Detection of Filariid Infections in Mexican Primate Populations Through qPCR

Filariae are parasitic nematodes of high veterinary and medical importance, responsible for some acute tropical diseases. They are transmitted through the bite of hematophagous vectors such as biting midges and blackflies. Filariae are among the most prevalent vector-borne parasitoses in Neotropical primates in which severe infections can cause inflammatory reactions and tissue damage. Given the location inside the host (peritoneal cavity, bloodstream, and lymphatics), the detection of filariid nematodes is challenging and is mostly postmortem; hence the scarcity of studies on the prevalence of filariae in wild primate populations. Here, we report the prevalence of filariid infections in free-ranging populations of Geoffroy's spider (Ateles geoffroyi) and black howler (Alouatta pigra) monkeys across southern Mexico, using a combination of noninvasive sampling and molecular diagnostic techniques. Fecal samples were screened for filariid DNA by qPCR protocols. A total of 88 samples were examined with an overall prevalence of 26%. Filariae were slightly more common in spider monkeys compared to howler monkeys. This study constitutes the first report of the prevalence of infection of filariid nematodes in populations of wild spider monkey across southern Mexico, and the first reporting of filariae in black howler monkeys, as part of a new era of primate parasitology and the diagnostics of parasite infections in light of the everyday more affordable molecular tools

Drivers of jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor) predation on endangered primates within a transformed landscape in southern Mexico

Human pressures have increasingly placed keystone species, such as large cats, under threat. Together with forest loss, prey depletion is one of the main threats to the survival of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) throughout the Neotropics. Generally, primates are not considered main prey for jaguar and puma, and their inclusion in the diet could be indicative of ongoing prey species decline. Here, we investigate the effect of habitat type and disturbance on primate predation by large cats. Surveys took place during the dry seasons (March to June) of 2010 and 2011, covering a total of 608.5 km across 24 localities in the Uxpanapa Valley, Mexico. We found 65 felid scat samples with the aid of a wildlife scat detection dog, and then examined them to identify predator species and classify the prey remains they contained. Primates represented the most frequent prey (35%) for both jaguar and puma in our study site and constituted approximately half of the biomass consumed by these felines in the area. Primate remains were more likely to be found in scats surrounded by the lowest percentage of conserved forest or in areas surrounded by more villages, showing the potential effects of human activities on these species' populations. The high proportion of primates found in scats within our study site could be an early indication that populations of ungulates and other “typical” prey are beginning to collapse, and urgent conservation interventions are needed for both large cats and primates before they become locally extinct

