First confirmed case of equine pythiosis in Northern Veracruz, Mexico.

A clinical case of an adult horse with invasive, ulcerative, proliferative, pyogranulomatous disease of the skin (tumor) in the shoulder region is presented. The mass had a granulomatous and crater-shaped appearance, with serosanguinous discharge and the presence of fistulas with caseous material. The tumor was removed by surgery and sent to the laboratory for diagnosis. Histopathology was performed using Grocott-Gomori methenamine silver stain. The presence of necrotic material, fibrosis, infiltrated cells, and brown-colored hyphae, characteristic of members of the genus Pythium, were observed. To identify the infecting species, conventional PCRs for the amplification of the ITS-1 was carried out. Histopathological and PCR tests confirmed infection by a Pythium insidiosum strain closely associated with previous records from the US and Central America. Our report represents the first molecularly confirmed case of equine pythiosis in Mexico.

Unraveling the diversity of Trypanosoma species from Central Mexico: Molecular confirmation on the presence of Trypanosoma dionisii and novel Neobat linages.

Bats are one of the groups of mammals with the highest number of associated Trypanosoma taxa. There are 50 Trypanosoma species and genotypes infecting more than 75 species of bats across five continents. However, in Mexico, the inventory of species of the genus Trypanosoma associated with bats is limited to only two species (Trypanosoma vespertilionis and Trypanosoma cruzi) even though 140 species of bats inhabit this country. Specifically, 91 bat species have been recorded in the state of Veracruz, but records of trypanosomatids associated with this mammalian group are absent. Due to the complex Trypanosoma-bat relationship, the high diversity of bat species in Veracruz, as well as the lack of records of trypanosomatids associated with bats for this state, the aim of this work was to analyze the diversity of species of the genus Trypanosoma and their presence from a bat community in the central area of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. During the period of January to August 2022 in the Tequecholapa Environmental Management Unit where bats were collected using mist nets and blood samples were obtained from their thumbs. We extracted genetic material and amplified a fragment of 800 bp of the 18S ribosomal gene of the genus Trypanosoma by conventional PCR. The positive amplicons were sequenced, and phylogenetic reconstruction was performed to identify the parasite species. A total of 285 bats (149♀, 136♂) belonging to 13 species from 10 genera and a single family (Phyllostomidae) were collected. Twenty-three specimens from six species tested positive for the presence of Trypanosoma dionisii, Trypanosoma sp. Neobat 4, and a potential novelty species provisionally named as Trypanosoma sp. Neobat 6. The results of the present work increase the number of species of the genus Trypanosoma infecting bats in Mexico and in the Neotropical region.

Molecular detection of Rickettsia felis in fleas and ticks collected from dogs and cats of Puebla, Mexico.

Fleas and ticks represent the two main groups of ectoparasites that infest companion animals. In particular, the flea Ctenocephalides felis felis and several members of the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex are the main vectors of a wide range of pathogens on the American continent. They are competent vectors for several members of the genus Rickettsia, which encompass at least 15 pathogenic obligate intracellular bacteria that colonize the endothelial cells of vertebrates. In Mexico, 10 species of Rickettsia belonging to three groups have been detected in six species of ectoparasites from dogs in 9 of the 32 states of the country. However, in some larger regions of the country, active epidemiological surveillance has not been carried out. For this reason, the aim of this study was to identify the presence of members of the genus Rickettsia in fleas and ticks of dogs and cats in the state of Puebla, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was carried out to collect ectoparasites of dogs and cats during August to November 2019. Samples were fixed in 70% ethanol and examined to identify the presence of Rickettsia DNA by the amplification and sequencing of specific fragments of the gltA and ompB genes using conventional PCR. The recovered sequences were compared with those deposited in GenBank, and phylogenetic analyses were carried out to identify the position of the pathogens detected with respect to the valid species previously reported worldwide. Additionally, ecological parameters of the ectoparasite infestations were also calculated. We recovered 196 ectoparasites belonging to two species, 33 C. felis felis and 163 R. sanguineus s.l. (Rhipicephalus linnaei), parasitizing 46 hosts (42 dogs and 4 cats) in 11 localities of the state of Puebla. We detected the presence of Rickettsia felis in three pools of C. felis felis, and five from R. sanguineus s.l. Our work provides the first record of R. felis in hard ticks of Mexico and Central America, with new collection localities for this pathogen in central Mexico.

Volumetric measurement of intracranial meningiomas: a comparison between linear, planimetric, and machine learning with multiparametric voxel-based morphometry methods.

