ABSTRACT
Se determinó la presencia de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp en aguas superficiales en una planta de tratamiento en San José Costa Rica. Se analizaron siete muestras de aguas pre-tratadas y siete de aguas tratadas no cloradas. Se utilizaron técnicas de concentración y tinción para demostrar la presencia de los ooquistes. Seis de las siete muestras de agua pre-tratadas y cuatro de las siete de agua tratadas fueron positivas por ooquistes de Cryptosporidium. Se discute el papel del agua como fuente de infección en Costa Rica
Subject(s)
Humans , Cryptosporidium , Surface Waters , Wastewater , Costa Rica , Cryptosporidiosis , Feces , Oocytes , Raw Water , Wastewater Treatment Plants , Water QualityABSTRACT
A serological survey with immunofluorescence techniques to detect toxoplasma antibodies was done on a sample of 1234 Costa Ricans. The overall prevalence was 76 percento; it increased from 60 percento in donors aged 1-4 years to 90 percento in those over 25 years. No significant difference was found in seropositivity between males (42.8 percento) and females (57.2 percento) and between donors from urban and rural (LPI) areas. Consumption of raw meat, especially prepared meat, was significantly correlated with antibody prevalence, but cat contact was not, indicating a possible change in the usual pattern of transmission described for the country. Nevertheless, our data suggest that infectious cat feces play an important role in the transmission of toxoplasmosis
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Child, Preschool , Child , Female , Male , Mice , Cats , Infant , Toxoplasmosis , Costa Rica , Epidemiologic Methods , Prevalence , Toxoplasmosis , Toxoplasmosis/transmissionABSTRACT
Sigmodon hispidus, a cotton rat, was inoculated with tachyzoites or oocysts of Costa Rican strains of Toxoplasma gondii to demonstrate the resistance to this parasite, as compared with mice, hamster and white rat infection. Susceptibility to tachyzoite inoculation was higher in this animal than in white rats but lower than in the other animals. Independent to the Toxoplasma strain studied, oocyst infection was less lethal for S. hispidus when compared with mice and hamsters; the results were similar to those observed for white rats. There is a probable participation of this wild animal in the natural Toxoplasma life cycle.