Etiological treatment of young women infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, and prevention of congenital transmission / Tratamento etiológico de mulheres jovens infectadas com Trypanosoma cruzi e prevenção da transmissão congênita

The objective was to detect Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 32 children in Salta, Argentina, born to 16 chronically infected young women who were treated with benznidazole. Tests were performed to assess the efficacy of treatment after 14 years. At the end of the follow up, 87.5 percent of the women were non-reactive to EIA tests, 62.5 percent to IHA and 43.8 percent to IFA. 62.5 percent of the women were non-reactive according to two or three serological tests. No infected children were detected among the newborns of mothers treated before their pregnancy.

O objetivo foi detectar a infecção do Trypanosoma cruzi em 32 crianças nacidas de 16 jovens mulheres cronicamente infectadas e tratadas com benzinadol, em Salta, Argentina. Testes foram feitos para avaliar a eficácia após 14 anos do tratamento. Ao final do seguimento 87.5 por cento das mulheres foram não reativas ao EIA, 62.5 por cento ao IHA e 43.8 por cento ao IFA. 62.5 por cento das mulheres foram não reativas de acordo a 3 ou 2 testes serológicos. Nenhuma criança infectada foi detectada entre os recém-nascidos de mães tratadas antes da gravidez.

Quality assurance of the serologic diagnosis of Chagas's disease / Garantía de calidad en el diagnóstico serológico de la enfermedad de Chagas

A quality assurance program of the Chagas's disease laboratory network of Argentina has been conducted by the National Reference Center since 1988, with the aim of assessing the reliability of serologic test results. Chagas's disease is endemic in Argentina, but the prevalence of seropositivity for Trypanosoma cruzi among 18- to 20-year-old men decreased from 5.8 por ciento in 1981 to 1.8 por ciento in 1994. About 600 laboratories form the Chagas's disease laboratory network, with main central laboratories in each of the 24 provinces in Argentina. The quality assurance program promotes regular use of good laboratory practice and internal and external quality control to improve performance of the participants; it also provides technical assistance and guidelines. Eventual corrective measures are discussed in workshops. Results of the first external evalutation by proficiency testing of serum panels and confirmation of results for 58 of the main laboratoires reveal that from 1988 to 1994 the rate of agreement has increased

El Centro Nacional de Referencia ha llevado a cabo desde 1988 un programa de garantía de calidad en la red de laboratorios para el diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Chagas en Argentina. El propósito ha sido evaluar la confiabilidad de los resultados de la prueba serológica. La enfermedad de Chagas es endémica en Argentina, pero la prevalencia de seropositividad a Trypanosoma cruzi en hombres de 18 a 24 años bajó de 5,8% en 1981 a 1,8% en 1994. Alrededor de 600 laboratorios forman la red para el diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Chagas, que cuenta con un laboratorio central en cada una de las 24 provincias argentinas. El programa para la garantía de la calidad promueve la aplicación continua de las buenas prácticas de laboratorio y se vale de controles de calidad internos y externos para mejorar el rendimiento de los participantes. También provee asistencia técnica y sienta parámetros normativos. Cualquier enmienda que resulte necesaria se discute en talleres de trabajo. Los resultados de la primera evaluación externa en que investigó la exactitud de las pruebas serológicas y la confirmación de los resultados obtenidos en 58 de los principales laboratorios revelan que de 1988 a 1994 la tasa de concordancia mejoró

Serological evidence of human hantavirus infection in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay

A serological survey was conducted in 1985-1987 to determine the presence of infection for Hantavirus in the general population in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, as well as among rodent-exposed laboratory workers in Argentina. Out of 748 individuals tested by immunofluorescence 20 proved positive for Hantaan virus 76/118 strain of whom 16 also reacted against Seou virus 80/39 strain and 2 against Puumala virus Sotkamo strain. Ten out of 72 Argentine laboratory workers were positive for the first 2 viruses by ELISA, immunofluorescence and/or plaque reduction neutralization test, in 4 of whom recent infection was demonstrated by IgM antibody presence. Inapparent Hantavirus infection was thus demonstrated for the first time in 2.7 per cent of regional inhabitants, together with 13.9 per cent among rodent-exposed laboratory workers. Our data established the existence of human Hantavirus infection nearly 10 years before the recognition of clinical cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Argentina.

Actividad del virus de la encefalitis equina venezolana en el norte de Colombia, abril y mayo de 1983 / Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus activity in northern Colombia during April and May 1983

Venezuelan equine encephaltis (VEE) virus was isolated from sentinel hamsters exposed in the Rio de Oro region of Colombia, in the Lake Maracaibo drainage área near the border with Venezuela, in 1983-13 years after the first strain was isolated from the region near Tibu. Hydroxylapatite elution profiles of three isolates from the Rio de Oro region were typical of enzootic strains. Relative abundance data and past isolations suggest that culex (Melanoconion) pedroi is a probable enxootic vector at this focus. The virus was no isolated from forests near Santa Marta and Magangue in the Rio Magdalena drainage área in 1983-9 and 16 years, respectively, after the last previous isolations in those áreas. However, equine animals 2 to 10 years of age and humans 25 to 67 years of age living near the Magangue field study área were positive for VEE virus-specific neutralizing antibodies