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of three volumetric methods in the radiological assessment of meningiomas: linear (ABC/2), planimetric, and multiparametric machine learning-based semiautomated voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and to investigate the relevance of tumor shape in volumetric error. METHODS: Retrospective imaging database analysis at the authors' institutions. We included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of meningioma and preoperative cranial magnetic resonance imaging eligible for volumetric analyses. After tumor segmentation, images underwent automated computation of shape properties such as sphericity, roundness, flatness, and elongation. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients (85 tumors) were included. Tumor volumes were significantly different using linear (13.82 cm3 [range 0.13-163.74 cm3]), planimetric (11.66 cm3 [range 0.17-196.2 cm3]) and VBM methods (10.24 cm3 [range 0.17-190.32 cm3]) (p < 0.001). Median volume and percentage errors between the planimetric and linear methods and the VBM method were 1.08 cm3 and 11.61%, and 0.23 cm3 and 5.5%, respectively. Planimetry and linear methods overestimated the actual volume in 79% and 63% of the patients, respectively. Correlation studies showed excellent reliability and volumetric agreement between manual- and computer-based methods. Larger and flatter tumors had greater accuracy on planimetry, whereas less rounded tumors contributed negatively to the accuracy of the linear method. CONCLUSION: Semiautomated VBM volumetry for meningiomas is not influenced by tumor shape properties, whereas planimetry and linear methods tend to overestimate tumor volume. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider tumor roundness prior to linear measurement so as to choose the most appropriate method for each patient on an individual basis.

Molecular evidence of Leishmania spp. in spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) from The Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, Mexico.

The black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) is a platyrrhine primate distributed in southern Mexico, Central America, and part of South America. Two subspecies inhabit Mexico: Ateles geoffroyi vellerosus and Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis, both threatened with extinction. Serological evidence of exposure of spider monkeys to various groups of parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi in México and Leishmania spp. in Brazil has been reported. The genus Leishmania encompasses about 23 species of flagellate protozoa that are transmitted by the bite of females of Phlebotominae sand flies. These parasites cause a zoonotic disease called leishmaniasis, which generates skin, mucocutaneous and/or visceral manifestations. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the presence of Leishmania sp. in spider monkeys from the Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, Mexico. Blood samples from 10 free- ranging specimens of A. geoffroyi yucatanensis and 11 specimens in captivity of A. geoffroyi vellerosus were collected and used. The samples were subjected to a conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction test for the identification of a 116 bp fragment of a region from the kinetoplast minicircle of the parasite. Our analyzes showed that 71.4% of the sampled animals had fragment sizes compatible with Leishmania spp. The implications involve the survival of the specimens and the possibility that these primates act as sentinels of the disease. Furthermore, it is the first report suggesting the presence of Leishmania spp. in A. geoffroyi vellerosus and A. geoffroyi yucatanensis in Veracruz, Mexico.

No molecular evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in companion animals from Veracruz, Mexico.

Active epidemiological surveillance of infectious agents represents a fundamental tool for understanding the transmission dynamics of pathogens and establishing public policies that can reduce or limit their expansion. Epidemiological surveillance of emerging agents, such as the recently recognized severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of COVID-19, is essential to establish the risk of transmission between species. Recent studies reveal that companion animals are organisms susceptible to being infected by this pathogen due to the close contact they have with their owners. For this reason, the aim of the present work was to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, where there is active transmission of this microorganism in human populations. Oral and nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from dogs and cats with a history of exposure to patients with COVID-19. Total RNA was extracted and detection of viral genes N1 and N2 was performed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). All 130 samples of companion animals tested by RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 were negative at the time they were collected. This study represents the second active surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in populations of domestic dogs and cats in Latin America and the first approach in Mexico. Given that coronaviruses have shown a high capacity to be transmitted between species, it is imperative to establish measures to prevent this agent from entering and establishing in populations of companion animals.

Electron Driven Reactions in Tetrafluoroethane: Positive and Negative Ion Formation.

In the search for alternatives to chlorine-containing gases, tetrafluoroethane, CF3CH2F (R134a), a widely used refrigerant gas, has been recognized as a promising substitute for dichlorodifluoromethane, CCl2F2 (R12). When R12 is replaced by R134a, the global warming potential drops from 8100 to 1430, the ozone depletion potential changes from 1 to 0, and the atmospheric lifetime decreases from 100 to 14 years. Electron interactions in the gas phase play a fundamental role in the atmospheric sciences. Here, we present a detailed study on electron-driven fragmentation pathways of CF3CH2F, in which we have investigated processes induced by both electron ionization and electron attachment. The measurements allow us to report the ion efficiency curves for ion formation in the energy range of 0 up to 25 eV. For positive ion formation, R134a dissociates into a wide assortment of ions, in which CF3+ is observed as the most abundant out of seven ions with a relative intensity above 2%. The results are supported by quantum chemical calculations based on bound state techniques, electron-impact ionization models, and electron-molecule scattering simulations, showing a good agreement. Moreover, the experimental first ionization potential was found at 13.10 ± 0.17 eV and the second at around 14.25 eV. For negative ion formation, C2F3- was detected as the only anion formed, above 8.3 eV. This study demonstrates the role of electrons in the dissociation of R134a, which is relevant for an improvement of the refrigeration processes as well as in atmospheric chemistry and plasma sciences.

