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Chronic pain is one of the most important causes of disability worldwide and represents a major public health challenge. The presence of inflammation is a common underlying mechanism of chronic pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), COX2-selective and non-selective, showing analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, are useful options for the treatment of chronic pain. Non-metabolized pharmaceutical products and their metabolites are excreted and enter sewage as biologically active substances. The accumulation of emerging pollutants, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients and their metabolites in the aquatic environment, has recently become a serious problem due to their bioaccumulation and ecotoxicity potential that affects living organisms. Pharmaceutical products considered as emerging pollutants are partially removed during the treatment of wastewater that contains them and are detected in groundwater, surface water, and wastewater effluent, as well as in drinking water at concentrations ranging from a few nanograms per liter to 15 μg/L. The elimination of these contaminants is essential due to the toxicity that causes in the organisms. Biological techniques that include microorganisms in their processes could be more effective for the elimination of pharmaceutical contaminants compared to the physicochemical techniques currently used.

Background: Some studies show changes in the microbiota in people undergoing antineoplastic treatment. Currently, there is not enough evidence of this effect in the treatment of cervical cancer (CC). The objective was to determine changes in the diversity of local cervical bacteria in women with CC receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal, and prospective study was conducted in 68 women with locally advanced CC with a treatment plan based on the administration of chemotherapy, external beam radiotherapy, and brachytherapy. Cervical-vaginal fluid samples were taken during antineoplastic treatment. The samples were used to isolate bacterial strains. The bacteria were identified at the molecular level by comparing sequences of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Results: The bacteria identified belonged to three phyla: Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Nine genera and 25 species of bacteria were identified. The most frequent species were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium amycolatum, and Enterococcus faecalis. There were statistically significant differences when comparing bacterial diversity found in the different stages of treatment (≤0.05). Bacterial diversity decreased as antineoplastic treatment progressed and increased at the end of therapy. Conclusion: Antineoplastic treatments generate changes in the diversity of local cervical bacterial communities of women with CC.

Currently for bacterial identification and classification the rrs gene encoding 16S rRNA is used as a reference method for the analysis of strains of the genus Nocardia. However, it does not have enough polymorphism to differentiate them at the species level. This fact makes it necessary to search for molecular targets that can provide better identification. The sodA gene (encoding the enzyme superoxide dismutase) has had good results in identifying species of other Actinomycetes. In this study the sodA gene is proposed for the identification and differentiation at the species level of the genus Nocardia. We used 41 type species of various collections; a 386 bp fragment of the sodA gene was amplified and sequenced, and a phylogenetic analysis was performed comparing the genes rrs (1171 bp), hsp65 (401 bp), secA1 (494 bp), gyrB (1195 bp) and rpoB (401 bp). The sequences were aligned using the Clustal X program. Evolutionary trees according to the neighbour-joining method were created with the programs Phylo_win and MEGA 6. The specific variability of the sodA genus of the genus Nocardia was analysed. A high phylogenetic resolution, significant genetic variability, and specificity and reliability were observed for the differentiation of the isolates at the species level. The polymorphism observed in the sodA gene sequence contains variable regions that allow the discrimination of closely related Nocardia species. The clear specificity, despite its small size, proves to be of great advantage for use in taxonomic studies and clinical diagnosis of the genus Nocardia.

Purpose. Under certain circumstances, Actinomyces behaves as an opportunistic microorganism and can cause actinomycosis, a chronic and inflammatory granulomatous infection. The purpose of this project was to detect the presence of Actinomyces in cervical exudates from women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and women with cervical cancer. Methodology. Cervical samples from 92 women were divided into three groups: CIN, cervical cancer and healthy women. Metagenomic DNA extraction was performed following the Qiagen QIAamp Mini Kit protocol. A specific fragment (675 bp) was amplified by PCR in order to detect the presence of Actinomycetales. Samples in which Actinomycetales was detected were subjected to separate amplification reactions with primer pairs for A. israelii, A. viscosus, A. meyeri and A. odontolyticus. Amplified products were observed by 2 % agarose gel electrophoresis. Results. Actinomyces were found in 10 % of women with CIN, 36.6 % of women with cervical cancer and 9 % of healthy women. The species identified in this study were A. meyeri in 14/92 samples (15.2 %), A. viscosus in 10/92 samples (10.8 %), A. odontolyticus in 4/92 samples (4.3 %) and A. israelii in 6/92 samples (6.5 %). Conclusion. Patients with cervical cancer had a higher prevalence of the presence of Actinomyces compared to the CIN and control groups. This is the first study in which a deliberate search of this genus has been performed in women with cervical pathologies. The use of specific primers for each species facilitated their detection in comparison with traditional isolation methods. More information is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the complex role that bacterial communities may play in the development of cancer (and vice versa).