Concepts in Animal Parasitology, Part 3: Endoparasitic Platyhelminths

Part III: Endoparasitic Platyhelminths, chapters 15-47, pages 231-532, in Concepts in Animal Parasitology. 2024. Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States; part III doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap073 Platyhelminthes Chapter 15: Introduction to Endoparasitic Platyhelminths (Phylum Platyhelminthes) by Larry S. Roberts, John J. Janovy, Jr., Steve Nadler, and Scott L. Gardner, pages 231-240 Cestoda Chapter 16: Introduction to Cestodes (Class Cestoda) by Scott L. Gardner, pages 241-246 Eucestoda Chapter 17: Introduction to Cyclophyllidea Beneden in Braun, 1900 (Order) by Scott L. Gardner, pages 247-250 Chapter 18: Taenia (Genus) by Sumiya Ganzorig and Scott. L. Gardner, pages 251-261 Chapter 19: Echinococcus (Genus) by Akira Ito and Scott. L. Gardner, pages 262-275 Chapter 20: Proteocephalidae La Rue, 1911 (Family) by Tomáš Scholz and Roman Kuchta, pages 276-282 Chapter 21: Bothriocephalidea Kuchta et al., 2008 (Order) by Jorge Falcón-Ordaz and Luis García-Prieto, pages 283-288 Chapter 22: Diphyllobothriidea Kuchta et al., 2008 (Order): The Broad Tapeworms by Tomáš Scholz and Roman Kuchta, pages 289-296 Chapter 23: Trypanorhyncha Diesing, 1863 (Order) by Francisco Zaragoza-Tapia and Scott Monks, pages 297-305 Chapter 24: Cathetocephalidea Schmidt and Beveridge, 1990 (Order) by Luis García-Prieto, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, Brenda Atziri García-García, and Berenice Adán-Torres, pages 306-309 Chapter 25: Diphyllidea van Beneden in Carus, 1863 (Order) by Luis García-Prieto, Brenda Atziri García-García, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, and Berenice Adán-Torres, pages 310-315 Chapter 26: Lecanicephalidea Hyman, 1951 (Order) by Luis García-Prieto, Berenice Adán-Torres, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, and Brenda Atziri García- García, pages 316-320 Chapter 27: Litobothriidea Dailey, 1969 (Order) by Luis García-Prieto, Berenice Adán-Torres, Brenda Atziri García-García, and Omar Lagunas-Calvo, pages 321-325 Chapter 28: Phyllobothriidea Caira et al., 2014 (Order) by Brenda Atziri García-García, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, Berenice Adán-Torres, and Luis García-Prieto, pages 326-331 Chapter 29: Rhinebothriidea Healy et al., 2009 (Order) by Omar Lagunas-Calvo, Brenda Atziri García-García, Berenice Adán-Torres, and Luis García-Prieto, pages 332-339 Chapter 30: Relics of “Tetraphyllidea” van Beneden, 1850 (Order) by Berenice Adán-Torres, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, Brenda Atziri García-García, and Luis García-Prieto, pages 340-346 Amphilinidea Chapter 31: Amphilinidea Poche 1922 (Order) by Klaus Rohde, pages 347-353 Gyrocotylidea Chapter 32: Gyrocotylidea (Order): The Most Primitive Group of Tapeworms by Willi E. R. Xylander and Klaus Rohde, pages 354-360 Trematoda Aspidogastrea Chapter 33: Aspidogastrea (Subclass) by Klaus Rohde, pages 361-377 Digenea: Diplostomida Chapter 34: Introduction to Diplostomida Olson et al., 2003 (Order) by Lucrecia Acosta Soto, Bernard Fried, and Rafael Toledo, pages 378-393 Chapter 35: Aporocotylidae (Family): Fish Blood Flukes by Russell Q.-Y. Yong, pages 394-401 Digenea: Plagiorchiida Chapter 36: Introduction to Plagiorchiida La Rue, 1957 (Order) by Rafael Toledo, Bernard Fried, and Lucrecia Acosta Soto, pages 402-404 Chapter 37: Bivesiculata Olson et al., 2003 (Suborder): Small, Rare, but Important by Thomas H. Cribb and Scott C. Cutmore, pages 405-408 Chapter 38: Echinostomata La Rue, 1926 (Suborder) by Rafael Toledo, Bernard Fried, and Lucrecia Acosta Soto, pages 409-422 Chapter 39: Haplosplanchnata Olson et al., 2003 (Suborder): Two Hosts with Half the Guts by Daniel C. Huston, pages 423-427 Chapter 40: Hemiurata Skrjabin & Guschanskaja, 1954 (Suborder) by Lucrecia Acosta Soto, Bernard Fried, and Rafael Toledo, pages 428-435 Chapter 41: Monorchiata Olson et al., 2003 (Suborder): Two Families Separated by Salinity by Nicholas Q.-X. Wee, pages 436-442 Chapter 42: Opisthorchis (Genus) compiled from material from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria by Sue Ann Gardner, pages 443-445 Xiphidiata Chapter 43: Allocreadiidae Looss, 1902 (Family) by Gerardo Pérez-Ponce de León, David Iván Hernández-Mena, and Brenda Solórzano-García, pages 446-459 Chapter 44: Haematoloechidae Odening, 1964 (Family) by Virginia León-Règagnon, pages 460-469 Chapter 45: Lecithodendriidae Lühe, 1901 (Family) by Jeffrey M. Lotz, pages 470-479 Chapter 46: Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925 (Family): The Richest Trematode Family by Storm B. Martin, pages 480-489 Digenea Summary Chapter 47: Summary of the Digenea (Subclass): Insights and Lessons from a Prominent Parasitologist by Robin M. Overstreet, pages 490-53

Ultra low background Micromegas detectors for BabyIAXO solar axion search

The International AXion Observatory (IAXO) is a large scale axion helioscope that will look for axions and axion-like particles produced in the Sun with unprecedented sensitivity. BabyIAXO is an intermediate experimental stage that will be hosted at DESY (Germany) and that will test all IAXO subsystems serving as a prototype for IAXO but at the same time as a fully-fledged helioscope with potential for discovery. One of the crucial components of the project is the ultra-low background X-ray detectors that will image the X-ray photons produced by axion conversion in the experiment. The baseline detection technology for this purpose are Micromegas (Microbulk) detectors. We will show the quest and the strategy to attain the very challenging levels of background targeted for BabyIAXO that need a multi-approach strategy coming from ground measurements, screening campaigns of components of the detector, underground measurements, background models, in-situ background measurements as well as powerful rejection algorithms. First results from the commissioning of the BabyIAXO prototype will be shown.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted for the proceedings of the International Conference on Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors, December 2022, Israe

Oral health service utilization by elderly beneficiaries of the Mexican Institute of Social Security in México city

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aging population poses a challenge to Mexican health services. The aim of this study is to describe recent oral health services utilization and its association with socio-demographic characteristics and co-morbidity in Mexican Social Security beneficiaries 60 years and older.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A sample of 700 individuals aged 60+ years was randomly chosen from the databases of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). These participants resided in the southwest of Mexico City and made up the final sample of a cohort study for identifying risk factors for root caries in elderly patients. Sociodemographic variables, presence of cognitive decline, depression, morbidity, medication consumption, and utilization of as well as reasons for seeking oral health services within the past 12 months were collected through a questionnaire. Clinical oral assessments were carried out to determine coronal and root caries experience.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The sample consisted of 698 individuals aged 71.6 years on average, of whom 68.3% were women. 374 participants (53.6%) had made use of oral health services within the past 12 months. 81% of those who used oral health services sought private medical care, 12.8% sought social security services, and 6.2% public health services. 99.7% had experienced coronal caries and 44.0% root caries. Female sex (OR = 2.0), 6 years' schooling or less (OR = 1.4), and caries experience in more than 22 teeth (OR = 0.6) are factors associated with the utilization of these services.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>About half the elderly beneficiaries of social security have made use of oral health services within the past 12 months, and many of them have to use private services. Being a woman, having little schooling, and low caries experience are factors associated with the use of these services.</p

