Vasodilator factors in the systemic and local adaptations to pregnancy

We postulate that an orchestrated network composed of various vasodilatory systems participates in the systemic and local hemodynamic adaptations in pregnancy. The temporal patterns of increase in the circulating and urinary levels of five vasodilator factors/systems, prostacyclin, nitric oxide, kallikrein, angiotensin-(1–7) and VEGF, in normal pregnant women and animals, as well as the changes observed in preeclamptic pregnancies support their functional role in maintaining normotension by opposing the vasoconstrictor systems. In addition, the expression of these vasodilators in the different trophoblastic subtypes in various species supports their role in the transformation of the uterine arteries. Moreover, their expression in the fetal endothelium and in the syncytiotrophoblast in humans, rats and guinea-pigs, favour their participation in maintaining the uteroplacental circulation. The findings that sustain the functional associations of the various vasodilators, and their participation by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine regulation of the systemic and local vasoactive changes of pregnancy are abundant and compelling. However, further elucidation of the role of the various players is hampered by methodological problems. Among these difficulties is the complexity of the interactions between the different factors, the likelihood that experimental alterations induced in one system may be compensated by the other players of the network, and the possibility that data obtained by manipulating single factors in vitro or in animal studies may be difficult to translate to the human. In addition, the impossibility of sampling the uteroplacental interface along normal pregnancy precludes obtaining longitudinal profiles of the various players. Nevertheless, the possibility of improving maternal blood pressure regulation, trophoblast invasion and uteroplacental flow by enhancing vasodilation (e.g. L-arginine, NO donors, VEGF transfection) deserves unravelling the intricate association of vasoactive factors and the systemic and local adaptations to pregnancy

Transportation of diagnostic specimens

Fil: Terragno, R. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Cuando se envían especímenes para diagnóstico, incluidos los materiales infecciosos, a laboratorios fuera de la institución debe cumplirse con regulaciones de seguridad. Además, debe asegurarse la integridad de la muestra de manera de obtener un análisis exacto por parte del laboratorio destinatario. Las muestras deben ser empaquetadas y enviadas de manera de asegurarse que su contenido no se derrame o drene y que llegue en buenas condiciones. Las sustancias infecciosas se clasifican como envíos peligrosos de acuerdo con la legislación internacionalmente reconocida que se basa en las Recomendaciones para el Transporte de Muestras Peligrosas de Naciones Unidas, y en legislaciones internas vigentes propias de cada país. En consecuencia, los envíos están sujetos a los requerimientos específicos de empaquetado, documentación, etiquetado y manipulación. Debe destacarse la importancia de establecer una relación entre los grupos involucrados: el remitente, el transportador y el destinatario para lograr un transporte seguro y eficiente de los materiales

Transportation of diagnostic specimens

Fil: Terragno, R. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Cuando se envían especímenes para diagnóstico, incluidos los materiales infecciosos, a laboratorios fuera de la institución debe cumplirse con regulaciones de seguridad. Además, debe asegurarse la integridad de la muestra de manera de obtener un análisis exacto por parte del laboratorio destinatario. Las muestras deben ser empaquetadas y enviadas de manera de asegurarse que su contenido no se derrame o drene y que llegue en buenas condiciones. Las sustancias infecciosas se clasifican como envíos peligrosos de acuerdo con la legislación internacionalmente reconocida que se basa en las Recomendaciones para el Transporte de Muestras Peligrosas de Naciones Unidas, y en legislaciones internas vigentes propias de cada país. En consecuencia, los envíos están sujetos a los requerimientos específicos de empaquetado, documentación, etiquetado y manipulación. Debe destacarse la importancia de establecer una relación entre los grupos involucrados: el remitente, el transportador y el destinatario para lograr un transporte seguro y eficiente de los materiales

Characterization and subtyping of Cronobacter spp. from imported powdered infant formulae in Argentina

Fil: Terragno, R. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Salve, Angela. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Pichel, Mariana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Epszteyn, Sergio. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Dirección General de Higiene y Seguridad Alimentaria; Argentina.Fil: Brengi, Silvina P. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Binsztein, Norma. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii), have been associated with severe foodborne infections in neonates and immunocompromised infants. In Argentina, we have isolated Cronobacter spp. from three different brands of imported powdered infant formulae (PIF). The objectives of this work were to characterize the recovered isolates phenotypically and to evaluate the use of a Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) protocol for Cronobacter spp. subtyping. Out of 23 isolates studied from three brands of PIF (20 of brand A, 1 of brand B and 2 of brand C), 22 were identified as C. sakazakii and 1 as C. malonaticus. All isolates were susceptible to twelve antimicrobial agents assayed. The 19 C. sakazakii isolates of brand A showed five XbaI-PFGE patterns and the genetic clusters revealed by XbaI were confirmed with a second restriction enzyme, SpeI. The isolate from brand B showed the same XbaI and SpeI patterns as those of a group of isolates of brand A, suggesting a possible common source of contamination. The C. sakazakii isolates of brand C exhibited two unique XbaI-PFGE patterns, unrelated to the rest. Different genetic subtypes were found among isolates of a single batch of PIF from brand A and the single C. malonaticus strain also showed a distinct XbaI-PFGE pattern

