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OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative costs of accessing a TB diagnosis for the poor and for women in urban Lilongwe, Malawi, a setting where public health services are accessible within 6 kilometres and provided free of charge. METHODS: Patient and household direct and opportunity costs were assessed from a survey of 179 TB patients, systematically sampled from all public and mission health facilities in Lilongwe. Poverty status was determined from the 1998 Malawi Integrated Household Survey (MIHS). FINDINGS: On average, patients spent US$ 13 (MK 996 or 18 days' income) and lost 22 days from work while accessing a TB diagnosis. For non-poor patients, the total costs amounted to 129% of total monthly income, or 184% after food expenditures. For the poor, this cost rose to 248% of monthly income or 574% after food. When a woman or when the poor are sick, the opportunity costs faced by their households are greater. CONCLUSION: Patient and household costs of TB diagnosis are prohibitively high even where services are provided free of charge. In scaling up TB services to reach the Millennium Development Goals, there is an urgent need to identify strategies for diagnosing TB that are cost-effective for the poor and their households.

Rickettsiales are obligate intracellular bacteria that need vertebrates and arthropods to maintain their life cycles. Some species of the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia are transmitted by ticks to both animals and humans and can cause mild to severe and even fatal cases. In the Americas, there is substantial data on rickettsial agents, encompassing both clinical cases and the detection of these agents in ticks, but in Ecuador, the information about them remains poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to detect molecularly rickettsial agents in Amblyomma maculatum ticks in both parasitic and free-living phases collected from domestic animals and pasture in five localities across three coastal provinces of Ecuador. Rickettsia parkeri, Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, and Ehrlichia sp. were recorded in A. maculatum for the first time in Ecuador. These records were made in a region where antibodies to the Spotted Fever Rickettsia Group were detected in humans. Additional studies are needed to characterize Ehrlichia sp. at a specific level. Furthermore, recognizing the specific Rickettsiales species circulating in the ticks and the hosts within a region is crucial for assessing potential contact risks., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Pyridine, a compound with a heterocyclic structure, is a key player in medicinal chemistry and drug design. It is widely used as a framework for the design of biologically active molecules and is the second most common heterocycle in FDA-approved drugs. Pyridine is known for its diverse biological activity, including antituberculosis, antitumor, anticoagulant, antiviral, antimalarial, antileishmania, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer's, antitrypanosomal, antimalarial, vasodilatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative effects. This review, spanning from 2022 to 2012, involved the meticulous identification of pyridine derivatives with antiproliferative activity, as indicated by their minimum inhibitory concentration values (IC50) against various cancerous cell lines. The aim was to determine the most favorable structural characteristics for their antiproliferative activity. Using computer programs, we constructed and calculated the molecular descriptors and analyzed the electrostatic potential maps of the selected pyridine derivatives. The study found that the presence and positions of the -OMe, -OH, -C=O, and NH2 groups in the pyridine derivatives enhanced their antiproliferative activity over the cancerous cellular lines studied. Conversely, pyridine derivatives with halogen atoms or bulky groups in their structures exhibited lower antiproliferative activity.

Canine tick-borne diseases, such as babesiosis, rangeliosis, hepatozoonosis, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, are of veterinarian relevance, causing mild or severe clinical cases that can lead to the death of the dog. The aim of this study was detecting tick-borne protozoan and rickettsial infections in dogs with anemia and/or thrombocytopenia in Uruguay. A total of 803 domestic dogs were evaluated, and 10% were found positive (detected by PCR) at least for one hemoparasite. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of four hemoprotozoan species: Rangelia vitalii, Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon canis and Hepatozoon americanum, and the rickettsial Anaplasma platys. The most detected hemoparasite was R. vitalii, followed by H. canis and A. platys. This is the first report of B. vogeli in Uruguay and the second report of H. americanum in dogs from South America. The results highlight the importance for veterinarians to include hemoparasitic diseases in their differential diagnosis of agents causing anemia and thrombocytopenia., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During a molecular screening of rickettsial, borrelial and protozoal agents in ticks from rural areas of Panama, we detected DNA of Rickettsia amblyommatis in four Amblyomma mixtum collected from horses in a locality in Los Santos province. Ehrlichia minasensis and Anaplasma marginale were identified from three and two Rhipicephalus microplus, respectively, collected on cows from Chiriqui province. No DNA from other tick-borne agents was found. These results increase the information of R. amblyommatis and A. marginale in Panama, and also mark the first record of E. minasensis in Central America., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The aim of this work is to report the first detection of Procyon cancrivorus naturally co-infected with Hepatozoon sp. cf. H. procyonis and a novel Anaplasma strain from South America and potential vector tick species associated. On August 30, 2016, a specimen of P. cancrivorus was found dead on the route in Chaco province, Argentina. A tick and a blood sample by cardiac puncture was collected from the specimen. DNA was extracted from blood sample and the tick was morphological identity as a female of Amblyomma ovale. Molecular detection of Anaplasmataceae family and Hepatozoon spp. agents was performed targeting two different loci: 16 S rRNA and 18 S rRNA gene. The phylogenetic analyses show that the Anaplasma sp. strain detected in P. cancrivorus in this study is similar to Anaplasma sp. strains previously detected in Nasua nasua and A. ovale from Brazil. Furthermore, Hepatozoon sp. of the H. procyonis group was amplified that is phylogenetically closely related to H. procyonis reported in N. nasua from Brazil. Since it was not exactly the same as the latter, it was decided to name at Hepatozoon sp. cf. H. procyonis. It is possible that, this potential new species of Anaplasma would be specific for Procyonidae family and there are two species of Hepatozoon linked to this family in South America. These results added to other published studies suggest that A. ovale could be a potential vector both for the new potential strain of Anaplasma and for the Hepatazoon sp. of the H. procyonis group., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Human ehrlichiosis are scantily documented in Uruguay. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Ehrlichia spp. in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and in a gray brocket deer ( Mazama gouazoubira ) from Uruguay. The presence of Ehrlichia DNA was investigated in free-living H. juxtakochi in five localities of southeast and northeast Uruguay, as well as blood, spleen, and ticks retrieved from a M. gouazoubira . Ehrlichia spp. DNA was detected in six out of 99 tick pools from vegetation, in the spleen of M. gouazoubira, and in one out of five pools of ticks feeding on this cervid. Bayesian inference analyses for three loci ( 16S rRNA, dsb, and groEL ) revealed the presence of a new rickettsial organism, named herein as " Candidatus Ehrlichia pampeana". This new detected Ehrlichia is phylogenetically related to those found in ticks from Asia, as well as Ehrlichia ewingii from USA and Cameroon. Although the potential pathogenicity of " Ca . E. pampeana" for humans is currently unknown, some eco-epidemiological factors may be relevant to its possible pathogenic role, namely: (i) the phylogenetic closeness with the zoonotic agent E. ewingii , (ii) the evidence of H. juxtakochi parasitizing humans, and (iii) the importance of cervids as reservoirs for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. The molecular detection of " Ca. E. pampeana" represents the third Ehrlichia genotype described in Uruguay.

