Gallinas, palomas / Hens breeded, pigeons

Gallinas ponedoras criadas de manera familiar, junto a otras especies, son tratadas homeopaticamente por presentarse enfermas en dos oportunidades distintas. Para la repertorizacion fue utilizado el Moderno Repertorio de Kent. Las palomas de un colombofilo afectadas de una enfermidad respitaroia cronica y tratadas con medicina tradicional sin exito, superaron el trastorno luego de recibir medicamentos homeopaticos

Estudio de variedades de Cryptococcus neoformans aisladas de muestras clínicas y deyecciones de aves en Santiago, Chile / Study of Cryptococcus neoformans varieties from clinical and bird dropping isolates in Santiago, Chile

Cryptococcus neoformans (C.n.) presenta 2 variedades que agrupan 4 serotipos. C.N. var, neoformans (serotipos A-D) y C.n. var gattii (serotipos B-C). Dado que la variedad gattii no ha sido descrita en Chile, el propósito de este estudio fue determinar diferentes variedades de cepas clínicas y deyecciones de aves mediante la utilización del medio cultivo CGB (agar canavanina-glicina-azul de bromotimol). Se consideró positiva para la variedad gattii, el viraje de color del medio de amarillo-verdoso (pH 5,8) a azul intenso (pH 7,0). Se analizaron 18 cepas de C. neoformans: 9 de deyecciones de aves (Jardín Zoológico) y 9 clínicas (LCR, sangre, piel), previamente confirmadas por pruebas bioquímicas y morfológicas. Se sembraron en medio CGB y fueron incubadas a 25ºC por 5 días. Todas las cepas estudiadas correspondieron a C. neoformans var. neoformans. Hasta este momento no se ha identificado la var. gattii y se mantendrá la vigilancia futura al respecto (AU)

Virus de West Nile. Nuevo virus emergente en medicina transfusional / West Nile Virus. A new emergent virus in transfusional medicine

West Nile virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family. It was first isolated in Uganda and is indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia and southern Europe. In recent years, local epidemics have been reported in Romania, Russia and Israel. In 1999 the virus presented a rapid emergence in North America and until November 2002 it has caused over 4,100 symptomatic infections in humans, of whom more than 240 have died. The life cycle of the virus includes mosquitoes as vectors with birds as amplifying viremic vertebrate hosts. Human, horses and other animals serve as dead-end hosts. Most infections are mild, with symptoms primarily being fever, headache, and myalgias. People older than 50 years are at highest risk of severe disease, which include encephalomyelitis. In 2002, 5 new modes of transmission were recognized: blood transfusion, organ transplantation, breast-feeding, transplacental transmission and occupational exposure in laboratory workers. Regarding blood transfusion, during the 2002 West Nile virus epidemic in the United States, 23 patients were confirmed to have acquired West Nile virus through transfused red cells, platelets or fresh-frozen plasma. Currently, there is no specific drug treatment or vaccine against the infection, and avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to protect against the disease. (AU)