ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease, affecting mainly poor and vulnerable populations. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional-study was carried out in 557 subjects from Olavarría county (Argentina) to estimate the seroprevalence of leptospirosis and the factors associated with seropositivity. A survey was carried out to obtain clinical and epidemiological data. Serum was tested for anti-leptospiral antibodies by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). Chi-square or Fisher Exact tests were used to assess association between the MAT results and the exploratory variables. For the variables statistically associated, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Individuals from Olavarría city were georeferenced to describe the spatial distribution and to detect clusters of seropositivity for leptospiral antibodies. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of leptospirosis infection was 7.00%, higher in rural (19.66%) than in urban populations (3.64%) (p < 0.001). Sejroe was the most predominant serogroup in rural communities while Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most prevalent in urban populations. The factors associated with Leptospira infection were the presence of rodents inside households (OR = 3.9) in rural populations, while contact with cats (OR = 4.97) and male gender (OR = 7.75) represented higher risk of infection for the urban ones. Cases with positive serology have been found near Tapalqué stream or in the peripheral areas of Olavarría city. CONCLUSIONS: The results from data obtained during the study period were similar to other reports and demonstrate the importance of continuous epidemiological surveillance system and specific community educational campaigns to prevent the leptospirosis infection in Olavarría county and other communities with similar characteristics especially in rural areas.
Subject(s)
Leptospira , Leptospirosis , Agglutination Tests , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial , Argentina/epidemiology , Cats , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Leptospirosis/epidemiology , Leptospirosis/veterinary , Male , Rural Population , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
La hidatidosis es una zoonosis parasitaria causada por Echinococcus granulosus. Es endémica en Argentina y en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, especialmente al sur de la cuenca del río Salado. Durante 2014 y 2016, se notificaron al Departamento de Zoonosis Rurales 479 casos de hidatidosis; el 12,1% fueron casos confirmados en menores de 18 años de edad. El 59% correspondió al sexo masculino y el grupo de 13 a 17 años fue el más prevalente (47%). El 64% tuvo afectación hepática; 22%, pulmonar; 5%, hepatopulmonar; 5%, esplénica y 4%, cerebral. El 33% de los casos fueron asintomáticos. El 60% residía en el área urbana y, de estos, un 20% no presentó nexo epidemiológico. Esta es una enfermedad de denuncia obligatoria y existen programas provinciales y nacionales que contemplan acciones gratuitas tendientes a controlarla, pero, a pesar de esto, continúa siendo un problema de difícil solución.
Hydatidosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus. It is endemic in Argentina and in the province of Buenos Aires, especially to the south of the Rio Salado basin. During 2014 and 2016, the Department of Rural Zoonoses was notified of479 cases of hydatidosis, with 12.1% confirmed in children under 18 years of age. Fifty-nine percent corresponded to males and the group of 13 to 17 years was the most prevalent one (47%). Sixty-four percent had liver involvement, 22% pulmonary involvement, 5% hepatopulmonary involvement, 5% splenic involvement and 4% cerebral involvement. Thirty-three percent of the cases were asymptomatic. Sixty percent resided in urban areas and of these 20% did not present an epidemiological link. This is a disease of mandatory reporting and there are provincial and national programs that contemplate free actions tending to control it, but despite this, it continues to be a difficult problem to solve.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Zoonoses/epidemiology , Echinococcus granulosus/isolation & purification , Echinococcosis/epidemiology , Argentina/epidemiology , Urban Population/statistics & numerical data , Zoonoses/parasitology , Prevalence , Sex Distribution , Age Distribution , AnimalsABSTRACT
Hydatidosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus. It is endemic in Argentina and in the province of Buenos Aires, especially to the south of the Rio Salado basin. During 2014 and 2016, the Department of Rural Zoonoses was notified of 479 cases of hydatidosis, with 12.1% confirmed in children under 18 years of age. Fifty-nine percent corresponded to males and the group of 13 to 17 years was the most prevalent one (47%). Sixty-four percent had liver involvement, 22% pulmonary involvement, 5% hepatopulmonary involvement, 5% splenic involvement and 4% cerebral involvement. Thirtythree percent of the cases were asymptomatic. Sixty percent resided in urban areas and of these 20% did not present an epidemiological link. This is a disease of mandatory reporting and there are provincial and national programs that contemplate free actions tending to control it, but despite this, it continues to be a difficult problem to solve.
La hidatidosis es una zoonosis parasitaria causada por Echinococcus granulosus. Es endémica en Argentina y en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, especialmente al sur de la cuenca del río Salado. Durante 2014 y 2016, se notificaron al Departamento de Zoonosis Rurales 479 casos de hidatidosis; el 12,1% fueron casos confirmados en menores de 18 años de edad. El 59% correspondió al sexo masculino y el grupo de 13 a 17 años fue el más prevalente (47%). El 64% tuvo afectación hepática; 22%, pulmonar; 5%, hepatopulmonar; 5%, esplénica y 4%, cerebral. El 33% de los casos fueron asintomáticos. El 60% residía en el área urbana y, de estos, un 20% no presentó nexo epidemiológico. Esta es una enfermedad de denuncia obligatoria y existen programas provinciales y nacionales que contemplan acciones gratuitas tendientes a controlarla, pero, a pesar de esto, continúa siendo un problema de difícil solución.