In South America, apicomplexan parasites of the genus Hepatozoon have been sporadically detected in mammals. Previous studies in wild canids from Brazil and Argentina demonstrated infections by species genetically related to Hepatozoon americanum. The aim of the present work was to detect the presence of Hepatozoon in road-killed foxes encountered in Uruguayan highways. Blood samples from 45 crab-eating (Cerdocyon thous) and 32 grey pampean (Lycalopex gymnocercus) foxes were analyzed by PCR for Hepatozoon 18S rRNA gene. Eight foxes (10.4%) were found to be infected with an H. americanum-like protozoan, an Hepatozoon closely related to H. americanum. Bayesian and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed that the sequences obtained in this study cluster with H. americanum from the United States, and with an H. americanum-like species from dog and foxes from Brazil and Argentina. In the Unites States, H. americanum causes severe disease in dogs. In addition to this, an increasing habitat overlap between dogs and foxes makes the presence of H. americanum-like protozoan in foxes acquires veterinary relevance. This work represents the first report of L. gymnocercus infected with an H. americanum-like protozoan, and of wild canids infected with Hepatozoon in Uruguay., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Rangelia vitalii is a protozoan parasite that causes a hemorrhagic and hemolytic disease in dogs known as rangeliosis. Current reports of the disease are concentrated in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil, as well as in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, and mainly concern domestic dogs. South American wild canids, such as the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), the pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus), and the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) may also be affected, although existing reports are restricted to Brazil. The present study aimed to detect R. vitalii parasitism in the Uruguayan wild fox population. DNA extracted from the blood and/or spleen samples of road-killed C. thous and L. gymnocercus found in northern Uruguay were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a 551-bp fragment of the Rangelia 18S rRNA gene. A total of 62 wild canids, including 38 C. thous and 24L. gymnocercus, were analyzed. Five crab-eating fox samples (13.2%) were positive for R. vitalii, with 99.5-100% identity between the sequences. All samples from pampas fox tested negative for R. vitalii. When compared with the R. vitalii sequences available in GenBank, a similarity of 98.9-100% was revealed. Molecular analysis results suggest that R. vitalii is circulating in the crab-eating fox population in Uruguay; however, its veterinary relevance for these foxes remains unknown., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Ixodes tropicalis is a little-known tick species reported parasitizing wild rodents only in Colombia and Perú., Objective: To report a case of I. tropicalis infesting a human in the south of the metropolitan area of the Valle de Aburrá, Antioquia, Colombia, and to report the molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii in this species., Materials and Methods: The tick was identified using a morphological key and sequencing of tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Additionally, bacterial and protozoa pathogens were evaluated using PCR for the detection of Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and piroplasmid., Results: We identified the tick as an I. tropicalis female according to Kohls, 1956, description and to partial 16S rRNA sequences showing a minimum of 5% divergencies compared to Ixodes sequences. We also detected the gltA gene of R. bellii in the tick with 99.87% of identity., Conclusion: This is the first report in Colombia of a species of the Ixodes genus parasitizing a human and the first report of the detection of R. bellii in this tick species.

