First identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild ruminants in a zoo in Mexico.

Background and Aim: Paratuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious disease that induces chronic enteritis in ruminants. It is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). In this study, we evaluated the presence of MAP using bacteriological, molecular, and anatomopathological studies, based on the clinical suspicion of PTB in a zoo, in an area housing 10 scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), five giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), and three blue wildebeests (Connochaetes taurinus). Materials and Methods: From November 2016 to June 2017, fecal samples were collected from individuals of the three species on four occasions, resulting in a total of 56 fecal samples. In addition, five small intestine samples were collected from the necropsies of three adult scimitar-horned oryx females and two oryx calves. MAP identification was performed through isolation in Herrold's medium with egg yolk, mycobactin, and sodium pyruvate, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, IS900 polymerase chain reaction (IS900 PCR), and anatomopathological examination of intestine samples. Results: Diffuse granulomatous enteritis with abundant acid-fast bacilli was found in two out of five intestine samples from adult scimitar-horned oryx females. MAP was isolated in 7/56 (12.5%) of the fecal samples from four scimitar-horned oryx, one giraffe, and two wildebeest samples. Two out of 5 (40%) samples obtained from scimitar-horned oryx tested positive. IS900 PCR yielded five positive samples (two fecal samples and three small intestine samples). MAP isolates were classified as Type C (Cattle) using type-specific PCR. Conclusion: These results demonstrated the presence of MAP in the area evaluated and indicated the importance of both sampling live animals and conducting postmortem examinations. The use of bacteriological and histopathological diagnostic techniques demonstrated in this study will provide insight into the health status and prevalence of paratuberculosis in wild ruminants under human care.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo on Evergreen Nursery Stock in California.

As part of the Phytophthora ramorum testing program from 2005 through 2007, a Phytophthora sp. was isolated on PARP-CMA medium (4) at the CDFA lab in Sacramento, CA, from the margin of necrotic spots and tissue suffering from dieback on Arctostaphylos sp. (manzanita), Camellia spp., Laurus nobilis (bay), Buxus sempervirens (boxwood), Rhododendron sp., Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree), and Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood). Isolates were collected from Shasta, Contra Costa, San Diego, Solano, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Monterey, and Los Angeles Counties. Isolates from A. unedo tissue on PARP medium produced apapillate, obovate sporangia 25 to 80 × 15 to 40 µm (48.0 × 26.9 µm average) and a few isolates produced intercalary and terminal chlamydospores at 22°C (30 to 46 µm diameter, 38.9 µm average). The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of rDNA was amplified from four isolates using ITS1 and ITS4 primers as described by White et al. (3) and the amplicons sequenced (GenBank Accession Nos. JQ307188 through JQ307191). BLAST analysis of the amplicons showed 99 to 100% identity with the ITS sequence of Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo from forest streams in Oregon (GenBank Accession No. HM004224) (1). Pathogenicity tests were performed on B. sempervirens, C. sasanqua, L. nobilis, and A. unedo. Five plants of each species were inoculated with 6-mm plugs taken from the margin of a 7- to 10-day-old culture grown on V8 juice agar. Plant leaves were wounded with a sterile pushpin and two agar plugs were covered with a freezer tube cap filled with sterile dH2O and clipped to the underside of the leaves with a sterile pin-curl clip (4). Inoculated plants were sprayed with water, covered with plastic bags, and incubated for 2 days, when bags and plugs were removed. Five leaves of each isolate plus five control plugs using V8 juice agar alone were inoculated on each plant. Plants were incubated for 12 days at 18°C (16-h photoperiod). Lesions formed on all inoculated plants, ranging in size from approx. 1 mm on B. sempervirens to 9.2 × 10.9 mm average on A. unedo. The lesions on A. unedo grew into and caused the mid-vein to blacken. The lesion sizes on camellia and bay were larger than those formed on B. sempervirens and smaller than those formed on A. unedo, with most lesions surrounded by a dark ring. Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo is associated with leaf lesions on rhododendron and dieback of yew in Minnesota (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo causing disease in camellia, bay, strawberry tree, and boxwood in California. Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo causes damage that is indistinguishable from the quarantine pest, P. ramorum (4). References: (1) P. W. Reeser et al. Mycologia 103:22, 2011. (2) B. W. Schwingle and R. A. Blanchette. Plant Dis. 92:642, 2008. (3) T. J. White et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. M. A. Innis et al., eds., Academic Press, San Diego, 1990. (4) L. E. Yakabe et al. Plant Dis. 93:883, 2009.

Diverse BF recombinants have spread widely since the introduction of HIV-1 into South America.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the genetic diversity of HIV-1 in South America by full genome sequencing and analysis. METHODS: Purified peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA from HIV-infected individuals in Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia was used to amplify full HIV-1 genomes. These were sequenced using the ABI 3100 automated sequencer and phylogenetically analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-one HIV-1 strains from three South American countries, 17 of which were pre-screened by envelope heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA), were studied. Ten out of 10 HMA subtype F and four out of seven HMA subtype B strains were actually BF recombinants upon full genome analysis. Two BF recombinants from Argentina and two from Uruguay had the same structure, representing a new circulating recombinant form termed CRF12_BF(ARMA159). Twelve other BF recombinants had structures related to CRF12 but with additional segments of subtype B; each was unique. BF recombinants were temporally and geographically widespread, found as early as 1986-1987 in vertically infected Argentinian children and in Argentina, Uruguay, and Bolivia.

