Parasitic copepods affect morphospace and diet of larvae of a temperate reef fish.

The effects of ectoparasites on larvae of the clingfish Gobiesox marmoratus were evaluated at the dietary and morphometric levels. The larvae and ectoparasites were collected by nearshore plankton samplings during October, November and December 2013 off El Quisco Bay, central Chile. The standardized abundance of total larvae and those ectoparasitized larvae (PL) was positively related and high parasite prevalence was found throughout the sampling period (up to 38%). Geometric morphometrics analyses indicate main changes in the shape through early ontogeny and subtle but significant variations between PL and non-parasitized larvae (NPL). Prey composition varied between PL and NPL; small size (<6 mm standard length, LS ) parasitized larval G. marmoratus ate mostly gastropod larvae, whereas small non-parasitized specimens ate mainly cirripede nauplii. All larger (>8 mm LS ), pre-settlement stages parasitized by Trifur and, or Caligus copepods had content in their gut, suggesting that ectoparasites did not diminish prey capture in host with larger size. Morphometric and dietary changes occurring during larval development were decoupled, both for PL and NPL. The maintenance of a slender, more hydrodynamic body through pelagic development and the ingestion of less-mobile prey in PL suggests non-lethal effects of ectoparasitism on rocky-reef fish larvae.

Sharing morphospaces: early ontogenetic shape changes in two clingfish larvae (Pisces: Gobiesocidae) from the south-east Pacific Ocean.

Larval body shape changes and developmental timing were examined in two clingfish species from the south-east Pacific Ocean, Gobiesox marmoratus and Sicyases sanguineus. Ontogenetic allometry showed no interspecific variation and <7 mm standard length (LS ) larvae of both species occupied similar morphospace, but larger G. marmoratus showed increased body depth while larvae of S. sanguineus developed a flattened head and maintained a hydrodynamic body. Estimated developmental timing suggests that larval body shape changes were faster in G. marmoratus than in S. sanguineus prior to settlement.

Diet and body shape changes of paroko Kelloggella disalvoi (Gobiidae) from intertidal pools of Easter Island.

This study assesses seasonal variation in the morphology and diet of juveniles and adults of the Easter Island endemic goby Kelloggella disalvoi from intertidal pools during September-October 2015 (spring) and June-July 2016 (winter), utilizing geometric morphometric and gut-content analyses. A set of 16 landmarks was digitized in 128 individuals. Shape changes related to size changes (i.e. allometry) were low (18·6%) and were seasonally similar. Body shape changes were mainly dorsoventral (44·2% of variance) and comprised posteroventral displacement of the premaxilla and bending of the body. The latter included vertical displacement of the anterior portion of the first and second dorsal fins and the entire base of the caudal fin. Diets mainly comprised developmental stages of harpacticoid copepods (from eggs to adults), ostracods, isopods, gastropods and bivalves. Also, trophic niche breadth remained constant throughout development and did not vary between seasons. Nonetheless, significant dietary differences were detected in specimens collected during spring (main prey items: harpacticoid copepods and copepod eggs) and winter (harpacticoid copepods and copepod nauplii). Finally, there was weak but significant covariation between diet and morphology: molluscivores were characterized by having an inferior mouth gape, whereas planktivores had an anteriorly directed premaxilla.

Are the intertidal fish highly resistant to UV-B radiation? A study based on oxidative stress in Girella laevifrons (Kyphosidae).

Sea chub, Girella laevifrons, is a coastal fish that inhabits high intertidal rockpools along the coast of Chile. The intertidal pools where the juveniles live, are an extreme environment with high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, becoming harmful to the organisms, due to oxidative stress generated by reactive oxygen species. For this reason organisms develop adaptations that allow them to survive in this complex environment. The search of biomonitor species, sensitive to UV radiation is very important in aquatic ecosystems, mainly in the southern hemisphere where depletion of the ozone layer and the consequent increase of UV radiation, have become an environmental problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet radiation in G. laevifrons and its possible use as UV-B radiation biomonitor specie in intertidal systems, which are very important for the Chilean fisheries. The effect of UV radiation exposure on juvenile G. laevifrons was measured through oxidative stress parameters. Catalase's activity increased with the time of exposure, unlike superoxide dismutase's activity which peaked at 2h, decreasing towards the 5th hour of irradiation. The superoxide dismutase activity in muscle tissue did not show significant differences. The lipid peroxidation and DNA damage increased in relation to exposition times. Tissue muscle's DNA damage was shown only at 5h of exposure. Significant differences between the two organs in the antioxidant capacity were observed, the liver of G. laevifrons exhibited the higher antioxidant capacity. It can be concluded that this specie exhibits effective protection mechanisms against UV radiation exposure and it is not appropriate specie as a biomonitor in intertidal systems.