Mycobacteriumgenus causes a variety of zoonotic diseases. The best known example is the zoonotic tuberculosis due toM. bovis. Much less is known about “nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM),” which are also associated with infections in humans. The Mexican standard NOM-ZOO-031-1995 regulates the presence ofM. bovisin cattle; however, no regulation exists for the NTM species. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify nontuberculous mycobacteria species from cattle of local herds in the south region of the State of Mexico through the identification and detection of the 100 bp molecular marker in the 23S rRNA gene with subsequent sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Milk samples (35) and nasal exudate samples (68) were collected. From the 108 strains isolated, 39 were selected for identification. Thirteen strains isolated from nasal exudates amplified the 100 bp molecular marker and were identified asM. neoaurum(six strains),M. parafortuitum(four strains),M. moriokaense(two strains), andM. confluentis(one strain). ExceptM. parafortuitum, the other species identified are of public health and veterinary concern because they are pathogenic to humans, especially those with underlying medical conditions.

The consumption of sweeteners has increased as a measure to reduce the consumption of calories and thus combat obesity and diabetes. Sweeteners are found in a large number of products, so chronic consumption has been little explored. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of chronic sweetener consumption on the microbiota and immunity of the small intestine in young mice. We used 72 CD1 mice of 21 days old, divided into 3 groups: (i) No treatment, (ii) Group A (6 weeks of treatment), and (iii) Group B (12 weeks of treatment). Groups A and B were divided into 4 subgroups: Control (CL), Sucrose (Suc), Splenda® (Spl), and Svetia® (Sv). The following were determined: anthropometric parameters, percentage of lymphocytes of Peyer’s patches and lamina propria, IL-6, IL-17, leptin, resistin, C-peptide, and TNF-α. From feces, the microbiota of the small intestine was identified. The BMI was not modified; the mice preferred the consumption of Splenda® and Svetia®. The percentage of CD3+ lymphocytes in Peyer’s patches was increased. In the lamina propria, Svetia® increased the percentage of CD3+ lymphocytes, but Splenda® decreases it. The Splenda® and Svetia® subgroups elevate leptin, C-peptide, IL-6, and IL-17, with reduction of resistin. The predominant genus in all groups was Bacillus. The chronic consumption of sweeteners increases the population of lymphocytes in the mucosa of the small intestine. Maybe, Bacillus have the ability to adapt to sweeteners regardless of the origin or nutritional contribution of the same.

Background: The opportunistic pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the main causes of pediatric bacterial blood stream infections (BSI), which is complicated with sepsis and high mortality. Objectives: To identify atypical Klebsiella species affecting a sample of infected neonates with low antimicrobial response. Methods: Multidrug resistant blood cultures for Klebsiella from a Neonatal Service, were submitted to molecular identification by sequencing analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA. Results: The mean age of the newborns was 14.7 ± 5.6 days. A total of 6 out of 8 cases were sepsis, 1 case of pneumonia, and 1 a catheter-related infection. The molecular identification showed 3 cases of K. pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae, 2 of K. pneumoniae and K. variicola, and 1 case of K. oxytoca. The highest antimicrobial resistance was against cephalosporins and Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Conclusions: Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae was responsible for multidrug resistant strains of Klebsiella even in 37.5% of cases. In our clinical setting, the use of Amikacin and carbapenems are still useful to treat neonatal infections by Klebsiella even against K. variicola, which is the most resistant.

