Genetic variability highlights the invasion route of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex, the main vector of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Uruguay.

In the Americas, the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of the parasitic protozoa Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The Lu. longipalpis species complex is currently discontinuously distributed across the Neotropical region, from Mexico to the north of Argentina and Uruguay. During its continental spreading, it must have adapted to several biomes and temperature amplitudes, when founder events should have contributed to the high genetic divergence and geographical structure currently observed, reinforcing the speciation process. The first report of Lu. longipalpis in Uruguay was in 2010, calling the attention of Public Health authorities. Five years later, the parasite Le. infantum was recorded and in 2015 the first case of VL in canids was reported. Hitherto seven human cases by VL have been reported in Uruguay. Here, we publish the first DNA sequences from the mitochondrial genes ND4 and CYTB of Lu. longipalpis collected in Uruguay, and we used these molecular markers to investigate their genetic variability and population structure. We described four new ND4 haplotypes in a total of 98 (4/98) and one CYTB in a total of 77 (1/77). As expected, we were able to establish that the Lu. longipalpis collected in two localities (i.e. Salto and Bella Unión) from the north of Uruguay are closely related to the populations from neighbouring countries. We also propose that the possible route for the vector arrival to the region may have been through vegetation and forest corridors of the Uruguay River system, as well as it may have benefited from landscape modifications generated by commercial forestation. The ecological-scale processes shaping Lu. longipalpis populations, the identification of genetically homogeneous groups and the gene flow among them must be carefully investigated by using highly sensible molecular markers (i.e. genome wide SNPs) since it will help to the understanding of VL transmission and contribute to the planification of public policies on its control.

Enfermedades vasculares periféricas y niveles de calidad de vida en adultos mayores del municipio Boyeros / Peripheral vascular diseases and life quality levels in elderly adults of Boyeros municipality

Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de las enfermedades vasculares periféricas y los niveles de calidad de vida en los adultos mayores. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo y analítico en una muestra aleatorizada (n= 200) de los residentes del municipio Boyeros. Se analizaron solo los adultos mayores (n= 58). Las enfermedades vasculares periféricas se diagnosticaron por examen físico-vascular, estudio hemodinámico y ultrasonográficos. Se aplicó el cuestionario genérico de calidad de vida SF-36. Resultados: La tasa de enfermedades vasculares periféricas fue de 12 por 10 000; donde las más prevalentes fueron: las flebopatías (9,3), la enfermedad arterial periférica de los miembros inferiores (5,7) y la enfermedad carotidea (4,4). El porcentaje se incrementó en el grupo entre 70 y 79 años. El 31,8 por ciento presentaron dos o más enfermedades. En más del 80 por ciento el diagnóstico fue precoz. La hipertensión arterial (85,2 por ciento) fue el factor de riesgo más frecuente. No se halló diferencias (p < 0,05) en ninguna de las escalas de calidad de vida al comparar los adultos mayores con y sin enfermedad vascular. En los enfermos las medidas sumarias salud mental y salud física oscilaron entre moderada y baja. Los enfermos fueron remitidos a sus áreas de salud para recibir el tratamiento oportuno. Conclusiones: El municipio Boyeros presentó elevadas tasas de prevalencia de enfermedades vasculares periféricas en los adultos mayores con una afectación importante en las medidas sumarias de niveles de calidad Salud mental y Salud física(AU)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of peripheral vascular diseases and the life quality levels in elderly. Methods: A prospective and analytical study was conducted in a randomized sample (n = 200) of the residents of Boyeros municipality in Havana, analyzing only the elderly (n = 58). Peripheral vascular diseases were diagnosed by physical-vascular examination, hemodynamic and ultrasonographic studies. The SF-36 generic life quality questionnaire was applied. Results: The rate of peripheral vascular diseases was of 12 by 10 000, where the most prevalent were: flebopathy (9.3), peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs (5.7) and carotid disease (4.4). The percentage increased in the group from 70 to 79 years old. 31.8 percent showed two or more diseases. In more than the 80 percent, the diagnosis was precocious. Arterial hypertension (85.2 percent), obesity (59.3 percent) and hyperlipidemia (42.6 percent) were the most common risk factors. No differences (p< 0.05) were found in any of the quality of life scales when comparing elderly with and without vascular disease. In ill patients, the summary measures mental health and physical health oscillated between moderate and low. The ill patients were referred to their health areas to receive timely treatment. Conclusions: Boyeros municipality presented high rates of prevalence of peripheral vascular diseases in elderly with an important impact on the summary measures of quality levels called mental health and physical health(AU)