Nivel de conocimiento de salud oral y utilización de ges odontológico en puérperas atendidas en una clínica privada, Santiago, Chile / Oral health level of knowledge and use of dental ges in puerperal patients at a private clinic, Santiago, Chile

El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer el nivel de conocimientos de salud oral y la utilización de GES odontológico en 200 puérperas atendidas en el servicio integral de la mujer de una clínica privada, del sector norte de Santiago de Chile durante el año 2011. Se aplicó un cuestionario auto-administrado compuesto de 24 preguntas relacionadas con el nivel de conocimiento sobre enfermedades orales, prevención, gestación, atención odontológica y desarrollo dentario. El punto de corte para ser considerado como buen nivel de conocimiento fue igual o mayor a 14 puntos y regular entre 7 y 13 puntos. La edad promedio de la muestra estudiada fue de 29,11 años (+5,71) y la mitad refirió tener un solo hijo. El 57 por ciento refiere educación universitaria, un 70,5 por ciento declaró estar trabajando y sólo un tercio de ellas recibió atención dental durante su embarazo. Existe un nivel de conocimientos bueno en un 35 por ciento de las puérperas y regular en un 64 por ciento, siendo los conocimientos sobre prevención en salud oral los mejores evaluados y el de crecimiento y desarrollo dentario los más deficientes. La edad media fue mayor en el grupo con mejor nivel de conocimientos. Al hacer el análisis estadístico según las categorías de la encuesta no se observó diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el nivel de conocimientos y haber recibido atención dental durante el embarazo (p=0,64). La relación entre el nivel de conocimientos sobre salud oral y paridad (p=0,37), nivel educacional (p=0,35) y ocupación (p=0,39) no fueron estadísticamente significativas. Se analizó también el puntaje en comparación a las diferentes variables mediante regresión lineal múltiple, solo el nivel educacional de la madre (IC95 por ciento= 0,3:1,8; p=0.007) y la paridad (IC95 por ciento= -0,1:1,5; p=0.05) fueron significativos, sin embargo el intervalo de confianza para la paridad no rechaza la hipótesis nula. Las madres con nivel educacional superior o técnico...

The aim of this study was to determine the level of oral health knowledge in 200 postpartum women attending an integral service for women of a private clinic in the northern sector of Santiago de Chile during the year 2011. We used a self-administered questionnaire based on 24 questions related to the level of knowledge of oral diseases, prevention, pregnancy, dental care and dental development. The cutoff score for being considered a good level of knowledge was higher than or equal to 14 points and regular cooperation between 7 and 13 points. The average age of the sample was 29.11 years (+ 5.71) and half reported having one child. 57% refers university education, 70.5% reported to be working and only a third received dental care during pregnancy. Thirty-five percent of puerperal women had a good level of knowledge and 64% had a regular level. The highest score identified was the knowledge on prevention in oral health and the lowest was health growth and development of dental. The mean age was higher in the group with higher level of knowledge. No statistically significant difference was observed between the level of knowledge and having received dental care during pregnancy (p = 0.635). The relation between level of oral health knowledge and parity (p = 0.367), educational level (p = 0.345) and occupation (p = 0.388) was not statistically significant. Using linear regression we analyzed the relation between level of knowledge score and other variables. The level of education of the mother (95% CI = 0.3:1.8, P = 0.007) and parity (95% CI = -0.1: 1.5, p = 0.05) were significant, but the confidence interval for parity does not reject the null hypothesis. Mothers with higher or technical level of education...

Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii: serotypes in Venezuela.

Cryptococcus neoformans is one of the medically important yeast-like fungi. C. neoformans var. gatti has been made a species: C. gatti. In our country, there are few studies about these two species and their serotypes. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of C. neoformans and C. gattii, and their serotypes in Venezuelan clinical isolates. One hundred and twenty C. neoformans and 12 C. gattii clinical isolates were identified by L-canavanine, glycine, and bromothymol blue agar media (CGB). These were investigated by agglutination and adsorption studies with anticryptococcal sera, which were produced by rabbit immunization. Of the 132 isolates 59.8% were typed serotype A (C. neoformans), followed by 25.8% serotype D (C. neoformans), 5.3% serotype AD (C. neoformans), and 5.3% were typed serotype C (var. gattii). Additionally 3.8% were serotype B (C. gattii).

High prevalence of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies in infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women in Venezuela.

