Noemí Emma Bordoni

Social and environmental health determinants and their relationship with parasitic diseases in asymptomatic children from a shantytown in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract Health inequities are a common problem for all countries and are the result of not only adverse social conditions but also poor public policies. Today chronic diseases represent the most relevant threats and are a current challenge. Parasitic infections, a leading cause of child morbidity affecting low-income populations, can be transmitted because of an unhealthy environment. Notwithstanding, scarce data have been published on the epidemiological profile of intestinal parasitoses in asymptomatic children living in shantytowns. Vulnerable populations settled in slums are growing in Argentina, particularly in Buenos Aires city. Consequently, this work intended to screen healthy carriers of enteric parasites and determine the epidemiologic profile in asymptomatic children residing in one of those communities, to explore risk factors associated with the transmission of parasites, and to initiate a basic health education campaign to promote healthy behavior in the community. Fecal samples (n = 138) were analyzed by conventional parasitological methods and a survey gathered data on symptoms, family composition, and environmental and hygiene-related variables. High prevalence of feco-orally-transmitted parasitoses (83·3%) and polyparasitism were remarkable findings. The main environmental health determinants were those related to excreta disposal and water provision. Health promotion actions were performed through the diffusion of a set of posters with iconic images and brief messages for health education. Results suggest the need for an environmental sanitation policy to complement health promotion actions. It is essential to spread the results of investigations that address inequities and social determinants of health in order to integrate data with local political processes and alert on acceptable actions for developing appropriate interventions.

Effectiveness of a preventive educational programme on the oral health of preschool children.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a preventive-educational programme in a group of preschool children. The studys population group comprised 58 four-year-old children, with a mean age of 4.17±0.27. Plaque index and gingival index were determined, and a dental examination was performed. The children were randomly assigned to one of two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group received the educational component of the programme which was for children, parents and teachers. The preventive programme was applied to both groups and included topical application of 1.23% acidulated fluoride phosphate, pH 3.5, every 6 months. Outcomes were measured on day 8 and after 6 and 12 months under similar conditions to those at baseline. Results showed a significant decrease in gingival index and plaque index values and no significant increase in decay in the experimental group. The control group showed a significant increase in gingival index, plaque index, and decayed surfaces.

Overcoming Language and Cultural Barriers: A Graphical Communication Tool to Perform a Parasitological Screening in Two Vulnerable Populations From Argentina

This is an exploratory study of the application of a support tool for the detection of asymptomatic subjects carrying enteric parasites in two vulnerable populations in Argentina: a shantytown in the city of Buenos Aires and a rural Wichí indigenous community in the province of Chaco. The ethnic and cultural diversity, high illiteracy rate, and language barriers called for the development of an auxiliary resource to explain stool sample collection procedures. In individual interviews with each family, the authors used two instructional guidance leaflets in comic strip format depicting the procedures. They evaluated the acceptance of the graphical communication tool on the basis of the number of retrieved samples. Percentages of respondent families were 72.2% and 66.7%, respectively. Definitive validation of these instruments would allow their use in community studies, community service learning experiences, and research on aboriginal communities that would otherwise be excluded from studies on health status.

Original ArticleDevelopment of a PCR assay for identification of Neobalantidium coli (Pomajbíková et al., 2013) in Argentina

Neobalantidium coli (Pomajbikova et al., 2013) is a cosmopolitan ciliate which colonizes the intestine of humans and animals. Pigs are the most important host and reservoir for this parasite, although others mammals have been described. Humans can acquire the disease through the ingestion of water and food contaminated with cysts and even from person to person contact. Farmers and slaughterhouse workers from rural areas of developing countries have an increased incidence of balantidiosis. In Argentina, despite swine production on family farms covers 70% of domestic consumption requirements; there is a lack of veterinary animal health planning which result in high rate of animal mortality, as well as environmental risk due to inefficient facilities and mismanagement of manure and effluents. At present there are no epidemiological data on balantidiosis in Argentina, except for isolated reports. Therefore, the aims of this study were to establish the frequency of N. coli in pigs raised under different conditions and to explore the zoonotic potential. In order to confirm the identity of Neobalantidium coli like-cysts founded in the feces, a set of N. coli specific primers based on 18S rRNA gene sequences was designed. The molecular identification of N. coli was performed in 88.9% (16 out of 18) of swine stool samples in which cysts had been visualized. The fecal samples obtained from pigs raised on more open farmland showed a lower percentage of N. coli than those obtained from animals raised in swine pens. On the other hand, molecular identification of N. coli was also performed in human feces. Pairwise comparison of sequences obtained from pigs and human fecal samples from the NW Region of Argentina showed a high percentage of similarity, indicating a possible zoonotic transmission.

