Risk Factors and Spatiotemporal Analysis of Classical Swine Fever in Ecuador.

Classical swine fever (CSF) is one of the most important re-emergent swine diseases worldwide. Despite concerted control efforts in the Andean countries, the disease remains endemic in several areas, limiting production and trade opportunities. In this study, we aimed to determine the risk factors and spatiotemporal implications associated with CSF in Ecuador. We analysed passive surveillance and vaccination campaign datasets from 2014 to 2020; Then, we structured a herd-level case-control study using a logistic and spatiotemporal Bayesian model. The results showed that the risk factors that increased the odds of CSF occurrence were the following: swill feeding (OR 8.53), time until notification (OR 2.44), introduction of new pigs during last month (OR 2.01) and lack of vaccination against CSF (OR 1.82). The spatiotemporal model showed that vaccination reduces the risk by 33%. According to the priority index, the intervention should focus on Morona Santiago and Los Rios provinces. In conclusion, the results highlight the complexity of the CSF control programs, the importance to improve the overall surveillance system and the need to inform decision-makers and stakeholders.

Modelling control strategies against classical swine fever: Influence of traders and markets using static and temporal networks in Ecuador.

Pig farming in Ecuador represents an important economic and cultural sector, challenged by classical swine fever (CSF). Recently, the National Veterinary Service (NVS), has dedicated its efforts to control the disease by implementing pig identification, mandatory vaccination against CSF and movement control. Our objective was to characterise pig premises according to risk criteria, to model the effect of movement restriction strategies and to consider the temporal evolution of the network. Social network analysis (SNA), SIRS (susceptible, infected, recovered, susceptible) network modelling and temporal analysis were used. The network contained 751,003 shipments and 6 million pigs from 2017 to 2019. Participating premises consisted of 144,118 backyard farms, 138 industrial farms, 21,337 traders and 51 markets. The 10 most influential markets, in the Andean highlands, received between 500 and 4600 pigs each week. The 10 most influential traders made about 3 shipments with 17 pigs per week. Simulations without control strategy resulted in an average CSF prevalence of 14.4 %; targeted movement restriction reduced the prevalence to 7.2 %, while with random movement restriction it was 13 %. Targeting the top 10 national traders and markets and one of the high-risk premises in every parish was one of the best strategies with the surveillance infrastructure available, highlighting its major influence and epidemiological importance in the network. When comparing the static network with its temporal counterpart, causal fidelity (c = 0.62) showed a 38 % overestimation in the number of transmission paths, also traversing the network required 4.39 steps, lasting approximately 233 days. In conclusion, NVS surveillance strategies could be more efficient by targeting the most at-risk premises, and in particular, taking into account the temporal information would make the risk assessment much more precise. This information could contribute to implement risk-based surveillance reducing the time to eradicate CSF and other infectious animal diseases.

Network analysis of pig movements in Ecuador: Strengthening surveillance of classical swine fever.

The analysis of domestic pig movements has become useful to understand the disease spread patterns and epidemiology, which facilitates the development of more effective animal diseases control strategies. The aim of this work was to analyse the static and spatial characteristics of the pig network, to identify its trading communities and to study the contribution of the network to the transmission of classical swine fever. In this regard, we used the pig movement records from the National Veterinary Service of Ecuador (2017-2019), using social network analysis and spatial analysis to construct a network with registered premises as nodes and their movements as edges. Furthermore, we also created a network of parishes as its nodes by aggregating their premises movements as edges. The annual network metrics showed an average diameter of 20.33, a number of neighbours of 2.61, a shortest path length of 4.39 and a clustering coefficient of 0.38 (small-world structure). The most frequent movements were to or from markets (55%). Backyard producers made up 89% of the network premises, and the top 2% of parishes (highest degree) contributed to 50% of the movements. The highest frequencies of movements between parishes were in the centre of the country, while the highest frequency of movements to abattoirs was in the south-west. Finally, the pattern of classical swine fever (CSF) disease outbreaks within the Ecuador network was likely the result of network transmission processes. In conclusion, our results represented the first exploratory analysis of domestic pig movements at premise and parish levels. The surveillance system could consider these results to improve its procedures and update the disease control and management policy, and allow the implementation of targeted or risk-based surveillance.