Subject(s)
Echinococcosis/epidemiology , Echinococcus granulosus/isolation & purification , Zoonoses/epidemiology , Adolescent , Age Distribution , Animals , Argentina/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Prevalence , Sex Distribution , Urban Population/statistics & numerical data , Zoonoses/parasitologyABSTRACT
To identify carriers of Leptospira spp. in Argentina, wild animals were trapped in Buenos Aires Province during three nights, capturing 12 Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossum), six Chaetophractus villosus (big hairy armadillo), five Lycalopex griseus (South American gray fox), and two Conepatus chinga (Molina's hog-nosed skunk). All were tested by microscopic agglutination test, and five (two gray foxes, two armadillos, and one skunk) were positive for Leptospira interrogans serovars Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae, L. borgpetersenii serovar Castellonis, and L. kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa, at titers of 1:50 and 1:100. Kidney tissue from all animals was cultured, and one isolate of L. interrogans from a gray fox was obtained. Hamsters inoculated with the isolate died after 6 days with no macroscopic lesions at necropsy. However, histologic examination revealed glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis, and pneumonia. The Leptospira strain from the South American gray fox was analyzed serologically and its pathogenicity was established. Genotyping through multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis showed that the strain was a new genotype related to the L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae.
Subject(s)
Armadillos/virology , Foxes/microbiology , Leptospira interrogans/isolation & purification , Leptospirosis/veterinary , Mephitidae/virology , Animals , Animals, Wild/virology , Argentina/epidemiology , Female , Genotype , Leptospira interrogans/classification , Leptospira interrogans/genetics , Leptospirosis/epidemiology , Leptospirosis/microbiology , Leptospirosis/pathology , Male , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
Natural infection with Trichinella has been described in more than 150 mammalian species. However, few reports of Trichinella infection in wild animals have come from Argentina. In this study, muscle tissue was obtained from wild animals in Argentina with the aim of evaluating the presence of Trichinella. A total of 169 muscle samples were collected to determine the presence of Trichinella larvae by artificial digestion. The 169 muscle samples originated from 12 species including 36 opossums (Didelphis albiventris), 19 armadillos (Chaetophractus villosus), 9 capybaras (Hydrocaeris hydrocaeris), 1 puma (Puma concolor), 3 grey fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus), 6 coypus (Myocastor coypus), 6 skunks (Conepatus chinga), 2 ferrets (Galictis cuja), 66 rats (Rattus norvegicus), 6 mice (Mus musculus), 12 wild boars (Sus scrofa), and 3 wild cats (Felis geoffroyi). Trichinella infection was detected in 1 puma [2 larvae per gram (LPG)], 3 wild boars (8-420 LPG), 3 armadillos (0.04-0.08 LPG), and 9 rats (0.1 to 150 LPG). Only 3 Trichinella isolates, of 1 rat and 2 wild boars from Neuquén, were identified as Trichinella spiralis by nested PCR. The presence of Trichinella infection among wild animal populations suggests a sylvatic cycle of transmission in Argentina, which can serve as a reservoir for humans and domestic animals. Further, evidence of high prevalence in rats emphasizes the need to improve pig management, mainly in small individual farms without adequate technology, to enhance the quality of feeds, and to improve veterinary services to avoid exposure of pigs to Trichinella.
Subject(s)
Animals, Wild/parasitology , Trichinella spiralis/isolation & purification , Trichinellosis/veterinary , Animals , Argentina/epidemiology , DNA, Helminth/genetics , Endemic Diseases , Muscles/parasitology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Prevalence , Trichinellosis/epidemiology , Trichinellosis/parasitologyABSTRACT
Se estudió una muestra de canes del área rural del Partido de Azul Pcia. de Buenos Aires, mediante las técnicas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por B.aboratus, B.suis, B.melitensis y la prueba de inmunodifusión en gel, para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por Brucella canis. Reaccionaron positivamente el 6,5 y 5,9 de los canes a las pruebas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson, y el 1,65 a la inmunodifusión
ABSTRACT
Se estudió una muestra de canes del área rural del Partido de Azul Pcia. de Buenos Aires, mediante las técnicas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por B.aboratus, B.suis, B.melitensis y la prueba de inmunodifusión en gel, para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por Brucella canis. Reaccionaron positivamente el 6,5 y 5,9 de los canes a las pruebas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson, y el 1,65 a la inmunodifusión
ABSTRACT
Se estudió una muestra de canes del área rural del Partido de Azul Pcia. de Buenos Aires, mediante las técnicas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por B.aboratus, B.suis, B.melitensis y la prueba de inmunodifusión en gel, para el diagnóstico de infección brucelar por Brucella canis. Reaccionaron positivamente el 6,5 y 5,9 de los canes a las pruebas de Rosa de Bengala y Huddleson, y el 1,65 a la inmunodifusión
