Occupational asthma caused by actinia equina

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Clave ilustrada y comentada para la identificación de moluscos gastrópodos fluviales de Cuba / An illustrated and annotated key to the freshwater snails of Cuba

Introducción: el reconocimiento de las especies de moluscos hospederos intermediarios es fundamental en el control de enfermedades transmitidas por estas especies. Los estudios morfológicos permiten identificar especies diferentes de una forma sencilla y asequible que en ocasiones no necesitan el uso de técnicas moleculares avanzadas. Objetivo: presentar una clave de identificación de moluscos fluviales gastrópodos de Cuba ilustrada y comentada sobre el papel de cada especie en la transmisión de enfermedades. Métodos: se confeccionó una clave de tipo dicotómica dividida en las tres subclases de moluscos gastrópodos existentes en Cuba. Se utilizaron los especímenes localizados en la colección de referencia del Laboratorio de Malacología del Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí. La base de datos de la colección cuenta con 1147 registros de especies distribuidos en 676 localidades. Se utilizaron hasta 30 ejemplares por población siempre que fue posible. Resultados: la clave agrupa 36 especies de moluscos gastrópodos fluviales distribuidas en diez familias. La descripción de cada especie se basa fundamentalmente en características morfológicas y anatómicas y se tiene en cuenta las variaciones de coloración y ornamentación de las conchas. Conclusiones: aunque la identificación de una especie pueda realizarse por medio de caracteres taxonómicos limitados a varias características de la concha o partes de la anatomía de estos moluscos, se recomienda siempre un estudio detallado de su ecología (patrones de distribución y relaciones interespecíficas)(AU)

Introduction: The recognition of intermediary host snails is capital to control snail-borne diseases. Morphological studies allow the identification of species in a simple and accessible way which may not require the use of advanced molecular techniques. Since specialized readings regarding medical malacology are not broadly available in Cuba, the confection of an easy-to-use and practical key to these species would be of huge utility to manage and control snail populations. Objective: to present an illustrated and annotated key to the freshwater gastropod snails of Cuba and their role in the transmission of parasitic diseases. Methods: a dichotomous key divided into the three subclasses of gastropods snails occurring in Cuba was made. Specimens from the Collection of the Laboratory of Malacology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine were used. The database contains 1147 registries of species from 676 localities in Cuba. Up to 30 individuals from each populations were used whenever possible. Results: the key gathers 36 species of freshwater gastropods belonging to ten families. The description of each species is based on morphological and anatomical features. Color variations and different ornaments patters in the shell are considered. Conclusions: Although the identification of a species may be relied on taxonomical characters limited to several shell and anatomy features, it is strongly recommended a detailed study of its ecology (distribution patterns and interspecific relations)(AU)

[Investigating the toxicity characteristics of Nassarius Sp. in Ningbo City].

OBJECTIVE: To study the type, distribution, the growth and decline of toxins in Nassarius Sp. and the source of toxins to acquire the basis for the control of Nassarius Sp. poisonings. METHODS: The toxicity of Nassarius Sp. was detected by mouse bioassay. The saxitoxin (STX), gonyau toxin (GTX), and tetrodo toxin (TTX) were detected by ELISA and HPLC. RESULTS: Sixty-three poisonous Nassarius Sp. were identified in 127 samples collected from long-term monitoring sites. The detection rate was 49.6%. The detection rate of poisonous Nassarius Sp. was different in varies habitats (P < 0.01). The toxicity of Nassarius Sp. reached a peak in 1991 and hit the rock bottom in 1988. The rate of carrying toxins and the toxicity of detected toxins (STX, GTX and TTX) in Nassarius semiplicatus, Nassa succincta A. Adams and Niotha livescens were high. CONCLUSION: The toxins of Nassarius Sp. in Ningbo City were composed of TTX, STX or GTX, or both TTX and STX. The surveillance proved that some toxins present in Nassarius Sp. in Ningbo City. Poisoning could be caused by eating Nassarius Sp.

Assessment of human enteric viruses in cultured and wild bivalve molluscs

Standard and real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) procedures were used to monitor cultured and wild bivalve molluscs from the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) for the main human enteric RNA viruses, specifically, norovirus (NoV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), astrovirus (AsV), rotavirus (RT), enterovirus (EV), and Aichi virus (AiV). The results showed the presence of at least one enteric virus in 63.4% of the 41 samples analyzed. NoV GII was the most prevalent virus, detected in 53.7% of the samples, while NoV GI, AsV, EV, and RV were found at lower percentages (7.3, 12.2, 12.2, and 4.9%, respectively). In general, samples obtained in the wild were more frequently contaminated than those from cultured (70.6 vs. 58.3%) molluscs and were more readily contaminated with more than one virus. However, NoV GI was detected in similar amounts in cultured and wild samples (6.4 x 10(2) to 3.3 x 10(3) RNA copies per gram of digestive tissue) while the concentrations of NoV GII were higher in cultured (from 5.6 x 10(1) to 1.5 x 10(4) RNA copies per gram of digestive tissue) than in wild (from 1.3 x 10(2) to 3.4 x 10(4) RNA copies per gram of digestive tissue) samples (AU)

