[Comamonas kerstersii bacteremia in a young man with acute appendicitis]. / Bacteriemia por Comamonas kerstersii en un joven con apendicitis aguda.

Comamonas kerstersii is a non-fermenting Gram-negative bacillus. It has been associated with intra-abdominal infections. We describe a clinical case of bacteremia caused by C. kerstersii in a young man with acute appendicitis. The first identification, using the Vitek2 compact system (BioMerieux) from blood cultures, was Comamonas testosteroni. However, using MALDI-TOF was identified as C. kerstersii. The patient was treated first with ampicillin sulbactam and then piperacillin tazobactam with favorable evolution. Within the genus Comamonas, C. testosteroni has been the most frequently reported species as a cause of infections in humans, only 23 cases of C. kerstersii being described. Given the problems of phenotypic identification of these microorganisms, it is possible that some C. testosteroni reports could have corresponded to C. kerstersii. This case highlights the pathogenic role of C. kerstersii and the importance of using MALDI-TOF as a diagnostic tool for non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli identification.

Polyclonal Campylobacter fetus Infections Among Unrelated Patients, Montevideo, Uruguay, 2013-2018.

In Montevideo (2013-2018), 8 Campylobacter fetus extraintestinal infections were reported. The polyclonal nature of strains revealed by whole-genome sequencing and the apparent lack of epidemiological links was incompatible with a single contamination source, supporting alternative routes of transmission.

[Spatial distribution of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in the rural area of two municipalities of Cundinamarca, Colombia].

INTRODUCTION: It is difficult to adapt or create new strategies for dengue control in rural areas due to the dispersion of homes and the lack of knowledge about the presence and behavior of the vector in these areas. Spatial data analysis could help understand time and space dynamics related to the transmission of vector-borne diseases in rural areas and, thus, contribute to the prevention and control of dengue. OBJECTIVE: To determine the probability of the presence of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in the rural area of the municipalities of Anapoima and La Mesa, in the central area of Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The probability of the presence or absence of the vector in the study area was determined by means of the kriging spatial interpolation method. RESULTS: The region with the highest probability of the presence of the vector was located in the central part, close to the urban centers of both municipalities. CONCLUSION: This study shows the importance of geostatistics for the surveillance of vector-borne diseases and the analysis of time and space dynamics of vector insects and of diseases transmitted by them.

Dengue virus detection in Aedes aegypti larvae and pupae collected in rural areas of Anapoima, Cundinamarca, Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: There is a high incidence and prevalence of dengue in the department of Cundinamarca, and recently Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue virus (DENV), was detected in some of its rural areas. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate viral transovarial transmission in larvae and pupae collected in rural areas of the municipality of Anapoima, Cundinamarca. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Live larvae and pupae were collected from 53 homes and later they were taken to the laboratory in Anapoima, where they were classified, pooled and frozen. In Bogotá, they were homogenized, RNA was extracted with Trizol™, and RT-PCR and conventional PCR were performed. The amplified products were analyzed on 2% agarose gels. RESULTS: In 54.7% of the houses we found A. aegypti in immature stages, and DENV-1 was the most frequent serotype. However, the simultaneous presence of DENV 1 and 2, DENV 1 and 3, DENV 1 and 4, and DENV 1, 2 and 3 serotypes was detected in some pools. CONCLUSION: The results confirmed the natural vertical transmission of the virus in the rural area under study. These findings confirmed the vector capacity of A. aegypti, and partly explains the persistence of the virus in the region and the possibility of transmission by the vector during adulthood without having ingested infected blood. This situation increases the risk of DENV infection in Colombia and the need for prevention and control programs in all areas where the mosquito is present.