The first molecular screening for Rickettsia , Anaplasma , Ehrlichia , Borrelia , Babesia and Hepatozoon was carried out in questing Ixodes cf. boliviensis and Ixodes tapirus from Talamanca Mountains, Panama, using specific primers, sequencing and phylogeny. Phylogenetic analyses for the microorganisms in Ixodes cf. boliviensis confirmed the presence of Rickettsia sp. strain IbR/CRC endosymbiont (26/27 ticks), three genotypes of the Borrelia burgdorferi ( sensu lato ) complex (4/27 ticks), Babesia odocoilei (1/27 ticks), and Hepatozoon sp. (2/27 ticks), tentatively designated Hepatozoon sp. strain Chiriquensis. Phylogenetic analyses for the microorganisms in I. tapirus revealed an undescribed Rickettsia sp., tentatively designated Rickettsia sp. strain Itapirus LQ (6/6 ticks), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (2/6 ticks). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B . burgdorferi ( s.l .) complex, A. phagocytophilum , B. odocoilei , and Hepatozoon sp. in Ixodes ticks from Central America, and also the first detection of Rickettsia spp. in Ixodes species in Panama. In light of the importance of these findings, further studies are needed focusing on the role of I. tapirus and I. cf. boliviensis as vectors, and the vertebrates acting as reservoirs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Ehrlichia are small intracellular Gram-negative bacteria transmitted by ticks. These microorganisms cause ehrlichiosis, a complex of life-threatening emerging zoonoses and diseases of global veterinary relevance. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Ehrlichia in free-living Ixodes auritulus collected in Uruguay. Ticks were collected from vegetation in five localities from the southeast and northeast of the country between 2014 and 2017. Detection of Ehrlichia DNA was performed in pools of adults or nymphs grouped according to the collection site and date. A total of 1,548 I. auritulus ticks were collected in four of the five locations sampled. Fragments of three loci ( 16S rRNA, dsb and groEL ) were obtained by PCR, and phylogenies inferred using Bayesian inference analysis for each gene independently. DNA of Ehrlichia spp. was found in 15 out of 42 tick pools. Based on the topology of the phylogenetic trees, our sequences represent two novel genotypes for the genus named as Ehrlichia sp. Serrana and Ehrlichia sp. Laguna Negra. Both genotypes were closely related to Ehrlichia sp. Magellanica, a species detected in Ixodes uriae and Magellanic penguins. Considering that all stages of I. auritulus and I. uriae are parasites of birds, their phylogenetic relationships, and common eco-epidemiological profiles, it is reasonable to state that these genotypes of Ehrlichia spp. may represent a natural group likely associated with birds. Our results constitute the first characterization of Ehrlichia spp. in Uruguay. Future studies on birds reported as hosts for I. auritulus are needed to further understand the epidemiological cycles of both Ehrlichia genotypes in the country. Finally, I. auritulus does not feed on humans, so the two Ehrlichia species reported herein might have no implications in human health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The aim of this work was to report the detection of a putative novel Ehrlichia strain associated with the tick Amblyomma triste . Free-living adult ticks determined as A. triste were collected by drag-sampling in Argentina and Uruguay. Molecular detection of Ehrlichia agents was performed targeting three different loci: 16S rRNA gene, dsb gene and a fragment of groESL heat shock operon. In total, 164 adults of A. triste (38 from INTA E.E.A Delta del Paraná in Argentina and 126 from Toledo Chico in Uruguay) were analyzed. One tick (0.6%) collected in INTA E.E.A. Delta del Paraná (Argentina) was positive. The phylogenetic analyses show that the Ehrlichia strain found in this study (named Ehrlichia sp. strain Delta) represents an independent lineage within the genus Ehrlichia , close to E. chaffeensis and E. muris . This is also the first report of an Ehrlichia agent infecting the tick A. triste . The medical and veterinary significance of Ehrlichia sp. strain Delta remains to be demonstrated. However, it is important to mention that adults of A. triste are aggressive to humans and domestic mammals. Therefore, the potential role of A. triste in the transmission of Ehrlichia agents to humans or domestic animals across its distributional range should be highlighted, even more considering that Ehrlichia sp. strain Delta is phylogenetically related to the zoonotic E. chaffeensis , which is recognized as pathogenic to both humans and animals.

Anaplasmataceae includes the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Neorickettsia and Wolbachia, comprising a group of obligate intracellular bacteria. The genus Anaplasma has pathogenic species transmitted by ticks of veterinary and human health importance. Wild ungulates such as deer represent important reservoirs and amplifiers of Anaplasmataceae. The interaction between deer and domestic ruminants represents a serious problem due to the transmission of these pathogens through their ectoparasites. In the present study, we investigated the presence of Anaplasmataceae organisms in blood, tissues and tick samples of a gray-brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira). The specimen was found dead in a farm in northeast Uruguay. PCRs targeting partial regions of 16S rRNA and groESL genes were carried out for Anaplasmataceae DNA detection. Moreover, several ectoparasites were identified: the chewing louse Tricholipeurus albimarginatus, the Neotropical deer louse fly Lipoptena mazamae, and the ticks Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and Rhipicephalus microplus. A consensus sequence of 1274 bp of 16S rRNA was generated for Anaplasma sp. from the M. gouazoubira blood sample. All ticks analysed by PCR assays were negative. No band was detected in any of the samples after PCR targeting groESL gene. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA partial gene sequences, clustered the putative novel genotype sequence obtained in this study, named Anaplasma sp. genotype Mazama-Uruguay, along with Anaplasma sp. detected in Mazama sp., Mazama americana and Mazama bororo, all deer species from Brazil. Furthermore, this cluster showed to be closely related to Anaplasma bovis sequences obtained from various ruminants and other mammals from several parts of the world. The pathogenicity as well as its infecting potential to other cervids or domestic ruminants is currently unknown. Further studies should be performed in order to characterize this novel species, especially targeting other genes.