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Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América / Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis in America

Hace 25 años se informó por primera vez en Cuba y en el hemisferio occidental de la aparición de una enfermedad emergente: la meningoencefalitis eosinofílica producida por larvas del helminto Angiostrongylus cantonensis.Objetivo. Recopilar de forma resumida la experiencia acumulada y los aportes al estudio de esta zoonosis realizados a lo largo de estos años en el hemisferio occidental. Desarrollo y conclusiones. Se recogen las evidencias iniciales, los aportes a la parasitología y la malacología, los estudios experimentales y moleculares en la esfera de la inmunología y la neuroinmunología, los hallazgos clinicopatológicos en niños y adultos enfermos con las particularidades de la enfermedad en nuestro medio, con especial acento en los aportes científicos nunca antes comunicados. Se documentan el testimonio, los principalesaportes y hallazgos, entre los cuales se encuentran los estudios malacológicos, el papel de la inmunoglobulina E y los mecanismos involucrados en el sistema nervioso central, los patrones de síntesis intratecal de inmnoglobulinas y los elementos clínicosque brinda en niños y adultos

25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilicmeningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. Aim. To collect in a summary form the accumulatedexperience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere. Development and conclusions. There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimentaland molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic-pathological findings in children and adults with the particularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported. It hasbeen documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinicalelements in children and adults

Detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in shellfish tissue using MIST Alert, a new rapid test, in parallel with the regulatory AOAC mouse bioassay.

In parallel trials with the mouse bioassay, MIST Alert for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), a rapid diagnostic test for PSP, detected 100% of the toxic extracts in over 2100 regulatory samples. Toxic extracts contained at least 80 microg saxitoxin equivalents (STX equiv.) in 100 g of shellfish tissue, or more, as measured by the regulatory AOAC mouse bioassay. Only one potentially toxic sample, which contained 78 and 86 microg STX equiv./100 g shellfish tissue in two different mouse bioassays, was recorded as negative in one replicate of MIST Alert. All other toxic extracts among more than 2100 regulatory shellfish tissue samples were detected by MIST Alert for PSP. The MIST Alert for PSP also detected the majority of extracts containing PSP toxin greater than 32 microg STX equiv./100 g, which is the mouse bioassay detection limit. The MIST Alert for PSP gave a false positive result compared to the mouse bioassay at an average rate of about 14% over all sites, although some differences were seen between sites. Further analysis by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the (false positive) extracts showed that many contained PSP toxicity in the range of 20-40 microg STX equiv./100 g, below the level detectable by the mouse bioassay. The MIST Alert for PSP gave false positive results from extracts containing less than 20 microg STX equiv./100 g shellfish tissue only about 6% of the time. The PSP family of toxin analogues can occur in any combination in naturally contaminated shellfish tissue and the antibody mixture in the MIST Alert tests detect each of the different PSP toxin analogues with different efficacy. It is therefore impossible to provide an exact detection limit for the MIST Alert that would be applicable for all possible toxin profiles. Through the experience of comparison testing with the regulatory mouse bioassay in many parts of the world, with over 2100 different samples, the MIST Alert for PSP has proven its ability to detect all types of profiles of the PSP toxin analogues. The detection limit for MIST Alert for PSP was about 40 microg STX equiv./100 g for the 'average' profile of PSP toxin analogues. Since the detection limit depends on the toxin profile in the individual extract, it will also vary depending on the profile of analogues most commonly found at each geographic location. This was observed in our study. Over all sites in the trials, approximately 5% of samples below 40 microg STX equiv./100 g were positive, and 5% of samples between 40-80 microg STX equiv./100 g were negative. This is a reflection of the different analogue profiles found in naturally contaminated extracts, even after acid hydrolysis using the AOAC extraction method.

Assessment of MIST Alert, a commercial qualitative assay for detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in bivalve molluscs.