Distribución espacial de Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) en el área rural de dos municipios de Cundinamarca, Colombia / Spatial distribution of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in the rural area of two municipalities of Cundinamarca, Colombia

Resumen Introducción. Es difícil adaptar o formular nuevas estrategias para el control del dengue en las áreas rurales debido a la dispersión de los hogares y a la falta de conocimiento sobre la presencia y el comportamiento del vector en estas áreas. El análisis de los datos espaciales podría ayudar a comprender las dinámicas temporales y espaciales relacionadas con la transmisión de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores en las zonas rurales y, por lo tanto, contribuir a la prevención y el control del dengue. Objetivo. Determinar la probabilidad de la presencia del vector del dengue, Aedes aegypti, en el área rural de los municipios de Anapoima y La Mesa, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se visitaron 102 viviendas del área rural, se inspeccionaron los criaderos potenciales del mosquito A. aegypti y se capturaron las formas adultas encontradas en su interior. La probabilidad de la presencia o la ausencia del vector en el área de estudio, se estableció mediante el método de interpolación espacial kriging. Resultados. La región con mayor probabilidad para la presencia del vector se encontró en la parte central, cerca de los centros urbanos de los dos municipios. Conclusión. Los análisis de las dinámicas espacio-temporales de los vectores de enfermedades pueden utilizarse en los sistemas para su vigilancia, con el fin de complementar los métodos usados actualmente, optimizar la determinación de las áreas de intervención de control vectorial y ahorrar recursos.

Abstract Introduction: It is difficult to adapt or create new strategies for dengue control in rural areas due to the dispersion of homes and the lack of knowledge about the presence and behavior of the vector in these areas. Spatial data analysis could help understand time and space dynamics related to the transmission of vector-borne diseases in rural areas and, thus, contribute to the prevention and control of dengue. Objective: To determine the probability of the presence of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in the rural area of the municipalities of Anapoima and La Mesa, in the central area of Colombia. Materials and methods: The probability of the presence or absence of the vector in the study area was determined by means of the kriging spatial interpolation method. Results: The region with the highest probability of the presence of the vector was located in the central part, close to the urban centers of both municipalities. Conclusion: This study shows the importance of geostatistics for the surveillance of vector-borne diseases and the analysis of time and space dynamics of vector insects and of diseases transmitted by them.

Schools as Potential Risk Sites for Vector-Borne Disease Transmission: Mosquito Vectors in Rural Schools in Two Municipalities in Colombia.

Dengue and other vector-borne diseases are of great public health importance in Colombia. Vector surveillance and control activities are often focused at the household level. Little is known about the importance of nonhousehold sites, including schools, in maintaining vector-borne disease transmission. The objectives of this paper were to determine the mosquito species composition in rural schools in 2 municipalities in Colombia and to assess the potential risk of vector-borne disease transmission in school settings. Entomological surveys were carried out in rural schools during the dry and rainy seasons of 2011. A total of 12 mosquito species were found: Aedes aegypti, Anopheles pseudopunctipennis, Culex coronator, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Limatus durhamii in both immature and adult forms; Ae. fluviatilis, Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. corniger, and Psorophora ferox in immature forms only; and Ae. angustivittatus, Haemagogus equinus, and Trichoprosopon lampropus in adult forms only. The most common mosquito species was Cx. quinquefasciatus. Classrooms contained the greatest abundance of adult female Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The most common Ae. aegypti breeding sites were containers classified as "others" (e.g., cans), followed by containers used for water storage. A high level of Ae. aegypti infestation was found during the wet season. Our results suggest that rural schools are potentially important foci for the transmission of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. We propose that public health programs should be implemented in rural schools to prevent vector-borne diseases.