The aim of this study was to assess the presence of Rickettsia in soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) collected from insectivorous bats (Chiroptera) in Santa Fe province, Argentina. First, a subset of ticks were mounted in Hoyer's medium to be determined by morphological characters and then confirmed by sequencing the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. Also ticks were processed by PCR assays using primers CS-78 and CS-323, which amplify a fragment of the Rickettsia spp. gltA gene. Positive ticks were subjected to a second PCR round with primers Rr190.70p and Rr190.701n of the spotted fever group rickettsiae ompA gene. A phylogenetic analysis was performed with Maximum-likelihood method, and the best fitting substitution models were determined with the Akaike Information Criterion. Five bats of the species Eptesicus diminutus Osgood, 1915, Eptesicus furinalis (d'Orbigny and Gervais, 1847), Eptesicus spp. (Vespertilionidae), and Molossops temminckii Burmeister, 1854 (Molossidae) were parasitized with Ornithodoros hasei (Schulze, 1935) larvae. One E. diminutus ticks' tested positive to "Candidatus Rickettsia wissemanii", a spotted fever group rickettsiae. The association O. hasei -"Ca. R. wissemanii" detected in this study represents the first evidence of a Rickettsia in Ornithodoros ticks in Argentina and the third report of this association in America. Also, this finding constitutes the first record of "Ca. R. wissemanii" in Argentina. Finally, we found for the first time the insectivorous bats E. diminutus and E. furinalis parasitized with O. hasei larvae. These findings add two new hosts and a new location, the southernmost recorded to date, for O. hasei., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to perform a phylogenetic analysis of Hepatozoon spp. infecting Philodryas patagoniensis in Uruguay. Twenty-five road-killed specimens of P. patagoniensis from ten departments were obtained. Samples of blood and/or heart tissue were taken. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was carried out amplifying a specific target region of the 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. Eighteen out of twenty-five samples were positive to Hepatozoon spp., which gave an overall prevalence of 72%. Phylogenetic analyses with the obtained sequences were carried out to determine the relationship with closely related species found in the region. The results revealed that samples were split into two clades with a high bootstrap support. Clade I was formed with Hepatozoon spp. sequences obtained in this study from P. patagoniensis, Hepatozoon cuestensis from Crotalus durissus terrificus and Hepatozoon musa from Philodryas nattereri, and Hepatozoon spp. retrieved from Cerdocyon thous, Hemidactylus mabouia, and Phyllopezus pollicaris from Brazil, respectively. Clade II was grouped with Hepatozoon cevapii and Hepatozoon massardii, both species described for C. d. terrificus from Brazil. This is the first report of Hepatozoon spp. in snakes from Uruguay.

In the southern cone of South America different haplotypes of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) have been detected in Ixodes spp. from Argentina, southern Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. So far, Lyme borreliosis has not been diagnosed in Uruguay and the medical relevance of the genus Ixodes in South America is uncertain. However, the growing number of new genospecies of Bbsl in the southern cone region and the scarce information about its pathogenicity, reservoirs and vectors, highlights the importance of further studies about spirochetes present in Uruguay and the region. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of Bbsl in Ixodes auritulus ticks collected from birds and vegetation in two localities of southeastern Uruguay. In total 306 I. auritulus were collected from 392 passerine birds sampled and 1110 ticks were collected by flagging in vegetation. Nymphs and females were analyzed for Borrelia spp. by PCR targeting the flagellin (fla) gene and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region (IGS). The phylogenetic analysis of Borrelia spp. positive samples from passerine birds and vegetation revealed the presence of four fla haplotypes that form a clade within the Bbsl complex. They were closely related to isolates of Borrelia sp. detected in I. auritulus from Argentina and Canada.