Dark matter searches with NaI scintillators in the Canfranc underground laboratory: ANAIS experiment

n/

Epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthy Venezuelan children

Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. We investigated both the colonization and co-colonization characteristics for these pathogens among 250 healthy children from 2 to 5 years of age in Merida, Venezuela, in 2007. The prevalence of S. pneumoniae colonization, S. aureus colonization, and S. pneumoniae–S. aureus co-colonization was 28%, 56%, and 16%, respectively. Pneumococcal serotypes 6B (14%), 19F (12%), 23F (12%), 15 (9%), 6A (8%), 11 (8%), 23A (6%), and 34 (6%) were the most prevalent. Non-respiratory atopy was a risk factor for S. aureus colonization (p = 0.017). Vaccine serotypes were negatively associated with preceding respiratory infection (p = 0.02) and with S. aureus colonization (p = 0.03). We observed a high prevalence of pneumococcal resistance against trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (40%), erythromycin (38%), and penicillin (14%). Semi-quantitative measurement of pneumococcal colonization density showed that children with young siblings and low socioeconomic status were more densely colonized (p = 0.02 and p = 0.02, respectively). In contrast, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole- and multidrug-resistant-pneumococci colonized children sparsely (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). Our data form an important basis to monitor the future impact of pneumococcal vaccination on bacterial colonization, as well as to recommend a rationalized and restrictive antimicrobial use in our community

Immunogenicity of chimeric haemagglutinin-based, universal influenza virus vaccine candidates: interim results of a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 1 clinical trial.

BackgroundInfluenza viruses cause substantial annual morbidity and mortality globally. Current vaccines protect against influenza only when well matched to the circulating strains. However, antigenic drift can cause considerable mismatches between vaccine and circulating strains, substantially reducing vaccine effectiveness. Moreover, current seasonal vaccines are ineffective against pandemic influenza, and production of a vaccine matched to a newly emerging virus strain takes months. Therefore, there is an unmet medical need for a broadly protective influenza virus vaccine. We aimed to test the ability of chimeric H1 haemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine candidates to induce broadly cross-reactive antibodies targeting the stalk domain of group 1 haemagglutinin-expressing influenza viruses.MethodsWe did a randomised, observer-blinded, phase 1 study in healthy adults in two centres in the USA. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three prime-boost, chimeric haemagglutinin-based vaccine regimens or one of two placebo groups. The vaccine regimens included a chimeric H8/1, intranasal, live-attenuated vaccine on day 1 followed by a non-adjuvanted, chimeric H5/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine on day 85; the same regimen but with the inactivated vaccine being adjuvanted with AS03; and an AS03-adjuvanted, chimeric H8/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine followed by an AS03-adjuvanted, chimeric H5/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine. In this planned interim analysis, the primary endpoints of reactogenicity and safety were assessed by blinded study group. We also assessed anti-H1 haemagglutinin stalk, anti-H2, anti-H9, and anti-H18 IgG antibody titres and plasmablast and memory B-cell responses in peripheral blood. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03300050.FindingsBetween Oct 10, 2017, and Nov 27, 2017, 65 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned. The adjuvanted inactivated vaccine, but not the live-attenuated vaccine, induced a substantial serum IgG antibody response after the prime immunisation, with a seven times increase in anti-H1 stalk antibody titres on day 29. After boost immunisation, all vaccine regimens induced detectable anti-H1 stalk antibody (2·2-5·6 times induction over baseline), cross-reactive serum IgG antibody, and peripheral blood plasmablast responses. An unsolicited adverse event was reported for 29 (48%) of 61 participants. Solicited local adverse events were reported in 12 (48%) of 25 participants following prime vaccination with intramuscular study product or placebo, in 12 (33%) of 36 after prime immunisation with intranasal study product or placebo, and in 18 (32%) of 56 following booster doses of study product or placebo. Solicited systemic adverse events were reported in 14 (56%) of 25 after prime immunisation with intramuscular study product or placebo, in 22 (61%) of 36 after immunisation with intranasal study product or placebo, and in 21 (38%) of 56 after booster doses of study product or placebo. Disaggregated safety data were not available at the time of this interim analysis.InterpretationThe tested chimeric haemagglutinin-based, universal influenza virus vaccine regimens elicited cross-reactive serum IgG antibodies that targeted the conserved haemagglutinin stalk domain. This is the first proof-of-principle study to show that high anti-stalk titres can be induced by a rationally designed vaccine in humans and opens up avenues for further development of universal influenza virus vaccines. On the basis of the blinded study group, the vaccine regimens were tolerable and no safety concerns were observed.FundingBill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation