Evaluación de metodos de diagnóstico de parasitosis intestinales utilizados en el Laboratorio de Análisis Clinicos / Annual reports 1997 / Evaluation of diagnostic methods for intestinal parasites used in the Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry

Este estudio ha tenido como finalidad actualizar los datos de parasitosis intestinal, estudiando 227 muestras de heces de niños de 1 a 12 años de comunidades rurales y urbanas. Se han empleado cuatro métodos: directo, de flotación o Willis, de concentración o MGL y Harada-Mori, éstos dos últimos diferentes a los rutinariamente empleados. En las zonas estudiadas se encontró que 166 niños (72, 8 por ciento) estaban parasitados, observándose protozoarios con mayor frecuencia que vermes.El método directo fue el más sensible, dando un porcentaje de positividad del 68.9 por ciento (n=157), le siguen el MGL 44 por ciento (n=100), Willis 36 por ciento (n=81) y cultivo 22.4 por ciento (n=51). Los paásitos más frecuentemente observados fueron: G. lamblia (23,7 por ciento), B. hominis (21,9 por ciento), A. lumbricoides (16,7 por ciento), N. Americanus (15,4 por ciento)

Detección basada en PCR de ADN de Trypanosoma Cruzi en suero / Annual Reports 1992 / PCR-Based detection of Trypanosoma Cruzi DNA in surem

DNA prepared from chagasic patientsïsera were amplified by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using oligonucleotide primers which anneal specifically to a highly repetitive sequence of Trypanosoma Cruzi nuclear DNA. Sample from both acutely and chronically infected patients yielded positive results by this method. No significant difference was observed when either whole blood or serum sample of the patients were used. These results indicate that serum instead of whole blood sample could be used for PCR-based detection of T. Cruzi in field studies without the of applying any special chemical treatment of the specimens. This would represent a considerable advantage due to the easier handling and transportation of serum as compared with whole blood samples, especially in tropical climates

Seguimiento por PCR del tratamiento de un paciente chagástico agudo / Annual Reports 1991 / Follow-up of treatment of an acute chagasic patient by PCR

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was usedto evaluate the course of treatment of an acutely infected patient with Trypanosoma cruzi. The reactions were performed using a primer pair (TCZ1 and TCZ2) which prime the amplification of a highly repetive 195-bp T. cruzi genomic DNA. Treatment with benzonidazole (5 mg/kg boby weight) was strarted when parsitemia was 140 parsites per ml of blood. The strong DNA amplification bands initially observed were no longer detected after 8 days following treatment

Aplicación de dos tipos de amastigotes de Trypanosoma cruzi de difernte virulencia en una Elisa para la enfermedad de chagas / Annual Reports 1991 / Application of two types of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes of different virulencias to Elisa for Chagas' disease

Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes derived from fibroblast cultures and from cell- free liquid mediun were comparatively evaluated as solid-phase of Elisa for Chagas' disease. Amastigotes were obtained from the high- and low-virulent clones of the Talahuen strain and fron the G-1 strain. They were sonicated and directly applied into wells of a microplate to use insoluble particles as antigens. Fifty-one sera from patients of Chagas' disease including one acute caes (Romaña's sing), 10 sera from patients of cutaneous leishmaniasis including one serun of midex infection with Chagas' disease, and 10 sera from patients of toxoplasmosis including three of mixed infection with either Chagas' disease or Leishmaniasis were examined. All amastigotes from different sources and from different clones or strains showed considerable correlation with each other. Slightly higher sensitivity was found in amastigotes of high-virulent clones and slightly higher specificity in those from cell-free culture. One acute case was detected as positive by these methods although it was negative by the usual Elisa using epimastigotes

Tratamiento con ivermectina de Cebus apella con Dipetalonema gracile / Annual Reports 1991 / Treatment of dipetalonema gracile in Cebus apella by invermectin

The microfilaricidal effect if invermectin was studied on Cebus apella infected with dipetalonema gracile in Paraguay. Nine monkeys were treated with ivermectin at the dosage of 200 ug/kg boby wieght by single subcutaneous injection. The significant reduction in microfilarial count after treatament with ivermectin was recognized (p<0.01). The change of blood picture of 9 monkeys infected with Dipetalonema gracile following treatment of ivermectin was also studied. The total WBC count was found to be significantly increased at 1 day after treatment. Differential count study showed that neutrphlilis increased in most menkeys. On the other hand, the significant change in eosinophil and lynphocite count was not observed

Caracterización de cepas de Trypanosoma cruzi de Paraguay usando análisis con enzimas de restricción del ADN del Kinetoplasto / Annual Reports 1991 / Characteization of Trypanosoma cruzi isolates from Paraguay using restriction enzyme analysis of Kinetoplast DNA

Strains of Trypanosoma cruzi isolate in Paraguay from patients and vectors were examiqned by restriction endonuclease analysis of K-DNA using Eco RI, Hae III, Hinf I, Msp I. Four different types of schizodeme profiles were identified in 11 isolates. The firs group has much simpler profiles than ther groups. There were Homogeneous profiles in the 3 other gruops, however, the profiles could be distinguished from each other. Standard striansfrom Brasil, Chile and Colombia were included in the schizodeme comparison. The schizodeme profiles of group 1 from Paraguay can not be matched with any of the standard strains in this study. Those of group 3 and 4 shared more features with those of Brazilian standard strains (Brazilian Z2)

Tumor rabdoide de riñón: Primer caso diagnosticado en Paraguay / Annual Reports 1991 / Rhabdoid Tumor of kideney. First case diagnosed in Paraguay

The rhabdoid tumor of kindey (RTK) is a neoplasia with well defined clinical and pathological characteristics. Itis is very important to distinguish it form the Wilms'tumor, because RTK is a very aggressive and has poor prognosis. The first case of a RTK diagnsed in Paraguay is presented.The diagnosis was made in a children of 2 years and 11 months of age, presenting a fast and fatal evolution, by immunohistochemical and electron microscopy procedures. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated aggregate of intermediante filaments in the perinuclear area. Immunological studies gave positiy results for vimetin, and negative for desmin and myoglobin

Enfermedad de Chagas congénito: Aspecto anatomopatológico de la placenta y el cordón umbilical en mujeres con serologia positiva para la enfermedad de Chagas / Annual Reports 1991 / Congenital Chagas' disease Anatomopathological aspects of placenta and umbilical cord in women with positive serology for chagas' disease

Anatomopathological studies were performed in 15 placentas of pregnant women who were seropositive for Chagas' disease. Nests of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigote s were found in the placenta and umbilical cord of three of them (20 percent). The parasitism was extensive in two of the cases, where the nests were predominantly located in the umbilical cord and in the chorionic plate. No significant macroscopically difference was observed between the infected and the not infected placenta. However, the two more severe cases showed focal histological lesions with destruction of the trophoblastic epithelium, and inflammatory reactions which have not been observed in uninfected or slightly infected placentas. These changes would be related with the intensity of the fetal parasitism in congenital Chagas'disease