Enfermedad de chagas: transmisión vertical. descripción de casos clínicos / Chagas disease: vertical transmission. a description of clinical cases

La enfermedad de Chagas es una zoonosis causada por Trypanosoma cruzi. En el año 1997 se declaró que la transmisión vectorial de T.cruzi se encuentra interrumpida en Uruguay. En este contexto cobran importancia mecanismos no vectoriales de transmisión. La infección congénita es el único mecanismo de transmisión presente en el país. Este riesgo (4%) justifica la obligatoriedad de la serología específica en los controles obstétricos para los 13 departamentos endémicos y la maternidad del Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell en Montevideo (Decreto del Poder Ejecutivo Nº 4085/95). El objetivo de este trabajo es describir cinco casos clínicos de hijos de madres con serología positiva para Chagas asistidos en Médica Uruguaya entre los años 2011 y 2014. Las madres de todos los niños residen en Montevideo, tres de ellas vivieron en su infancia en departamentos endémicos (Rivera, Artigas, Tacuarembó) y las abuelas maternas de los cincos casos residen en departamentos endémicos. En cuatro niños el xenodiagnóstico fue negativo. Se confirmó la infección por serología en un varón de 4 años asintomático procedente de Montevideo. Conclusiones: el tratamiento parasitológico está contraindicado durante el embarazo. El diagnóstico antes de los 9 meses de edad requiere xenodiagnóstico (Instituto de Higiene. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República), ya que la serología tiene falsos positivos biológicos por transmisión transplacentaria de anticuerpos maternos de tipo IgG. En esta pequeña serie la infección se confirmó en uno de los cinco casos. El control de la enfermedad requiere detección durante el embarazo y derivación oportuna y seguimiento de los hijos hasta el año de vida para descartar la enfermedad.

Chagas disease is a disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. In 1997 a certification was issued declaring the interruption of the vectorial transmission of T.cruzi in Uruguay. Within this context, non-vectorial transmission mechanisms became more important. Congenital infection is the only transmission mechanism in the country. This risk (4%) results in specific serologic testing for Chagas being mandatory in obstetric follow up visits of the 13 endemic departments of Uruguay and the maternity of the Pereira Rossell Hospital Center in Montevideo (Decree of the Executive Power N° 49085/95). The objective of the study is to describe five clinical cases of children to mothers with positive serology for Chagas, who were seen at Médica Uruguaya from 2011 through 2014. The mothers of all these children live in Montevideo, three of them used to live in endemic departments during their childhood (Rivera, Artigas, Tacuarembó) and the grandmothers on the mother’s side live in the endemic departments. Xenodiagnosis was negative in four children. Infection was confirmed in one four-year old asymptomatic boy who lived in Montevideo through serological testing. Conclusions: parasitological treatment must be avoided during pregnancy. Diagnosis prior to 9 months of age requires xenodiagnosis (Instituto de Higiene. School of Medicine, University of the Republic), since serological tests may provide biological false-positive test due to placenta transmission of IgG type maternal antibodies. In this small series, infection was confirmed in one of the five cases. Disease controls requires detection during pregnancy and timely referral, as well as follow up of children until they are one year old to discard the disease.

