Resultados de una aplicación desarrollada para la autoevaluación de las clases prácticas de Parasitología en la Licenciatura de Farmacia / Results of a computer application for self-evaluation of the practical classes of Parasitology in the Pharmacy Degree

contiene información e imágenes de parásitos obtenidas de las mismas preparaciones que observan enlas clases prácticas. Con ella pueden repasar y autoevaluar los conocimientos adquiridos. Para evaluarel proyecto, se ha permitido el acceso ilimitado a la aplicación a 74 alumnos, durante los 9 días en querealizaron sus prácticas. Las calificaciones obtenidas han sido comparadas con un grupo control de 75alumnos que realizó las prácticas el curso anterior en fechas coincidentes con las del grupo de estetrabajo y con los mismos profesores. La comparación de las calificaciones arroja un incremento mediode 0,7 puntos (sobre 10). Estudiando estos datos según rangos de puntuación, se observa que el grupoexperimental ha disminuido el porcentaje de suspensos (2,50%), incrementándose 9,95% los alumnoscon calificación ≥9,0 (sobre 10). Estos alumnos han contestado una encuesta anónima en la que nosdan su opinión acerca de la usabilidad, organización, diseño y calidad de la aplicación, suficiencia dela información aportada, utilidad de la autoevaluación, mejora del aprendizaje y resultados obtenidosen la autoevalución de la aplicación, así como su opinión sobre posibles mejoras de la misma,valorando entre 1 (pésimo) y 5 (óptimo). La encuesta, respondida por 50 alumnos de 74, arrojó unamedia global de 4,28 sobre 5. El alumnado expresó su satisfacción por contar con esta herramienta deapoyo a las prácticas(AU)

A computer application for students in "Parasitology (2nd year of Pharmacy) that contains informationand pictures of the parasites obtained from the same preparations that observed in practical classes hasbeen developed. With this computer tool, the students can review and self-evaluation their learning.For the evaluation of the project, a 74 students group was allowed unlimited access to the computerapplication during the 9 days that did their practices. The scores obtained have been compared with acontrol group of 75 students who did the practice the previous year on dates coinciding with the groupof this study and with the same teachers. The comparison of the ratings shows an average increase of0.7 points (on 10). Studying these data according to score ranges, it appears that the experimentalgroup decreased the failure rate (2.50%), increasing 9.95% rating students with ≥ 9.0 (on 10). Thesestudents have answered an anonymous survey in which they give their opinion about the usability,organization, design and quality of implementation, fitness of provided information, the utility of selfevaluation,improvement of learning and evaluation their results in the implementation as well as theirviews on possible improvements to it, from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent). The survey was answeredby 50 students from 74, giving an overall average of 4.28 points on 5. The students expressed theirsatisfaction with this computer tool available to support practices(AU)

Activity of (-)alpha-bisabolol against Leishmania infantum promastigotes.

Many of the drugs used to treat leishmaniasis are associated with numerous adverse effects. Agents of natural origin have shown activity against different parasites. With this background, an in vitro study was conducted on the activity of (-)alpha-bisabolol, the principal component of Chamomilla recutita essential oil, against Leishmania infantum promastigotes, the main species responsible for human leishmaniasis in Spain. At the two highest concentrations tested (1000 and 500mug/ml), (-)alpha-bisabolol and pentamidine (control agent) achieved 100% inhibition of L. infantum promastigote. These in vitro data can be considered promising in support of the therapeutic use of (-)alpha-bisabolol preparations to treat leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum species.

[Use of anamnesis and immunological techniques in the diagnosis of anisakidosis in patients with acute abdomen]. / Utilidad de la anamnesis y de las técnicas inmunológicas en el diagnóstico de la anisakidosis en pacientes con abdomen agudo.

INTRODUCTION: Anisakis simplex can be a cause of digestive symptoms. Our aim was to evaluate the epidemiological antecedents and immunological data available for a differentiation between patients with anisakidosis and those with other acute abdominal problems. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this is a prospective cohort study involving 134 patients with acute abdominal problems: 52 patients were diagnosed with anisakidosis by means of surgical and pathological findings and/or specific IgE seroconversion against Anisakis simplex (group A), and in 82 patients anisakidosis had been ruled out (group NA: non-anisakidosis). We evaluated the antecedent of raw fish ingestion, the skin prick test, and IgE immunoblotting as diagnostic tools. RESULTS: patients in groups A and NA differ in terms of prior raw fish ingestion (p < 0.0001) and positive SPT (p < 0.0001), with their respective negative predictive values (NPV) being 98.39% (95%CI: 90.17-99.92) and 95.56% (95%CI: 83.64-99.23). Regarding immunoblotting, in 86.2% of patients in group A a band of 60 kDa was detected, which was also detected in 19.2% of patients in group NA. CONCLUSIONS: a negative answer to the question about raw or undercooked fish ingestion has very high sensitivity and NPV (98.39%), and is thus reasonably reliable to rule out anisakidosis. The absence of cutaneous sensitization to crude A. simplex extract gives a high probability (95.56%) that the illness is absent. The presence of a band of about 60 kDa in immunoblotting would be useful for diagnosis.