Sciaenops ocellatus has a long history in aquaculture and many difficulties associated with its commercial culture have been addressed and successfully resolved; nevertheless, further research in lipid nutrition could address more comprehensive questions on the way these nutrients are utilized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate S. ocellatus growth and lipase gene expression in response to increasing dietary lipid supplementation. Four experimental diets were formulated to provide 3, 10, 16, or 23% lipid using menhaden fish oil. Twenty juveniles (mean initial weight 2.3 ± 0.1 g) were stocked per aquaria in a recirculating system; each diet was assigned to three aquaria and fed to fish for 6 weeks. At the end of the study, fish fed 3% of dietary lipid were significantly (P < 0.0001) smaller and showed significantly lower feed efficiency, condition factor, hepatosomatic index, and intraperitoneal fat than fish fed the other diets, but no differences were observed among fish fed 10, 16, or 23% lipid. A straight broken-line regression model for thermal growth coefficient provided an estimated value of 9.4% of dietary lipid as the optimal inclusion level. The bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL) of red drum was 80.3 kDa. Relative gene expression of BSDL was significantly higher (P = 0.0007) in fish fed 10% lipid, with no differences among the other dietary treatments. Results provided could help monitor the metabolic status of farmed fish and contribute to optimize diet formulations based on maximum gene expression of BSDL for supplementation of dietary lipid.

The crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) is a carnivore widely distributed from southern Central America to all South American countries except Chile. In the Southern cone of America, P. cancrivorus has been found parasitized by several Amblyomma spp. Particularly, in Uruguay, A. aureolatum is the only tick found in this wild carnivore. Piroplasmid hemoparasites were found in Procyon lotor from North America and Japan. In this work, molecular evidence Babesia sp. DNA was found in blood and tissues from road-killed P. cancrivorus from different locations in Uruguay. PCRs targeting 18S rRNA gene were carried out. Subsequently, the obtained amplicons were sequenced and full-length sequences was assembled. A phylogenetic tree was constructed and revealed that the Babesia sp. found in this work clustered with other 18sRNA sequences of Babesia spp. obtained from P. lotor from Japan and USA, along with Babesia spp. of maned wolf and I. ovatus. This is the first report of molecular evidence of Babesia sp. parasitizing P. cancrivorus., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rickettsia parkeri, a member of the spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, was first confirmed as an etiological agent of human rickettsiosis in 2004. Nearly all cases are characterized by an inoculation eschar, and no fatalities have been reported. In Uruguay, probable human cases of R. parkeri infection (confused initially with R. conorii infection) have been described since 1990 using the clinical name "cutaneous-ganglionar" rickettsiosis. This is the only tick-borne rickettsiosis reported in the country. A single case of R. parkeri rickettsiosis has been confirmed by molecular and serological testing in a Spanish traveler returning from Uruguay. We report the first autochthonous human R. parkeri infection, confirmed by molecular testing in Uruguay., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Totoaba Totoaba macdonaldi and shortfin corvina Cynoscion parvipinnis, were acclimated and reared together at salinities of 0, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 35 for 56 days. Initial overall mean ± s.d. body masses of 67·6 ± 7·1 g T. macdonaldi and 37·3 ± 3·1 g C. parvipinnis increased to final overall masses of 217·4 ± 30·3 and 96·5 ± 16·5 g, respectively, at the end of the study. Totoaba macdonaldi was not able to tolerate salinities of 0 and 2 and C. parvipinnis of 0. In contrast, both species had 100% survival at salinities ≥ 10. Somatic growth was highest not at natural seawater salinity of 35, but at 10. Plasma osmolality ranged from 172·5 to 417·0 mOsmol kg -1 for T. macdonaldi and from 207·0 to 439·5 mOsmol kg -1 for C. parvipinnis and varied in direct proportion to salinity. The estimated isosmotic salinities of T. macdonaldi and C. parvipinnis were 12·3 and 13·4, respectively. Cynoscion parvipinnis reared at two had significantly lower plasma lysozyme activity (95·0 Units ml -1 ) than fish held at salinities from 5 to 35 (ranging from 215·0 to 355·0 Units ml -1 ), but without clear trends over this range. Blood neutrophil oxidative radical production (NBT) (ranging from 3·9 to 6·7 mg ml -1 ) had some significant differences among salinities, but these did not follow a clear pattern. For T. macdonaldi, neither lysozyme activity nor NBT was affected by salinity. Ash content of whole fishes varied directly and moisture content inversely, with salinity for both species., (© 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Anaplasmataceae family members include vector-borne bacteria of veterinary importance that may also affect humans. Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys are the main members of this family detected in dogs worldwide. In Uruguay there are not many published studies on tick-borne pathogens affecting dogs, the only haemoparasite molecularly confirmed in dogs, is the piroplasm Rangelia vitalii. The aim of the present work was to detect the presence of A. platys and E. canis in dogs and dogs-associated ticks of two localities in Northwestern Uruguay. Blood samples from dogs with and without clinical signs associated with vector-borne diseases, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus obtained from these dogs were analyzed by PCR for Anaplasmataceae. Positive dogs were further analyzed by PCR for Ehrlichia spp. and A. platys. All the ticks were found negative. No dog was detected infected with E. canis, while eight dogs (4.2%) were found to be infected with A. platys. Phylogenetic analysis of groESL operon sequence for A. platys revealed no differences with sequences described for A. platys in neighbor countries and from other regions of the world. This is the first report of the presence of A. platys in Uruguay., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: Aphids are known to live in symbiosis with specific bacteria, called endosymbionts which can be classified as obligate or accessory. Buchnera aphidicola is generally the only obligatory symbiont present in aphids, supplying essential nutrients that are missing in the plants phloem to its host. Pentalonia nigronervosa is the main vector of the banana bunchy top virus, one of the most damageable viruses in banana. This aphid is carrying two symbionts: B. aphidicola (BPn) and Wolbachia sp. (wPn). The high occurrence of Wolbachia in the banana aphid raises questions about the role it plays in this insect. The goal of this study was to go further in the understanding of the role played by the two symbionts in P. nigronervosa. To do so, microinjection tests were made to see the effect of wPn elimination on the host, and then, high-throughput sequencing of the haemolymph was used to analyze the gene content of the symbionts., Results: We observed that the elimination of wPn systematically led to the death of aphids, suggesting that the bacterium could play a mutualistic role. In addition, we identify and annotate 587 and 250 genes for wPn and BPn, respectively, through high-throughput sequencing. Analysis of these genes suggests that the two bacteria are working together for the production of several essential nutrients. The most striking cases are for lysin and riboflavin which are usually provided by B. aphidicola alone to the host. In the banana aphid, the genes involved in the production pathways of these metabolites are shared between the two bacteria making them both essential for the survival of the aphid host., Conclusions: Our results suggest that a co-obligatory symbiosis between B. aphidicola and Wolbachia occurs in the banana aphid, the two bacteria acting together to supply essential nutrients to the host. This is, to our knowledge, the first time Wolbachia is reported to play an essential role in aphids.