Background. The consumption of sweeteners has increased in recent years, being used to control body weight and blood glucose. However, they can cause increased appetite, modification of immune function, and secretion of hormones in the GALT.Objective. To assess the effect of chronic sweetener consumption on glycaemia, cytokines, hormones, and GALT lymphocytes in CD1 mice.Material and Methods. 72 CD1 mice divided into 3 groups were used: (a) baseline, (b) middle, and (c) final. Groups (b) and (c) were divided into 4 subgroups: (i) Control, (ii) Sucrose, (iii) Sucralose, and (iv) Stevia. The following were determined: body weight, hormones (GIP, insulin, and leptin), lymphocytes CD3+T cells and CD19+B cells, IgA+plasma cells, and cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IFN-γ, and TNF-α).Results. Sucralose reduces secretion of GIP and glycaemia but does not modify insulin concentration, increases body weight, and reduces food intake. Stevia increases the secretion of GIP, insulin, leptin, body weight, and glycaemia but keeps food consumption normal. Sucralose and Stevia showed a higher percentage of CD3+T cells, CD19+B cells, and IgA+plasma cells in Peyer’s patches, but only Stevia in lamina propria.Conclusion. Sweeteners modulate the hormonal response of cytokines and the proliferation of lymphocytes in the intestinal mucosa.

Characterization and understanding of gut microbiota has recently increased representing a wide research field, especially in autoimmune diseases. Gut microbiota is the major source of microbes which might exert beneficial as well as pathogenic effects on human health. Intestinal microbiome’s role as mediator of inflammation has only recently emerged. Microbiota has been observed to differ in subjects with early rheumatoid arthritis compared to controls, and this finding has commanded this study as a possible autoimmune process. Studies with intestinal microbiota have shown that rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by an expansion and/or decrease of bacterial groups as compared to controls. In this review, we present evidence linking intestinal dysbiosis with the autoimmune mechanisms involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Sarcopenia research may be hampered by the heterogeneity of populations and outcome measures used in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to describe the inclusion/exclusion criteria and outcome measures used in ongoing research in sarcopenia. All active intervention studies registered in the World Health Organization with the keyword sarcopenia were included. Study design, type of intervention, inclusion/exclusion criteria and outcome measures were registered and classified. In April 2014, 151 studies on sarcopenia were registered in the WHO database. One hundred twenty-three were intervention studies. Most trials (94.3 %) were single centre and randomized (93.5 %), 51.2 % were double blind. Nutritional interventions (36.6 %), physical exercise (12.2 %) or both (19.5 %) were the most common interventions tested. Only 54.4 % included subjects of both genders, and 46.3 % had an upper age limit. Definition of the target populations was heterogeneous, with 57.7 % including healthy subjects and none using recent definitions of sarcopenia. Lifestyle and the degree of physical activity of subjects were not described or considered in most cases (79.7 %). Subjects with cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric or metabolic disorders and those with physical disability were usually excluded. Muscle mass and muscle strength were the primary outcome variables in 28.5 and 29.5 % of studies and physical performance in 19.5 %, but only 4.1 % used the three variables used the three of them. An additional 26.8 % used biological outcome variables. Little information and agreement existed in the way muscle and physical performance parameters were measured. We found a large heterogeneity in trial design, definition of populations and outcome measures in present research.

Introducción: Los adultos mayores son un grupo vulnerable y se refleja fácilmente en su estado nutricional, la mayoría no cubre sus requerimientos nutricionales y son inactivos físicamente. Una ingesta proteica menor a 1,0 g/kg de peso/día y un bajo nivel de actividad física (

Summary Objective The aim of our research was to update the situation concerning actinomycetoma in Mexico, to localize areas where it is frequently found and to identify the main strains from the isolates. Material and methods To localize cases of actinomycetoma, patients’ medical records from the dermatology departments of general and private hospitals were reviewed. Pathologic strains were looked for in general hospital patients and in reference institutes in Mexico City. The clinical strains were kept in Bennett agar and were subsequently identified using polyphasic approaches, including a partial sequence of 16S rDNA using species-specific primers designed to recognise Nocardia species. Results Eleven cases of actinomycetoma and five species of pathological strains were identified. Most cases were found in south-eastern Mexico and Nocardia brasiliensis was the most frequently isolated species. Conclusions This research confirmed the presence of actinomycetoma in Mexico as well as the zones of high incidence and the most frequent pathological strain.

Nocardia species are aerobic, Gram-positive bacteria with branched filaments reported as opportunistic microorganisms associated with infectious diseases of the skin. We report the isolation of N. wallacei in Mexico from a 43-year-old man, an HIV-positive construction worker who sought care for difficulty breathing and abundant sputum.