Urabá, conflictos y educación rural / Uraba, conflicts and rural education

El enfrentamiento guerrillas - autodefensas - organismos armados del Estado ha ocasionado incontable número de muertos, amenazados, secuestrados, desaparecidos, desplazados y flagrantes violaciones a los derechos humanos y el Derecho Internacional Humanitario. La mayor parte de la población y el territorio del departamento se encuentra bajo esta situación. Lo que ha estado sucediendo ultimamente es la eliminación por parte de las autodefensas de todo militante o simpatizante de la guerrilla y esta ha respondido con acciones terroristas que sacrifican personas inocentes. Las autodefensas de Cordoba y Urabá han crecido en hombres, han expandido su influencia al Chocó, la Costa Atlántica y otras partes del pais, han fortalecido su presencia en lugares "conquistados" y hacen parte de las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia. Se han constituído sin lugar a dudas en voceros a tener en cuenta en cualquier propuesta de paz. Las autodefensas son, al parecer, un proyecto económico, social y político, fácilmente desbordable por la concepción dogmática y fanática que los guía, la tendencia a la venganza, el abuso de las armas en manos de líderes y jóvenes combatientes sin formación adecuada y el hecho de creer que pueden decidir sin fórmula de juicio quien tiene la verdad y quien puede o no vivir. La dinámica del conflicto es tal que individualidades o sectores de la llamada sociedad civil cada día se involucran mas en las acciones de los actores armados

[In vitro formation of fibroblast colony-forming units in the bone marrow of patients with solid malignant tumors]. / Formación in-vitro de unidades formadoras de colonias fibroblásticas en medula ósea de pacientes con tumores sólidos malignos.

The number of bone marrow fibroblast colony-forming cells (CFU-F) were studied in twelve healthy donors, four colon (CP) and nine lung cancer patients (LP). A liquid culture system has been used to characterize human bone marrow CFU-F. The results showed any recognizable CFU-F in three patients with colon cancer and in two patients of the other group. One of the four CP and five of the nine LP presented a CFU-F value of 17 and 2, 8, 22, 29, 32, respectively compared to 65 from normal subjects. Two LP reached normal CFU-F values (normal range = 33-191). These data support the conclusion that the 84.6% of these solid tumor cancer patients study produced less number of proliferative status of fibroblast colony-forming cells.

[An information system for the study of the urban structure of Mexico City]. / Un sistema de informacion para el estudio de la estructura urbana de la ciudad de Mexico.

PIP: The author describes SIUMEX, a program she developed to analyze the urban structure of Mexico City. The program was used in 1990 to examine the city's spatial distribution and to measure the physical expansion of the urban region. Other applications for the program are briefly described.^ieng

[Congenital hip dislocation and the seasons]. / Luxación congénita de cadera y estacionalidad.

This report deals with the data gathered for a year concerning the incidence of luxation coxae congenita at the Hospital de Gineco-Obstetricia (Gynecology-Obstetrics Hospital) of the Unidad Médica Oblatos (Oblatos Medical Unit) of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (Mexican Institute of Social Security) in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. The results show an inverse correlation between the temperature and the number of cases, both statistically significant, demonstrating seasonality for luxation coxae congenita.

[The level of knowledge about leprosy among university students]. / Nivel de conocimientos sobre la lepra en estudiantes universitarios.

A survey about leprosy was made in 1,000 students from the University of Guadalajara (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico). There were considered clinical, preventive, social and etiological aspects. The results showed that the patient suffering leprosy is currently marginated. We suggest that this study should be carried out in other universities of Mexico, with purposes to verify the stigmata of this entity.

Ehlers-Danlos features with progeroid facies and mild mental retardation. Further delineation of the syndrome.

A syndrome characterized by progeroid facies, multiple nevi, mild mental retardation, skin hyperextensibility, bruisability, moderate skin fragility, joint hypermobility principally in digits, is described in two unrelated patients. Electron microscopy of the skin showed some fragmentation of the elastic fibers' portion and moderate electrodensity in the amorphous portion. Since a practically identical constellation of clinical features was previously reported in three patients, the individualization of a distinct connective tissue disorder, probably autosomal dominant, with variable expressivity is concluded.

Keratosis palmaris et plantaris with clinodactyly. A distinct autosomal dominant genodermatosis.

Keratosis palmaris et plantaris and clinodactyly of the 5th finger was diagnosed in 11 members of a family with a typical pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance. It is concluded that both traits are probably the expression of a single mutant gene (p less than 0.001).

A distinct variant of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Two unrelated males presented a distinct syndrome, consisting mainly of mental retardation, short stature, wrinkled facies, curly and fine hair, scanty eyebrows and eyelashes, telecanthus, periodontitis, hypermobility of the joints, hyperextensibility and fragility of the skin, multiple nevi, papiraceous scars, bruisability, varicose veins, pectus excavatum, winged scapulae, pes planus and bilateral cryptorchidism. Since some features were typical of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), the clinical data were analyzed comparatively with the different types of EDS. The individualization of a distinct variant is concluded. Increased paternal age at the birth of both cases suggests a de novo dominant mutation.