Case Report: Ocular Gnathostomiasis in Venezuela Most Likely Acquired in Texas.

A 69-year-old male dentist in Caracas, Venezuela, was referred to our Cornea Clinic with a history of pain, photophobia, and blurred vision on his left eye. Routine biomicroscopic examination with a slit lamp showed a worm in the corneal stroma of his left eye. The worm was surgically removed and was identified morphologically as Gnathostoma binucleatum.

Ocular Gnathostomiasis-Update of Earlier Survey.

Ocular gnathostomiasis is rather a rare food-borne zoonosis caused by infection with the larvae of several species of genus Gnathostoma and is a representative ocular larva migrans syndrome. In our previous literature survey, we found 73 cases of ocular gnathostomiasis reported up to and including 2009, though additional sporadic cases have been reported in Asia and the Americas since that report. Here, we review 10 additional cases reported since 2010, and also update current findings regarding epidemiological and clinical features in affected patients.

Plásmido conjugativo portador de integrón clase 1 responsable de la resistencia a los antibióticos en aislados de vibrio cholerae O1 en Venezuela / Conjugative plasmid and a class 1integron responsible for the resistance to antibiotics in vibrio cholerae O1 isolates in Venezuela

Se han descrito aislados de Vibrio cholerae resistentes a una amplia variedad de antibióticos. En Venezuela, durante el brote de cólera ocurrido entre noviembre de 1998 y enero 2000 fueron reportados por primera vez aislados de V. cholerae O1 resistentes a ampicilina, trimetoprim-sulfametoxazole. Usando experimentos de conjugación se determinó la capacidad de transferir los determinantes de resistencia a ampicilina y trimetoprim-sulfametoxazole en 11 aislados. La visualización de plásmidos se realizó utilizando la digestión con nucleasa S1 y electroforesis en campo pulsante. La presencia de integrones de clase 1 fue establecida por PCR y se obtuvo la secuencia de la región variable del integrón. Los determinantes de resistencia fueron transferidos en un plásmido conjugativo de aproximadamente 170 kbp, común a todos los aislados. La resistencia a trimetoprim esta codificada en el gen dfra15, el cual se encuentra en un integrón clase 1 presente en el plásmido. En este estudio, se caracterizó la localización genética de los determinantes que codifican la resistencia a los antibióticos, y al conocer el mecanismo probable de dispersión de los determinantes de resistencia se podrán implementar medidas de control más adecuadas.

Vibrio cholerae has been reported to be resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. V. Cholerae O1 strains resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were isolated for the first time in Venezuela during a cholera outbreak that occurred between November 1998 and January 2000. Using conjugation experiments, the capacity of transfer of the resistance determinants in 11 strains resistant to ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was investigated. Plasmid analysis was done by S1 nuclease digestion and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. The presence of class 1 integrons was determined by PCR and the sequence of the gene harbored in the variable region of the integron was obtained. The antibiotic resistance determinants were transferred by a conjugative plasmid of approximately 170 kbp, common to all the isolates. Resistance to trimethoprim is encoded by the dfra15 gene that is harbored by a class 1 integron present in the plasmid. In this study, the genetic location of the determinants that code for resistance to antibiotics was characterized, and knowing the probable mechanism of dispersion of the determinants of resistance, control measures can be implemented most appropriate