BACKGROUND: There is increased worldwide concern about the consequences of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies on health, which include megaloblastic anemia, neural tube defects and cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: This study intended to determine the prevalence of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies in vulnerable groups in labor and poor socioeconomic strata of the Venezuelan population. METHODS: A total of 5658 serum samples were processed to determine folic acid and vitamin B12 concentrations. The study involved three surveys performed during 2001-2002 and included infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women from labor and poor socioeconomic strata of the population. The method used was a radio immunoassay designed for the simultaneous measurement of serum folic acid and vitamin B12. RESULTS: The prevalence of folic acid deficiency was higher than 30% for all groups studied, reaching 81.79% in adolescents. Vitamin B12 deficiency was 11.4% in samples collected nationwide, but there was also a similar prevalence of high serum levels. The prevalence of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies in pregnant women reached 36.32 and 61.34%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This work shows that there is a high prevalence of folic acid deficiency, especially in women of reproductive age, pregnant adolescents and in the whole population studied in Vargas state. This situation requires immediate intervention as supplementation or food fortification programs.

Mantenimiento de crytococcus sp con el método de castellani / Preservation of cryptococcus sp with the castellani method

Las dificultades para mantener cepas de bacterias y de hongos viables durante diferentes períodos de tiempo, sin cambios morfológicos ni fisiológicos, son bien conocidas. Existen métodos de conservación con diferentes niveles de eficacia, tales como el subcultivo periódico, la liofilización, la inmersión en aceite mineral y el método de Castellani [1-3]. En 1989, Hartung y colaboradores lograron demostrar la eficiencia de este método para la conservación de hongos, mantenidos en la Sección de Micología Médica del Instituto de Medicina Tropical de la Universidad Central de Venezuela desde 1962 [4,5]. En la literatura existen pocos trabajos que reportan la efectividad de dicho método [5-8]. El presente estudio evalúa la estabilidad morfológica, viabilidad y pureza de 26 cepas de cryptococcus sp. provenientes de la micoteca de esta sección, las cuales fueron aisladas de diversas muestras clínicas y conservadas utilizando el método de Castellani, desde 1962 hasta 2002

Aspectos clínicos, etiología microbiana y manejo terapéutico de la parotiditis crónica recurrente infantil (PCRI) / Clinical, microbiological aetiology and therapeutic aspects in infantil chronic recurrent parotitis (PCRI)

Parotiditis crónica recurrente infantil(PCRI) es una inflamación parotidea recurrente asociada a sialectasia no obstructiva de parótida, con aumento doloroso uni o bilateral de la glándula. El objetivo del estudio es analizar su clínica, etiología microbiana y respuesta al tratamiento local. Se estudian 50 pacientes con diagnóstico de PCRI y sus recurrencias y 20 pacientes controles sin antecedentes de parotidomegalia. En los casos el diagnóstico se confirmó por sialografía. Las muestras de saliva se obtuvieron por aspiración postmasaje glandular. Se realiza cultivo microbiano con recuento y serología para virus parotiditis. Resultados: Los casos de PCRI presentaron una edad de 5,6 años promedio, sin diferencia por sexo. El 100 por ciento de los casos presentó dolor y el 72 por ciento fiebre. En 49 de los casos hubo asociación a infección respiratoria. En el 66 por ciento, la saliva fue purulenta aislándose S. pneumoniae en 38 por ciento de los casos y H. influenzae en 18 por ciento. Sólo en el 20 por ciento no se identificó agente etiológico. En el 48,1 por ciento de S. pneumoniae se confirmó resistencia a penicilina. En tres pacientes y dos controles la serología para virus parotiditis, fue positiva. En 19 de los 50 casos se observaron de 1 a 4 recurrencias posteriores y una paciente con 9 recurrencias. El tratamiento con lavados intraglandular con sustancia yodada hidrosaluble, fue eficaz, con remisión en 3 a 14 días y desaparición de signos clínicos. Sólo 5 casos, requirieron uso de antimicrobianos. Conclusiones: PCRI es una patología infecciosa compleja que evoluciona con recurrencias afectando la calidad de vida del paciente. El tratamiento local resultó ser eficaz en el control del cuadro, disminuyendo las recurrencias y el uso de antimicrobianos.

Characterization of rotaviruses causing diarrhoea in Vietnamese children.

Faecal samples from 123 children admitted to the Centre for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, with acute watery diarrhoea were screened by negative-stain electron microscopy for viral enteropathogens. In addition to the 48 children who were found to be infected with rotavirus only, one had both rotavirus and astrovirus, two had adenovirus 40/41, and one had astrovirus only. The rotaviruses were subjected to molecular analysis by electropherotyping, G- and P-genotyping (by reverse-transcriptase PCR), and amplicon sequencing. By use of newly designed PCR primers, all 49 isolates could be G-genotyped and all but one P-genotyped. Novel variants of G1-G1*--were the most commonly detected G-genotype and such variants of P[8]-P[8*]--were the second commonest P-genotype. The P[8*] and G1* amplicons were, respectively, only 92%-93.4% and 88.1%-89% similar to the corresponding sequences from the prototype P[8] G1 rotavirus, Wa. Several unusual P- and G-genotype combinations were detected. Four (8%) of the children investigated were each found to be co-infected with two different rotaviruses. These data add to our knowledge of the continuing evolution and diversity of human rotaviruses, and should help in the rational design of vaccines.

