RESUMO
En Falcón, no se han realizado estudios relacionados con la toxoplasmosis. La finalidad de este estudio es determinar la prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-Toxoplasma gondii tipo IgM e IgG, en mujeres no embarazadas que acudieron al hospital Dr, Rafael Gallardo. El diagnóstico se hizo a través de inmunoensayo enzimático. El 85,5% resultaron negativas para la presencia de ambos anticuerpos, 14,3% mostraron valores positivos de IgG y 0,37% tuvo valores positivos para IgM. Se descartó la presencia de infección activa en los pacientes que resultaron IgG(+). La paciente IgM(+) se manejó como primoinfección. La baja prevalencia encontrada puede deberse a escasa exposición a factores de riesgo o al subregistro. Hacer el diagnóstico precoz permite iniciar medidas profilácticas que reduzcan la transmisión. El estudio serológico debe ser extendido a mujeres embarazadas y complementado con los datos epidemiológicos.
Studies related with toxoplasmosis have not been done at Falcon State, Venezuela. The aim of this study was to determine the IgM and IgG type anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody prevalence in non pregnant women who attended the Dr. Rafael Gallardo Hospital. Diagnosis was made through an immune-enzymatic assay. Of the sera tested, 85.5% were negative for both antibodies; 14.27% of the sera were positive for IgG and 0.37% for IgM. The presence of active infection was rejected in the IgG(+) patients. The one patient who was IgM positive was considered as recently infected. The low prevalence found may be due to scarce exposure to risk factors, or to a sub registration. An early diagnosis will allow initiating prophylactic measures that reduce transmission. Serologic studies should be extended to pregnant women and complemented with epidemiological data.
RESUMO
Las geohelmintiasis constituyen un problema de salud pública, por lo que su presencia en preescolares y escolares de la población de Macuquita, estado Falcón, Venezuela, se estudió mediante la técnica de Kato-Katz. Se evaluaron las características clínicas y las condiciones socio-sanitarias. El estado socio-económico de los núcleos familiares se estableció por el método de Graffar, encontrándose que el 100% (p< 0,05) de la población pertenece al estrato social V. La frecuencia de geohelmintiasis en los escolares fue de 64% (n=9) y 43% (n=6) en los preescolares. Las especies de geohelmintos más reportados fueron A. lumbricoides (41.1 %), T. trichiura (23.5%) y S. stercoralis (29.4%). En conclusión, la promoción de medidas que contribuyan a mejorar las condiciones socio-sanitarias son muy importantes para poder controlar la alta incidencia de esta patología. Se sugiere continuar el estudio ampliando el método diagnóstico y abarcando también los animales que cohabitan en el peridomicilio.
Geohelminthiasis constitutes a public health problem, due to which its presence in pre-school and school children from the Macupita population, Falcon state, Venezuela, was studied through the Kato Katz technique. Clinical characteristics and social-economical conditions were evaluated. The social-economical status of family nuclei was established by the Graffar method, determining that 100% (p<0.05) of the population belongs to social stratus V. Geohelminthiasis frequency in school children was 64% (n=9) and 43% (n=6) in preschool children. The most reported geohelminth species were A. lumbricoides (41.1%), T. trichiura (23.5%), and S. stercoralis (29.4%). In conclusion, the promotion of measures that contribute to improve the social-sanitary conditions are very important to control this pathology. It is suggested to continue the study increasing diagnostic methods and also including the animals that inhabit peri-household areas.
RESUMO
The purpose of this research was to evaluate an ELISA indirect method in patients with chromoblastomycosis caused by Cladophialophora carrionii. Samples collected before, during and postreatment with ajoene or itraconazole, and those from apparently healthy people from the endemic area were evaluated with the ELISA test. 94 individuals were studied, 10 with chromoblastomycosis, and 84 apparently healthy subjects. All of them were evaluated by clinical-dermatological examinations. On those with lesions suggestive of chromoblastomycosis, mycological studies were carried out to confirm the disease. This approach was repeated during and at the end of therapy. Five patients with lesions < or = 5 cms were treated with ajoene and five with lesions > 5 cms, received itraconazole. Mycological cure (60%) was similar in both groups of patients and persisted three months after therapy. One hundred and fourteen sera were analyzed by ELISA, 30 from 10 patients with chromoblastomycosis, before, during and postreatment and 84 from apparently healthy people, using a somatic antigen of C. carrionii (AgSPP). All patients with chromoblastomycosis were positive before-treatment, two became negative on day 45 of treatment and a total of six patients were negative three months post-treatment. All sera from apparently healthy individuals were negative. The sensitivity and specificity was 100% and 98.9%, respectively. The relationship between clinical-mycological studies and the ELISA assay was 100% before and after treatment. In summary, ELISA could be a valuable tool for the diagnosis and evolution of the therapeutic efficacy in patients with chromomycosis (C. carrionii). The use of an ELISA test is therefore highly recommended to establish remission criteria in chromoblastomycosis caused by C. carrionii.