A doença de Chagas é uma zoonose causada pelo Trypanosoma cruzi. Em 1997 a transmissão vetorial de T.cruzi foi declarada interrompida no Uruguai. Nessas condições os mecanismos de transmissão não vetoriais passam a ser muito importantes. A infecção congênita é o único mecanismo de transmissão presente no país. Este risco (4%) justifica a obrigatoriedade da sorologia específica nos controles obstétricos nos 13 departamentos endêmicos e na maternidade do Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell em Montevidéu (Decreto do Poder Executivo Nº 4085/95). O objetivo deste trabalho é descrever cinco casos clínicos de filhos de mães com sorologia positiva para doença de Chagas atendidos na Médica Uruguaya no período 2011-2014. As mães de todas as crianças moram em Montevidéu, três passaram sua infância em departamentos endêmicos (Rivera, Artigas, Tacuarembó) e as avós maternas dos cincos casos moram em departamentos endêmicos. O xenodiagnóstico foi negativo em 4 crianças. A infecção foi confirmada por sorologia em um menino de 4 anos assintomático de Montevidéu. Conclusões: o tratamento parasitológico está contraindicado durante a gravidez. Para realizar o diagnóstico antes dos 9 meses de idade é necessário realizar xenodiagnóstico (Instituto de Higiene. Faculdade de Medicina, Universidad de la República), pois a sorologia apresenta falsos positivos biológicos devido à transmissão transplacentaria de anticorpos maternos de tipo IgG. Nesta pequena série a infecção foi confirmada em um dos cinco casos. O controle da doença requer sua detecção durante a gestação e tanto o encaminhamento oportuno como o seguimento dos filhos durante o primeiro ano de vida para descartá-la.

Primate pulpal healing after exposure and TheraCal application.

AIM: The purpose of this in vivo study was to compare the effectiveness of a new light cured resin based dicalcium/tricalcium silicate pulp capping material (TheraCalLC, Bisco), pure Portland cement, resin based calcium hydroxide or glass ionomer in the healing of bacterially contaminated primate pulps. STUDY DESIGN: The experiment required four primates each having 12 teeth prepared with buccal penetrations into the pulpal tissues with an exposure of approximately 1.0 mm. The exposed pulps of the primate teeth were covered with cotton pellets soaked in a bacterial mixture consisting of microorganisms normally found in human pulpal abscesses. After removal of the pellet, hemostasis was obtained and the pulp capping agents applied. The light cured resin based pulp capping material (TheraCal LC) was applied to the pulpal tissue of twelve teeth with a needle tip syringe and light cured for 15 seconds. Pure Portland cement mixed with a 2% Chlorhexidine solution was placed on the exposed pulpal tissues of another twelve teeth. Twelve additional teeth had a base of GIC applied (Triage, Fuji VII GC America) and another twelve had a pulp cap with VLC DYCAL (Dentsply), a light cured calcium hydroxide resin based material. The pulp capping bases were then covered with a RMGI (Fuji II LC GC America). The tissue samples were collected at 4 weeks. The samples were deminerilized, sectioned, stained and histologically graded. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in regard to pulpal inflammation (H = 0.679, P = 1.00). However, both the Portland cement and light cured TheraCal LC groups had significantly more frequent hard tissue bridge formation at 28 days than the GIC and VLC Dycal groups (H = 11.989, P = 0.009). The measured thickness of the hard tissue bridges with the pure Portland and light cured TheraCal LC groups were statistically greater than that of the other two groups (H = 15.849, P = 0.002). In addition, the occurrence of pulpal necrosis was greater with the GIC group than the others. Four premolars, one each treated according to the protocols were analyzed with a microCT machine. The premolar treated with the light cured TheraCal LC demonstrated a complete hard tissue bridge. The premolar treated with the GIC did not show a complete hard tissue bridge while the premolar treated with VLC Dycal had an incomplete bridge. The pure Portland with Chlorhexidine mixture created extensive hard tissue bridging. CONCLUSION: TheraCal LC applied to primate pulps created dentin bridges and mild inflammation acceptable for pulp capping.