Population Structure of Candida parapsilosis: No Genetic Difference Between French and Uruguayan Isolates Using Microsatellite Length Polymorphism.

Candida parapsilosis is a human commensal yeast, frequently involved in infection worldwide and especially in neonates. It is the second species responsible for bloodstream infections in Uruguay and the third species in France. We were interested in knowing whether the population structure of isolates responsible for candidemia in France and in Uruguay was different. Genotyping methods based on microsatellite length polymorphism (MLP) have been described and are especially used for investigation of local outbreaks. We therefore determined the genotypes of 159 C. parapsilosis isolates recovered from 122 patients (84 French patients from 43 hospitals and 38 Uruguayan patients from 10 hospitals) using three microsatellites markers previously described. Our results confirmed that C. parapsilosis population has a high genetic diversity, clonal inheritance and that majority of patients were infected by a single isolate. But we described recurrent infections due to related or unrelated genotypes resulting from isolates harboring loss or gain of heterozygosity. We also described three cases of coinfections due to unrelated genotypes. We did not uncover geographic specificity but observed two linked genotypes that seem to be associated with voriconazole resistance. Finally, among eight isolates involved in grouped cases, the genotypes were similar in six cases supporting the hypothesis of inter-patient transmission. These results confirmed the usefulness of performing MLP genotyping analysis for grouped cases of C. parapsilosis isolates in order to reinforce preventive hygiene measures.

Ciclospora cayetanensis en Uruguay: Agente de diarrea del viajero, adquirida en el exterior / Cyclospora cayetanensis in Uruguay. Agent of the traveler's diarrhea, acquired abroad

Cyclospora cayetanensis (Ortega, Gilman & Sterling, 1994), es el agente emergente de la ciclosporiasis, nueva afección diarreica descrita como aguda y autolimitada, de dos a seis semanas de duración en inmunocompetentes y diarrea crónica intermitente en pacientes con sida. Esta afección y su agente han sido notificados recientemente en Uruguay, afectando a viajeros provenientes de áreas reconocidamente endémicas para este nuevo protozoario coccidio entérico. En la presente comunicación se examina la totalidad de la casuística conocida en el país, y se concluye que C. cayetanensis es en Uruguay un agente de diarrea del viajero, sin registro de ocurrencia autóctona hasta la fecha.

Summary Cyclospora cayetanensis (Ortega, Gilman, and Sterling, 1994) is the emergent agent of cyclosporiasis, a new acute and self-limited diarrhoeal disease. It lasts from two to six weeks when affects immunocompetent individuals and it causes chronic intermittent diarrhea in AIDS patients. This disease and its etiologic agent have been recently reported in Uruguay, affecting travellers coming from previously known endemic areas. In the present work, the whole number of cases in the country is reported. We conclude that C. cayetanensis is an agent of the traveller's diarrhoea in Uruguay, without occurrence of native cases so far.

Résumé Cyclospora cayetanensis Ortega, Gilman& Sterling, 1994), c'est l'agent émergent de la cyclosporiasis, nouvelle mala-die diarrhéique décrite comme aigue et auto-limitée, de deux à six semaines de durée en immunocompétentes et diarrhée chronique intermittente chez des patients avec Sida. Cette affection et son agent ont été récemment décrits en Uruguay et elle atteint des voyageurs qui viennent d'endroits reconnus comme endémiques pour ce nouveau protozoaire coccidien entérique. Dans cette étude, on examine toute la casuistique connue dans le pays, et on conclut que C. Cayetanensis est en Uruguay un agent de diarrhée du voyageur, n'ayant pas de registre autochtone jusqu'à présent.

Ecology of Triatoma rubrovaria (Hemiptera, Triatominae) in wild and peridomestic environments of Uruguay

This paper describes population structure, spatial distribution and habitat selection of wild and peridomestic populations of Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843). Field studies were carried out at Las Piedras and La Bolsa in the Northern Department of Artigas, Uruguay. A semicircular sampling area, divided in seven or eight triangular sectors was sequentially examined from October 1990 to November 1991. At Las Piedras (typical wild habitat) 1063 T. rubrovaria bugs were collected from 84 of the rocky outcroops ("pedregales"). Abundance varied by season peaking in October-November (spring). Throughout the year, most of the population was made up of third, fourth and fifth instar nymphs; adults were found from October to March. In the peridomestic environment of La Bolsa, however T. rubrovaria was less common and showed a more irregular instar distribution. Colonized ecotopes, were those close to houses. In both sites T. rubrovaria was mainly associated with the geckonid Homonota uruguayensis and the cockroach Blaptica dubia.

Triatoma delpontei Romaña & Abalos, 1947 (Hemiptera, Triatominae) en el estado brasileño de "Rio Grande do Sul" / Triatoma delpontei Romaña & Abalos, 1947 (Hemiptera, Tratominae) in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul

Triatoma delpontei (Romaña & Abalos, 1947) (Hemiptera, Triatominae) is an ornithophilic sylvatic with a particular association to the psittacid Myiopsitta monachus (Boaddert, 1783). It is found in the continental biogeographical province of the Chaco, where it inhabits the nests or M. monachus, in subtropical xerophytic forests. The authors report the first finding of T. delpontei in Brasil, in the "campanha" region of the State or Rio Grande do Sul (Barra do Quarai, Uruguaiana), on the right bank of the River Cuareim, not far from de Uruguayan border.