Is Mexico Ready for Face Transplantation?

With the limitations of surgical reconstructive procedures, the growing number of gunshot wounds, burns, and work accidents in Mexico that result in complex facial deformities leaves only 1 option-face transplantation. The National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubiran" (INCMNSZ) has performed transplants since 1971. We at INCMNSZ undertook the 1st bilateral upper-limb transplantation in Latin America in 2012. We are willing to continue in this manner toward conducting face transplantation at our institute. To this end, we identified and solved various challenges. The 1st challenge was acceptance and inclusion of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) within general Mexican health law and approval of the face transplantation procedure. Subsequently, the health ministry provided a license to INCMNSZ to perform the procedure. The 2nd challenge concerned who would pay for the procedure. The costs will be paid by the patient (1st-party payer), social security institutions (2nd-party payers), and the health ministry (3rd-party payer). The 3rd challenge was to maintain ongoing surgical training of the team using cadavers. The fourth challenge was to locate donors; toward this end, we developed a campaign for promoting face donation in social media, making a comic book, and training organ and tissue coordinators to further VCA. Thus, INCMNSZ has the legal, administrative, medical, and surgical wherewithal to accomplish face transplantation.

Echinococcus granulosus from Mexican pigs is the same strain as that in Polish pigs.

Samples of Echinococcus granulosus from seven pigs from Mexico were compared with isolates of the parasite from pigs in Poland and representative strains and species of Echinococcus. Isolates from pigs in Mexico were found to be genetically identical to E. granulosus from Polish pigs and distinct from other major genotypes by sequencing part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) mtDNA locus, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 using five different enzymes, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. These results were complemented by data on hook morphology and together strengthen the view that Echinococcus maintained in a cycle involving pigs and dogs is a distinct strain that is conserved genetically in different geographical areas. The present study supports the close relationship of the cervid, camel and pig strains and raises the question of their taxonomic status.

Ecological analysis and description of the intestinal helminths present in dogs in Mexico City.

The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of parasitoses in stray dogs from Mexico City, as well as to describe the structure of the intestinal helminth communities present in said hosts. One hundred and twenty dog intestines were collected and dissected to evaluate their parasitic load; finding parasites in 102 dogs (85%). The cestodes collected were: Dipylidium caninum in 72 dogs (60%), Taenia hydatigena in three (2.5%), Taenia pisiformis in two (1.6%), Echinococcus granulosus, Mesocestoides vogae and Mesocestoides variabilis in only one animal each (0.83%), the latter two being collected for the first time ever in Mexico City. Nematodes collected were: Ancylostoma caninum in 75 (62.5%) animals, Toxocara canis in 16 (13.3%) and Toxascaris leonina in 5 (4.16%). By age, D. caninum and A. caninum were the most prevalent species in older animals, while T. canis was more prevalent in young animals (P<0.05). By season, T. canis was most common in the dry season (P<0.05). At the parasitic community level, the diversity value was 0.32, while that of equality was 0.1; the dominant species was M. vogae (Berger-Parker index of 0.95). At the infracommunity level, both diversity and equality were low (0.31 and 0.32, respectively) as compared to that observed in wild canines; the dominant species was A. caninum (Berger-Parker index of 0.37). Qualitative similarity was 33.8%, while quantitative similarity was 32.2%. Based upon the low values for mean diversity, equality and species richness, it is possible to deduce that helminth fauna in dogs from Mexico City is weakened, especially if one compares it to that of other wild canines.

Genetic structure of Trypanosoma cruzi in american continents: special emphasis on sexual reproduction in Central America.

Isozyme analysis (12 enzymes: 14 loci) was conducted on 99 isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi: 77 from Guatemala, 5 from Mexico and 17 from South American countries. Analyses of 4 population-genetic indices were undertaken to assess the possibility of genetic exchange occurring among Guatemalan isolates. The results provide evidence for a degree of genetic exchange occurring among isolates from this relatively small geographical area. Previous studies of population genetics on T. cruzi might have failed to detect this phenomenon because they tended to use isolates originating far from one another, rendering gene exchange unlikely for geographical reasons. Phylogenetic data, presented here, show considerable differences in genetic structure between Central and South American isolates, suggesting that different biological and clinical properties might be expected. For example, there are differences in clinical syndromes between Central and South America, a situation discussed further here.

Short report: gnathostomiasis in Mexico.

Gnathostomiasis is an important food-borne parasitic zoonosis that is endemic mainly in Asian countries where some people prefer to eat raw freshwater fish. In North America, the first recorded case of gnathostomiasis was in Mexico in 1970, and the numbers of gnathostomiasis patients in Mexico seems to be increasing dramatically with time. However, the epidemiology of this disease in Mexico has never been described in detail. Here we review the current status of gnathostomiasis in Mexico.

Presence of Echinococcus oligarthrus (Diesing, 1863) Lühe, 1910 in Lynx rufus texensis Allen, 1895 from San Fernando, Tamaulipas state, in north-east Mexico.

A bobcat was found recently killed on "Highway 101" near the town of San Fernando, Tamaulipas State, Mexico (100 km south of Brownsville, TX, U.S.A.). The cat (Lynx rufus texensis) was parasitized by several species of nematodes and trematodes, but mainly by a cestode, Echinococcus oligarthrus. The diagnostic characteristics of this cestode are described and illustrated. E. oligarthrus has not been reported previously in North America. This is the first time that the strobilar stage has been recovered from a "bobcat". A potential public health problem may be raised by the presence of this cestode in Mexico.

