Fur Color and Nutritional Status Predict Hair Cortisol Concentrations of Dogs in Nicaragua.

This study examined the relationships between hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and sex, age, nutritional status (as determined by body condition scores, or BCS), and body mass (geometric mean calculated from morphometric measurements), as well as the potential influence of hair pigmentation (light, dark, or agouti/mixed) on HCC in dogs of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua. The dogs examined in this study live in a marginal environment where disease, malnutrition, and mortality rates are high. For fur color, HCC was significantly higher in light fur than in than dark and mixed fur (p < 0.001). In addition, BCS scores were found to have a negative effect on HCC (p < 0.001). Measures of sex and body size exhibited inconclusive effects on HCC, and when compared to adult dogs, juvenile dogs did not exhibit significantly different HCC. Repeated measures of dogs over time reveal a moderate intra-class correlation, suggesting that there are unmeasured sources of individual-level heterogeneity. These findings imply a need to account for fur color in studies of HCC in dogs, and the study suggests an overlooked relationship between cortisol and body condition scores in undernourished dogs in diverse settings.

Giardia Infection and Trypanosoma Cruzi Exposure in Dogs in the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua.

Indigenous Mayangna and Miskitu inhabit Nicaragua's remote Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, located in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. They are sedentary horticulturists who supplement their diet with wild game, hunting with the assistance of dogs. To test whether hunting dogs increased the risk of human exposure to protozoal zoonotic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), we sampled dogs from three communities varying in population size and level of contact with other communities. We screened dog feces (n = 58) for Giardia and Cryptosporidium DNA and sera (n = 78) for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies and DNA. Giardia DNA was detected in 22% (13/58) of samples; sequencing revealed the presence of both zoonotic genotypes (assemblages A and B) and dog-specific genotypes (assemblages C and D). Giardia shedding was associated with community and age. Older dogs and those in the two, more accessible communities had greater odds of shedding parasites. Seroprevalence of T. cruzi antibodies, indicating prior exposure, was 9% (7/78). These results contribute to the limited literature on NTDs in indigenous populations, and suggest hunting dogs can both serve as sentinels of environmental NTDs and pose zoonotic risk for their owners and communities.

Multiple-host pathogens in domestic hunting dogs in Nicaragua's Bosawás Biosphere Reserve.

Nicaragua's Bosawás Biosphere Reserve is a vast forested area inhabited largely by indigenous Mayangna and Miskitu people. Most Bosawás residents rely on subsistence hunting and swidden agriculture, and hunting dogs are important for finding and securing wild game. We investigated the health of hunting dogs in three communities differing in location, size, and economy. Dogs in all communities were nutritionally compromised and experienced a heavy burden of disease. Seroprevalence of canine distemper, canine parvovirus, Rickettsia rickettsii, and Leptospira spp. exceeded 50% of dogs. At least one dog was actively shedding leptospires in urine, and many dogs were anemic and/or dehydrated. These dogs interact with wildlife in the forest and humans and domestic livestock in the communities, and may therefore serve as sources of zoonotic and wildlife diseases. Bosawás represents one of the largest intact tracts of habitat for jaguars (Panthera onca) in Central America, and given that these communities are located within the forest, jaguars may be at risk from disease spillover from hunting dogs. Dog owners reported that four of 49 dogs had been attacked and killed by jaguars in the past year, and that retaliatory killing of jaguars was sometimes practiced. Disease spillover from dogs to wildlife could occur both in the course of dogs' hunting activities as well as during jaguar attacks. A better understanding of dog depredation by jaguars, pathogen exposure in jaguars, and a management strategy for the hunting dog population, are urgently needed to mitigate these dual threats to jaguars, improve the lives of hunting dogs, and safeguard the health of their owners.

[Information on late effects and future risks for retinoblastoma survivors]. / Información sobre las secuelas y futuros riesgos para los sobrevivientes de retinoblastoma.

The survival rates of childhood cancer have increased in the past few decades. Late consequences related to the cancer and the treatment are observed. The late effects in retinoblastoma survivors are related to the surgery, the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy. Patients with irradiated bilateral retinoblastoma are at high risk to develop a second cancer. Survivors of bilateral or unilateral forms could transmit this disease to their offspring. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma is exceptional after 4 years of age, and it is not clear whether these survivors have knowledge of their diagnosis, treatment and future risks. The informed consent and the summary of the clinical histories do not help to clarify the situation. It will be of great benefit for the patients cured of retinoblastoma to have a long-term follow-up in the institution that treated them and to receive information about the disease, the treatment and the future risks.