The objective of this study was to determine seroprevalence and identify risk factors associated withToxocara canisinfection. A clinical and epidemiological questionnaire and body mass index were used to assess the risk factors associated with human toxocariasis in 108 children with an age range of 2–16 years. Antibodies againstToxocara caniswere detected using an ELISA test kit. Chi-square analysis and odds ratio (OR) were used to identify risk factors associated withToxocara canisseropositivity. The prevalence of antibodies againstToxocara caniswas greater (P=0.02) in males than females (28.84% and 16.07%, resp.). Chi-square analysis and odds ratio revealed just one variable withP<0.05,andOR>1.0was associated with seropositivity: the possession of dogs under one year old (OR=1.78). Although not significant, the OR values suggest that other factors may be epidemiologically important forToxocarapresence such as not washing hands before meals, malnutrition, obesity, and use of public parks. Children in the age group >12 and Toxocara canis(17.59%) than the >2 and

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest human diseases that still affects large population groups. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 9.4 million new cases worldwide in the year 2010. In Mexico, there were 18,848 new cases of TB of all clinical variants in 2010. The identification of clusters in space-time is of great interest in epidemiological studies. The objective of this research was to identify the spatial and temporal distribution of TB during the period 2006–2010 in the State of Mexico, using geographic information system (GIS) and SCAN statistics program. Nine significant clusters () were identified using spatial and space-time analysis. The conclusion is that TB in the State of Mexico is not randomly distributed but is concentrated in areas close to Mexico City.

The aim of this paper was to determine in 32 patients from 4 different Mexican hospitals the frequency of opportunistic bacteria in the 2010 to 2011 time period. The patients were divided in 4 groups. Group 1 included 21 HIV positive patients with acute respiratory syndrome. Four HIV positive patients with tuberculosis symptoms were included in Group 2; two patients with tuberculosis symptoms and one asymptomatic person formed Group 3. Reference Group 4 included 4 patients from whom 4 strains ofMycobacteriumspp. had been reported. The strains were isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene amplification, API 20E and 50CH, biochemical test, and antibiotic sensitivity. The strains found were 10Pantoea agglomerans, 6Mycobacteriumspp., 6Pseudomonasspp. and 10 strains of normal floral species:Thermoactinomycetes bacterium(1),Enterococcus faecium(2),Bacillus licheniformis(1),Lactobacillus rhamnosus(2),Streptococcus oralis(2),Streptococcus anginosus(1), andEnterobacter hormaechei(1).

Sandra Díaz González-Vieyra1, Ninfa Ramírez-Durán2, Ángel H Sandoval-Trujillo3, Juan C Vázquez-Chagoyán1, Humberto G Monroy-Salazar1, Alberto Barbabosa-Pliego11Research Center of Advanced Studies in Animal Health, Veterinary Husbandry School, 2Medical and Ambiental Microbiology, Research Center of Advanced Studies in Health Science, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Toluca, Mexico; 3Department of Biological Systems, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco, Mexico City, MexicoAbstract: Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is an important public health problem in Latin America. Dogs are considered a risk factor for human Chagas disease, a sentinel for T. cruzi infection in endemic regions and an animal model to study pathological aspects of the disease. The potential use of dogs as indicators of human cardiac pathogenicity of local T. cruzi strains has been studied insufficiently. We studied electrocardiographic (EKG) and echocardiographic (ECG) alteration frequencies observed in an open population of dogs in Malinalco, Mexico, and determined if such frequencies were statistically associated with T. cruzi infection in dogs. Animals (n = 139) were clinically examined and owners were asked to answer a questionnaire about dogs’ living conditions. Two commercial serological tests (IHA, ELISA) were conducted to detect anti-T. cruzi serum antibodies. Significant differences between seropositive and seronegative animals in cardiomyopathic frequencies were detected through EKG and ECG (P < 0.05). Thirty dogs (21.58%) were serologically positive to anti-T. cruzi antibodies (to ELISA and IHA assays), of which nine (30%) had EKG and/or ECG alterations. From the remaining 104 (78.42%) seronegative animals, five (4.5%) had EKG and/or ECG abnormalities. Our data support the hypothesis that most EKG and ECG alterations found in dogs from Malinalco could be associated with T. cruzi infection. Considering the dog as a sentinel and as an animal model for Chagas disease in humans, our findings suggest that the T. cruzi strains circulating in Malinalco have the potential to produce cardiomyopathies in infected humans.Keywords: chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, cardiomyopathy, electrocardiography, echocardiography, Malinalco, México