[Molluscacide activity of piquerol A isolated from Piqueria trinervia (Compositae) on 8 species of pulmonate snails]. / Actividad molusquicida del piquerol A aislado de Piqueria trinervia (Compositae) sobre ocho especies de caracoles pulmonados.

In laboratory trials an aqueous solution of Piquerol A from Piqueria trinervia, collected in several regions of Mexico, showed a molluscicide action on the adults of eight different pulmonates snails species: Fossaria (Fossaria) humilis, F. (Bakerilymnaea) sp., Pseudosuccinea columella and Stagnicola attenuata from Mexico; F. (B.) cubensis and Physa cubensis from Cuba; P. columella and Biomphalaria glabrata from Brazil; B. glabrata from Puerto Rico; and S. elodes from U.S.A. The solution was tested at 50, 25 and 5 ppm concentration, for two periods of 6 and 24 hours, at room temperature (20-22 degrees C). A 100% mortality was obtained for all species at 50 ppm concentration after 6 hours of exposure; the same percentage at 25 ppm after 24 hours; and 60 to 100% mortality at 5 ppm concentration during 24 hours of exposure. No recovery was observed among any of the treated snails. Piquerol A is a sesquiterpene with low stability in nature and has previously only been tested as an insecticide and as an inhibitor of metabolism in cell cultures: no field trails have been made on its toxicity to other aquatic fauna as yet, but it is believed Piquerol A could be an excellent molluscicide for use in areas where focal transmission of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis are taking place. This is the first time experiments on molluscicides have been carried out in Mexico.

Suitability of six lymnaeid snails for infection with Fasciola hepatica.

The suitability of Fossaria (Bakerilymnaea) cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella from Louisiana as intermediate hosts for Fasciola hepatica was compared to P. columella and Stagnicola elodes from Ann Arbor, MI, S. attenuata from Hidalgo, Mexico, Lymnaea gedrosiana from Iran and L. natalensis from Senegal. P. columella from LA was shown to be a more suitable host (51.3% became infected) than F. (B.) cubensis (15.2% and 26.4% of two populations became infected). The infection rate for P. columella from MI, was 50% and for L. gedrosiana was 32.5%, whereas L. natalensis, S. elodes and S. attenuata were refractory. F. (B.) cubensis and P. columella have some degree of suitability as intermediate hosts for F. hepatica under laboratory conditions, but field observations of their habitat in southern LA and characteristic management of cattle indicate that the former snail is more important as an intermediate host in this enzootic area. Tissue sections of suitable snails had few histopathological effects but physical damage caused by rediae was pronounced, mainly in the digestive gland and in the mantle.

Sylvatic echinococcosis in Argentina. II. Susceptibility of wild carnivores to Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786) and host-induced morphological variation.

Domestic dogs and cats, 3 fox species, Dusicyon culpaeus (Molina,1782), D, griseus (Gray, 1837) and D. gymnocercus (Thomas, 1914), Geoffroy's cats, Felis geoffroyi (D'Orbigny and Gervais, 1843), and grisons, Galictus cuja (Molina, 1782) were fed larvae of Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786) from domestic sheep in Argentina. Dogs and the 3 species of foxes became infected. The susceptibility of D. culpaeus compared favorably to that of dogs. Most D. griseus and D. gymnocercus were less susceptible than dogs but gravid strobilae were recovered from some animals of both species. Eggs from strobilae in dogs and Dusicyon spp. were infective to CF1 mice. The mean strobilar length and the diameters of the rostellar pad and suckers of worms in foxes were significantly reduced when compared with previously reported data for strobilae from dogs. The potential significance of Dusicyon spp. as reservoir hosts of E. granulosus in Argentina is discussed as is the confusion surrounding the taxonomic identification of cestode infections previously reported from these wild carnivores. It is suggested that Echinococcus spp. reported from Argentine foxes are E. granulosus and that foxes become infected by killing and scavenging on sheep in localities where E. granulosus is endemic.

Sylvatic echinococcosis in Argentina. I. On the morphology and biology of strobilar Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786) from domestic and sylvatic animal hosts.

Dogs were fed larvae of Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786) recovered from sheep in Argentina. The morphological characteristics of strobilae recovered from dogs at 28, 60 and 76 days postexposure were compared with those of Echinococcus spp. recovered from naturally infected foxes, Dusicyon clupaeus (Molina) and D. griseus (Gray), and those of worms reared in dogs from larvae in European hares, Lepus europaeus (L.). Only slight differences were observed in characters of taxonomic importance and it was concluded that all cestodes represented a single species, E. granulosus. The results are discussed as they bear on the speciation controversy and the potential epidemiology importance of Dusicyon spp. as hosts of E. granulosus. It was suggested that E. patagonicus Szidat, 1960 previously described from D. culpaeus is conspecific with E. granulosus. E. cepanzoi Szidat, 1971 is probably also a synonym of E. granulosus and the subspecies E. g. dusicyontis Blood and Lelijveld, 1969, is rejected on the grounds that there is no evidence for host specificity and ecological or other segregation from the nominate form. Foxes appear to become infected from scavenging on dead sheep in localities where E. granulosus is endemic in domestic animals. There is still no evidence that E. granulosus is maintained in Argentina in sylvatic cycles.