First report of an outbreak of "Q" fever IN an abattoir from Argentina.

In late October 2021, one of the veterinarians and the occupational physician of a bovine and swine abattoir from Entre Ríos Province, Argentina were alerted about workers with atypical pneumonia symptoms, raising suspicious of a possible Q fever outbreak. An outbreak epidemiological investigation was carried out. Analysis was based on the description of the study population, according to gender, age, symptoms, and position within the abattoir, as well as on outbreak epidemic curve and its probable origin. Cases of Q fever in the workers were confirmed by serology. Measurements of the association between the evaluated variables and the risk of exposure were investigated and calculated as attack rates. The outbreak occurred between October and November 2021, symptomatically affecting 11 workers, out of a total exposed population of 49 individuals. The index case was a 33-year-old male who started with symptoms on 27 October 2021, and the outbreak extended for at least 17 days. Workers in the clean zone of the slaughter floor had a 4.68 times higher risk of contracting Q fever than people located in other areas. Importantly, two pregnant cows were slaughtered a few days before the outbreak began, which could have been the origin of the outbreak. The present study demonstrates the urgent need to consider Q fever when diagnosing abortive diseases of ruminants in Argentina, as well as in zoonotic disease epidemiological surveillance to inform all actors of the health system.

Human toxocariasis seroprevalence among patients with uveitis in Alborz Province, Iran.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Toxocariasis, predominantly caused by Toxocara canis, is a common zoonotic parasitosis worldwide. Toxocara infection is a cause of vision impairment and blindness. The presented study investigates the frequency of antibodies against Toxocara among uveitis patients and the epidemiological factors associated with disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with uveitis and 59 healthy subjects were studied. Anti-Toxocara antibodies status was determined in all serum samples using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and seropositive samples analyzed by Western blot (WB) technique. RESULTS: The frequency of Toxocara canis infection was found to be significantly higher in uveitis patients, compared to healthy controls by the use of ELISA test, being 14.8% and 1.7%, respectively. From 8 seropositive samples, 5 (62.5%) patients exhibited Toxocara immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in response to Western blot, whereas in the control group, none were detected positive by Western blot. No significant difference was found between pet owners, nor between different places of residence. The seroprevalence to Toxocara among uveitis patients was significantly related to gender, age and medical diagnosis. The highest prevalence was found in patients with posterior uveitis (27.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-Toxocara antibody titers are associated with the risk of vision impairment -uveitis. The risk factor associated with Toxocara exposure identified in this study warrants further investigation.

Epidemiología de parásitos zoonóticos en barrios vulnerables / Epidemiology of zoonotic parasites in vulnerable neighborhoods

El suelo es una importante vía de trasmisión de numerosos patógenos humanos, dentro de los cuales se encuentra un grupo de enfermedades parasitarias helmínticas conocidas como Geohelmintiasis (Soil Transmited Helminths). Strongyloides stercoralis, Toxocara spp. y Ancylostoma spp. conforman el grupo de las geohelmintiasis zoonóticas, helmintiasis de los animales de compañía con capacidad de infectar al hombre (Alvares et al., 2011). Los protozoarios entéricos Giardia intestinalis y Cryptosporidium spp. son parásitos cosmopolitas de importancia en salud pública por ser la principal causa de diarrea no viral transmitidas por el agua que afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo (Savioli et al. 2006). Los animales de compañía actúan como reservorios y potenciales transmisores de geohelmintiasis y protozoarios zoonóticos al ser humano debido a la convivencia y al contacto estrecho. Dadas las condiciones epidemiológicas de los ciclos parasitarios, exposición y transmisibilidad, la población humana en riesgo la constituyen, sobre todo, los niños (entre los 6 meses y 4 años de edad) y en etapa escolar (5 a 14 años), residentes en países tropicales y subtropicales, dentro de los cuales forma parte una extensa área del territorio Argentino (Chiodo et al. 2006; Alvares Santarém et al. 2011). Ello debido a que los hábitos de higiene son escasos en esta franja etaria, al contacto estrecho con el suelo y las mascotas, y a comportamientos de pica y/o geofagia, muchas veces inducidos por la desnutrición infantil (Despommier 2003; Rubinsky-Elefant et al. 2010). El presente proyecto fue diseñado en base a un estudio epidemiológico descriptivo de prevalencia de parasitosis en caninos y felinos en el Barrio Los Piletones de Villa Soldati, CABA, durante un año de seguimiento. Se estudiaron las prevalencias de las parasitosis generales y específicas, así como las asociaciones parasitarias más prevalentes, correlacionando la información con datos de encuestas previas sobre tenencia responsable, hábitos y características epidemiológicas de la población del Barrio. Además, se realizó la tipificación molecular de Giardia spp. para la detección de ensamblajes zoonóticos y específicos de caninos y felinos (A, B, D, y F)