Development of a PCR assay for identification of Neobalantidium coli ( Pomajbíková et al., 2013 ) in Argentina

Neobalantidium coli (Pomajbikova et al., 2013) is a cosmopolitan ciliate which colonizes the intestine of humans and animals. Pigs are the most important host and reservoir for this parasite, although others mammals have been described. Humans can acquire the disease through the ingestion of water and food contaminated with cysts and even from person to person contact. Farmers and slaughterhouse workers from rural areas of developing countries have an increased incidence of balantidiosis. In Argentina, despite swine production on family farms covers 70% of domestic consumption requirements; there is a lack of veterinary animal health planning which result in high rate of animal mortality, as well as environmental risk due to inefficient facilities and mismanagement of manure and effluents. At present there are no epidemiological data on balantidiosis in Argentina, except for isolated reports. Therefore, the aims of this study were to establish the frequency of N. coli in pigs raised under different conditions and to explore the zoonotic potential. In order to confirm the identity of Neobalantidium coli like-cysts founded in the feces, a set of N. coli specific primers based on 18S rRNA gene sequences was designed. The molecular identification of N. coli was performed in 88.9% (16 out of 18) of swine stool samples in which cysts had been visualized. The fecal samples obtained from pigs raised on more open farmland showed a lower percentage of N. coli than those obtained from animals raised in swine pens. On the other hand, molecular identification of N. coli was also performed in human feces. Pairwise comparison of sequences obtained from pigs and human fecal samples from the NW Region of Argentina showed a high percentage of similarity, indicating a possible zoonotic transmission.

Gingivitis and Insulin Resistance in Obese Children

The relationship between obesity and periodontal disease (PD) in adults is well known (1). However, PD is much less frequent in pediatric populations, although gingivitis is often documented. Untreated gingivitis may progress to a more complex destructive chronic PD later in life (2). Children who are obese (OB) or overweight (OWt) may also present other comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and/or insulin resistance (IR), which may also contribute to the development of inflammatory processes observed in PD. We studied the occurrence of gingival inflammation related to excess body fat, dyslipidemia, and IR in 90 white healthy Argentinean children/adolescents. Children/adolescents were referred to the outpatient Nutrition Clinic, Hospital Jose de San Martin, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, for assessment and treatment of obesity. The ethical committees of the hospital and the university approved the study. Excess …

Dental Caries in Deciduous Teeth of Nineteenth Century Araucanians

The prevalence of dental caries was studied in skulls of nineteenth century Araucanian children from the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires and La Pampa. The results were contrasted with those from a contemporary sample of Caucasian children from the city of Buenos Aires. Significantly higher values were found in the Caucasian sample. The nature of the diet and the fluoride content of the water seemed to be more decisive than racial and genetic structure in explaining these differences.

Osteosclerotic Changes in the Periapical Region of Filled Root Canals in the Rat Molar

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUA ALTERATIONES OSTEOSCLEROTIC IN LE REGION PERIAPICAL DEL REPLENATE CANAL DE RADICE IN LE MOLAR DEL RATTO.—Iste investigation esseva interprendite pro analysar certe causas additional del osteosclerosis observate in le ratto, per examines microscopic, al nivello del radice mesial del prime molar mandibular post un tractamento del canal de radice. Esseva preparate sectiones histologic ab mandibulas de tres gruppos de rattos. Istos esseva un gruppo de controlo, un gruppo con tractamento del mesial canal de radice, e un gruppo con le mesme tractamento in association con exposition distal. Le studio histiometric del sectiones monstrava que le complicationes periapical del non-tractate radices vestibular, lingual, e distal produce osteosclerosis additional al nivello del tractate radice mesial.