Detection of pathogenic bacteria in skin lesions of patients with chiclero's ulcer: reluctant response to antimonial treatment

We investigated the bacterial flora present in skin lesions of patients with chiclero's ulcer from the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico using conventional culture methods (11 patients), and an immunocolorimetric detection of pathogenic Streptococcus pyogenes (15 patients). Prevalence of bacteria isolated by culture methods was 90.9 percent (10/11). We cultured, from chiclero's ulcers (60 percent), pathogenic bacterial such as Staphylococcus aureus (20 percent), S. pyogenes (1.6 percent), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.6 percent), Morganella morganii (1.6 percent), and opportunist pathogenic bacteria such as Klebsiella spp. (20.0 percent), Enterobacter spp. (20 percent), and Enterococcus spp. (20 percent). We also cultured coagulase-negative staphylococci in 40 percent (4/10) of the remaining patients. Micrococcus spp. and coagulase-negative staphylococci constituted the bacterial genuses more frequently isolated in the normal skin of patients with chiclero's ulcer and healthy individuals used as controls. We also undertook another study to find out the presence of S. pyogenes by an immunocolorimetric assay. This study indicated that 60 percent (9/15) of the ulcerated lesions, but not normal controls, were contaminated with S. pyogenes. Importantly, individuals with purulent secretion and holding concomitant infections with S. pyogenes, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, M. morganii, and E. durans took longer to heal Leishmania (L.) mexicana infections treated with antimonial drugs. Our results suggest the need to eliminate bacterial purulent infections, by antibiotic treatment, before starting antimonial administration to patients with chiclero's ulcer.

Calidad sanitaria del agua para consumo humano en una comunidad rural de Mexico / Sanitary quality of water for human consumption in rural community of Mexico

Con el propósito de conocer la calidad sanitaria del agua consumida por la población de Bécal, comunidad rural de México, se investigó la presencia de organismos mesofílicos aerobios, coliformes totales y coliformes fecales en diferentes puntos del sistema de distribución del agua, así como en pozos y depósitos de agua de origen pluvial intradomiciliarios. Los resultados sugieren la existencia de factores propios de la región que condicionan la exposición del agua a la contaminación por materia orgánica en las diferentes unidades estudiadas. Se demuestra la necesidad de realizar un cuidadoso control sanitario del agua destinada al consumo humano a través de la instrumentación de programas que garanticen una vigilancia sistemática de las fuentes de abastecimiento y distribución, así como de implementar programas de educación a la comunidad sobre medidas generales de higiene y de control de las enfermedades gastrointestinales.