La enfermedad de Chagas en Chile: componente vectorial y serología en menores de 5 años durante el período 2005-2010 / Chagas disease in Chile: vector component and serology in children below 5 years old during period 2005-2010

La enfermedad de Chagas afecta a más de 18 millones de personas en el mundo, incluyendo a cerca de 120.000 en el país. El principal vector de esta enfermedad en Chile es Triatoma infestans. En el laboratorio de entomología médica del ISP se han analizado 2.193 ejemplares de triatominos. Las Secretarías Regionales Ministeriales (SEREMIS) de Atacama, Valparaíso y Metropolitana reúnen en conjunto al 93,84 por ciento del total de triatominos + hemípteros (2.058) capturados en el período. La SEREMI con el mayor número de capturas y envíos es la de Valparaíso, específicamente la oficina provincial de Aconcagua, con un 49,15 por ciento del total. Al analizar, la totalidad de triatominos en laboratorio desde el año 2005 hasta 2010 y considerando el índice tripano/triatomineo, se observa un índice de infestación final de 28,5 por ciento. Paralelamente a los estudios con el vector, se realizaron una serie de estudios de tamizaje serológico en niños menores de 5 años y sus familias entre las regiones de Arica y Parinacota y O’Higgins. Se realizaron 5.111 tamizajes, encontrando 28 casos positivos con una positividad del 0,55 por ciento, valor cercano al 0,7 por ciento de prevalencia obtenida por la Encuesta Nacional de Salud (ENS) 2009-2010.

Chagas’ disease affects over 18 million people including about 150,000 in the country. The main vector of this disease in Chile is Triatoma infestans. The medical entomology laboratory ISP, analyzed 2 193 samples of triatomine. The Regional Ministerial Secretariats (SEREMIS) of Atacama, Valparaiso and Metropolitana gather together a 93.84 percent of triatomine + hemiptera (2 058) captured in the period. The SEREMI with the highest number of catches and services is Valparaiso, specifically the Aconcagua provincial office with 49.15 percent of the total. The analysis of all triatomines in the laboratory from 2005 to 2010 and considering the trypan / triatominae index, there is a final infestation rate of 28.5 percent. Parallel to the studies with the vector, there was a series of studies for serological screening in children under 5 and their families between the regions of Arica and Parinacota and O’Higgins. Five thousand one hundred and eleven screenings have been conducted and found 28 positive cases with a positivity of 0.55 percent, a value close to 0.7 percent prevalence obtained by the National Health Survey (NHS) 2009-2010.

Phenolics and antioxidant capacity of table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars grown in Chile.

UNLABELLED: Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Juice and skin fractions of 4 varieties of table grapes: Red Globe, Crimson Seedless, Autumn Royal, and Ribier were prepared to determine and compare their total phenolics content, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC), anthocyanins, and specific phenolics (caffeic acid, gallic acid, resveratrol, and catechin) content, since a series of positive health benefits are expected from the intake of any of these fractions. Higher amounts of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity were observed in the skin fractions (P < 0.05). Blue grapes (Autumn Royal and Ribier) exhibited higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) than red grapes. The most abundant phenolic compound observed was catechin (P < 0.05). Significant correlations between the antioxidant capacity and total phenolics were observed in grape juice and skin fractions. Autumn Royal juice provides a very high amount of phenolics, anthocyanins, and exhibits the highest antioxidant capacity, offering the best health promoting properties compared with the other grape varieties studied. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Grapes possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Grape juice made with blue grapes (Autumn Royal, Ribier) exhibit higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity than juice elaborated with red grapes (Red Globe, Crimson Seedless). The skin is a good source of phenolics and has a high antioxidant capacity. Specific health-promoting phenolics are more abundant in blue grapes, mainly in their skin fraction, which should not be discarded.

[Evolution of the prevalence the enteroparasitoses in Talca-Chile]. / Evolución de la prevalencia de enteroparasitosis en la ciudad de Talca, Región del Maule, Chile.

The prevalence of intestinal parasites in preschool and school children in the city of Talca and rural areas belonging to the Maule Region, was assessed annually by means of the serial parasitological studies in stool which were performed in the Parasitology Laboratory of the "Universidad de Talca". For consecutive periods since 1980 until 2008, an estimated prevalence of parasitism of 76.2% in the population studied was found. These results show a marked decrease from 9.8% to 2.5% in pathogenic enteroparasites like: Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichocephalos trichiuris, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana and Taenia sp. Commensal parasites as Entamoeba coli, lodamoeba butschlii, Endolimax nana and Chilomastix mesnili experimented a diminished recovery too. However commensal parasites globally showed an increase in time, given the significant increase of Blastocystis hominis (from 7.6 to 72.9%). A change was also observed in the carriage ofpolyparasitosis (from 64.5% to 9.6%) and monoparasitosis (from 10.0 to 35.5%).

Not all salmon are created equal: life cycle assessment (LCA) of global salmon farming systems.

We present a global-scale life cycle assessment of a major food commodity, farmed salmon. Specifically, we report the cumulative energy use, biotic resource use, and greenhouse gas, acidifying, and eutrophying emissions associated with producing farmed salmon in Norway, the UK, British Columbia (Canada), and Chile, as well as a production-weighted global average. We found marked differences in the nature and quantity of material/energy resource use and associated emissions per unit production across regions. This suggests significant scope for improved environmental performance in the industry as a whole. We identify key leverage points for improving performance, most notably the critical importance of least-environmental cost feed sourcing patterns and continued improvements in feed conversion efficiency. Overall, impacts were lowest for Norwegian production in most impact categories, and highest for UK farmed salmon. Our results are of direct relevance to industry, policy makers, eco-labeling programs, and consumers seeking to further sustainability objectives in salmon aquaculture.