Isolation of Salmonella Spp. from Yacare Caiman (caiman Yacare) and Broad-Snouted Caiman (caiman Latirostris) from the Argentine Chaco

Fil: Uhart, Marcela M. Wildlife Conservation Society. Global Health Program, Puerto Madryn, Chubut; Argentina.Fil: Ferreyra, Hebe. Wildlife Conservation Society. Global Health Program, Puerto Madryn, Chubut; Argentina.Fil: Mattiello, Rosana. Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Área de Medicina, Producción y Tecnología de Fauna Acuática y Terrestre, Buenos Aires; Argentina.Fil: Caffer, María Inés. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Enterobacterias; ArgentinaFil: Terragno, R. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Enterobacterias; ArgentinaFil: Schettino, Adriana. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Tandil, Buenos Aires; Argentina.Fil: Prado, Walter. Refugio de Vida Silvestre El Cachapé, Chaco; Argentina.Presence of Salmonella spp. was evaluated in yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) and broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) from a ranching facility in the Argentine Chaco. Crocodilian ranching programs are based on captive breeding of wild-harvested eggs and release of excess hatchlings into the wild. Samples for bacterial isolation were collected from 102 captive (35 C. yacare and 67 C. latirostris) and seven free-ranging caiman (four C. yacare and three C. latirositris) between 2001 and 2005 and from three artificially incubated C. yacare wild eggs. Two Salmonella spp. of known zoonotic potential, S. infantis and S. nottingham, were isolated from captive caiman in 2001 and 2002, respectively. This is the first report for S. nottingham in reptiles and of S. infantis in caiman. Salmonella spp. prevalence varied significantly between years, with a 77% prevalence peak in 2002. Although the cause of this increase was not confirmed, we found no correlation with the type of enclosure, caiman species, or body weight. Deteriorated physical condition of caiman hatchlings due to dietary changes in 2002 could have influenced Salmonella spp. shedding. However, external sources such as food, water, or enclosures could not be ruled out. Pathogenic Salmonella spp. present a risk for human infection. Inadvertent introduction of Salmonella spp. or other bacteria into the environment when caiman are released could pose a threat to wild caiman populations. Prophylactic measures to detect and decrease Salmonella spp. presence in caiman ranching facilities are recommended to reduce risk to humans and make caiman-ranching a sound conservation strategy for crocodilian species. Key words: Argentina, Caiman spp., cloacal swabs, crocodilian, ranching, Salmonella spp

Short report: analysis of clonal relationship among Shigella sonnei isolates circulating in Argentina

Fil: Pichel, Mariana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología; Argentina.Fil: González Fraga, Soledad. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología; Argentina.Fil: Terragno, R. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología; Argentina.Fil: Mulki, Jorgelina. Servicio Microbiología, Hospital del Niño Jesús de Praga, Salta; Argentina.Fil: Gentile, Angela. Coordinación de Gestión Epidemiológica de Salta, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, ArgentinaFil: Kremer, C. Laboratorio de Microbiología, Hospital Provincial Neuquén ‘Dr. Eduardo Castro Rendón’, Neuquén; ArgentinaFil: Mola, A M. Laboratorio de Microbiología, Hospital Zonal Materno Infantil ‘Argentina Diego’, Azul; ArgentinaFil: Noseda, R. Laboratorio Azul, Azul; ArgentinaFil: Binsztein, N. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología; Argentina.Thirty-five isolates of Shigella sonnei from patients with diarrhoea in three geographic regions of Argentina were examined for genetic diversity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and plasmid profile. PFGE of XbaI and BlnI DNA digests confirmed the occurrence of outbreaks in two regions caused by two separate predominant clones of S. sonnei. The third region was characterized by three circulating clones, one of which was possibly associated with an outbreak. Similar plasmids were found in distinct clones and in one outbreak clone five different plasmid profiles were identified. Antimicrobial resistance of the isolates varied from fully susceptible to the agents tested, to resistance to cotrimoxazole, ampicillin and ciprofloxacin. Antibiotic resistance did not correlate with plasmid content. This information will form the basis for active surveillance of shigellosis in Argentina and elsewhere in the region through the PulseNet International Network