Información sobre las secuelas y futuros riesgos para los sobrevivientes de retinoblastoma. / [Information on late effects and future risks for retinoblastoma survivors]

The survival rates of childhood cancer have increased in the past few decades. Late consequences related to the cancer and the treatment are observed. The late effects in retinoblastoma survivors are related to the surgery, the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy. Patients with irradiated bilateral retinoblastoma are at high risk to develop a second cancer. Survivors of bilateral or unilateral forms could transmit this disease to their offspring. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma is exceptional after 4 years of age, and it is not clear whether these survivors have knowledge of their diagnosis, treatment and future risks. The informed consent and the summary of the clinical histories do not help to clarify the situation. It will be of great benefit for the patients cured of retinoblastoma to have a long-term follow-up in the institution that treated them and to receive information about the disease, the treatment and the future risks.

[Pregnancy of 18 women survivors of childhood cancer]. / Embarazo en 18 mujeres que padecieron cáncer en la infancia.

To analyze the effect of cancer treatment on pregnancy, delivery and progeny of women survivors of childhood cancer, 18 of them (15 to 49 years of age) were interviewed, with diagnosis and treatment between july 1965 and December 1982 (15 from the Oncology Unit of the Children's Hospital of Buenos Aires and 3 from a private practice) and evaluated until December 2000. The following potential determinants to suffer adverse effects on pregnancy, delivery and descendence were considered: laparotomy, alkylating agents, doxorubicine, infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Diagnoses were: non-Hodgkin lymphoma 6, nephroblastoma 5, retinoblastoma 3, osteosarcoma 1, fibrosarcoma 1, Langerhans cell histiocytosis 2. Ten patients were laparotomized, 11 were treated with alkylating agents, 8 with doxorubicin and 7 with infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Twenty-eight offsprings were born. Congenital anomalies were not detected. Inherited cancer was observed in two siblings whose mother had suffered bilateral retinoblastoma. Additional follow-up from woman survivors of childhood cancer is necessary to determine the effect of cancer and its treatment on pregnancy, delivery and offspring.

Embarazo en 18 mujeres que padecieron cancer en la infancia / Pregnancy in 18 women survivors of childhood cancer

To analyze the effect of cancer treatment on pregnancy, delivery and progeny of women survivors of childhood cancer, 18 of them (15 to 49 years of age) were interviewed, with diagnosis and treatment between july 1965 and December 1982 (15 from the Oncology Unit of the Children's Hospital of Buenos Aires and 3 from a private practice) and evaluated until December 2000. The following potential determinants to suffer adverse effects on pregnancy, delivery and descendence were considered: laparotomy, alkylating agents, doxorubicine, infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Diagnoses were: non-Hodgkin lymphoma 6, nephroblastoma 5, retinoblastoma 3, osteosarcoma 1, fibrosarcoma 1, Langerhans cell histiocytosis 2. Ten patients were laparotomized, 11 were treated with alkylating agents, 8 with doxorubicin and 7 with infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Twenty-eight offsprings were born. Congenital anomalies were not detected. Inherited cancer was observed in two siblings whose mother had suffered bilateral retinoblastoma. Additional follow-up from woman survivors of childhood cancer is necessary to determine the effect of cancer and its treatment on pregnancy, delivery and offspring

Embarazo en 18 mujeres que padecieron cáncer en la infancia. / [Pregnancy of 18 women survivors of childhood cancer]

To analyze the effect of cancer treatment on pregnancy, delivery and progeny of women survivors of childhood cancer, 18 of them (15 to 49 years of age) were interviewed, with diagnosis and treatment between july 1965 and December 1982 (15 from the Oncology Unit of the Childrens Hospital of Buenos Aires and 3 from a private practice) and evaluated until December 2000. The following potential determinants to suffer adverse effects on pregnancy, delivery and descendence were considered: laparotomy, alkylating agents, doxorubicine, infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Diagnoses were: non-Hodgkin lymphoma 6, nephroblastoma 5, retinoblastoma 3, osteosarcoma 1, fibrosarcoma 1, Langerhans cell histiocytosis 2. Ten patients were laparotomized, 11 were treated with alkylating agents, 8 with doxorubicin and 7 with infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Twenty-eight offsprings were born. Congenital anomalies were not detected. Inherited cancer was observed in two siblings whose mother had suffered bilateral retinoblastoma. Additional follow-up from woman survivors of childhood cancer is necessary to determine the effect of cancer and its treatment on pregnancy, delivery and offspring.