A recently developed commercial rapid test kit (MIST Alert) was assessed for determination of the presence of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in shellfish. Several commercially important shellfish species obtained from the UK shellfish toxin monitoring program, containing a range of total PSP toxicities as determined by the mouse bioassay (MBA), were tested. The kit detected toxin in all samples containing the European Community tolerance level of 80 microg saxitoxin (STX) equivalents/100 g shellfish flesh as determined by the MBA. With one exception, the kit detected toxin in all samples that contained >40 microg STX equivalents/100 g according to the MBA. Among samples in which the MBA did not detect toxin, the kit disagreed in 25% of the tests, although further analysis by liquid chromatography (LC) and MBA of some samples confirmed the presence of toxins. These results suggest that MIST Alert may be suitable as an initial screen for PSP toxins as part of routine monitoring programs, thereby greatly reducing the number of MBAs. Trials were also performed by nonscientific personnel to evaluate the ease of use and interpretation of results obtained by MIST Alert. The results indicated that the kits could be readily used and accurately interpreted by individuals with no technical or scientific background.

Do earthworms help to sustain the slug predator Pterostichus melanarius (Coleoptera: carabidae) within crops? Investigations using monoclonal antibodies.

Earthworms provide a major potential source of alternative food for polyphagous predators, such as carabid beetles, that are natural enemies of slugs, aphids and other agricultural pests. Non-pest prey may foster larger numbers of natural enemies, which then help to control pests, or alternatively may help to divert the predators away from pest control. An earthworm-specific monoclonal antibody was developed to study carabid-earthworm interactions in the field and assess the role of earthworms as alternative prey. The antibody could identify as little at 7 ng of earthworm protein in an ELISA, and could detect earthworm remains in the foregut of the carabid beetle Pterostichus melanarius for 64 h after consumption. Thirty-six per cent of field-collected beetles contained earthworm remains. Quantities of earthworm proteins in the beetle foreguts were negatively related to total foregut biomass, suggesting that earthworm consumption increased as total prey availability declined. There was also a negative relationship between foregut biomass and beetle numbers, but both quantities and concentrations of earthworm proteins in beetle foreguts were positively related to beetle numbers. This suggests that as beetle activity-density increased, total prey availability declined, or, as prey availability declined, beetles spent more time searching. In these circumstances, beetles fed to a greater extent on earthworms, an acceptable but nonpreferred food item. Earthworms may, therefore, provide an ideal alternative prey for P. melanarius, helping to sustain it when pest numbers are low but allowing it to perform a 'lying-in-wait' strategy, ready to switch back to feeding on pests when they become available.

Actualización sistemática de heleobia cumingii (orbigny, 1835) (gastropoda; hydrobiidae), hospedero potencial de paragonimus en el Perú / Sistematic actualization of heleobia cumingii (orbigny, 1835) (Gastropoda; hydrobiidae), potential host of Paragonimus in Peru

Se da a conocer la actualización sistemática y nomenclaturial del gasterópodo hidróbido dulceacuícola Heleobia cumingii (Orbigny, 1835), basado en evidencias anatómicas del sistema reproductor masculino. Además se comenta su actuación en la transmisión de la paragonimiasis humana

Rol de marisa cornuarietis, como agente de control biológico y sus implicaciones económicas y epidemiológicas / Role of marisa cornuarietis as a biological control agent and its economic and epidemiological implications

Se determinó que M. cornuarietis, molusco que ha sido utilizado como agente de control biológico de los hospederos de esquistosomiasis, pueden constituir plaga de cultivos de arroz. Cada molusco es capaz de consumir 0,3 g de la planta en 24 h, lo que equivale a la destrucción de o,015 m* del campo de arroz. Por otra parte se observó la preferencia de B, glabrata de ingerir las heces fecales de M. cornuarietis, hecho que favorece el crecimiento del vector y su tasa de reproducción a la vez que disminuye su mortalidad44444444444444444

Rol de marisa cornuarietis, como agente de control biológico y sus implicaciones económicas y epidemiológicas / Role of arisa cornuarietis as a biological control agent and its economic and epidemiological implications

Se determinó que M. cornuarietis, molusco que ha sido utilizado como agente de control biológico de los hospederos de esquistosomiasis, pueden constituir plaga de cultivos de arroz. Cada molusco es capaz de consumir 0,3 g de la planta en 24 h, lo que equivale a la destrucción de o,015 m* del campo de arroz. Por otra parte se observó la preferencia de B, glabrata de ingerir las heces fecales de M. cornuarietis, hecho que favorece el crecimiento del vector y su tasa de reproducción a la vez que disminuye su mortalidad44444444444444444

[Biological significance of animal toxins]. / Die biologische Bedeutung tierischer Gifte

Animal toxins are not to be understood as substances of random occurrence; they are of great importance in ecology. The venom-secreting organs have developed in a wide variety of ways and serve either as an offensive weapon or for protection against enemies. Accordingly, we may distinguish between actively venemous and passively venemous animals. There are other animals that are toxic rather by chance and due to extraneous factors; these we may call poisonous animals. Research into animal toxins is important from both the chemical and the biological points of view. In addition to basic knowledge, we may hope for interesting phylogenetic results from such research.