Elena Carrera

El agua subterránea como agente transmisor de protozoos intestinales

Introduccion.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue establecer si habia asociacion entre el consumos de agua obtenida de fuentes subterraneas,solo desinfectada con cloro,y la presencia de protozoos intestinales en una poblacion pediatrica.Poblacion.Se estudiaron cuatro grupos de ninos,de cuatro meses a doce anosde edad,que compartian similares condiciones socio-economicas y sanitarias.Los grupos A(n=34)B(n=36) y C(n=45)consumian agua de rede proveniente de fuentes subterraneas,solo tratada con cloro antes de ser distribuida.El grupo control,D(n34)consumia agua de fuente superficial con tratamiento de potabilizacion convencional completo.Material y Metodos.En cada grupose analizo el agua,desde el punto de vista fisicoquimico,bacteriologico y parasitologico y se realizaron cultivos coproparasitologicos seriados a los ninos seleccionados.Se realizo,ademas,una encuesta a los padres.Conclusiones.En las muestras estudiadas las diferencias relativas existentes entre el grupo control y el resto de los grupos estudiados permitirian inferir que existe un alto riesgo de infeccion con protozoos intestinales cuando se consume agua contaminada de origen subterraneo que solo fue clorada antes de su distribucion

El respeto a las normas de tránsito en la cuidad de Santa Fe, Argentina

Se realizo un estudio de campo observacional descriptivo para evaluar el cumplimiento de algunas normas de transito en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina, y comparar los resultados con mediciones realizadas anteriormente. Para ello, entre el 2 y el 4 de enero de 2006, se verifico en 13 sitios de la ciudad el cumplimiento de las normas que obligan a los automovilistas a usar cinturon de seguridad y a llevar a los menores de 10 anos en el asiento trasero, y a los motociclistas, a conducir con casco y a no transportar menores. Las observaciones abarcaron 4 173 automoviles y 1 013 motocicletas. Solo 9% de los conductores de automoviles usaban el cinturon de seguridad. En 56% de los 246 automoviles que transportaban menores, estos se hallaban en el asiento delantero. En cuanto a los motociclistas, solo 12% usaba casco y 6,7% transportaba ninos. Al comparar estas observaciones con cinco registros anuales anteriores, se comprobo que en los ultimos tres anos disminuyeron los porcentajes de acatamiento de estas normas de transito. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que la mayoria de los conductores de vehiculos de la ciudad argentina de Santa Fe viola las normas de transito consideradas. Para lograr disminuir la elevada mortalidad por accidentes viales no basta con contar con leyes de transito y organizar campanas de informacion, sino que, ademas, es necesario implementar sistemas que vigilen el cumplimiento de las normas.

El tratamiento antihelmíntico selectivo frente al tratamiento masivo: experiencia en dos comunidades hiperendémicas

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted nematode infection among children from two hyperendemic communities who were treated with antihelminthic drugs under two different regimens: selective or individual treatment was administered to members of one of the communities, and repeated mass treatment was given to the control community. METHODS: The study population was comprised of 909 children of both sexes between the ages of 2 and 13 from two peri-urban communities: Las Lomas and El Abastos, both in Santa Fe, Argentina. A prospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental study was carried out in these communities. During the 22-month study period, 5 parasitologic controls were performed and results were qualitatively and quantitatively examined. Treatment with antihelminthic drugs was given at controls 0, 2, 3, and 4. At Las Lomas, selective treatment was administered to those in sample A (n = 55) who were positive for parasites; in El Abasto, mass treatment was given to all children, including those in sample B (n = 50). Both samples received follow-up. RESULTS: The prevalence and intensity of A. lumbricoides infections were found to be significant in El Abasto. No differences were detected in the case of T. trichiura. When prevalence and parasitic burden of A. lumbricoides were compared among controls within a single community (at the beginning and end of the study), no significant differences were observed in sample A, but a significant difference was seen in sample B. Insofar as T. trichiura is concerned, there were significant differences among controls in both samples. CONCLUSIONS: Only repeated and massive treatment significantly lowered the prevalence and intensity of A. lumbricoides infections during the study period.

Infecciones graves en pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes tratados con ciclofosfamida

INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with connective tissue diseases. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, such as cyclophosphamide (CYC), increases the risk of infections. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence rates of severe infections in patients who received treatment with CYC. PATIENTS AND METHODS The records of 60 patients with systemic autoimmune diseases who received treatment with CYC were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the rate of severe infections that occurred during CYC therapy and the 3 subsequent months. RESULTS Systemic lupus erythematosus was the most common disease, and diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis the most frequent indication. Severe infection occurred in 9 patients (15%). Community acquired pneumonia was the most frequent infection with 3 cases (33%) followed by Herpes Zoster with 2 reports (22%). The cumulative dose of corticosteroid was the only significant risk factor for infection 32.8±16.7 vs. 20.1±15.3 P=.007. CONCLUSION The use of lower doses of corticosteroids and an aggressive management of infectious complications, allows for an acceptable safety profile in patients treated with CYC.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Variability in Cercospora kikuchii Isolates from Santa Fe Province, Argentina

More than 100 fungal diseases affecting soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) culture have been found worldwide, though only 35 of them are of great economic concern since they cause a 10 to 15% yield decrease (Ivancovich & Botta, 2003; Yeh & Sinclair, 1980). In Argentina, “Late-cycle diseases” (LCD) constitute a complex of infections affecting the culture of this leguminous, particularly in the reproductive stages. The first symptoms appear from the onset of carpel formation, thus producing premature plant maturation, a reduction in yield (5 to 8%) and seed quality loss. Due to the climate conditions of the region, leaf blight and purple seed stain, is one of the LCD prevailing in the central-northern region of Santa Fe Province (Formento, 2005; Ivancovich & Botta, 2003). The causal agent of the disease is the fungus Cercospora kikuchii (T. Matsumoto & Tomoyasu) M.W. Gardner, which produces irregular injuries on the leaves, forming reddish-purple necrotic areas, pale pink to dark purple stains on the seeds, together with cracks on the outer coat (Formento, 2005). C. kikuchii belongs to the Cercospora taxonomic complex, which is assumed to be host-specific (Crous & Braun, 2003), and therefore its species are normally identified from the phenotypic characteristics they show when grown on their natural substrate, being much more difficult to be characterized from artificial media (Almeida et al., 2005; Gams et al., 2007). One of the most important factors determining the pathogenicity of this fungus is the production of cercosporin, a red exotoxin (Kuyama & Tamura, 1957; Upchurch et al.,1991). Another aspect to consider is the genetic variability found in some fungi, which has determined the description of different races; that is why the use of some methodology to detect interand intraspecific variations between isolates is recommended (Kuyama & Tamura, 1957). In this sense, the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique allows the differentiation between strains since amplification focuses only on the whole genome (Tigano et al., 2003; Williams et al., 1990). Although some Brazilian research groups have been studying aspects related with this phytopathogen (Almeida et al., 2003) only a few reports have been found in Argentina and, in particular in Santa Fe Province, about epidemiology and population structure of C. kikuchii.