Embarazo en 18 mujeres que padecieron cancer en la infancia / Pregnancy in 18 women survivors of childhood cancer

To analyze the effect of cancer treatment on pregnancy, delivery and progeny of women survivors of childhood cancer, 18 of them (15 to 49 years of age) were interviewed, with diagnosis and treatment between july 1965 and December 1982 (15 from the Oncology Unit of the Childrens Hospital of Buenos Aires and 3 from a private practice) and evaluated until December 2000. The following potential determinants to suffer adverse effects on pregnancy, delivery and descendence were considered: laparotomy, alkylating agents, doxorubicine, infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Diagnoses were: non-Hodgkin lymphoma 6, nephroblastoma 5, retinoblastoma 3, osteosarcoma 1, fibrosarcoma 1, Langerhans cell histiocytosis 2. Ten patients were laparotomized, 11 were treated with alkylating agents, 8 with doxorubicin and 7 with infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy. Twenty-eight offsprings were born. Congenital anomalies were not detected. Inherited cancer was observed in two siblings whose mother had suffered bilateral retinoblastoma. Additional follow-up from woman survivors of childhood cancer is necessary to determine the effect of cancer and its treatment on pregnancy, delivery and offspring (AU)

La sobrevida en adolescentes y adultos jovenes con cancer en la infancia / Survival in adolescents and young adults with cancer in childhood

LSe investigó un grupo de 104 sobrevivientes de cáncer en la infancia que fueron diagnosticados y tratados en la Unidad de Oncología del Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez de Buenos Aires entre 1965 y 1986 y evaluados hasta diciembre de 1999. Todos habían superado los 15 años después del diagnóstico. Los diagnósticos fueron: retinoblastoma: 24, nefroblastoma: 19, enfermedad de Hodgkin: 14, sarcomas: 12, neuroblastoma: 11, linfoma no Hodgkin: 11, histiocitosis de células de Langerhans: 5 (forma ósea múltiple: 4 y enfermedad de Hand-Schüller-Christian: 1), tumores germinales gonadales: 4, osteosarcoma: 2, sarcoma de Ewing: 2 . Los tratamientos consistieron en: cirugía + quimioterapia + radioterapia: 52, quimioterapia + radioterapia: 18, cirugía + quimioterapia: 13, cirugía + radioterapia: 7, cirugía: 7 y quimioterapia: 7. Hasta la fecha de última actualización viven sin evidencia de enfermedad maligna 101 pacientes con un rango de edad entre 15 y 44 años. En 4 de ellos los efectos adversos del cáncer y/o del tratamiento amenazan la vida por insuficiencia cardíaca: 2, insuficiencia renal: 1 y panhipopituitarismo: 1 (esta última paciente falleció). De 5 pacientes con segundo cáncer se desconoce la evolución de 2. Se determinó el grado de instrucción en 51 sobrevivientes y la situación laboral en 27. Nueve mujeres fueron madres y 5 varones fueron padres. Se considera necesario el seguimiento constante y la evaluación de quien ha padecido cáncer en la infancia porque esto permite la oportunidad de soluciones médicas terapéuticas y de rehabilitación psicosocial

La sobrevida en adolescentes y adultos jovenes con cancer en la infancia / Survival in adolescents and young adults with cancer in childhood

LSe investigó un grupo de 104 sobrevivientes de cáncer en la infancia que fueron diagnosticados y tratados en la Unidad de Oncología del Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez de Buenos Aires entre 1965 y 1986 y evaluados hasta diciembre de 1999. Todos habían superado los 15 años después del diagnóstico. Los diagnósticos fueron: retinoblastoma: 24, nefroblastoma: 19, enfermedad de Hodgkin: 14, sarcomas: 12, neuroblastoma: 11, linfoma no Hodgkin: 11, histiocitosis de células de Langerhans: 5 (forma ósea múltiple: 4 y enfermedad de Hand-Sch³ller-Christian: 1), tumores germinales gonadales: 4, osteosarcoma: 2, sarcoma de Ewing: 2 . Los tratamientos consistieron en: cirugía + quimioterapia + radioterapia: 52, quimioterapia + radioterapia: 18, cirugía + quimioterapia: 13, cirugía + radioterapia: 7, cirugía: 7 y quimioterapia: 7. Hasta la fecha de última actualización viven sin evidencia de enfermedad maligna 101 pacientes con un rango de edad entre 15 y 44 años. En 4 de ellos los efectos adversos del cáncer y/o del tratamiento amenazan la vida por insuficiencia cardíaca: 2, insuficiencia renal: 1 y panhipopituitarismo: 1 (esta última paciente falleció). De 5 pacientes con segundo cáncer se desconoce la evolución de 2. Se determinó el grado de instrucción en 51 sobrevivientes y la situación laboral en 27. Nueve mujeres fueron madres y 5 varones fueron padres. Se considera necesario el seguimiento constante y la evaluación de quien ha padecido cáncer en la infancia porque esto permite la oportunidad de soluciones médicas terapéuticas y de rehabilitación psicosocial

Concepto de curación en niños que padecieron cáncer / The concept of cure in children with cancer

