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The lesser yellow-shouldered bat, Sturnira nana, is a member of the most diverse genus of the New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae). This species was considered endemic to Peru until 2009 when researchers captured a series of individuals in the Cordillera del Cóndor of southeastern Ecuador and identified them as S. nana. To assess the taxonomic status of this Ecuadorian population in relation to S. nana from Peru, we analyzed cytochrome b gene sequences and craniodental measurement data. In addition, we used principal component analysis to elucidate differences in climatic niches. Our analyses suggest that populations currently identified as S. nana from Ecuador and Peru are genetically, morphologically, and ecologically divergent. Herein, we formally describe the population of small Sturnira from Ecuador as a new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a revision of distribution of Micronycteris schmidtorum in Northern South America reporting fourteen new localities of the species for Colombia and Ecuador on both sides of the Andes. We present the first records of the species for Ecuador, the first record for the biogeographic region of El Chocó, and fill the gap in Amazonian localities between Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. Finally, we determine morphometric variation of the species: Colombian specimens are larger than other Central and South American specimens and specimens of French Guiana are the smallest. We found size differentiation between cis- and trans-Andean populations in Colombia and Ecuador, apparently mediated by the Andes Cordillera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 2012, we conducted a mammal survey in the cloud forest of the Otonga Forest Preserve on the western slope of the Andes in Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador. We used Sherman traps, Tomahawk traps, pitfall traps, and mist nets to collect mammal specimens at 2,070 m in elevation. We collected 148 specimens representing 19 species from the survey area. The species collected include Caenolestes convelatus, Marmosops caucae, Sturnira bidens, Sturnira erythromos, Sturnira ludovici, Anoura caudifer, Anoura peruana, Platyrrhinus dorsalis, Platyrrhinus nigellus, Myotis oxyotus, Mazama rufina, Melanomys caliginosus, Neusticomys monticolus, Thomasomys baeops, Thomasomys silvestris, Nephelomys moerex, Dasyprocta fuliginosa, and Bassaricyon neblina. We documented Notosciurus granatensis with photography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ecuador, Thyroptera tricolor is distributed on the northern coastal region, in Amazonia, and in the foothills of the Andes between 50 to 1,800 m of altitude. We reported a capture of a non-breeding female at El Descanso, Los Ríos Province, in the central coastal region of Ecuador. With this record, we have extended the geographical distribution of T. tricolor in Ecuador 55 km further south. Using the available data for Ecuador, a predictive distribution model was generated using a Maximum Entropy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acne is a common disease that is associated with scarring and substantial psychosocial burden. The Global Burden of Skin Disease reported that the burden from acne as measured by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 188 countries and specifically that it is greatest in Western Europe, high-income North America and Southern Latin America. This paper aimed to identify risk factors for acne scarring specific to the Ecuadorian population in order to adapt the 4-ASRAT tool accordingly., Methods: This was an observational prospective study. Participants were recruited to complete a survey that was developed based on the potential risk factors for acne scarring and had facial photographs taken. To determine risk factors and their respective weighting, a logistic regression was performed., Results: The study included 404 participants. Results from univariate analyses indicated that being male (OR = 2.76 95%CI [1.72; 4.43]), having severe or very severe acne scarring (OR = 4.28 95%CI [1.24; 14.79]), acne duration over 1 year (OR = 1.71 95%CI [1.12; 2.60]), oily skin (OR = 2.02 95%CI [1.27; 3.22]) and the presence of acne on the neck (OR = 2.26 95%CI [1.30; 3.92]), were all significantly associated with the presence of acne scarring. Male sex (2.56 95%CI [1.58;4.17]), oily skin (1.96 95%CI [1.20;3.20]) and severe or very severe acne (3.75 95%CI [1.05;13.37]) remained significant risk factors for acne scarring in the multivariate analysis., Conclusion: By identifying acne scarring risk factors and applying the tool in everyday dermatology visits, we can reduce the physical and psychological burden that acne scarring causes in the adolescent and adult populations. Further research should be conducted to reassess potential risk factors and complete the adaptation of the tool