The effects of environmental salinity on physiological responses, growth, and survival of the Gulf corvina, C. othonopterus, were evaluated in a 6-week completely randomized design experiment. Corvina (17.2+/-2.3 g mean initial body weight) were subjected to salinities of 5, 15, 25, and 35 ‰ and fed a commercial feed with protein and lipid contents of 46 and 14 %, respectively. Plasma osmolality increased significantly with salinity, ranging from 335.1+/-5.3 mOsm/kg in fish maintained at 5 ‰, to 354.8+/-6.8 mOsm/kg in fish kept in seawater, while a significant inverse relationship was observed between salinity and moisture content of whole fish, ranging from 73.8+/-0.7 (measured at 5 ‰) to 76.9+/-1.0 % (measured at 35 ‰). In spite of this, growth indices (final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, condition factor, survival) were not altered, suggesting that, like other members of the family Sciaenidae, the Gulf corvina is a strong osmoregulator. The isosmotic point for this species was estimated to correspond to a salinity of 9.8 ‰. The present study represents the first set of experimental data on salinity tolerance of C. othonopterus and confirms the euryhalinity of this species.

This is a sectional study carried out in an emergency room, with the purpose of identifying the association of socio-demographic, occupational and economic data in nursing workers presenting stress symptoms. Data was collected from 33 subjects, in July and August 2009, using an inventory of stress symptoms for adults. Results show that most of the workers presented stress symptoms at resistance and almost-exhaustion stages, with presence of psychological and physical symptoms. The highest occurrence was found in female younger workers that were married, graduated, catholic, without a second job, working as nursing technicians in the afternoon or at night, in the emergency room for more than six years, and in the nursing field for less than ten years. It was concluded that something should be done to treat the existing cases of stress in order to avoid their evolution to more serious stages, and prevent new occurrences.

At first Rickettsia conorii was implicated as the causative agent of spotted fever in Uruguay diagnosed by serological assays. Later Rickettsia parkeri was detected in human-biting Amblyomma triste ticks using molecular tests. The natural vector of R. conorii, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, has not been studied for the presence of rickettsial organisms in Uruguay. To address this question, 180 R. sanguineus from dogs and 245 A. triste from vegetation (flagging) collected in three endemic localities were screened for spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis in southern Uruguay. Tick extracted DNA pools were subjected to PCR using primers which amplify a fragment of the rickettsial gltA gene. Positive tick DNA pools with these primers were subjected to a second PCR round with primers targeting a fragment of the ompA gene, which is only present in SFG rickettsiae. No rickettsial DNA was detected in R. sanguineus. However, DNA pools of A. triste were found to be positive for a rickettsial organism in two of the three localities, with prevalences of 11.8% to 37.5% positive pools. DNA sequences generated from these PCR-positive ticks corresponded to R. parkeri. These findings, joint with the aggressiveness shown by A. triste towards humans, support previous data on the involvement of A. triste as vector of human infections caused by R. parkeri in Uruguay.

This study characterizes the family ties of crack cocaine users cared for in a psychiatric emergency department in southern Brazil. It is a qualitative study with a series of cases carried out in the city of Maringá, PR, Brazil from April to June 2010. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, analyzed using content analysis, and organized into two categories: family ties as facilitators in the use of crack cocaine and other drugs; and fragmented family ties of crack users. Loss of relational bonds with family and social milieu was observed among the ten studied users in addition to the presence of drugs and violence in the family sphere. Further studies addressing the use of crack and its interface with the family are encouraged, taking into consideration that families have an essential role in the initiation and continuity of drug use.