Integrative taxonomic description of the chewing louse Tricholipeurus lipeuroides infesting Odocoileus virginianus veraecrucis white-tailed deer in Veracruz, Mexico.

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) represent a component of the ectoparasite fauna associated with large sized mammals as deers. However, the diversity of chewing louse species infesting deer remains to be fully characterized in the Neotropics. Little is known about the chewing lice infesting the extant fourteen subspecies of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Mexico. Known to infest white-tailed deer (WTD) in Canada and the United States (U.S.), Tricholipeurus lipeuroides is a chewing louse species that was originally described in the nineteenth century infesting O. v. mexicanus in Mexico. For the first time, infestation of O. v. veraecrucis, a Neotropical WTD subspecies in Mexico, with T. lipeuroides is reported herein. An integrative taxonomic approach was taken by combining morphological and molecular analyses to describe the T. lipeuroides infestion of O. v. veraecrucis. Ecological parameters of the T. lipeuroides infestations were also calculated. The prevalence was 91.7% of the 56 O. v. veraecrucis (29 females and 27 males) inspected while under chemical restraint that were sampled at 3 sites in the central region of Veracruz state in Mexico. The amplification and sequencing of previously reported T. lipeuroides Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I gene confirmed the identity of all the chewing louse life stages. These results are discussed in the context of comparative analyses on the emergence of novel chewing lice-deer associations.

SEROLOGIC SURVEY OF LEPTOSPIRA SPP. IN CAPTIVE ANIMALS FROM VERACRUZ, MEXICO.

Leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease worldwide and is considered endemic in countries with tropical climates. It is caused by 10 species of the Leptospira genus and by more than 275 serovars which can affect a wide range of vertebrates. In the Americas, 122 species of four classes of vertebrates have been reported to be infected or exposed to many Leptospira species. Many of these reports are from zoos and rehabilitation centers. Mexico has one single study that reported antibody titers against Leptospira in zoo animals. The purpose of this research was to identify the degree of exposure of some captive mammals and reptiles in Veracruz, a Mexican state with endemic leptospirosis, through microagglutination using 14 live strains of five Leptospira species. Sera samples were collected from 55 animals of 11 species from two classes (Mammalia and Reptilia), four orders (Primates, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Crocodilia), and nine genera. The more prevalent serovars were Icterohaemorrhagiae and Tarassovi and the highest titers were reactive to the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae with a value of 1: 51,200.

Protocolo de assistência para pessoas portadoras de feridas

O profissional de enfermagem é responsável pela execução do curativo, acompanhamento da lesão e orientação ao paciente. Tais atividades requerem profissionais de enfermagem capacitados e preparados técnico/cientificamente. O estudo baseou-se no atendimento aos usuários da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF) São Cristóvão, do município de Teófilo Otoni, MG, onde se observaram algumas falhas na técnica e no critério de se analisar, tratar e acompanhar a evolução das feridas. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho objetivou elaborar um protocolo clínico de assistência ao portador de feridas baseado na sistematização da assistência (SAE). O protocolo foi elaborado após duas etapas, tais sejam: na primeira etapa foi feito o diagnóstico situacional, por meio de estimativa rápida pela qual foram conhecidos os nós críticos, a capacidade operacional e os recursos disponíveis na ESF. A segunda etapa consistiu na realização da fundamentação teórica com vistas á elaboração do protocolo de feridas, fundamentado cientificamente. Para tal, foram feitas pesquisas na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), no SciELO. Foram encontrados 208 artigos e mediante leitura dos títulos, foram selecionados 31 artigos que pelo título e resumo indicavam tratar- se do tema estudado. Feita nova leitura dos resumos, delimitou-se 20 artigos que respondiam ao objetivo deste estudo. O protocolo proposto deverá ser utilizado pela equipe de enfermagem ao avaliar qualquer ferida e permitirá, então, um registro sistemático das características da ferida, com uma visualização global desses dados para análise de sua evolução ao longo do tratamento realizado. Desta forma, poderá facilitar a detecção de possíveis complicações, que possam interferir no processo de cicatrização; redirecionar as condutas a fim de eliminar esses fatores e propiciar condições adequadas de cicatrização.