Se investigó un grupo de 248 sobrevivientes de cáncer infantil cuyo diagnóstico y tratamiento fueron llevados a cabo en la Unidad de Oncología del Hospital de Niños Dr. R. Gutiérrez de Buenos Aires, entre l965 y 1986. Los diagnósticos fueron: retinoblastoma: 65, nefroblastona: 36, linfomas: 57, neuroblastoma: 25, tumores germinales: 18, sarcomas: 19, tumores óseos: 7, linfoepitelioma de covum: 4, histiocitosis X ósea generalizada: 9 y otros: 8. El tratamiento consistió en: cirugía sola: 25, cirugía+quimioterapia: 40, cirugía+radioterapia: 8, quimioterapia sola: 23, quimioterapia+radioterapia:42 y cirugía+quimioterapia+radioterapia: 110. Sobreviven sin evidencia de enfermedad tumoral 234 pacientes con un rango que oscila entre los 5 y 25 años. Se observó secuelas orgániccas graves en 182 sobrevivientes y moderadas en 142. Fallecieron 13 pacientes por segundo tumor maligno y uno por metástasis pulmonar cuyo tumor primitivo fue un nefroblastoma. En 181 sobrevivientes se determinó el grado de instrucción. Setenta participan en deportes y 13 en actividades artísticas. Ocho son profesionales universitarios y 24 tienen ocupación fija. Cinco sobrevivientes ...

Concepto de curación en niños que padecieron cáncer / The concept of cure in children with cancer

Se investigó un grupo de 248 sobrevivientes de cáncer infantil cuyo diagnóstico y tratamiento fueron llevados a cabo en la Unidad de Oncología del Hospital de Niños Dr. R. Gutiérrez de Buenos Aires, entre l965 y 1986. Los diagnósticos fueron: retinoblastoma: 65, nefroblastona: 36, linfomas: 57, neuroblastoma: 25, tumores germinales: 18, sarcomas: 19, tumores óseos: 7, linfoepitelioma de covum: 4, histiocitosis X ósea generalizada: 9 y otros: 8. El tratamiento consistió en: cirugía sola: 25, cirugía+quimioterapia: 40, cirugía+radioterapia: 8, quimioterapia sola: 23, quimioterapia+radioterapia:42 y cirugía+quimioterapia+radioterapia: 110. Sobreviven sin evidencia de enfermedad tumoral 234 pacientes con un rango que oscila entre los 5 y 25 años. Se observó secuelas orgániccas graves en 182 sobrevivientes y moderadas en 142. Fallecieron 13 pacientes por segundo tumor maligno y uno por metástasis pulmonar cuyo tumor primitivo fue un nefroblastoma. En 181 sobrevivientes se determinó el grado de instrucción. Setenta participan en deportes y 13 en actividades artísticas. Ocho son profesionales universitarios y 24 tienen ocupación fija. Cinco sobrevivientes ... (AU)

Segundo tumor maligno en pediatría: comunicación de 22 casos / Second malignat tumor in pediatrics. Report of 22 cases

Entre 1965 y 1988, en el Hospital de Niños de Buenos Aires, 22 niños desarrollaron dos tumores malignos sucesivos de diferente histología. El primer tumor se diagnosticó entre los 3 meses y 12 años de edad: 13 retinoblastomas, 2 rabdomiosarcomas, 2 linfomas no Hodgkin, 2 enfermedad de Hodgkin, 1 glioma de tronco, 1 sarcoma de Ewing y 1 tumor del seno endodérmico. En 6 pacientes habia antecedentes familiares de cáncer. El tratamiento consistió en cirugía, e intensa quimio y radioterapia. El segundo tumor se presentó luego de un intervalo de 2 a 13 años: 10 osteosarcomas, 2 sarcomas de Ewing, 2 rabdomiosarcomas, 2 glioblastomas, 1 medulobalstoma, 1 sinoviosarcoma, 1 fibrosarcoma, 1 carcinoma de tiroides, 1 leucemia linfoblática aguda y 1 leucemia mieloblástica aguda. En 17 pacientes, el tumor se localizó en áreas previamente irradiadas. En ningún caso hubo evidencias del primer tumor y sólo un paciente recibía aún quimioterapia. La terapéutica multimodal fue poco efectiva: 18 fallecieron entre el día 1 y los 2 años y 9 meses del diagnóstico, 3 viven a los 2 años, 2 años y 4 meses, y 3 años del diagnóstico. Se desconoce la evolución de 1 paciente. Se postula que los segundos tumores malignos serían consecuencia de una predisposición genética y/o de la acción oncogénica de la quimio y pradioterapia. Por ende, en los últimos años los tratamientos oncológicos se han reducido al minimo requerido para lograr la curación del cáncer con el fin de disminuir al máximo las secuelas