ABSTRACT
Rio Negro virus (RNV) (Venezuelan equine encephalitis subtype VI) circulates only in Argentina; in northern provinces, isolates have been obtained from mosquitoes and rodents since 1980 and have been associated with acute febrile illness in humans. However, no studies of RNV have been performed in the central area of the country. We carried out molecular and serological detection of RNV in Córdoba, a province of the central part of the country, in mosquitoes and humans, respectively. One mosquito pool tested positive for alphavirus RNA by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR). Subsequent sequencing determined that this alphavirus grouped with RNV. Serological studies detected antibodies to RNV in one human serum sample, which was obtained during the same period that RNV was detected using the aforementioned molecular methods. This is the first report of RNV circulation in the central area of Argentina, indicating an expansion of its original distribution. These results highlight the importance of strengthening surveillance procedures in endemic areas, as well as in new regions where RNV may emerge.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Culicidae/virology , Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine/genetics , Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine/virology , Insect Vectors/virology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Argentina/epidemiology , Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine/immunology , Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine/isolation & purification , Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine/diagnosis , Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine/epidemiology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Viral/analysisABSTRACT
El virus de hepatitis C (HCV) es una de las principales causas de enfermedad hepática crónica. La coinfección con HIV acelera la progresión de la enfermedad causada por HCV, incrementa la transmision de HCV y parece empeorar la infección por HIV. Los genetipos de HCV tienen incidencia sobre la clínica, histología y respuesta del tratamiento antiviral y han sido asociados con áreas geográficas y modos especificos de transmisión. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar el perfil molecular de HCV en Córdoba, Argentina. Para la detección de ARN del HCV se implementó una RT-nested PCR de la región 5`no codificante (5' NC) y la genotipificación se realizó medicante restricción enzimática y análisis de los fragments largos de restricción de la misma región genómica. Entre los individuos infectados con HCV, HIV negativos (N=149) hallamos una alta prevalencia de HCV genotipo 2 (49
Subject(s)
Hepacivirus , Hepatitis C , ArgentinaABSTRACT
A serological screening was performed in 615 individuals aged 0-87 years, living in the city of Cordoba, Argentina to study the relationship between antibody prevalence for the SLE virus and age. A 13.98 percent prevalence of neutralizing antibodies was obtained and its relation to age was significantly high (p = 0.045). The highest seroprevalence was noted on individuals over 60 years old (>20 percent), whereas no subject under 10 was seropositive for this virus. Our results confirm that the agent is endemic in this area and neurological pathology studies should be performed on those individuals aged 60 since they represent the most susceptible group to SLE virus