ability to perceive hazards is clearly dependent on variables such as expertise, age, and gender. The results are in accordance with previous studies conducted in other countries

Sign Comprehension in Young Adults, the Healthy Elderly, and Older People with Varying Levels of Cognitive Impairment - Report Series # 5

This study, conducted in the fall of 2004 and the winter of 2005, sought to determine whether sign comprehension suffers in healthy aging and in the presence of cognitive impairment. Sign comprehension is critical for effective driving, response to warnings and way-finding. If signs are poorly comprehended by older people including those with cognitive impairment, accident risk will be increased and independence may be compromised. Groups of young adults, healthy older adults and older adults with varying levels of cognitive impairment were asked the meaning of 65 signs used for driving, warning and way-finding. Healthy older adults were generally good at sign comprehension, but had some difficulty with way-finding signs. Older adults with cognitive impairments had poorer sign comprehension overall and were particularly poor with way-finding signage. Testing of sign comprehension needs to involve a more heterogeneous sampling of older adults. As well, signs that include text would be beneficial to those with cognitive impairment