A 4 x 3 factorial study was conducted to evaluate the effect of four experimental diets (a control diet and a 0, 50, and 100% fish meal replacement diet) and the period of time Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, were fed those diets (0, 20, and 40 days) on the alkaline proteolytic activity of the animals' digestive tract, as well as their potential interaction. Significant differences (at P < 0.05) and a significant interaction were observed among dietary treatments for the alkaline proteolytic activity of tilapia after 40 days of feeding. This study confirmed that, under these experimental conditions, a 50% fish meal replacement formulation elicited the highest alkaline proteolytic activity in the digestive tract of tilapia, which resulted in the highest final weight and specific growth rate (SGR), but further research is needed to establish the relative contribution of the alkaline proteases to the overall proteolytic activity of this omnivorous fish species.

The objective of this study was to analyze the role of family relationships in the initiation of streetdrug abuse by youths, meeting social-educational measures, considering the severity of the problems that drug abuse brought to the youths and their families. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used a case series design and was developed in the cities of Rolândia and Cambé (Brazil), at the Vida Nova Halfway House, with institutionalized youths and their parents or responsible adults in March 2007. Data was collected from institutional records and the instruments used were two interview forms. Data comparison was performed for analysis, according to the content analysis technique. Eleven families were studied. Signs of negligence and abandonment, physical abuse, lack of family dialogue, and especially a culture of drug use in the family environment determined the initiation of street-drug abuse.

This article has as objective the discussion of the severity of intoxications by cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides, which happened in the Northwest of Paraná, Brazil, starting from an exploratory descriptive study with retrospective analysis of epidemiological data sheets of the Intoxications Control Center in the University Hospital of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, referring to patients intoxicated from January, 1994 to December 2005. 529 cases were analyzed, 168 (31,7%) for organophosphates and 167 (31,5%) for carbamate. The suicide attempt represented 257 cases (48,5%), the occupational exposure 140 (26,5%), and the accidental 124 (23,5%). Comparing the number of severe intoxications and deaths, it was verified from 100% of deaths to cases severe occupational exposure, 20% for the suicide attempt and 7,5% deaths for the accidental intoxications classified as severe. The high incidence of serious intoxication and mortality suggest preventive strategies in respect of the usage of the insecticides, aiming to restrict the indiscriminate access to these powerful toxic agents.

The main objective of this study was to measure the knowledge of undergraduate nursing students about Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and drugs. The study was carried out in 2007 with a random sample of 289 undergraduate students at a State University in the Northwest of Paraná, Brazil. The students self-applied a questionnaire validated by experts. Questions were divided into three levels of complexity: low, average and high. The level of correct answers was higher in the questions of low complexity, diminishing as the questions' complexity increased. Thirteen percent of questions concerning risk factors and vulnerability to HIV infection among injection drug users (IDU) and biological material for diagnosis of AIDS was correctly answered by 90% of students. Students possessed knowledge concerning AIDS and drugs, however such knowledge was considered insufficient, showing lack of information and gaps in education with a dissociation of interdisciplinary and inter-curricular content.

Eight helminth taxa were recovered from the necropsy of four stray domestic cats from Colonia Miguelete, county of Colonia, Uruguay. Two of them are recorded for the first time for domestic cats in that country: Alaria alata (Goeze, 1782) from the small intestine (which is also the first trematode species found in domestic cat in Uruguay), and Lagochilascaris major Leiper, 1910 from the pharynx. The remaining helminth species found were Toxocara mystax (Zeder, 1800) and Spirometra sp. from the small intestine, Trichuris serrata (von Linstow, 1879) from the caecum, Eucoleus aerophilus (Creplin, 1839) from the trachea, and Pearsonema feliscati (Diesing, 1851) from the urinary bladder. Moreover, four female specimens of an unidentified Spiruroidea were collected from the stomach and small intestine of one host.

A 32-day comparative feeding trial was performed to evaluate the nutritional value of four different ray fish liver oils to the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Four feeds were prepared with liver oil extracted from Dasyatis brevis, Rhinoptera steindachneri, Aetobatus narinari, and R. bonasus. A control feed was prepared with Menhaden fish oil. Ray fish liver oils were mainly composed of poly- and highly unsaturated fatty acids and contained levels of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 comparable in magnitude to those of Menhaden fish oil, except for A. narinari liver oil, which had moderately low concentrations of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 but showed a particularly high level of 20:4n-6, more than six times greater than that of Menhaden fish oil. Dietary fatty acids significantly influenced the fatty acid composition of shrimp muscle tissue, e.g., the diet with Menhaden fish oil elicited significantly higher shrimp muscle DHA level than diets with oil from D. brevis, and A. narinari, but not than diets with oil from R. steindachneri and R. bonasus. In spite of these differences, all four ray fish liver oils evaluated were as efficient in promoting growth and survival of L. vannamei as Menhaden fish oil, an ingredient known for its adequate nutritional quality to shrimp and fish. This study demonstrated one of the many possible applications of a locally-available resource that is currently being wasted.

