Marco F. Suárez

Five new species of Culicoides Latreille described from Colombia, yielding a new species list and country records (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The following five new species of Culicoides from Colombia are described, illustrated and placed to subgenus or species group: Culicoides antioquiensis, Culicoides gabrieli, Culicoides inermis, Culicoides micayensis and Culicoides nigrifemur. C. gabrieli is also known from Peru. When possible, their position in previously published keys is indicated and their features discussed in light of the most recent revisions. A list of 180 Culicoides species known (114) or suspected of being in Colombia (66) is given in a Table. Of these, 12 including the new species are recorded from Colombia for the first time.

Insectos vectores de agentes infecciosos

El objetivo de este artículo es ilustrar con fotografías in vivo material de laboratorio útil para el estudio de la biología, la ecología y el comportamiento de diferentes grupos de insectos hematófagos. Se llama la atención sobre las características morfológicas de larvas, pupas y adultos utilizadas en la taxonomía de los ejemplares, los mecanismos de alimentación de las larvas y las técnicas de marcación de adultos, temas de interés para su estudio y control.

Factors that delay malaria diagnosis and treatment in the municipality of Riberalta in Bolivia

INTRODUCTION Few studies on the causes of the delay of malaria diagnosis and treatment in Bolivia are published. OBJECTIVE To know the factors that delay malaria diagnosis and treatment of malaria in the public service of the town of Riberalta, Bolivia. MATERIALS AND METHODS The times between the onset of symptoms and treatment, between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis and between the diagnosis and the start of treatment were calculated. The averages of the calculated times were compared with respect to the site of infection, parasite species, level of care, place of diagnosis and diagnostic method and th patients age was correlated with the calculated times. RESULTS Between January and December 2010, 2,482 positive valid cases were studied. An average of 4.16 days was found between the onset of symptoms and the start of treatment, the average time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 4.07 days, and between diagnosis and the start of treatment 0.10 days. Statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were found for factors related to the delay of diagnosis such as place of diagnosis, site of infection, level of care, parasite species and diagnostic method. The analysis of covariance showed a statistical association with the level of care and the parasite species (p<0.05). CONCLUSION The delay in malaria diagnosis is influenced by factors such as the site of infection, place of diagnosis, level of care, parasite species and diagnostic method.