Field-testing a single-dose immunocontraceptive in free-ranging male capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): Evaluation of effects on reproductive physiology, secondary sexual characteristics, and agonistic behavior.

Controlling wildlife populations to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and the spread of zoonotic diseases is an ever-growing necessity. The objective of this study was to evaluate a single-dose anti-gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine (GonaCon, USDA/NWRC, Fort Collins, CO, USA) as a non-lethal alternative for population control in free-ranging, synanthropic male capybara. In addition to infertility efficacy of this treatment, potential effects on the alpha male's secondary sexual characteristics and agonist behavior need to be assessed because any alterations in these factors could lead to population management failure. The treatment group (n = 3) received 1 mL of the anti-GnRH vaccine, intramuscularly, and the control group (n = 2) a 1 mL sham vaccine. Reproductive behavior and social group dynamics were monitored for 30 days prior to inoculation (June 2017) with continuous observations occurring during the study period. Antifertility effects were assessed by conducting exams of testicular morphology, semen characteristics, and histological analysis (after 270 days via hemi-gonadectomy). Compared to the control group, the testicles of the treated males had severe atrophy (P <  0.05), oligozoospermia and greater numbers of sperm cells in a static developmental phase. Courtship and agonistic alpha male behavior were not altered, and the group's social integrity was maintained. Results indicate there was 100% infertility in capybara males, observed throughout the study period of 18 months, and equally important, the male's alpha characteristics were not affected by the treatment, which is imperative for successful capybara population control efforts.

Trauma penetrante cardiaco tratado en el Hospital Territorial Docente Pedro Betancourt, Municipio Jovellanos, 2004: reporte de un caso / Penetrating cardiac trauma treated at the teaching Territorial Hospital Pedro Betancourt, Municipality of Jovellanos, 2004: report of a case

Los traumas penetrantes cardiacos constituyen uno de los cuadros más dramáticos que pueden presentarse en la sala de urgencia por su alta letalidad, sólo un rápido traslado al centro asistencial, un diagnóstico precoz y una toracotomía de urgencia, puede aumentar la supervivencia. Se presentó un paciente operado en el Hospital Territorial Docente Pedro Betancourt, de Jovellanos, en mayo del 2004, de una herida ventricular izquierda, logrando su supervivencia...

Penetrating cardiac trauma is one of the most dramatic features that could assist the urgency service because of its high lethality. Only a fast delivery of the patient to a health care institution, a precocious diagnostic and an urgent thoracotomy might increase survival. We present a patient operated in the Teaching Territorial Hospital Pedro Betancourt, Jovellanos, in May 2004, for a left ventricular injury, achieving his survival...

Conjoined twins in the Philippines: experience of a single institution.

INTRODUCTION: We describe our experience with 22 conjoined twins managed from 1974 to 2006. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 22 conjoined twins admitted from 1974 to 2006 were reviewed. Interviews with attending physicians were also conducted. RESULTS: There were 11 thoracopagus, 5 omphalopagus, 3 ischiopagus, 2 craniopagus, and 1 pygopagus twins. Five thoracopagus twins were deemed inseparable due to severe cardiac anomalies. One ischiopagus refused separation, and one craniopagus was separated elsewhere. Six twins (three omphalopagus, one each of pygopagus, ischiopagus, and thoracopagus) were separated emergently as neonates; only one twin is a long-term survivor. Mortalities were due to intractable acidosis, sepsis, and hemorrhage. Nine twins (one craniopagus, one ischiopagus, two omphalopagus, five thoracopagus) were electively separated between 9 months and 2 years of age. One set of these thoracopagus twins died of respiratory failure and sepsis post-operatively. A hydrocephalic twin in another thoracopagus twin died intraoperatively. The rest are alive and well. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency separations yielded dismal results due to poor patient conditions; delay in separation allowed progressive deterioration and resultant poor outcome. Elective separation had more favorable results due to well-planned strategies, team preparedness, and better patient conditions. A multi-disciplinary approach, with parental participation, is integral in the holistic management of conjoined twins.