for the Ecuadorian population, with a larger and more representative study population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Camacho et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Trypanosoma theileri is a cosmopolitan opportunistic haemoparasite described in wild and domestic ruminants, and also in arthropod vectors. The presence of this parasite has been reported in several South American countries, including Amazonian regions. Despite the importance of livestock production, Ecuador possesses scarce studies about trypanosomosis and no T. theileri reports in its territory. Here, we showed molecular evidences of the presence of T. theileri in cattle from a province located in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Bovine blood samples were collected from 2014 to 2019, during campaigns to detect haemoparasites in the Ecuadorian provinces of Orellana and Sucumbíos. DNA was extracted from the buffy coat and used in PCR assays with three different molecular markers, ITS1, 18S and Cathepsin L-like. T. theileri was detected only in the Sucumbíos province, with a specific molecular prevalence of 8.6% (3/35) using the three primers and an additional animal detected as positive (11.4% prevalence) only by the ITS1 marker. DNA sequences derived from the generated amplicons were subjected to phylogenetics maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis, which indicate the presence of TthI and TthII genotypes circulating in the evaluated animals. Molecular surveillance should be continually implemented in Ecuador in order to deepen the epidemiological and evolutionary knowledge about T. theileri as well other haemoparasites in the amazon parts of the country., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is well known that people living with HIV (PLWH) is in higher risk for the development of depression and it has also been suggested that the use of efavirenz into the antiretroviral regimens increases even that risk., Objective: To evaluate the effect of efavirenz-containing antiretroviral regimens on the development of depression in newly ART initiated HIV patients in Ecuador., Methods: In a prospective cohort study from June 2016 to May 2017, all newly HIV diagnosed patients at the HIV/AIDS Unit of the Hospital Eugenio Espejo in Quito, Ecuador were evaluated using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression followed by a second assessment 8-12 weeks after antiretroviral therapy containing efavirenz was initiated., Results: A total of 79 patients, mainly males younger than 35 years were studied. Majority of them were on TDF/FTC/EFV. Initial score in Hamilton Rating Scale revealed that less than 30% had no depression symptoms while almost 40% had mild depression. However, in the second assessment, 22.6% of the subjects had a score in the Hamilton Rating Scale compatible with severe or very severe depression (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.28; p = 0.05)., Conclusion: In our cohort study, depression was much higher in patients on Efavirenz-containing treatments. Therefore, assessment for depression must be essential as part of follow-up in these patients.

Background: Acne-induced scarring is associated with a similar burden as acne, i.e. diminished quality of life, and may be avoided if patients receive appropriate and timely acne treatment. In 2017, a four item-Acne-Scar Risk Assessment Tool (4-ASRAT) was designed by Tan et al . to categorise patients with acne into lower-risk or higher-risk for acne scarring. Its applicability outside the initial study population (France, Brazil and United States) remains to be determined.  Methods: A study protocol was developed to create a systematic approach for validating and adapting 4-ASRAT to different populations, Ecuador in this case. The protocol was reviewed by 11 local and international dermatologists and pilot-tested in an Ecuadorian population using a sample of 10 participants who currently had or had had acne. Feedback from the pilot study was used to improve the study protocol. The results of the pilot study are included here, and the final study protocol is available as extended data.  Results: The protocol proved to be applicable. Images taken of participants were a valuable resource for dermatological evaluation about the presence or absence of acne scars. Tangential light is necessary for this evaluation. Although dermatological assessments varied, we concluded that assessment by three local dermatologists for each participant was adequate for reaching a consensus on the presence or absence of acne scars.   Conclusions: Considering the morbidity related to acne and acne scars, tools designed as prevention that alert patients about risk of developing scarring are necessary. The proposed protocol shows a feasible way of validating and adapting 4-ASRAT to different populations., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2020 Estrella Porter J et al.)