Osvaldo J. Degregorio

Synanthropic rodents as possible reservoirs of shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli strains

Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are worldwide zoonotic pathogen responsible for different cases of human disease including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Transmission of STEC to humans occurs through the consumption of food and water contaminated by faeces of carriers and by person-to-person contact. The objective of this study was two-fold: (1) to investigate whether synanthropic rodents are possible reservoirs of STEC in the urban area and (2) whether a particular genus out of synanthropic rodent is the principal carrier of STEC. One hundred and forty-five rodents were captured in Buenos Aires City. Screening for stx1/stx2 and rfbO157 was done by PCR from the confluence zone. STEC isolates were further characterized with biochemical tests by standard methods. Additional virulence factors (eae, ehxA, and saa) were also determined by PCR. Forty-one of the rodents were necropsied and sample of kidney and small and large intestine were taken for histopathological diagnosis. The samples sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and observed by light microscopy to evaluate the systemic involvement of these species in natural infections. STEC was isolated from seven out of 27 suspect animals at screening. The following genotypes were found in the STEC strains: stx1/stx2/ehxA (1), stx2 (4), stx2/ehxA (1), stx2/ehxA/eae (1). Neither gross nor microscopic lesions compatible with those produced by Shiga toxin were observed in the studied organs of necropsied rodents. The bivariate analysis including the 145 rodents data showed that the isolation of STEC is associated positively to Rattus genus. This synanthropic species may play a role in the transmissibility of the agent thus being a risk to the susceptible population. Their control should be included specifically in actions to dismiss the contamination of food and water by STEC in the urban area, as additional strategies for epidemiological control.

Detection and Characterization of Enteropathogenic and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains in Rattus spp. from Buenos Aires

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are pathovars of E. coli that impact human health by causing childhood diseases. In this work, 118 synanthropic rodents of the genus Rattus from Buenos Aires, Argentina were evaluated as EPEC and STEC carriers. Rectal swab samples from captured animals were evaluated by conventional PCR to detect the presence of the eae, stx1, stx2, and rfbO157 genes. Twenty-one isolates were obtained (17 EPEC isolates from seven animals and four STEC isolates from the same animal). All EPEC isolates tested negative for the presence of the bfpA gene. One EPEC isolate carried the iha gene, and five EPEC isolates carried the toxB gene. STEC isolates exhibited two different virulence profiles: stx1a/stx2a/stx2c/stx2d/saa/ehxA/subA (3/4) and stx1a/stx2a/saa/ehxA/subA (1/4). EPEC isolate serotypes included O109:H46 (7), O71:H40 (4), O71:NM (2), O138:H40 (1), O108:H21 (1), O88:H25 (1), and O76:NM (1), and STEC isolates belonged to the O108:H11 (4) serotype. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out, and resistance to tetracycline was observed in one EPEC strain. Our results demonstrate that Rattus spp. may act as carriers of EPEC and STEC strains and may be involved in the epidemiology of diarrheal disease in infancy.

Estimación del impacto de la esterilización en el índice de crecimiento de la población de caninos

The importance of dog population control relies on its implications in the transmission of zoonotic diseases, environmental pollution and possible injuries or attacks to humans. The aim of this work was to assess the impact of surgical neutering on the dog population in the city of Buenos Aires and Gran Buenos Aires area, Argentine through demographic rate indexes and tenancy behaviors. Data was obtained in a survey conducted in 2008 and 2009 in 136 households in the areas of Villa del Parque (CABA) and 143 of Villa Ballester (MGSM). A probabilistic model to calculate the annual growth rate of the dog