Overview of rabies in the Americas.

Between 1993 and 2002, the number of human and canine rabies cases in the Americas Region fell by approximately 80%. There were 39 human cases in 2002, 63% of them transmitted by dogs. Furthermore, human rabies transmitted by wildlife, mostly by bats is a risk to inhabitants in many countries in the Region. The objective of this study is to describe this epidemiological situation based in the information received from the countries of the Americas Region in Regional Rabies Surveillance System in the Americas (SIRVERA) administrated by the Pan American Health Organization. This sharp reduction is attributable mainly to the control measures implemented by the countries of the Region, such as the mass vaccination of dogs and prophylactic treatment for people who have been exposed.

An outbreak of plague including cases with probable pneumonic infection, Ecuador, 1998.

During February and March of 1998, 12 sudden deaths were reported among residents of a high-Andean community in Ecuador. All 12 fatalities were members of the same extended family and some had apparent exposure to sick guinea-pigs. Following an initial investigation by public health officials, an additional death was reported in a nearby community in April, also associated with exposure to sick guinea-pigs. Blood samples from humans, dogs, and a rodent were tested for antibody to the F1 antigen of Yersinia pestis by passive haemagglutination assay. Tissue from rodents was subjected to direct fluorescent antibody staining using fluorescein-labelled monoclonal antibody to Y. pestis F1 antigen. Formalin-fixed specimens from the 2 autopsies were evaluated using a 2-step alkaline phosphatase immunoassay with a monoclonal antibody to Y. pestis F1 antigen, and tissues that had not been embedded in paraffin were tested for the presence of DNA encoding the F1 structural antigen by polymerase chain reaction. Serological evaluation of close contacts of the fatalities revealed positive titres to F1 antigen of Y. pestis, the aetiological agent of plague, in 3 contacts from the first community and 1 from the second. Immunohistochemical staining of tissues collected from 2 of the fatalities provided evidence that both had pneumonic plague. Five of 14 dogs found in the communities were seropositive for plague antibody, providing evidence of a recent epizootic plague in the area.

La producción familiar y las estrategias de salud animal

Los programas de erradicación de la fiebre aftosa se encuenta en fase avanzada en varios países de América del Sur. Asimismo, otras regiones del continente libres de la enfermedad desarrollan actividades de prevención, imprescindibles para evitar la introducción del virus. En ambas situaciones existe un amplio sector de tenedores de ganado, caracterizados genéricamente como pequeños productores. Ellos han acompañado en buena medida el esfuerzo continental por eliminar este flagelo. Sin embargo, la prevención y erradicación de la fiebre aftosa se sustentará en bases débiles si no se estimula una participación más activa de estos productores. Para tal fin, es preciso que los programas de fiebre aftosa se incorporen como un componente más en el conjunto de las actividades de desarrollo previstas para ese sector. Esta perspectiva demanda un mayor conocimiento sobre las características de las producciones familiares pecuarias en el continente y el curso de las políticas institucionales implementadas para el sector.

The foot-and-mouth disease eradication programs have reached and advanced phase in several countries of South America. Likewise, other regions of the continent are free of the disease and engaged in developing prevention activities indispensable o prevent the introduction of the virus. In both situation there exists a broad setor of livestock reaisers generically characterized as "small producers". These producers have, in good measure, accompanied the continental effort to eliminate the scourage. However, foot-and-mouth disease prevention and eradication will rest on weak bases if a more active participation, by these procuders is not encouraged. To this, end it is necessary to incorporate the foot-and-mouth disease programs as one more component of the development activities envisaged fot the sector. This perspective demands a greater understanding of the characteristics of the family-level livestock production system on the continent and the course of the institutional policies implemented for the sector.

Aislamiento de dermatofitos en baños suana y turcos Medellín. 1991 / Dermatophytes isolation in sauna and Turkish baths, Medellín 1991

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo con el objeto de determinar la presencia de dermatofitos en las saunas y baños turcos de 10 gimnasios de la ciudad de Medellín. En cada gimnasio se tomaron 4 muestras en el sauna y 4 en el baño turco, se completaron así 80 cultivos. Se registraron datos referentes a la temperatura de dichos sitios. Las muestras fueron tomadas por el método del tapiz y sembradas en cajas de Petri que tenían el medio DTM (Dermatophyte Test Medium"). Las colonias resultantes fueron observadas al microscopio buscando elementos de esporulación típicos. Las temperaturas anotadas por los saunas y baños turcos fueron en promedio, de 60.5 °C y 39 °C, respectivamente. No se obtuvo crecimiento de dermatofitos en ninguno de los cultivos practicados. Este hallazgo coincide con el hecho conocido de la sensibilidad de estos microorganismos a temperaturas elevadas...

Atención veterinaria local

El campo de actuación de un sistema de atención veterinaria se define como un conjunto de instituciones públicas y privadas, que producen actividades organizadas para actuar sobre el perfil de salud de los animales agrícolas y de la salud pública. El cambio en el papel del estado, observado en América Latina y el Caribe, facilitó las formas de participación social. Ello ha contribuido a fortalecer el processo de descentralización y la configuración de sistemas de atención veterinaria en el nivel local, como una alternativa para afrontar con mayor eficiencia las actividades de control y erradicación de enfermedades de los animales. Los sistemas influyen en la modificación de los esquemas tradicionales de los servicios oficiales en términos de una mayor eficiencia. Este es un proceso en el cual una parte substancial de su éxito depende de una descentralización (transferencia de poder y recursos, sin ruptura de comunicación e influencia mutua), porque hace viable el refuerzo de los niveles locales, especialmente dotando de capacidad de maniobra al nivel de campo en aspectos técnico-administrativos.

The field of action of a system of veterinary attention is defined as a set of public and private institutions that produce ativities organized to act over the profile of the health of agricultural animals and public health. The change in the role of the state observed in Latin America and the Caribbean facilitated the patterns of social participation. It has contributed to strengthen the process of decentralization and the configuration of veterinary attention systems at the local level, as an alternative to face, more efficiently, the activities for the control and eradication of animal diseases. The systems influence the modification of traditional schemes of the official services. This is a process in which a substantial part of its success depends on a decentralization (transfer of power and resoucers, without rupture of communication and mutual influence) since it renders viable the reinforcement of the local levels, mainly providing maneuvering capacity in technical-administrative aspects at the field level.

Estudio epidemiológico de la estomatitis vesicular en América del Sur

[Introducción] En este trabajo se presenta un estudio general del comportamiento de la incidencia de la estomatitis vesicular (EV) en la población animal en la dimensión espacio-temporal de los cuatro países de América del Sur donde ella se presenta con frecuencia.

[Introduction] This paper presents a general study of the bhavoir of the incidence of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in the animal population in the space-time dimension of the four South American countries in which the isease frequently occurs.