Utilidad de la anamnesis y de las técnicas inmunológicas en el diagnóstico de la anisakidosis en pacientes con abdomen agudo / No disponible

Introducción: Anisakis simplex puede producir síntomas digestivosy alérgicos. En este trabajo se evalúan los antecedentesepidemiológicos y los resultados inmunológicos para diferenciarentre pacientes con anisakidosis y aquellos con otras patologíasdigestivas que cursan con dolor abdominal.Pacientes y método: estudio de cohortes realizado con 134pacientes: 52 fueron diagnosticados de anisakidosis por los hallazgosquirúrgicos y anatomopatológicos y/o seroconversión específicafrente a A. simplex (grupo A) y en 82 pacientes la anisakidosisfue excluida como diagnóstico (grupo NA: no-anisakidosis). Sehan evaluado el antecedente de ingesta de pescado crudo, laprueba cutánea en prick (PC) y el inmunoblot IgE como elementosde diagnóstico.Resultados: los pacientes de los grupos A y NA mostraron resultadosdiferentes respecto a la de ingesta de pescado crudo (p <0,0001) y la PC (p < 0,0001), con valores predictivos negativos(VPN) del 98,39 y 95,56% y positivos (VPP) del 70,83 y 87,50%,respectivamente. En el inmunoblot, se halló una banda de aproximadamente60 kDa en el 86,2 y 19,2% de los pacientes del grupoA y NA, respectivamente (VPP: 62,50%; VPN: 94,03%).Conclusiones: en pacientes con dolor abdominal, la ingesta depescado crudo o poco cocinado tiene elevada sensibilidad y VPN(98,39%) pero menor VPP (70,83%), por lo que nos ayuda principalmentea descartar la anisakidosis. La ausencia de sensibilizacióncutánea al extracto crudo de A. simplex apoya la ausencia de anisakidosiscon una probabilidad alta (95,56%). La presencia de una bandade 60 kDa en el inmunoblot podría ser útil para su diagnóstico

Introduction: Anisakis simplex can be a cause of digestivesymptoms. Our aim was to evaluate the epidemiological antecedentsand immunological data available for a differentiationbetween patients with anisakidosis and those with other acute abdominalproblems.Patients and methods: this is a prospective cohort study involving134 patients with acute abdominal problems: 52 patientswere diagnosed with anisakidosis by means of surgical and pathologicalfindings and/or specific IgE seroconversion againstAnisakis simplex (group A), and in 82 patients anisakidosis hadbeen ruled out (group NA: non-anisakidosis). We evaluated theantecedent of raw fish ingestion, the skin prick test, and IgE immunoblottingas diagnostic tools.Results: patients in groups A and NA differ in terms of priorraw fish ingestion (p < 0.0001) and positive SPT (p < 0.0001),with their respective negative predictive values (NPV) being98.39% (95%CI: 90.17-99.92) and 95.56% (95%CI: 83.64-99.23). Regarding immunoblotting, in 86.2% of patients in groupA a band of 60 kDa was detected, which was also detected in19.2% of patients in group NA.Conclusions: a negative answer to the question about raw orundercooked fish ingestion has very high sensitivity and NPV(98.39%), and is thus reasonably reliable to rule out anisakidosis.The absence of cutaneous sensitization to crude A. simplex extractgives a high probability (95.56%) that the illness is absent.The presence of a band of about 60 kDa in immunoblotting would be useful for diagnosis (AU)

Structure of Anisakis simplex s.l. populations in a region sympatric for A. pegreffii and A. simplex s.s. Absence of reproductive isolation between both species.

The aim of this study was to determine the genetic structure of A. simplex s.l. populations. This was done by applying PCR-RFLP and RAPD-PCR to 42 specimens morphologically identified as third stage larvae of A. simplex s.l. Of these larvae, 59.26% of those of Mediterranean origin are identified by PCR-RFLP as A. pegreffii. In Atlantic waters, this percentage dropped to 20.00% while A. simplex s.s. represents 66.67%. However, findings seem to suggest that the taxonomic status of both species should be reconsidered owing to: (i) the high gene flow value that we detected between A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii; (ii) the short genetic distance between both members of the A. simplex complex; (iii) the fact that hybrid genotypes represent 16.67% of the parasites analyzed and are represented in all the populations studied, except for the Cantabrian one. When the genetic variation is estimated between the 42 individual A. simplex s.l. specimens studied these can be classified into four groups. The genetic distances and gene flow between three of them are compatible with the existence of three different genetic populations. The fourth is comprised of a single specimen of L3, identified both by PCR-RFLP and by RAPD-PCR as a new genotype.

Cross-reactivity between antigens of Anisakis simplex s.l. and other ascarid nematodes.

A study of the cross-reactivity among somatic and excretory-secretory antigens of the third stage larvae of Anisakis simplex s.l. and somatic antigens of other ascarid nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides, A. suum, Toxocara canis, Anisakis physeteris, Hysterothylacium aduncum and H. fabri) was carried out by immunoblotting. It was revealed a high degree of cross-reactivity among ascarids in the 30 and > 212 kDa range by using sera against somatic and excretory-secretory antigens of A. simplex s.l. It has been revealed also specific components of the Anisakis genus (< 7.2, 9, 19 and 25 kDa) that will be interesting in diagnosis.