ABSTRACT
La difilobotriosis es una parasitosis intestinal causada por la infección de cestodos del genero Diphyllobothrium. En la Argentina, la Patagonia Andina es considerada una zona endémica para esta parasitosis. La infección por Diphyllobothrium latum no ha sido previamente notificada en la provincia de Mendoza; en este trabajo comunicamos un caso de esta parasitosis que fue confirmada por el análisis de las características morfológicas de los huevos eliminados con la materia fecal de un paciente infectado. Se destaca la necesidad de información y capacitación de los profesionales de la salud en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de parasitosis no endémicas.
Diphyllobothriosis is an intestinal parasitosis caused by cestodes infection of the genus Diphyllobothrium. In Argentina, the Andean Patagonia is considered an endemic area for this parasitosis. Diphyllobothrium latum infection has not been previously reported in the province of Mendoza, Argentina. We are now reporting then the first case. Diphyllobothriosis was confirmed by examination of morphologic characteristics of the eggs eliminated in the patients' feces. These results suggest the requirement of a more specific training of health workers in the diagnosis and treatment of non endemic parasitosis. We want to emphasize the need of health workers' education on diagnosis and treatment of endemic and non-endemic parasitosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Diphyllobothriasis/diagnosis , Diphyllobothrium/isolation & purification , Food Parasitology , Oncorhynchus kisutch/parasitology , Argentina/epidemiology , Parasite Egg CountABSTRACT
We have used the expression library immunization technology to study the protection of Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch to the infection with Piscirickettsia salmonis. Purified DNA from this bacterium was sonicated and the fragments were cloned in the expression vector pCMV-Bios. Two libraries were obtained containing 22,000 and 28,000 colonies and corresponding to approximately 8 and 10 times the genome of the pathogen, respectively. On average, the size of the inserts ranged between 300 and 1,000 bp. The plasmid DNA isolated from one of these libraries was purified and 20 micrograms were injected intramuscularly into 60 fish followed by a second dose of 10 micrograms applied 40 days later. As control, fish were injected with the same amount of DNA of the vector pCMV-Bios without insert. The titer of IgM anti-P. salmonis of vaccinated fish, evaluated 60 days post-injection, was significantly higher than that of the control group injected with the vector alone. Moreover, this response was specific against P. salmonis antigens, since no cross reaction was detected with Renibacterium salmoninarum and Yersinia ruckeri. The vaccinated and control fish were challenged 60 days after the second dose of DNA with 2.5 x 10(7) P. salmonis corresponding to 7.5 times the LD50. At 30 days post-challenge, 100 per cent mortality was obtained with the control fish while 20 per cent of the vaccinated animals survived. All surviving fish exhibited a lower bacterial load in the kidney than control fish. The expression library was also tested in Balb/c mice and it was found that the humoral immune response was specific to P. salmonis and it was dependent on the amount of DNA injected.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Gene Expression , Gene Library , Immunization , Oncorhynchus kisutch , DNA, Bacterial , Fish Diseases , Gene Expression , Immunization , Mice, Inbred BALB CABSTRACT
Between may and july 1994, 17 adult returning salmons, oncorhynchus kisutch, were collected in the River Simpson, Chile. All fishes showed infection by plerocercoids of diphyllobothrium sp. in different locations: stomach, spleen, liver, mesenteries and gonads. Infection with larval cestodes of an unidentified species of phillobothriidae was determined in the intestine of seven (41,2 percent) salmons and its prevalences of infection showed significant differences between female and male salmons. The 94,4 percent of total plerocercoids of diphyllobothrium were isolated from the stomach wall. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection by diphyllobothrium sp. did not show significant differences between fishes of different sex