Resultados de un conjunto de intervenciones integradas para reducir la diarrea y el riesgo entomológico para dengue en las escuelas rurales del municipio de Apulo, Cundinamarca, Colombia / Results of a set of integrated interventions to reduce diarrhea and dengue entomological risk in rural schools in the municipality of Apulo, Cundinamarca, Colombia

Determinar si un conjunto de intervenciones integradas implementadas en las instituciones educativas rurales del municipio de Apulo, Cundinamarca, mejoran la calidad del agua para consumo y reducen la infestación del mosquito vector, reduciendo los factores de riesgo para diarrea y dengue. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio cuasiexperimental, antes y después de la intervención, en el cual participaron 350 estudiantes de 14 instituciones rurales del municipio. Se implementó un conjunto de intervenciones para la prevención de las dos enfermedades: para diarrea, instalación de filtros, lavado y tapado de tanques de agua para consumo, y prácticas de higiene; para dengue, tapado de tanques y albercas, y manejo de los residuos sólidos. Resultados. Los índices de infestación de las escuelas por formas inmaduras de Aedes aegypti y de pupas por persona, fueron menores después de la intervención, siendo el último estadísticamente significativo. Con relación a la calidad del agua para consumo, después de la intervención se logró reducir el porcentaje de muestras positivas y la media geométrica de la concentración de las muestras positivas para Escherichia coli, tanto en el total de las muestras, como en las tomadas en los tanques y en las tomadas antes y después de filtrar. Estas diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas entre los dos periodos. Después de las intervenciones, se observó una reducción significativa en las tasas de ausentismo general por enfermedad, específicamente, por diarrea e infecciones respiratorias agudas. Conclusión. Se evaluó un conjunto de intervenciones integradas para la prevención de la diarrea y el dengue, enfermedades que tienen en común las prácticas inadecuadas en el almacenamiento del agua para consumo...

To determine if a set of integrated interventions implemented in rural education institutions in the municipality of Apulo, Cundinamarca, improve the quality of potable water and reduce the infestation of the mosquito vector, reducing risk factors for diarrhea and dengue. Materials and methods: A quasi-experimental study, pre and post intervention, with the participation of 350 students from 14 rural education institutions in the municipality was carried out. A set of interventions for the prevention of the two diseases was implemented; for diarrhea: installation of filters, cleaning and covering of potable water tanks, and hygiene practices, and for dengue: covering of tanks and reservoirs and management of solid waste. Results: Infestation rates in schools by immature forms of Aedes aegypti and of pupa/person were less in the post-intervention stage, being this last one statistically significant. In relation to the quality of potable water in the post-intervention stage, a reduction in the percentage of positive samples was achieved, as well as in the geometric mean of the positive samples for Escherichia coli in the totality of samples, in the samples taken in the tanks, and in the samples taken before and after filtering. These differences were not statistically significant between the two periods. A significant reduction in the general absenteeism rates was observed due to illness; specifically, due to diarrhea and acute respiratory diseases. Conclusion: This study evaluated a set of integrated interventions for the prevention of diarrhea and dengue, diseases that share inadequate practices in the storage of drinkable water...

Effect of prostatein, the major protein produced by the rat ventral prostate, on phagocytic cell functions.

PROBLEM: To determine whether prostatein, the major protein produced and secreted into the seminal fluid by the rat ventral prostate has any effect on the phagocytic cell functions in vitro. METHOD OF STUDY: Analysis was done by determining if purified prostatein added to cells obtained from the peritoneal cavity has any effect on their phagocytic and intracellular killing capacity. Also, we analyzed the effect of prostatein on the production of oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, measuring these metabolites by Nitroblue tetrazolium assay and by the Griess reaction respectively. RESULTS: Prostatein possess the ability to inhibit in vitro the phagocytic and killing properties of peritoneal rat leukocytes in a dose-dependent manner. The addition of a polyclonal antiserum against prostatein specifically blocks this inhibitory effect. Moreover, prostatein inhibits the production of oxygen and nitrogen intermediates by these cells. CONCLUSION: Regulation of the production of reactive oxygen species in the reproductive tract is extremely necessary to avoid their deleterious effects on the sperm motility and the fertilization process. We propose that prostatein, a protein supplied by an accessory gland like prostate, can inhibit the macrophage function, showing an important antioxidant effect.