Histopathologic and histochemical characterization of calcified structures in hamsters inoculated with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

In pathogenicity studies of 31 Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates preserved using Castellani's method we intraperitoneally inoculated 104 young adult hamsters and found laminated concentric structures and calcified appearance that resembled Schaumann bodies, in 43 of them, especially in animals with apparently good condition. We characterized these structures histologically and histochemically using different stains (PAS, Grocott, haematoxylin-eosin, Von Kossa). The Von Kossa staining revealed calcium in these structures. Similar structures have been described in patients with sarcoidosis and also in hamsters inoculated with P. brasiliensis. We found no correlation between the presence of these calcifications and serum calcium levels.

Identificación de Staphylococcus coagulasa-negativos y resistencia antimicrobiana en un hospital materno-infantil / Staphylococcus coagulase-negative identification and antibiotic resistance at the hospital materno-infantil

Se estudiaron 72 cepas de estafilococos coagulasa-negativos provenientes de pacientes con edades comprendidas entre 2 días y 18 años, con manifestaciones clínicas de sepsis, abscesos, otitis, conjuntivitis, meningitis y onfalitis, quienes acudieron a consulta en el Hospital Materno-infantil del Este "Joel Valencia Parparcén" del Ministerio de Sanidad y Asistencia Social en Petare. El objetivo del presente trabajo es identificar las especies de estafilococos coagulasa-negativos y su resistencia antimicrobiana. Los estafilococos fueron identificados a través del sistema ID 32 STAPH, y la resistencia antimicrobiana se estableció utilizando el método de difusión en agar. Las especies de estafilococos coagulasa-negativos aislados con mayor frecuencia fueron las especies: S. epidemidis (36,1 por ciento), S. chromogenes (20,8 por ciento), seguidos por S. warneri (8,3 por ciento), S. xylosus (6,9 por ciento), S. sciuri (5,5 por ciento), S. haemolyticus (5,5 por ciento), S. cohni (5,5 por ciento) y S. hominis (4,4 por ciento). El mayor porcentaje de muestras recibidas fueron hemocultivos (35,3 por ciento) y secreciones de piel (7,9 por ciento). La resistencia a los antimicrobianos fue muy alta para penicilina (98,6 por ciento), oxacilina (91,7 por ciento), tetraciclina (66,7 por ciento), trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol (55,5 por ciento), y eritromicina (51,4 por ciento), y disminuyó ante gentamicina (19,4 por ciento), rifampicina (18,1 por ciento), clindamicina (11,1 por ciento), ciprofloxacina (2,8 por ciento) y vancomicina (1,4 por ciento). Se sugiere que los procedimientos para la identificación en especies de los estafilococos coagulasa-negativos sean mejorados en los laboratorios de microbiología clínica, y el uso racional de penicilina, oxacilina, tetraciclina y trimetoprim-sulfametaxol en este hospital

Microbiology of recurrent parotitis.

BACKGROUND: Infantile chronic recurrent parotitis (ICRP) is characterized by episodes of recurrent swelling of the parotid gland with decreased salivary flow and purulent secretion. The etiology of this little unknown clinical condition has been attributed to multiple causes such as canalicular system malformations, ascending bacterial infection, hyposialia, parotitis sequelae, viral infections and immunologic disorders, among others. METHODS: We studied the types (with counts) of microorganisms involved in ICRP. Saliva samples were obtained from 56 patients and 20 controls, inoculated onto enriched media and incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Antimicrobial susceptibility and serotyping of the isolated organisms isolated were performed. RESULTS: Of 57 saliva samples from ICRP patients, 52 (91%) were culture-positive. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Thirteen of twenty (65%) samples were also culture-positive, mostly for viridans streptococci. However, colony counts were lower than in clinical samples (P < 0.004). Approximately one-third of S. pneumoniae strains resistant or moderately resistant to penicillin, and all H. influenzae strains were susceptible to all of the antimicrobials tested. CONCLUSIONS: S. pneumoniae or H. influenzae were isolated in high concentrations in IRCP cases but not in controls, suggesting that these microorganisms may have a role in the development of this clinical entity. Quantitative cultures are very important in assessment of the pathogenic role of these microorganisms in patients but not in controls.