Amblyomma triste Koch, 1844, the tick species most frequently involved in human bites in Uruguay, has been implicated as a vector of human rickettsiosis. Seasonal abundance of adult A. triste was examined by standard flagging at three sites where human tick bites and cases of the disease have been reported. Adult tick activity occurred from August to February (end of winter to mid summer in the southern hemisphere) with a peak in spring. Activity declined in step with decreasing temperatures and photoperiod during winter. This period of activity coincides with seasonal outbreaks of human rickettsiosis in the region. In a small mammal survey, the Sigmodontinae rodents Scapteromys tumidus (Waterhouse, 1837) and Oxymycterus nasutus (Waterhouse, 1837) and the small marsupial Monodelphis dimidiata (Wagner, 1847) were the main hosts for immature A. triste. Immature ticks were observed on hosts in November, well within the period of peak adult abundance. In stored collections, immature ticks were most often collected from January to March. These data suggest that one generation might be completed in 1 year. The main animal host for adult A. triste at our study sites was the domestic dog. Humans were afflicted by the tick in rural and suburban settlements where other host animals are scarce or extinct and where dogs are common.

The elderly suffering disability caused by diseases need a network of support in order to continue feeling socially active. This study aims at characterizing the social support provided to the family caregiver who looks after an elderly dependent, in Brazil. A descriptive study with qualitative approach was conducted at the municipality of Jandaia do Sul, Paraná, Brazil. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews with 19 primary family caregivers. Data analysis was based on Thematic Analysis. The results show that when it comes to informal sources, the reference to grown up children was mostly used, while as formal ones Unidade Básica de Saúde, the Brazilian Basic Health Unit, and the team from Programa Saúde da Familia, Brazilian Pro-Family Health Program, were referred to. However, the image of Community Health Agent was the most mentioned. Thus, it is necessary to create support nets to integrate both formal and informal systems.

Amblyomma triste is the most prevalent tick species reported in human tick bites in Uruguay and has been found to be infected with Rickettsia parkeri, but no other microorganisms have been reported from this tick. A sample of 254 adults of A. triste was collected by flagging on vegetation in suburban areas in southern Uruguay. Pools of five ticks were assembled and a screening for the DNA from the resulting 51 pools was realized by PCR assays using primers for amplifying a fragment of 16S rRNA gene for members of Anaplasmataceae. Seventeen pools were positive (33%) and the sequenciation of the gene fragment amplified revealed the presence of a putative new Alpha-Proteobacterium (denominated Atri-uru). The phylogenetic analysis showed that this microorganism is closely related to the symbiont of I. ricinus denominated 'Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii' and other associated organisms. This rickettsial symbiont of ticks is included in a recent new clade proposed for the Alpha subclass of the Proteobacteria. The discovery of this bacterium in A. triste is the first evidence of this group of Rickettsiales detected in the Genus Amblyomma, and the first record in South America. Also, in two of 17 positive samples a Gamma-Proteobacterium related to Francisella-like organisms was detected.

Our aim was to determine the presence of Rickettsia spp. in 66 fleas from Uruguay. Rickettsial DNA was amplified using gltA and ompB PCR primers. Rickettsia spp. were found in 41% of the fleas (25 Ctenocephalides felis and 2 Ctenocephlides canis). Sequences resulted in the identification of Rickettsia felis and four genotypes closely related to this species (Rickettsia sp. TwKM03, California 2, Hf187, and RF2125). The presence of R. felis in fleas from Uruguay in was demonstrated. This is the second species of Rickettsia identified in Uruguay in the past 2 years using molecular approaches, and it is helping to clarify the etiology of rickettsial diseases in the region.

Thirty nine wild birds from seven families (Alcedinidae, Emberizidae, Furnariidae, Parulidae, Trochilidae, Turdidae and Tyrannidae) were caught from 4 to 7 of February, 2004 at Rincón da Vassoura (31 degrees 15' S 56 degrees 03' W) Department of Tacuarembó, Uruguay. Ninety one nymphs and forty one larvae of Ixodidae were recovered from them. The majority of ticks were conventionally identified but 16S mitochondrial rDNA sequences were obtained for larvae and nymphs of Amblyomma with uncertain specific status to be compared with sequences of species from this genus. The 16S rDNA of Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley was also obtained. Most ticks, 1 nymph of Amblyomma longirostre (Koch), 5 larvae of Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas) and 3 nymphs of Amblyomma spp., 10 nymphs and 71 larvae of H. juxtakochi, 23 nymphs and 12 larvae of Ixodes pararicinus Keirans and Clifford, were found on the 5 Turdus albicollis Vieillot and 6 Turdus rufiventris Vieillot (Turdidae) caught. One nymph of A. longirostre and 2 nymphs of I. pararicinus were collected from the only Syndactyla rufosuperciliata (Lafresnaye) (Furnariidae) captured; 1 larva of I. pararicinus was collected on one of two Basileuterus leucoblepharus (Vieillot) (Parulidae) trapped and 1 nymph of A. longirostre was found on one of nine Elaenia parvirostris Pelzeln (Tyrannidae) captured. All these findings constitute new host records with the exception of I. pararicinus on S. rufosuperciliata, and stress the importance of Turdus as hosts for I. pararicinus, H. juxtakochi and A. aureolatum. Nymphs of H. juxtakochi and Amblyomma spp. were also found on man and vegetation.