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Background. Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is responsible for tropical spastic paraparesis and HTLV-1-associated leukemia/lymphoma. The infection is endemic in some areas of Peru, but its prevalence in the Peruvian Amazon is not well established. We aimed to assess the seroprevalence of HTLV-1 infection in pregnant women in the Peruvian Amazon. Moreover, we performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the seroprevalence of HTLV infection in Peru. (2) Methods. This is a prospective cross-sectional study involving pregnant women attending health centers in the city of Iquitos, Peru, in May and June 2019. The presence of antibodies against HTLV-1 was assessed using ELISA (HTLV I + II ELISA recombinant v.4.0, Wiener lab, Rosario, Argentina). Positive cases were confirmed by Western Blot and HTLV-1 proviral load. (3) Results. The study included 300 pregnant women with a mean age of 26 years (standard deviation [SD] 6.4). Five patients were diagnosed with HTLV-1 infection (prevalence 1.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7% to 3.8%). Pregnant women with HTLV-1 infection were discretely younger (mean age 22.6 [SD 22.6] vs. 26.8 [SD 6.3]; p = 0.128). None of the five women had been transfused, and all were asymptomatic. Two (40%) also had a positive serology for Strongyloides, but larvae were not detected in any of the parasitological stool studies. The systematic review component identified 40 studies, which showed that the prevalence of HTLV infection in the general population was 2.9% (95% CI 1.2% to 5.3%) and in women of childbearing age, 2.5% (95% CI 1.2% to 4.0%). (4) Conclusion. The prevalence of HTLV-1 in the Peruvian Amazon basin is about 1.7%, indicating an endemic presence. Screening for HTLV-1 in prenatal care is warranted.

Knowledge of the food web structure and complexity are central to better understand ecosystem functioning. A food-web approach includes both species and energy flows among them, providing a natural framework for characterizing species’ ecological roles and the mechanisms through which biodiversity influences ecosystem dynamics. Here we present for the first time a high-resolution food web for a marine ecosystem at Potter Cove (northern Antarctic Peninsula). Eleven food web properties were analyzed in order to document network complexity, structure and topology. We found a low linkage density (3.4), connectance (0.04) and omnivory percentage (45), as well as a short path length (1.8) and a low clustering coefficient (0.08). Furthermore, relating the structure of the food web to its dynamics, an exponential degree distribution (in- and out-links) was found. This suggests that the Potter Cove food web may be vulnerable if the most connected species became locally extinct. For two of the three more connected functional groups, competition overlap graphs imply high trophic interaction between demersal fish and niche specialization according to feeding strategies in amphipods. On the other hand, the prey overlap graph shows also that multiple energy pathways of carbon flux exist across benthic and pelagic habitats in the Potter Cove ecosystem. Although alternative food sources might add robustness to the web, network properties (low linkage density, connectance and omnivory) suggest fragility and potential trophic cascade effects.

Probiotics are able to restore microbiome and the normal intestinal permeability, improve the immunological function of gut barrier and reduce the intestinal inflammatory response and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine characteristics of local and systemic allergic inflammation. Clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of various clinical conditions such as atopic dermatitis and food allergies and in the primary prevention of atopy. Recent studies have shown that oral administration of certain probiotic exerts therapeutic effects in the treatment of allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and rhinitis.